Milken Community High School works to recognize and cultivate each student’s mind, hearts, and soul. We understand that every child possesses unique gifts and believe those gifts are best nurtured in a supportive and challenging community. Milken is a pluralistic community. Rather than dictate matters of personal Jewish belief and practice, our community is home to a broad spectrum of students and families from a variety of backgrounds. Milken is a community of learners. Our dual curriculum sharpens the mind and prepares our students for the demands of the world. And finally, attending Milken prepares our students to contribute to the broader world beyond the high school years. We connect the power of learning with ethical responsibility and spiritual purpose.

Upper School Academics

The academic year is divided into two semesters. Instructors evaluate progress in each course four times a year, at the midpoint and the conclusion of each semester. At the end of the first semester, teachers write student narratives which outline student progress and provide information on specific areas for student improvement. These narratives are sent home to parents along with the semester report cards. In the Upper School, examinations are given in June for full-year courses and in January for semester courses. Individual teacher comments are sent to parents quarterly. Only year-end grades appear on student transcripts for full-year courses; semester grades appear on student transcripts for semester courses.

Grades in honors courses will be weighted by .5; grades in AP courses will be weighted by 1. Students wishing to enroll in honors or AP classes must have the approval of their current instructor in that discipline and/or fulfill departmental prerequisites. Please see Milken Advanced Placement Policy for information on this program, department by department.

Students seeking eligibility for admission to the University of California must complete courses in the University of California required subjects as follows:

English – Four years
Mathematics – Three years required and four years recommended
Science – Two years required and three years recommended
Social Sciences – Two years required
Foreign language– Two years required and three years recommended
Students will be required to take a sequential year of visual or performing arts in a specific area. This year of arts study can be broken up over the four years at Milken as long as they are sequential.Grade 9 courses are not calculated in the University of California GPA for eligibility. Also, the U.C. does not weigh course grades for honors courses in Grade 10; however, Grade 11 courses taken in Grade 10 are weighted in the U.C. GPA for eligibility.

Effort

As a rigorous college preparatory school, Milken Community High School expects students to make good use of study time during both the day and the evening. The school's goal is to develop independent learners who take responsibility for their academic work and their own success. Effort grades reflect the student's active interest and intellectual curiosity, class participation, willingness to help others, to seek help, and to learn from mistakes, as well as punctual completion of assignments.

O – Outstanding

S – Satisfactory

N – Needs Improvement

U - Unsatisfactory

Middle School

The Middle School is a community of learners encompassing every Milken student and teacher. It is a developmentally responsive learning environment that promotes the healthy growth of young adolescents towards fulfilling the mission of the School. The curriculum, faculty, and culture combine to create an environment in which students can pursue their academic passions and feel free to take intellectual risks.  

At the Middle School, there are high expectations for every member of the learning community. Teachers work with students to translate these high expectations into concrete, supported standards and clear models of excellence. The Middle School curriculum that is relevant, challenging, integrative, and exploratory. The focus of the curriculum will be teaching students to learn to use their minds and hearts well. Teaching and learning is personalized to attend to each child’s unique mind. Teaching approaches attend to the diverse skills, multiple intelligences, and varied interests of students.  

The Middle School teachers are educators who value working with this age group and are prepared to do so. The Middle School teachers understand the developmental needs and assets of Middle School students and structure teaching and learning accordingly. They know how to form learning partnerships with students, demonstrating empathy while providing significant academic experiences. Students and teachers alike are engaged in active learning. Instead of delivering information, teachers will guide students to understand how they learn thereby teaching themselves and each other.

The Middle School is an inviting, supportive, and safe environment because these are the optimal conditions for the academic development of young adolescents. The tone of the school explicitly and self-consciously emphasizes trust, decency, and fairness. To create this healthy culture, the School has an advisory program, which is a program that supports meaningful relationships and learning. Every student is placed with an Advisor who loops with the student during his or her stay in the Middle School. This Advisor oversees the social, emotional, and academic growth of the child.