Belmont High School (Los Angeles)

File:Belmont Field.jpg at the lower left corner]]

Belmont High School opened in 1923.[http://belmontalumni.tripod.com/id2.html Belmont High Alumni]

The Hotel Belmont was the first noteworthy building to stand atop Crown Hill, the present site of Belmont High School. Eventually, the hotel was abandoned, and later it was transformed into the private Belmont School for Girls. After the school was destroyed by fire, the grounds were left vacant, except for five oil wells and a pumping plant for the Los Angeles City Oil Field. On February 28, 1921, the Los Angeles Board of Education purchased the site for $100,000, for the purpose of constructing Belmont High School.

Belmont opened its doors on September 11, 1923, to about 500 students, all sophomores, and 28 faculty members. Most of the school's traditions were created by those pioneer students during the first months of the school's existence. The school newspaper conducted an election to select its name, with "Sentinel" easily winning over "Progress." To this day, Belmont's students are known as Sentinels. Those first students favored “Sentinels" because they were able to oversee the entire city from their "lookout" on Crown Hill. In another election, the school's colors, green and black, were selected over brown and white. A mosaic mural by Joseph Young is located on the wall of the main building.

The 1923 Beaux-Arts campus was designed by Stanton & Stockwell, who designed several large civic buildings at the Civic Center, Los Angeles.[https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/belmont-high-school "Belmont High School"], Los Angeles Conservancy

It was in the Los Angeles City High School District until 1961, when it merged into LAUSD.{{cite web|url=http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/history/schoollist.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980207051712/http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/history/schoollist.html |archive-date=1998-02-07 |title=Los Angeles City School District|publisher=Los Angeles Unified School District|access-date=2020-10-27}}

Belmont High School was once the largest school in California, due to the density of the Westlake district, which it served. It was also considered the largest school in the United States, with 6,342 students. What was formerly the attendance area for Belmont High School has now become the Belmont Zone of Choice, where students have the option of attending one of nineteen small learning communities or pilot schools located on four different campuses within the zone: Belmont High School, Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, Edward Roybal Learning Center, and Ramon C. Cortinez School of Visual and Performing Arts.

Of these, the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex was opened in 2006, sharing Belmont's attendance zone,"[http://www.laschools.org/project-status/one-project?project_number=55.98039 Central LA Area New HS #10, 55.98039]." Los Angeles Unified School District. Accessed October 29, 2008. after LAUSD had begun as early as 2000 to devise plans to relieve Belmont of many of its students."[http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/board/secretary/html/agendas/mt/mt06-27-00.html Regular Meeting Order of Business]." Los Angeles Unified School District. Tuesday June 27, 2000. The West Adams Preparatory High School opened in 2007, further relieving Belmont; a section of the Manual Arts High School attendance zone was transferred to Belmont.[http://www.laschools.org/employee/mpd/fs-mpd/download/07-08_webmaps/Proj02.pdf Proposed Changes to West Adams Preparatory High School Area Schools, School Year 2007-2008] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927004551/http://www.laschools.org/employee/mpd/fs-mpd/download/07-08_webmaps/Proj02.pdf |date=September 27, 2007 }}, Facilities and Services division, L.A. Schools. The High School for the Visual and Performing Arts (formerly known as Central Los Angeles Area High School 9)[http://www.laschools.org/project-status/one-project?project_number=55.98037 Central LA Area New HS #9, 55.98037], Facilities and Services division, L.A. Schools.[http://www.laschools.org/clahs9.pdf Central L.A. Area New H.S. #9], Facilities and Services division, L.A. Schools. opened in 2008. Central Los Angeles High School 11 (Edward R. Roybal (formerly Belmont) Learning Center),[http://www.laschools.org/project-status/one-project?project_number=55.98107 Central LA HS #11, 55.98107], Facilities and Services division, L.A. Schools. Central Los Angeles High School 12,[http://www.laschools.org/project-status/one-project?project_number=55.98108]{{Full citation needed|date=June 2009}} and the Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez Learning Centers all opened in 2009."[http://www.laschools.org/employee/mpd/fs-mpd/download/09-10_boundary_change_webmaps/Lincoln_HS.pdf 2. Proposed Changes to Lincoln High School Area Schools, School Year 2009-2010]{{full citation needed|date=November 2011}}." Los Angeles Unified School District. Retrieved on March 17, 2010.{{registration required|date=November 2011}}

Belmont underwent a major modernization beginning around 2005. The school was renovated, and new paint, bathrooms, doors, walls, and ceiling tiles were added. Facilities were also updated throughout the school campus to accommodate those with special needs (for example, the addition of wheelchair ramps). From the 2010 school year, it became a 6th through 12th grade school, with Sal Castro Middle School being located on the campus. The Belmont football stadium was named for Dentler Erdmann, its long-time faculty member.

