San Fernando Valley : High-Tech High School Opens in Town Near Grapevine

One of the most ambitiously high-tech public schools in the state--where every student is to have hands-on training for the digital future--opened Thursday in the little mountain town of Frasier Park along the Golden State Freeway.

The only thing missing, for the most part, was the high tech.

The main building of the long-planned Frasier Mountain High School holds a computer lab, digital research facilities, software library and television studio. But because of construction delays, some of which were caused heavy rains last winter, that building will not open until later in the year.

“You can imagine how frustrating it is that I can’t get in there,” said Edward Mooney, the technology teacher, standing outside the fenced-off main building that loomed over the smaller classrooms and temporary buildings at the dusty site. One computer-equipped classroom is open on the campus, but the majority of his dream setup is still in the hands of the building contractor.

The main building, called the InfoCenter, will likely bring widespread attention to this area near the Grapevine in the Tejon Pass.

Plans call for every student enrolled in the school--located near the point where Los Angeles, Kern and Ventura counties meet--to eventually have an individual computer.

About 350 students came for the first day of classes at El Tejon Unified School District’s first high school. Melody Henry, 16, whose family recently moved into the area from Woodland Hills, was not impressed with the mostly concrete buildings. “It looks like a combination of a power plant and prison,” Henry said.

But the teachers seemed universally delighted at being on board for the debut.

“The kids here are getting a lot of support from their parents,” said history teacher Debra Silvera. “I think that has to do with this being a small community. It’s a different feeling.”