Since its opening in September, 1970, University High School in Irvine has been a comprehensive public high school which has fostered a commitment to excellence, social responsibility, high achievement, and rigorous programs. Empowering and inspiring both students and those who facilitate their learning, the high school provides an environment in which human needs, aspirations, and goals are addressed.
University High School is a concerned community of administrators, certificated and classified staffs, and parents who are responsible to students, the larger communities beyond the campus and each other. The primary purpose of the high school is to develop multifaceted programs which meet the diverse needs of all students, generate a sense of belonging and nurture purposeful life choices. This staff expects of students a commitment to their education which includes the completion of assignments, regular attendance, a respect for learning, and pride in achievement.
The staff of University High School advocates quality education and esteem-enhancing extracurricular activities. We affirm that those who are most responsible for the implementation of policy and most affected by its consequences should be participants in the policy's development. Though fulfilling different roles, each member of the staff contributes meaningfully to validating processes and programs, suggesting opportunities and directions for change, and discussing openly curriculum and budgetary challenges. This pro-active involvement and open communication ensures University High School's capacity for growth, renewal, and continuing commitment to excellence.
VISION
University High School will provide students with the means to acquire knowledge and develop habits of mind to prepare them for the world they will inherit. To this end, we foster skills in:
- Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
- Communications and Interpretation
- Artistic Creation and Aesthetics
- National and International Awareness
- Personal and Social Development
- Interrelationships of Science, Technology, Mathematics and Society
VALUES
University High School’s learning environment is based upon a set of values shared among students, teachers, administrators, support staff and parents. These values become the unifying vision that guides our learning community.
Organization, Leadership, Vision and Purpose: The stakeholders
- Encourage open communication.
- Share governance through a decision-making process.
- Balance academic freedom with agreed-upon practices and policies.
- Implement and follow school policies consistently.
Curriculum: The stakeholders
- Develop critical thinking skills.
- Apply learning both inside and outside the school environment.
- Articulate and collaborate between and among levels and across curriculum.
- Meet and exceed state standards.
- Evaluate and revise the curriculum to meet student needs.
Instruction: The stakeholders
- Innovate and experiment.
- Foster autonomy within a collaborative culture.
- Coach students to think, to problem solve, and to exercise responsibility for their learning.
- Accommodate a variety of learning styles.
- Analyze student performance results to inform and guide instruction.
Assessment: The stakeholders
- Encourage reflection and self-evaluation.
- Design assessments to reflect state standards
- Implement multiple types and sources of assessments to accommodate all students and learning types.
- Use benchmarks and common assessments to guide instruction.
School Culture: The stakeholders
- Pursue excellence.
- Practice ethical behavior.
- Embrace and respect the diversity of all cultures and individuals.
- Cultivate individual talents and interests.
- Encourage students to share meaningful life experiences and outside knowledge with their learning communities.
- Empower and inspire students to use classroom learning to ignite student passion for meaningful social, political, intellectual and creative activity.
- Balance mental and physical health.
ESLRS
Teachers at University High School work towards incorporating the six performance areas into their curriculum and daily instruction, such that, by graduation, students should be able to demonstrate skills in the following areas:
1. Critical Thinking/Problem SolvingA demonstrated ability to deal with complex, real-life problems logically These traits address the challenges of assessing and using information to make thoughtful decisions.
| 4. National and International AwarenessA demonstrated knowledge of national and international issues These traits deal with thoughtful human interactions that foster harmony and understanding.
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2. Communications and InterpretationA demonstrated ability to communicate in the English language and also in an additional language These traits relate to conveying and receiving information.
| 5. Personal and Social DevelopmentA demonstrated ability to handle real-life problems in finance, fitness, and day-to-day living, and community service These traits direct personal skills and assets towards successful human interactions and make a person able to harness his/her talents for a productive life.
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3. Artistic Expression and AestheticsA demonstrated ability to produce an artistic performance or creative product that reflects the student's understanding of the arts These traits deal with the appreciation and expression of creativity through images, sounds, movements, and words as a means of understanding culture.
| 6. Interrelationship of Science, Mathematics, Technology, and SocietyA demonstrated ability to recognize the interrelationships of science, mathematics, and technology as they relate to everyday experiences in the world around us These traits enable the student to make decisions in a complex technological society.
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