Downtown High School
Watch this video about project-based learning at DHS!
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Learn About Project-Based Learning at DHS
Here is an older video of teachers and students talking about Downtown High School.
School Announcements
Link to this section
Calendar
Downtown High School Important Dates and School-Wide Events
2024-2025 Instructional Calendar
August 20: First Fill Day of Class <br>
August 23: Full Day of Class & Back to School BBQ <br>
September 2: Labor Day Holiday - No School <br>
Septermber 19: Back to Scho
More about this school
School Type
- High School
Grades
Principal
- Todd Williams
Assistant Principal(s)
- Lara Schmidt
Hours
School Tour
Arrange with counseling department
Sign up for a school tour at sfusd.edu/tours.
Neighborhood
School Code
Overview
Downtown High School offers project-based learning that emphasizes critical thinking skills across curricular areas and a strong connection with the School-to-Career Program. We focus on each learner's need for alternative strategies and are rooted in the commitment to student mastery of the core curriculum. With a project-based approach to learning, students have the opportunity to select a project that matches their own interests and learning styles. Each project has integrated curriculum and the flexibility of high interest academic and hands on experiential learning, backed by high expectations and teacher support. Downtown High School currently has five projects:
- Acting for Critical Transformations (ACT)
- Get Out and Learn (GOAL)
- Making, Advocating and Designing for Empowerment (MADE)
- Music and Academics Resisting the System (MARS)
- Wilderness Arts and Literacy Collaborative (WALC)
In addition to a rigorous core curriculum that includes language arts/literacy, mathematics, science, history/social science, world languages, and visual/performing arts, Downtown High programs prepare students for the real world, building essential life skills. Even students who have not been successful at traditional high schools find success and self motivation within rich academic settings. Mandatory parent conferences twice a semester ensure that academic and social information is passed between parents/guardians and teachers, bridging communication with families in a supportive manner. Service learning is also an essential element of the Downtown High School experience. Many students work and volunteer in the community as part of their selected projects. The world is immense and Downtown High is focused on bridging real world wisdom through exposure of multiple academic subjects coupled with experiential learning.
Watch this video to hear students and staff talk about the Projects at DHS.
Programs
After School
School Day Academic Enrichment
- Credit recovery
- Interdisciplinary studies
- Project-based learning
Arts Enrichment
- Cooking or home economics
- Creative writing
- Dance
- Drama
- Guitar
- Media arts
- Performing arts
- Visual arts
Arts Enrichment Description
Student Support
- Counselor
- Health and wellness center
- On-site nurse
- Social worker
College Counseling
- Academic counseling
- Cash for College or Financial Aid Night
- College and/or career counseling
- College application workshops
- Job readiness programs
School Data
School Accountability Report Card (SARC)
School Accountability Report Cards (SARCs) are required by state law and are intended to provide families with important information.
School Accountability Highlights
Published annually by SFUSD to provide access to key data points and three-year trends related to student achievement and school culture-climate. The highlights are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Filipino, and Vietnamese.
Social-Emotional and Culture Climate Report
SFUSD annually surveys families and school staff on a range of school climate indicators that have been found to predict positive student academic achievement. The social-emotional learning of students in grades 4-12 is also assessed.
School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA)
School communities gather twice a year to review data and previous actions in order to intentionally plan for the coming months. The School Plan for Student Achievement is the template on which this review and stakeholder engagement process is codified.