Letter from PHS Principal Rich Kitchens
Dear PHS Families,
Let me begin by welcoming you to the Piedmont High School Community. PHS students, during their four-year tenure at PHS, will “Promote Respect” and “Achieve the Honorable” through their academic and personal successes.
Piedmont High School has an excellent educational program taught by a talented and dedicated faculty. This high school is committed to providing each student with an education in which essential information and skills are learned, knowledge is explored, and ideas are critically analyzed and evaluated.
Your child’s high school years are a special time in his or her life—a time of academic and personal challenge, and a time to make important decisions about your child’s present and future plans. We invite you to participate in our school community and to enjoy the excitement of learning.
One of our goals at Piedmont High School is to serve and nurture all of our students. This aim begins with our 9th grade class. The high school experience of today is filled with more pressure, more competition, and higher expectations than ever before. We empathize with this and at the same time do not lower our expectations. Rather, we double our efforts to support and nurture those in need.
Here are highlights and various features that benefit students:
- For a relatively small high school, Piedmont High offers a wide range of academic classes, including 16 Honors and Advanced Placement courses, three foreign languages, and a variety of college preparatory electives. Concurrent enrollment in UC and community college courses is possible for enrichment. Students have the advantage of selecting a full schedule of seven courses a year.
- Three counselors provide a rich Guidance and Counseling Program with a range of events and interventions appropriate to different grade levels and designed to promote academic success. Counselors work individually with students on college admissions or other post high school graduation programs. Personal counseling is part of a counselor’s role, and the counselor-to-student ratio is quite favorable in comparison to other California public high schools.
- A strong Creative and Performing Arts Department provides performance opportunities through drama, dance, vocal, and instrumental music. Student artwork is regularly displayed in art shows on campus and in the broader community; student artists participate in local competitions. The school newspaper also provides students with an opportunity to contribute with the written word, photos, and graphic design.
- The school library program is fully integrated with classroom instruction. Our research/teaching librarian co-teaches with subject-matter instructors to assist students in developing research and library technology skills that match skills they will need in college.
- Extra-curricular activities encompass a broad range of boys’ and girls’ athletic teams, a diverse array of student-managed clubs, and a strong student leadership program (comprised of an Associated Student Body and Student Senate) responsible for organizing student activities and providing feedback to teachers and administrators. Responsible citizenship is promoted through peer tutoring, peer advising, and community service programs.
- Piedmont High School optimizes instructional time by following a block schedule. The schedule rotates across seven days with most classes meeting for 90 minutes. In each seven-day rotation, there is a tutorial support period provided by teachers to give students opportunities for more individualized support.
- The College & Career Center is an information resource center of Piedmont High School's Counseling Office. Students and parents are welcome and encouraged to use the many resources at the Center. The Center offers information and resources in the following areas:
- Colleges & universities
- Career interests
- College selection guidelines
- Job listings
- Testing registration
- Community service opportunities
- Financial aid & scholarship opportunities
- Local, national & international summer programs
The Center hosts visits by college admissions officers who meet with junior and senior students. On-campus information programs such as annual College Orientation Night and Parents Panel are offered by the College & Career Center to PHS students and parents.
We all look forward to embarking on four years of academic and personal success with your child.
Sincerely,
Rich Kitchens, Principal
