Birmingham High School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Birmingham Community Charter High School |
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| Address | |
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17000 Haynes Street Lake Balboa
Los Angeles
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91406
United States
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| Coordinates | 34°11′18″N 118°30′18″W / 34.18837°N 118.50507°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Charter College-preparatory |
| Established | 1953 |
| School district | Los Angeles Unified School District (internal charter) |
| NCES School ID | 060159602857 |
| Principal | Ari Bennett |
| Teaching staff | 130.24 (FTE) (2022–23) |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 3,058 (2022–23) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 23.48 (2022–23) |
| Color(s) | Blue and gold |
| Athletics conference | CIF Los Angeles City Section |
| Nickname | Patriots |
Birmingham Community Charter High School is a large high school in Lake Balboa, a part of Los Angeles, California. It opened in 1953. The school was first known as Birmingham High School. It taught students from grades 7 to 12. In 1963, it became a high school for grades 9 to 12 only. Birmingham is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. However, it runs as a special type of school called a charter school.
Contents
History of Birmingham High School
The land where Birmingham High School stands was once a US Army hospital. It was called Birmingham General Hospital. This hospital was open from 1943 to 1946. After that, it became a hospital for veterans until 1950. In 1952, the land was sold to the Los Angeles City Schools for just $1.00. The hospital was named after Brigadier General Henry Patrick Birmingham. He was a doctor in the US Army during World War I.
The school first opened in 1953. Many families were moving to the San Fernando Valley after World War II. The school served their children. By the 1960s, many middle-class families from the East Coast and the Midwest had moved to the area.
In 2006, most students at Birmingham were from Latino and Hispanic backgrounds. The principal, Marsha Coates, started "small learning communities." She also created a special academy for ninth-grade students. This helped new students get used to high school.
Becoming a Charter School
On July 1, 2009, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) decided something big. They voted to let Birmingham High School become a charter school. It was renamed Birmingham Community Charter High School. Before this, there was a lot of discussion about the change. About 66% of the teachers supported becoming a charter school. After the change, 91 teachers stayed at Birmingham. Some teachers chose to work at other LAUSD schools.
Because of these changes, the teachers and staff of the school's special magnet program decided to form their own school. In 2009, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School started. It was an independent high school on the same campus as Birmingham. In 2010, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School moved to its own building next to Birmingham.
School Campus
Birmingham High School is in the Lake Balboa area. This area used to be part of Van Nuys. The school campus was once a military hospital.
As of 2009, Birmingham has the largest high school campus in the LAUSD. It is 53 acres big. The campus is also close to Reseda.
Who Can Attend
The school serves students from Lake Balboa. It also includes parts of Van Nuys, Encino, Tarzana, and Reseda.
Academics and Learning
In 2006, a writer from the Los Angeles Times said that Birmingham was a good school for many students. He mentioned the Daniel Pearl Journalism Magnet. He also noted the "dedicated core of teachers" and many honors and Advanced Placement (AP) classes. AP classes are college-level courses that students can take in high school.
In 2016-2017, about 3,145 students were at Birmingham High School. This makes it one of the largest schools in California. The school offers many AP courses to help students get ready for college. These courses include:
- Art History
- Calculus AB
- Calculus BC
- Chemistry
- Environmental Science
- Human Geography
- Psychology
- United States Government and Politics
- English Language and Composition
- European History
- Spanish Literature and Culture
- Statistics
- Studio Art: 2-D Design
- Studio Art: Drawing
- United States History
Student Population
In 2009, Birmingham had 2,700 students. The school's student population often reflects the diversity of Los Angeles.
In 2005, a study found that about 50% of students graduated in four years. The school stated its graduation rate was almost 80%. Many students who started at Birmingham moved to other schools before graduating.
Academic Success
Many students at Birmingham do very well. The school sends students to good colleges. These include Cal State and UC campuses, and even Ivy League schools. In the Class of 2005, about 75% of students planned to go to college. More than 60 students from that class went to University of California campuses.
Sports at Birmingham
The school's sports teams are called the Patriots. They used to be called the Braves. However, Native American groups in the San Fernando Valley asked the school to change the mascot. They felt the "Braves" mascot was not respectful. The LAUSD school board voted to remove all Native American mascots from schools.
Students voted for the new mascot to be the "Blue Devil." But the principal and mascot committee decided against it. They chose the "Patriot" instead.
Football
The football team has won several championships. They won the CIF Southern Section championships in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2008. Some players from these teams later played in the NFL.
Basketball
From 2003 to 2007, the basketball coach was Andre McCarter. He was a famous player who played for UCLA.
Soccer
In 2006, the Birmingham boys' soccer team won its first L.A. city section championship. They beat the undefeated Canoga Park Hunters 4–2. Birmingham has won 5 division 1 city titles. These were in 2006, 2014, 2019, 2021, and 2023. They are one of the best high school soccer programs in the San Fernando Valley.
Lacrosse
Birmingham started a lacrosse team in the 2008–09 school year. In May 2015, both the boys' and girls' lacrosse teams won a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) city championship. The girls' team won their second championship in a row.
Wrestling
In 2013, the Birmingham wrestling team won its first L.A. City Section Championship. This was a big moment in the school's history.
Cross Country Running
In 2010, the Birmingham cross country team won both the boys' and girls' L.A. City Section Championship. Their coach, Scott King, has led teams to 16 city championships at Birmingham.
Baseball
From 2017 to 2019, the Birmingham Varsity baseball team won three L.A. City section open division championships in a row.
Famous People Who Attended Birmingham
Many notable people have attended Birmingham Community Charter High School.
- Govind Armstrong – Chef
- Larry Bell – artist
- Lisa Bonet – actress
- Damon Buford – Major League Baseball player
- Tim Conway Jr. – radio personality
- Michael Erush – soccer player and coach
- Jordan Farmar – basketball player
- Sally Field – actress, known for playing Gidget
- Terry Gilliam – director, actor, part of Monty Python
- David Gregory – journalist
- Bill Handel – radio personality
- Jermaine Jackson – singer, songwriter
- Malik Jackson – NFL player
- Marquis Jackson – NFL player
- Linda Lingle – former governor of Hawaii
- Michael Milken – financier, philanthropist
- Tamera Mowry – actress
- Tia Mowry – actress
- Robert Newman – actor
- Michael Ovitz – talent agent
- Daniel Pearl – journalist
- Michael Richards – actor
- Sally Ride – physicist and former NASA astronaut
- Mychal Rivera – NFL player
- Paul Rodriguez Jr. – professional skateboarder
- Bobby Sherman – actor
- Judee Sill – singer, actor
- Pamela Skaist-Levy – clothing designer, co-founder of Juicy Couture
- Leland Sklar – bassist
- Karrueche Tran – model and actress
- Karen Valentine – actress
- Barry Van Dyke – actor
- Billy Warlock – actor
- Cindy Williams – actress
- Jeron Wilson – professional skateboarder
Notable Teachers
- Hy Cohen – Major League Baseball player
See also
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In Spanish: Escuela Preparatoria Birmingham Charter para niños Template:KIDDLE XL END
