West High School (Torrance)
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Overview
It is one of four comprehensive four-year high schools in the Torrance Unified School District, and has an enrollment of 2,100 students. Its certificated faculty includes 90 teachers, four administrators, five counselors, and one library media teacher, with a pupil-teacher staffing ratio of 28 to one.Changing enrollment and radically changing ethnic demographics are two important factors having a significant impact on West High. The number of English Language Learners has increased from 6% in 1987 to 14% in 1999. This represents an increase of more than 100%. Korean, Mandarin, and Spanish represent the major language groups, with the remainder reflecting thirty-six other languages. An additional 28% of students are Fluent English proficient students who learned a language other than English first but now are fluent speakers of English. The majority of our students, 58%, speak English only.
Cultural diversity is one of our school's and community's most distinguishing characteristics and is the catalyst that spurred many of the changes since West High was named a national Excellence in Education School in 1984. To accommodate our dramatically changing student population in the last decade, we have changed how teachers teach and students learn through staff development and curriculum reform.
The student population is 46% Caucasian, 37% Asian, 13% Latino, and 4% African American. When campus demographics first began to shift, the parents of many newcomers, particularly those who did not speak English, were reluctant to involve themselves in campus life. Now, both students and parents are cross-culturally supportive of the school, and the school enjoys a high level of community participation in campus activities. This is at least partially attributable to a staff that has grown to appreciate and celebrate diversity. On many developmental levels, West does an exceptional job preparing all students, including English Language Learners, handicapped, gifted and talented, at-risk, general education, and special education students, to enter college and to pursue career goals. Our vision is, however, continually expanding.
West High School embraces a vision of a high school where all students have identified goals beginning in the ninth grade. It envision innovative guidance materials offering an expanded array of course recommendations and outside school activities relating to clearly defined career paths. Within the high school's restructuring plan is the need to include the development of paths that would provide all students with a positive transition to work and/or post secondary training or education. The school believes that applied technology and core academics must be thoroughly integrated so that students are able to see the relevance of school to the real world.
West's learning environment is based on a thinking, meaning-centered curriculum. The school's vision is for all students to participate in powerful learning experiences with classroom instruction supported by practical application. To this end, the West High staff and business community, using performance based criteria, are jointly developing student outcomes and assessment criteria. We envision further collaboration with all stakeholders in further implementing interdisciplinary performance-based assessment strategies such as demonstrations and exhibitions, self-assessments, portfolios, observations and interviews, surveys, oral presentations, and extended problem-solving projects.
The faculty has consistently demonstrated an openness to exploring new ideas and a willingness to implement those ideas to provide an improved educational program for students. Members of the faculty serve on state advisory committees and on boards of various rofessional organizations. Faculty members continue to develop their own knowledge and skills through attendance at conferences, workshops and continuing education programs. There is a strong commitment to providing a meaningful and enjoyable educational experience for all students. West High School is committed to provide equal access through the elimination of tracking by ability level and to mainstream students in an environment where instructional strategies are changing to ensure the involvement and success of all students and to foster tolerance and appreciation for the diversity epresented on our campus. Its teachers are truly at the forefront of change in the continuous evaluation and improvement of teaching and learning at West High School.
History
West High School opened in September, 1962. (45 acres obtained in 1959 for $703,000). Additions in 1963, 1967, 1968, 1974. Reinforced concrete, 240,562 sq. ft., 9 buildings, 92 classrooms. Construction cost: $7,238,000.
From 1969 until 1990 it experienced a steady decline in enrollment from its peak of nearly 3200 students.
Mission Statement
"It is the mission of the West High staff to insure that learning is meaningful and enjoyable so that students develop a dynamic curiosity about the world. We accomplish this by fostering students' best efforts at self expression and using their unique talents. Concurrently we develop critical thinking and creative problem-solving to help students become aggressive life-long learners. We further promote their acceptance of responsibility for actions as individual citizens and compassionate members of a diverse and collaborative society."Achievement
West High School is ranked the top high school in the Torrance Unified School District. It has been named a California Distinguished School four times: in 1984, 1994, 1999 and 2005.
West High Entertainment Unit
The West High Entertainment Unit is one of the most widely traveled musical organizations in the Western United States. They have performed in over 16 foreign countries and travel to Europe every four years. In 1992, the Unit performed in Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. In 1996, they performed in England, Ireland and Scotland. These musical ambassadors received the honor of being the lead band in the Festival Cavalcade Parade in Edinburgh, Scotland, the largest parade in Europe. Most recently, the band traveled to Greece, Italy, Austria and the Czech Republic in the summer of 2001.This outstanding group has performed for the National Football League in Europe as well as in the United States, and was selected as the first official band for the 1984 Olympics held in Los Angeles. The Entertainment Unit receives consistent top honors at competitions throughout Southern California, and enjoys a renowned reputation for excellence both nationally and internationally. In 1993, they performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in New York City, and on January 1, 1995, they marked their fourth appearance in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. West High sponcers the South Bay Invitational feild Tourniment at El Camino Colage. (Heald this year on Saturday, October 14, 2006)
-Director Mr. James Banim came to West High School in 1979. During his twenty-three year tenure at West High School the band has taken five highly successful performance tours of Europe and has accumulated over 250 top honors and awards. Mr. Banim taught for eight years in Florida before coming to California. While in Florida he was an adjudicator for the Florida Band Masters Association and was selected as the Florida "Teacher of the Year" in 1975. He also taught three years at Alhambra High School before coming to West. There are four bands at West High School: The Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Band and the award winning marching Entertainment Unit.
Mr. Banim received his Bachelor's Degree from Florida State University and his Master's Degree from California State University, Los Angeles. He is an adjudicator for the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association and also served as a vice president for the association from 1987-1989. He has been recognized for his service to education by the Torrance Council of Parents, Teachers and Students, the Torrance City Council, the Southern California Band and Orchestra Association, West High School's first Teacher of the Year, the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, the Music Education Guild, the Los Angeles Music Center "Bravo" award program, the Outstanding Teacher Recognition Program at the University of California at San Diego and the University of Kansas. Mr. Banim is also listed in "Who's Who Among America's Teachers." As of 2006 Mr. Banim received the National Teachers Award.
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