In 2011 the school was restructured, with most teachers having to reapply for their jobs. The new academic program involves learning English, Spanish, and Mandarin.Song, Jason. "[https://www.latimes.com/local/la-xpm-2011-jan-27-la-me-0127-belmont-20110127-story.html Struggling Belmont High to be restructured]." Los Angeles Times. January 27, 2011. Retrieved on March 29, 2014.

Belmont High School hosts three Small Learning Communities (SLC's; also called academies) which specialize in a career pathway:

• LAAMPS (Los Angeles Academy of Medical and Public Service), with courses in first responders and medical terminology
• SAGE (Science, Art and Green Engineering), with courses in automotive technology, drafting, and computer assisted design
• Belmont Multimedia Academy, with courses in filmmaking, cartooning & animation, digital photography, digital imaging, and web page design

US News 2021 Rankings

• 100 in Los Angeles Unified School District High Schools
• 379 in Los Angeles metropolitan area High Schools
• 1,122 in California High Schools
• 9,907 in National Rankins{{cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/california/districts/los-angeles-unified-school-district/belmont-senior-high-2608|title=usnews|access-date=2021-08-27}}

US News 2020 Rankings

• 153 in Los Angeles Unified School District High Schools
• 353 in Los Angeles metropolitan area High Schools
• 1048 in California High Schools
• 8,688 in National Rankins{{cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/california/districts/los-angeles-unified-school-district/belmont-senior-high-2608|title=usnews|access-date=2019-08-11}}

{{As of|2016}} the school had about 1,000 students, 25% of whom were of Central American origin. Some of those students immigrated without their parents.{{cite news|author=Carcamo, Cindy|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-belmont-high-school-20160710-snap-story.html|title=Nearly 1 in 4 students at this L.A. high school migrated from Central America — many without their parents|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=2016-07-16|access-date=2016-10-25}} - Spanish version: [http://www.hoylosangeles.com/latimesespanol/hoyla-usa-uno-de-cuatro-estudiantes-en-esta-preparatoria-de-l-a-migro-de-centroamerica-muchos-sin-sus-padres-20160718-story.html Uno de cuatro estudiantes en esta preparatoria migró de Centroamérica, muchos sin sus padres]

As of December 2013 the school had fewer than 1,000 students.{{cite news|author=Ceasar, Stephen|title=Lower enrollment at once-crowded Belmont High brings mixed results|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=2011-12-25|page=[https://www.latimes.com/local/la-xpm-2013-dec-25-la-me-belmont-high-20131226-story.html 1]}}

The school was built for a capacity of 2,500 students, and when it opened in 1923 it had about 500 students. Due to an enrollment decline in the 1950s the Los Angeles City High School District considered closing Belmont. By the 1990s the school had its peak enrollment, 5,500 students, making it California's largest high school and one of the largest in the United States. During that period many students were reassigned to and sent on buses to schools in the San Fernando Valley because there were too many students in Belmont. In the 1997–1998 school year the school had 5,160 students. At the time, the school's dropout rate was 65% and in terms of its four-year graduation rate it ranked lower than 96% of Los Angeles County high schools. 72% of the enrolled students took free lunches.Chelton, Mary K. (Young Adult Library Services Association). Excellence in Library Services to Young Adults: The Nation's Top Programs. American Library Association, 2000. p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=QFfeLPH4yQcC&pg=PA73 73]. {{ISBN|0838907865}}, 9780838907863.

The enrollment declined in the 2000s due to the opening of charter schools and LAUSD opening schools to relieve capacity. In 2001 the LAUSD began a building campaign to relieve the capacity of the school.

