18720 Linnet Street, Tarzana, CA 91356
Tel: (818) 654-3300, press 1, then 4 for magnet office
Fax: (818) 996-0292
Website: http://www.portolams.org
Magnet Coordinator: Becky Garcia, (818) 654-3355
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2012-2013 Tour Dates
October 10, Wednesday, 2012 at 8:30-10:30AMOctober 18, Thursday, 2012 at 8:30-10:30AM
October 24, Wednesday, 2012 at 8:30-10:30AM
November 7, Wednesday, 2012 at 8:30-10:30AM
November 14, Wednesday, 2012 at 8:30-10:30AM
Admission to the Highly Gifted Magnet is only through the eCHOICES application. They'll notify you by mail in April/May.
Portola Highly Gifted Magnet, established in 1979, shares the campus of Portola Middle School. Our highly gifted magnet school has been deemed a "Model of Excellence" school by the Los Angeles Unified School District. This designation means that more than 75% of our students score in the Proficient or Advanced range in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Math on the annual testing administered by the state of California. Specifically, 99% of our students in ELA and 95% of our students in math score in the proficient/advanced range. Portola's percentages are the best in Los Angeles Unified School District among middle schools testing 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. The magnet program focuses on accelerated, in-depth course work in history, language arts, mathematics and science. In addition to rigorous academic instruction, our magnet students participate in high numbers in Portola's award winning choir, orchestra, and drama productions.
As a highly gifted magnet, our student population is composed of students who score at the 99.5% and above on a district administered intelligence test. What this means is that our students are the best and brightest throughout LAUSD. In addition to excellent students, Portola has a highly qualified teaching staff who are experts at differentiating their instruction in order to provide a highly rigorous academic program for all our students. Highly qualified teachers plus academically highly gifted and capable students is a winning combination. We are on a single track calendar which begins in September and ends in June.
CST 2012 (California Standards Tests, performing at Proficient or Advanced levels):
Updated 10/02/12
2011-2012 Data
Total Enrollment: 1,924 (615-660 per grade), 243 in HG Magnet
Ave. Class Size: 31
API: 840 (unofficial Highly Gifted Magnet score is 1,000 of 1,000)
API Rank: 8 (1-10 with higher being better; 10=highest 10% of all schools in a state)
CST 2012 (California Standards Tests, performing at Proficient or Advanced levels):
- English-Language Arts - 69%
- Mathematics - 66%
- Science - 73%
- History/Social Science - 68%
Updated 10/02/12
All courses are taught at an honors level (honors math, english, science, history, etc.) and deviate from LAUSD curriculum in that they go faster and much deeper. 6th graders take a Study Skills class to learn how to organize and adopt good study habits.
ReplyDeleteGraduates are courted by top local and national high schools and college prep schools. I visited last year and found the school to be well-rounded. Courses are very advanced, course load is demanding but not ridiculous (student reps reported an average of 1-3 hours, depending on test schedule). They have time for a life and extracurricular activities.
Students mix with the general school population. However, organized sports was lean but this didn't seem to be a big deal. There were magnet students who were able to go outside the magnet sports offering and participate in the general sports programs.
If your child has been indentified as highly gifted, acceptance is almost guaranteed since there is a small pool of eligible students. Therefore, points isn't really an issue. (Yay!)
I will be going to there Dec. 8th and will see if there is any truth to the rumor that the magnet school is in danger of being cut. The office would neither confirm or deny. I left a message for Becky Garcia.
My son, husband and I went on the tour yesterday and the highly gifted (HG) program is not going anywhere. Ms. Garcia said she hadn't heard of the rumor.
ReplyDeleteStudents must have been tested and identified by LAUSD as HG or HG applicable. HG score is at least 99.9%, and Portola takes students who are "highly gifted applicable" (99.5-99.8%). The API for Portola as a whole is high, 842. Ms. Garcia estimates, unofficially, that the API score for the HG magnet is 1,000 (of the possible 1,000). Not bad.
