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City Life - Education
The grades are in!
With a scoring goal of 800, this is how our Downtown Schools were rated based on the California Department of Education’s Academic Performance Index. The Index measures a school’s achievement and growth comparing 2008 with 2007 test results.
Museum School: 818 up from 800
Urban Discovery School: too new to be rated
Washington Elementary School: 723 up from 707
KIPP Adelante Preparatory Academy: 782 down from 832
SDHEC School of International Studies: 800 up from 783
SDHEC School of Lead: 717 up from 637
SDHEC School of Science and Technology: 684 up from 654
SDHEC School of Business: 555 down from 588
SDHEC School of MVPArts: 562 (didn’t have valid 2007 Base API)
SDHEC School of CIMA: 479 up 468
Cortez Hill Academy: 569 up from 541
Garfield High School: 686 up from 521
The Museum School 
The Museum School, located at 211 Maple, serves Downtown children in K through grade 7.
Their mission statement is to celebrate, nurture, and enhance the abilities of all participants through experiential, project-oriented applied learning; to use the wealth of resources at the Children’s Museum and throughout San Diego to provide direct learning opportunities; and to serve an intercultural community.
For more information on The Museum School, visit The Museum School, or email Director Phil Beaumont at museumschoolphil@gmail.com.
Urban Discovery Academy
Urban Discovery Academy is a dynamic, high quality school (K through grade 7) that excels academically as well as civically. It's a school that is all about educating the whole child - scholar, athlete, artist, and democratic member of the urban community.
Additionally, the Academy offers a pre-school program. It’s a fun and friendly learning environment that will help children build core skills to prepare them for success in Kindergarten. Pre-School is open to 3-year-old potty-trained children; Junior-Kindergarten is available to those children four years of age.
Urban Discovery Academy is located at 2850 6th, just outside of Downtown in the Hillcrest neighborhood.
For more information about Urban Discovery Academy, visit www.urbandiscoveryacademy.com, or email Principal Cindy Moser at cmoser@urbandiscoveryacademy.com.
Washington Elementary School
Washington Elementary offers enrollment for students K through grade 5.
Washington Elementary is the second oldest school in San Diego County and has deep ties to Little Italy. For more information about Washington Elementary School, visit http://www.washingtonelementary.org.
KIPP
Adelante Preparatory Academy
KIPP Adelante Preparatory Academy (KIPP Adelante) is located at 611 Beech Street in the Cortez Neighborhood and is a nonprofit public charter school.
KIPP Adelante serves 5th through 8th grade students with a mission to ensure that their students develop the academic skills, strong intellectual habits, and character traits that will lead them on to successful furtures at top quality high schools, colleges, and the competitive world beyond.
KIPP Adelante is an affiliate of the nationally recognized Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP), which is a network of free open enrollment college preparatory public schools in under resourced communities throughout the United States.
For more information on KIPP Adelante Preparatory Academy, visit www.kippadelante.org.
San
Diego High Educational Complex
School of Science and Technology (SciTech)
SciTech strives to make education exciting by making science
and technology meaningful and incorporating it into daily
practice. Unique classes like marine biology and web design
are offered to achieve this purpose. The school’s affiliation
with outside technology, nursing, and transportation programs,
and the school’s ownership of the yearbook class also
help students immerse themselves in the science and technology
field.
School
of
Business
“ Producing the business leaders of tomorrow, one student at a time.” The
School of Business promotes “business-related fields” by offering
exclusive business classes and programs. Classes offered include: business management
and ownership, accounting, event planning, and sales and marketing. The School
of Business also houses three very enriching programs: the Academy of Finance,
Culinary Arts Management, and Real Estate & Mortgage.
School
of Communication Investigations
in a Multicultural Atmosphere
(CIMA)
CIMA promotes biliteracy and multiculturalism through extensive
language immersion and a focus on globalism. Communication,
international tourism, marketing, media and technology are
CIMA’s main objectives to be able to succeed in a global
society. They strive to achieve standard academic requirements,
but with an awareness and understanding of other cultures.
School
of International Studies
(IS)
The School of International Studies focuses on bringing an
international perspective to course study. Two extensive
and prestigious magnet programs are administered through
this school: the International Baccalaureate (IB) program
(a rigorous 2 year curriculum that is comparable to the 1st
year of college) and the Writing Academy. Writing is extremely
emphasized and incorporated into all courses.
School
of Media, Visual and
Performing Arts Academy
(MVPA)
Do you have a passion for singing, dancing, acting, or drawing?
MVPA offers an art-enriched curriculum. They offer extensive
instruction on art, dance, drama, music, computer graphics,
and broadcasting. Supported by partnerships with outside
arts organizations, MVPA students study cultural influences
and focus on originality and individual development.
School of LEADS (Lead, Explore, Achieve, Discover and Serve)
School of LEADS encourages the integration of the learning
environment in the school through the community. The school
prepares students for careers in teaching, social work, government
leadership, medical services, and other disciplines through
exclusive classes in public speaking, developmental psychology
of children, career and life management or organizational
management.
For more information on San Diego High Education Complex, visit www.sdhs.sandi.net.
Garfield High School
Garfield High School is located on 16th and B Streets, just east of the San Diego City College campus.
The staff, at this alternative high school, works closely with City College personnel to ensure Garfield High students complete their high school education and successfully make the transition to post-secondary education.
San Diego City College
1313 Park Blvd
Thinking of expanding your knowledge? Take a class at San Diego City College. It’s only $26 a unit! And, now park free in the student lot noon to 6:00p daily. No permit required.
For more information on San Diego City College, click here.
San Diego City College Urban Farm
Did you know there was an organic farm on the San Diego City College campus?
According to City College, “The Farm will provide urban students and the community, who have little or no access to local, organic produce, an opportunity to engage in a hands-on education in sustainable agriculture, health, nutrition, and leadership.”
Support the San Diego Urban Farm by donating supplies and tools (rakes, shovels, spades, trowels, hoses, gloves). For a complete list of items needed, contact Terry Wilson at twilson@sdccd.edu or call (619) 459-9223.
For more information, read their Down(town) on the Farm blog, Seeds at City blog, or visit the Urban Farm website.