Due to overcrowding, Belmont had a year-round schedule for 26 years, until the 2008 opening of the Edward R. Roybal Learning Center. After the opening Belmont resumed having a traditional two-year school schedule.{{cite news|author=Blume, Howard|title=New name, new life for Belmont school|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=2008-08-10|page=[https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-belmont10-2008aug10-story.html 1]}}

In 2011 the school had an Academic Performance Index (API) of 639, an improvement of almost 100 points in a two-year period. Jason Song of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the score was "still poor". In 2013 its API was 668, an increase of over 175 points from the 2002 figure. The State of California API goal is 800.

• Sal Castro (1933-2013), activist (faculty)XISPAS interview with Sal Castro, parts [http://www.xispas.com/opinion/sal1.htm one] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718131352/http://www.xispas.com/opinion/sal1.htm |date=2011-07-18 }} and [http://www.xispas.com/archives/castro/sal2.htm two] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602074911/http://www.xispas.com/archives/castro/sal2.htm |date=2008-06-02 }}

{{Div col}}

• Susan Ahn Cuddy (1915–2015) U.S. Navy, First Asian-American Female Navy Officer, First Female gunnery officer, WWII
• Veronica Porché Ali, (1955–present), actress, model
• Patrick Arguello (1943–1970), US-Nicaraguan national killed in the attempted hijack of an El Al flight, as carried out by the PFLP.[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/hijacked/sfeature/sf_american_02.html American Experience: Hijacked], PBS.org, Feb. 24, 2006
• John Beradino (1917–1996) (born Giovanni Berardino), actor, major league baseball player[http://belmontalumni.tripod.com/id5.html Belmont Alumni]
• Ron Botchan, NFL official{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20020612070306/http://nflhs.com/tipsdrills/officiating/officiating_07182000_db.asp Ron Botchan: "I'm Just Coachable"]}}, Referee, 2000
• Irwin Corey (1914–2017), American comic, film & television actor, and activist{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/irwin-corey-comic-who-styled-himself-the-worlds-foremost-authority-dies-at-102/2017/02/07/b39560ae-ed36-11e6-b4ff-ac2cf509efe5_story.html|title=Irwin Corey, comic who styled himself the World's Foremost Authority, dies at 102|last1=Shapiro|first1=T. Rees|date=2017-02-07|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2017-02-07|last2=Shapiro|first2=T. Rees|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}{{cite news|url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/a-familiar-figure-begs-on-the-street-but-not-for-himself|title=A Familiar Figure Begs on the Street, but Not for Himself|last=Kilgannon|first=Corey|department=City Room Blog|date=2011-10-11|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 7, 2017}}
• James C. Corman (1920–2000), Congressman, Los Angeles City Councilman
• Richard Crenna (1926–2003), actorRamos, Lydia. "{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090715211240/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/61278220.html?dids=61278220:61278220&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=May+02%2C+1991&author=LYDIA+RAMOS&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Melting+Pot+of+Belmont+High+Brims+With+Hopes+and+Plans+Series%3A+OUR+SCHOOLS%3A+A+Closeup+View%3B+One+of+an+occasional+series&pqatl=google Melting Pot of Belmont High Brims With Hopes and Plans Series: OUR SCHOOLS: A Closeup View; One of an occasional series]}}." Los Angeles Times. May 2, 1991. Nuestro Tiempo, Metro Desk. Page 4.
• Brad Dexter (1917-2002), actor and film producer
• Thelma "Tiby" Eisen (1922-2014), baseball player
• Craig Ellwood (1922–1992), architectCalifornia Modern, the Architecture of Craig Ellwood, by Neil Jackson
• Abel Fernandez (1930–2016), actor with Robert Stack on The Untouchables
• Mike Frankovich (1909–1992), film producer[http://www.thebaseballcube.com/hs/3263.shtml The Baseball Cube Belmont alumni] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100727155513/http://www.thebaseballcube.com/hs/3263.shtml |date=2010-07-27 }}
• Doknow (2014–2018), comedian[https://www.instagram.com/doknowsworld/?hl=en DoKnowsWorld] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100727155513/https://www.instagram.com/doknowsworld/?hl=en |date=2010-07-27 }}
• Robert Foley. Medal of Honor recipient, retired as U.S. Army Lieutenant General{{cite web|url=http://belmontonian.com/news/medal-of-honor-recipients-to-speak-at-belmont-high-sept-16/|title=Medal of Honor Recipients To Speak At Belmont High Sept. 16|date=September 1, 2015|publisher=Belmontonian}}