In short, this is the only HG middle school in all of LAUSD, and it sends a lot of students over to North Hollywood HG high school.
"There are three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school out of the 162 magnet programs in the district that are part of the Highly Gifted Magnet. The three elementary schools are Eagle Rock Elementary, Multnomah Elementary and San Jose Elementary. Sierra Park Elementary and Eagle Rock Junior High formerly offered highly gifted magnet programs.(Carpenter Elementary School formerly offered a highly gifted program, though not a magnet, as well). The three schools have nearly 300 students from grades 2 through 5, and in one case grade 6. Many students from those three elementary schools go on to the Portola Highly Gifted Magnet Center, which serves students from grades 6 through 8. North Hollywood High School is the parent school for the HGM program at the high school level, serving almost 200 students from grades 9 through 12." [from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highly_Gifted_Magnet]
Students tour leaders from this year and last report that their homework load is moderate: 45 minutes to 1.5 hours on average; more for tests or big projects. Those riding the bus often finish their homework or at least their reading en route. They cite time management and self-motivation as keys to success. Ms. Garcia recommends that students who are not motivated, though they may be smart, may not fit in well with the program.
Class electives (art, music, drama & more), clubs, and extracurricular activities are mixed with the general resident population of the school. Electives at other middle schools were more impressive, in my opinion. Music is probably more comparable of these electives. This is a slight downside if these are important in your decision. A bigger con is a weak PE/sports program for magnet students. Their PE is completely separate from the general school, perhaps to keep them from being clobbered. But sportier magnet students can request to play with the general school.
I was the student body magnet president from 2008-2009, and i just want to say that the HGM at Portola is an amazing program with some of the most caring teachers I've ever met. The HGM's academics are very strong, but not too hard. Never the less students who go through the HGM are generally a lot better prepared for the rigors of an AP intensive high school then most of the other students. The schools offer many things that help move students ahead, and some are even sent to Washington DC for a major national leadership conference. I was one of those lucky few, and I was even reselected to take part in the Obama inaguration. It was all possible because of the great teachers in the HGM.
ReplyDeleteAlso I know that it's a bit early for this, but all parents of HGM students should seriously consider North Hollywood High School's HGM program. I'm currently in 10th grade there and I can seriously say that it is one of the greatest places I could go. With amazing academics and great extra curriculars such as Mock Trial, Science Olympiad, Science Bowl, Duke Moor Court, AcaDec, First Robotics, and many others from which to choose. A good example is that Noho's HGM has won the state Science Bowl competition every single year since 1998. That is realllllllllly impressive.
Anyways good luck with picking the best school!
Do you know anyone in Paul Revere's HG program? How would you compare it to Portola?
DeleteMy son just completed 6th grade at Revere MS HG. It was great; can't say enough good things about that program and the school. He preferred the overall vibe and campus over Portola. Mr. Hernandez and Mr. Carnine teach the HG classes and were excellent and set the bar high. Homework was steady for him, average 45 min./day. Maybe 40 days when there was a lot of work. Kids were very self-motivated to do well. Parents and kids expressed high satisfaction and many said their expectations were exceeded.
DeleteWe felt that Portola had an edge in that those HG teachers and admins were focused exclusively on HG kids. We think that it had perhaps a narrower, academic focus to the overall experience compared to Revere HG. Revere only had 1 field trip to the Getty in Malibu. I wish there could have been another or more inspiring field trip. There is certainly excellence at both programs!
Thank you, Anonymous, for sharing your experience at Portola. That you came to give your thoughts says a lot to me. Yes, North Hollywood is now on our radar because we first heard about it from Portola.
ReplyDeleteWe're on the fence with the commute to Portola, ~1hr from West LA.
Thanks for your insights, Anonymous. Do you have friends who went to the Independent Honors Program at Walter Reed? Any thoughts on a comparison between the two? One other thing - as a student, how long of a bus ride do you think is too long so that it becomes exhausting over time?
