Viewpoint School
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| Viewpoint School | |
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| Fide et Amore | |
| Established | 1961 |
| School type | Independent, College Preparatory, Coeducational |
| Religious affiliation | none |
| Headmaster | Robert Dworkoski, Ph.D. |
| Location | Calabasas, CA, USA |
| Campus | Suburban, 25 acres |
| Enrollment | 1250 |
| Faculty | approximately 120 |
| Average class size | 16 students |
| Student:teacher ratio |
10:1 |
| Average SAT scores (2005) |
Critical Reading 637 Math 661 Writing N/A |
| Athletics | 110 teams (Middle and Upper Schools) |
| Color(s) | Red, White and Blue |
| Mascot | Patriot Pete |
| Homepage | www.viewpoint.org |
Viewpoint School is a private school located in Calabasas, California. It is a coeducational school with students enrolled in grades K-12. It is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Enrollment in the 2006-07 school year is 1,250, making it the sixth largest independent school in the CAIS.
Founded in 1961 by a group of parents "to provide an excellent college preparatory education in a wholesome and nurturing environment,"[1] Viewpoint School originally occupied leased facilities in Encino, California and enrolled 24 students in its first year. Mrs. Thelma Sitton was the school's first principal. The school's enrollment and recognition grew and for the 1965-66 school year, Viewpoint moved to its current location in Calabasas, constructing the Philip and Tecla Virtue Building. As enrollment increased in the 1960s and 1970s, Viewpoint included additional grades to meet demand and 1982 Viewpoint graduated its first senior class. In this year, construction was also begun on Viewpoint's second academic building, the Lottie V. Behrens Building.
Mr. Art O'Leary served as headmaster of Viewpoint from 1980-86. Current headmaster Dr. Bob Dworkoski began his term upon Mr. O'Leary's retirement in 1986.
In 2005, Viewpoint opened the doors to the new Gates Academic Center, the first phase of the School's Master Plan [2]. Construction of a new athletic field began in summer 2006.
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[edit] Mission
As stated in the Student and Parent Handbook:
Viewpoint School, an independent coeducational school with Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, offers a rigorous college preparatory education in a nurturing environment. An integral part of the educational process of Viewpoint is the development of a love of learning and of those qualities which provide strength and direction for a lifetime. Viewpoint recognizes the uniqueness of each child and is committed to the identification, preservation, and development of that individuality. The School's philosophy is based upon the love of God and Country, and is inspired by the Judeo-Christian values upon which our nation was founded.
[edit] Philosophy
Excerpted from the Student and Parent Handbook:
Founded in 1961, Viewpoint School is a nondenominational, nonprofit day school. Young people grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally in the School's nurturing environment. Viewpoint offers a challenging academic program, emphasizing excellence and achievement, and providing individualized attention. The School provides its students with the proper balance of knowledge and skills in critical thinking, while helping them to attain a healthy sense of self-esteem. This blend allows our children to become successful students in college and responsible adults capable of wise decision-making. We believe in actively promoting ethical values among our students. Indeed, it would be irresponsible to send well-educated young people into the world without a firm foundation of moral principles. We teach a respect for the rights and feelings of others and instill a spirit of community service in our students. Within this environment, students learn to value the differences among individuals and to appreciate the unique contributions each person adds to Viewpoint's diverse community. Viewpoint believes that a sound education is a joint-enterprise involving the School and its faculty, our students, and their parents. Together we generate an eagerness to learn, a willingness to work diligently, and a desire to be active in the community. Students develop fundamental skills, an understanding of the subject matter, high standards for their work, and a sense of pride in their accomplishments.
[edit] Learning Expectations of Viewpoint School
Again from the Student and Parent Handbook:
The faculty believes:
- that Viewpoint’s graduates should be literate in the humanities, mathematics, science, technology, the arts, and a second language;
- that Viewpoint’s graduates should demonstrate useful physical skills, cooperative and competitive team skills, sportsmanship, and a life-long interest in fitness and health;
- that Viewpoint’s graduates should demonstrate creative, critical, and generative thinking;
- that Viewpoint’s graduates should embody integrity, compassion, tolerance, responsibility, discernment, and optimism;
- that excellent intellectual and oral communication skills will enable Viewpoint’s graduates to be life-long learners and productive, active citizens.
[edit] Master Plan
In September 2003 the City Council of Calabasas approved Viewpoint's Master Plan for the improvement of the campus. The School began construction on its Cornerstone Project in June 2004. A new Upper School Academic Center with 24 classrooms opened in September 2005, followed by the Performing Arts Center, including the Carlson Family Theater, in November. The School began construction on a new interscholastic athletic field, the Ring Family Field, in the summer of 2006.
[edit] Athletic Program
Despite its rigorous curriculum, the prestigious high school has still been able to successfully create dominating volleyball and tennis programs. Winning five championships in the last 3 years, the recently graduated seniors have shown their athleticism and intelligence on and off the court. The tennis team was led by standouts Neil "The Champ" Patak, Todd Snyder, Reed Lerner, and Arjun Kolachalam while the volleyball team depended on Valedictorian Michael Fields and All Liberty League Selections Matt Morris, Jason Moyal, and Jared Weiss.
In addition to the success of the volleyball and tennis programs, the Viewpoint Swimming program has also been notoriously strong since the arrival of head coach Eliot Saki. The Boys Swim Team won the Fountain League Championships held at the Rosebowl Aquatic Center in both the 2005 and 2006 seasons. In the 2006 season, the Viewpoint Boys Swim team was lead by Senior captain standouts Chase Zacha, Andrew Steele, and Stefan Slater.
From the School's Web site:
Viewpoint annually fields more than 100 athletic teams in 16 sports for boys and girls in Grades Five through Twelve, and outdoor education, fencing and cheerleading. In 2006, the Boys Volleyball and Boys Tennis teams won California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) championships. It was the Tennis Team's third consecutive CIF title and the volleyball team's second.
The School encourages and develops scholar-athletes, evidenced by the fact that Viewpoint teams won All-Academic Award from the California Interscholastic Federation four times in the last six years. In the same six years, Viewpoint's students won six individual championships.
In 2005-06, the Upper School's teams won eleven team and individual League Championships and two CIF Championships. In recent years, Viewpoint's athletes in Volleyball, Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, and Football earned more than 25 All-CIF honors as well as All-League recognitions. Many of Viewpoint's athletes continue to compete in college.
[edit] Controversy
Hair Length
Although not previously specified as a component of the dress code in the Student and Parent Handbook, hair length regulations were instituted shortly after the start of the 2006-2007 academic year, barring male students from having their hair cut so that it either touches the collar or extends past the eyebrows. The policy has drawn criticism from some students and parents.
Policies on Club Formation
All school-sponsored clubs require approval by the school administration. Requests are handled on a case by case basis, with some groups of questionably academic relevance (e.g. Ninja Club) gaining approval, with others (World of Warcraft Club, Gay-Straight Alliance) failing to do so. This has also been a point of controversy for students who feel that their student groups should be granted offical recognition.