• Murray Fromson, CBS News correspondent and USC professor
• Luis (Lou) Gomez, MLB player
• Jacinto Guevara, artist, musician{{cite web | last=Burman | first=Jenny | title=Artist Jacinto Guevara Returns to Echo Park | website=Echo Park-Silver Lake, CA Patch | date=21 July 2011 | url=https://patch.com/california/echopark/artist-jacinto-guevara-returns-to-echo-park | access-date=29 December 2020}}
• Odetta Holmes (1930–2008), folk singer, activist[http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-me-odetta3-2008dec03,0,5935187.story Los Angeles Times]
• David A. Karnofsky (1914–1969) physician, medical oncologist, known for the Karnofsky score
• Young-Oak Kim (1919–2005), highly decorated combat veteran; 1937 graduate
• Willa Kim (1917–2016), 2007 Theatre Hall of Fame inductee, two time Tony and Emmy Award-winning costume designer and 1935 graduate of Belmont; the older sister of Young-Oak Kim.
• Ralph Lazo (1924–1992), civil rights activist
• Richard Lee-Sung - actor, Purple Heart recipient, Korean War[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498519/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm IMDb]
• Glenard P. Lipscomb (1915–1970), Congressman
• Robert Lyles, NFL player{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052244/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=LYLESROB01 Databasefootball.com]}}
• John McCarthy (1927–2011), computer scientist, coined the term artificial intelligence, invented LISP family of programming languages, won the ACM Turing award in 1971[http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/biography.html Biographical sketch: (15-Sep-1999)]
• Loren Miller Jr., Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge
• Ricardo Montalbán (1920–2009), actor
• Anthony Quinn (1915–2001), actor
• Mort Sahl, humorist
• Reiko Sato, (1931–1981), dancer and actressClaesson, Samuel. "The Story of Reiko Sato", Classic Images (July 2024)
• William Sidell (1915–1994), labor leader{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}}
• Jack Smith (1916–1996), columnist, journalistLos Angeles Times obituaries, January 10, 1996
• Mike Stoller, songwriter
• Robert Mitsuhiro Takasugi, United States district judge
• Coy Watson Jr. (1912–2009), child actor, Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Watson Family
• Delmar Watson (1926–2008), actor, photo-journalist, Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Watson FamilyAndres, Holly J. "[http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_10832227 Famed news photographer Delmar Watson dies] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629022154/http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_10832227 |date=2012-06-29 }}." Daily News. October 28, 2008.
• Harry R. Watson (1921–2001), actor, photo-journalist, Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Watson FamilyPool, Bob. "[https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/40810007.html?dids=40810007:40810007&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Apr+23%2C+1999&author=BOB+POOL&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Star+Shines+Brightly+for+Hollywood%27s+First+Family%3B+Movies%3A+The+Watson+clan+of+former+child+actors+finally+receives+recognition+for+its+pioneering+contribution+to+films.&pqatl=google Star Shines Brightly for Hollywood's First Family; Movies: The Watson clan of former child actors finally receives recognition for its pioneering contribution to films] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715211145/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/40810007.html?dids=40810007:40810007&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Apr+23%2C+1999&author=BOB+POOL&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Star+Shines+Brightly+for+Hollywood%27s+First+Family%3B+Movies%3A+The+Watson+clan+of+former+child+actors+finally+receives+recognition+for+its+pioneering+contribution+to+films.&pqatl=google |date=2009-07-15 }}." Los Angeles Times, April 23, 1999. Metro Part B Metro Desk Page 1Campanile 1938, Belmont High School, 1938
• Jack Webb (1920–1982), producer, director, actorJust the Facts, Ma'am; The Authorized Biography of Jack Webb, Creator of Dragnet, Adam-12, and Emergency by Daniel Moyer and Eugene Alvarez

{{div col end}}

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Category:Los Angeles Unified School District schools

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Category:Educational institutions established in 1923

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Category:Stanton & Stockwell buildings

Category:Beaux-Arts architecture in California