North America/United States of America/California/Oakhurst/Yosemite High School/

Yosemite High School

• Location & Contact Information
  • Address, Directions, & Map:
    • Oakhurst, California, United States of America
  • Telephone Numbers:
  • Official Website: [2]
• History & Memorable Moments

Founded September 9, 1976 to relieve district travel times (often in excess of 4 hours), YHS became a site of constant controversy. The matter of greatest contention was its unorthodox education methods, ranging from laissez-faire scheduling to counterproductive class organization. Students (referred to as “learners”) chose their own classes, handled their own attendance, and gave themselves their grades, much to the chagrin of parents, who “…were worried that the students {were} running the school and that there {was} a lack of supervised instruction…”

Teachers (referred to as “learning facilitators”) were also given free rein -- with the classes they taught, resulting in such classes as skateboarding and rock climbing. They taught in a single large building with simultaneous classes operating without walls, leading to a good deal of confusion and distraction. Some time into the first year, 6-foot tall partitions were set up, but they did little to reduce the strength of the din. In recent years, YHS has returned to more traditional academic practices, including fixed schedules, standard classrooms, state-mandated coursework and grading criteria, and referring to "teachers" and "students." The school began relatively under funded; “learning facilitators” were paid a $4-6,000 lower salary than the state average for that time. By the turn of the twenty-first century, however, the budget has expanded and the campus has become a showpiece.

• Overview, Photographs, & Video Links

Prospective Students

• Admissions Tips

New & Current Students

• Campus Events
• Transportation
• Safety Tips
• Support Centers
  • Counseling
• Grading System
• Good Classes & Teachers
• Groups & Organizations
• College & Career Tips

Alumni

• Benefits of Joining Alumni Association
• Mailing List Directory
• Chapters
• Teachers (Where are they now?)
  • Stone, Hannah (August 1994 - June 1998)
• Alumni Directory
• Alumni Events

Visitors

• Hotels Nearby
• Restaurant Recommendations
• Places of Worship
• Sports Facility Access