Family, meaningful work and honest communication are integral to educating the whole student. Junipero Serra High School accomplishes this process by reinforcing and supporting the parents in their commitment to meet the spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical needs of their children. Serra’s faculty inspires our students in the classroom but more importantly, work closely with every student at developing all the tenets of the Cavalier Code. They are a guiding model that fulfills the students’ needs while preparing them for the college rigors of today – a cornerstone for our Cavaliers.
To help prepare our students for college, the Serra administration is pleased to announce the expansion of our El Camino and AP offerings. There are now 8 dual college credit courses offered on campus, taught by college professors. They include Public Speaking, Mass Media & Society, Personal Finance and Intro to Business. Students who take these courses receive double high school credit, as well as the experience of taking part in college-level classes. When it comes to college preparation, that kind of experience is invaluable. In addition, we are adding an AP Literature class to bring the total of AP classes up to 15. If a student takes enough of these courses, he or she can graduate with up to two years of college already finished.
The growth of STEM curricula throughout the country proves that jobs in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math fields are booming, and Serra has risen to meet that need. The renovations to our Science classrooms are underway and the progress is exciting! In order to meet the challenges of the new job market for our graduates, Serra has partnered with Project Lead the Way to incorporate more STEM courses into our curriculum. One class that will have our future forensic scientists excited is Principles of Biomedical Science, where students will learn how to investigate crime scenes.
When it comes to meeting the spiritual needs of our students and preparing them for life outside of the classroom, Serra’s LIFE Team is second to none. What many don’t know is that “LIFE” stands for “Living in Faithful Experience.” The LIFE team started at Serra many years ago, and is drawing over 100 student applications each year. This year’s team is student-run as always, conducting masses, adorations, retreats and special LIFE nights. We want to help our local Catholic elementary schools, too, so the LIFE team is holding a retreat on campus for St. Raphael School. Off campus, the LIFE team is helping the community by attending the Midnight Mission trips to Downtown LA and by organizing service projects for the city’s underserved populations.
The Cavalier Code is the cornerstone of our school, and has several interpretations. For some of our faculty, staff and administrators, it means “Forming personalities, creating whole students, and teaching them to give back,” while for others it means “Describing how Cavaliers are meant to act in school, as a family, and how to conduct themselves in the real world.” We invite you to find out for yourself, as the opportunities to become a great student, character, leader and scholar await.
Cavaliers have faith and integrity.
Cavaliers are humble and accountable.
Cavaliers are scholars who lead and serve.
Cavaliers are soldiers for Christ.
All Hail!