ReplyDeleteA Bit late to conversation.... but FWIW I went to Portola HGM back in the mid 80's and I was at the bus stop by 6:30 am ... and sometimes we didn't get to the campus until 8am or just before. All that said - I think that it was time well spent at Portola HGM and if my kids were to be accepted I'd consider sending them there. As someone on the page said - it's about time management. I remember doing the reading, some writing (a challenge on the bumpy bus) and also some sleeping to be well rested when getting home and doing the homework. Well worth the commute if you have the opportunity.
DeleteI am a parent with a 6th grader currently at Portola HGM, and have been very happy with our experience with the program. The program is academically strong, but my child has plenty of time after school for Little League and other extracurricular activities. The student body in the magnet is small enough (a little over 80 kids per grade) that the kids get to know everyone in their grade well. Each grade goes on a trip (6th graders to Catalina Island, 7th graders to Yosemite and 8th graders to Washington DC) where the children learn and really bond with each other.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for adding to the conversation!! It's great to hear a parent's perspective. How was the elective that's taught in the beginning, about how to study and organize?
ReplyDeleteI'm a 5th grader, and I got the news that I got accepted into the IHP Program in Walter Reed on Friday, and the fact that I got into Portola Highly Gifted Magnet today. I wasn't expecting either, and now I'm looking for a good comparison site so I can decide. I've done some research, and what I learned revealed that both the schools are great, and that there are a lot of similarities between them. Can anyone tell me some significant differences and/or things to consider, please? Thank you!!!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! That's great to have two wonderful choices. I toured both with my son and assume that you did the same. I don't have the time at the moment, but factors to consider could be overall vibe for you, class sizes, transportation, and special interests (i.e. music, theater, sports, etc.). My impression is that Portola may be stronger in its ability to offer "no limits" on how far you can go academically. The teachers are incredibly qualified(!) and are 100% focused on only the HG students, which is my biggest draw. Walter Reed has a very interesting, eclectic approach to learning (project-based activities) and can offer unique experiences (check their field trips). I recall that Walter Reed really looks for a self-motivated individual, so if this is appeals to you, then this could be a good fit. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteHere's the best advice we got in considering schools: When you're there, look around, look at the kids. Could you see yourself being friends with these kids?
ReplyDeleteMy son is still in 4th grade but we recently toured Portola as we decide which school is best for him. My son has been identified HGM Applicable. I feel that Portola would propably challenge him most academically but I am concerned about what I have heard from a couple of co-workers. One of them said her son experimented with drugs and had "intimate" experiences for the first time once in 7th grade at Portola. The other friend said she pulled her daughter out because she was introduced to drugs for the first time at school and mom, herself, observed some of the students smoking just outside the school. Both of these children were in the homeschool and not part of the HGM program. What can you tell me about this? How can you ease my concerns? My son attended private preschool and kindergarten and has been at Encino Elem since first grade. I am a Director at a private preschool/kindergarten. I'm used to a great deal of supervision. I know that the between ages are most difficult in a sense and is when kids typically experiment but I also feel that supervision can help. Any input?
ReplyDeleteIt would seem that, in general, middle schoolers are expected to be more independent. Parents aren't in the classroom volunteering, they're on their own, learning time management, scheduling—hardening off and preparing for high school. There will be scary stories at nearly every school, public or private. I just want to be there to help them pick up the pieces, occasionally guiding from truly harmful situations. Mistakes are so important. But I want a school to be on top of issues like drugs and explicit sexual behavior.
ReplyDeleteIf more supervision (or less opportunity to "disappear") on campus is a high priority, maybe you'd consider generally smaller middle schools like City School or New West, both charter schools. They provide a more intimate experience, with development of the whole child a high priority. I have to run, dinner time. What are some other suggestions? And maybe some suggested schools closer to the Valley?
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