Berkeley High School

Berkeley High School is a comprehensive four-year school serving approximately 3200 students. BHS is unique in that it is the only public high school in a community of over 100,000. Drawing from a diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic population, students embrace a broad spectrum of people and ideas. BHS Course Catalog gives an overview of the range of possibilities for students in the five learning communities that make up Berkeley High School. For many years, Berkeley High has earned a reputation for academic excellence. The school offers a wide variety of academic and co-curricular experiences to meet the needs of the student body. The college preparatory program meets the entrance requirements of all major universities. The curriculum is rich, offering a wide range of rigorous courses, including honors and advanced placement classes, and a wide variety of electives in the arts, five world languages, and specialized academic areas, such as computer science programming languages, biotechnology, and African American Studies.  Ninety five percent of graduates plan to attend college. Average SAT scores consistently exceed both national and state averages, and BHS regularly produces students who qualify for National Merit Scholarships.

Berkeley High has more than 75 clubs and activities. Students can choose from Star Trek, Snowboarding, Asian-Pacific Students Club or Mock Trial—to name only a few—and all are encouraged to participate. “Joining a club or team connects you to the school,” one student explains. “You make friends you might not have known otherwise.” Among its many extracurricular activities, the school’s Jazz Ensemble, award-winning newspaper, and literary magazine have all received national recognition; the school’s varsity teams continue to excel in sports, with the only public school crew teams west of the Mississippi.

Berkeley High enjoys vibrant and active community support from the parent community and the larger city community. This commitment is demonstrated in several generous bond measures and special taxes the voters have passed to fund school improvement, as well as active parent fundraising with the Berkeley High School Development Group and the Athletic Fund. Many of the projects have been completed, including the new M building housing 16 classrooms, a new athletic complex with bleachers, changing rooms, and an athletic office, and the Administration Building–which houses a food court, library, College Counseling Center, and administration offices–a new gym and pool, and a campus green.