North Hollywood : High School to Review Its Magnet Scheduling

The North Hollywood High School Leadership Council will probably be asked to reconsider the track assignment for the school’s highly gifted magnet students at a Monday afternoon meeting.

The panel of parents, teachers and administrators is charged with deciding which students get which tracks on the year-round multitrack calendar.

In July, North Hollywood joined at least three other Valley schools in adopting a staggered calendar for three groups of students. The year-round calendar lessens overcrowding by having only two of the groups on campus at any one time. The third group, meantime, would be on vacation.

The panel previously made assignments for the school’s two magnet programs, placing the zoological magnet students on a traditional September-through-June timetable. The school’s highly gifted magnet students were given the less-desirable July-through-May calendar.

Parents of the highly gifted students have bitterly opposed the schedule, saying it limits the chances for magnet students to attend summer programs at Ivy League colleges. Many of the parents want their children on a traditional calendar at North Hollywood or for the highly gifted program to be moved to another school.

A recent survey of the current 244 highly gifted magnet students found that about 22% attended college programs last summer, said college counselor Susan Bonoff.

The leadership council will meet at 3:30 p.m. in Room K101 at the school, 5231 Colfax Ave.