At a glance ...
The Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District is holding information nights at both its Los Altos and Mountain View campuses to provide local eighth graders the opportunity to learn about each school's programs. Incoming students may choose to attend either school through the district's open enrollment policy.
The program for Los Altos High will be at 7 p.m., Tuesday in the gym, 201 Almond Ave., Los Altos. The program for Mountain View will take place at 7 p.m., Dec. 1 in the gym at 3535 Truman Ave., Mountain View.
Mountain View and Los Altos high schools have enrollments ranging between 1,315 and 1,380 students with about 46 percent of each student population listing themselves as belonging to some ethnic minority group. According to school reports, more than 90 percent of last year's graduates at each school continued on to college.
The schools closely mirror one another in academics, athletics and clubs with some minor difference. Here is a list of offerings unique to each campus:
Athletics
Los Altos
Student participation: over 50 percent
Titles: 179 Santa Clara Valley League Championships since 1954; 18 CCS championships; one state championship.
Programs: Girls field hockey, Girls gymnastics, Boys wrestling
Mountain View
Student participation: over 50 percent
Titles: 79 SCVAL titles since 1954; 16 CCS championships; five scholastic Championship team awards.
Programs: Boys volleyball
Academics:
Los Altos
AP courses: 12
Classes: film analysis, Global Connections, German, Latin, vocal chorale, concert choir, girls ensemble, girls 21, Mainstreet Singers, varsity men's glee, voice, Filipino and Mexico-Lindo dance groups.
Mountain View
AP courses: 11
Classes: ceramics, Japanese, chamber choir, Madrigals, pep band, jazz dance, Latin America studies, bilingual math, Facing History, winter guard. Junior and senior English includes two-period blocks that combine literature with history, politics, philosophy.
Activities:
Los Altos:
Alcohol Free, Chess club, Creative Arts Magazine, European Club, Junior Classical League, Kids 2 Kids service club, Robotics, Mission Trash, Mock Trial, Women in Science, Young Writers
Mountain View:
Amnesty International chapter; Anime Club, Japanese culture; Community Activities Club, social activities for students with disabilities; cross-cultural; Dance Spectrum; French club; Latinas Unidas, supports Latina women who wish to explore career and academic options; music council and vocal club; speech and debate team.
Regional Occupation Program: These courses are available to all district students regardless of campus.
Los Altos: Automotive Tech, Culinary arts
Mountain View: Commercial art, CAD drafting, 3D design and drafting.