Monrovia High Open House Showcases Various Student Pathways

Monrovia High School hosted its annual Open House while showcasing scholastic academies, career technical education (CTE) pathways, visual and performing arts programs and extracurricular activities on Jan. 15, giving Monrovia Unified students and their parents a comprehensive overview of what it means to be a Wildcat.

"If you have a passion, we are here to help you connect to it," Principal Kirk McGinnis said. "You will always be a Cougar or a Cub, but when you come to Monrovia High, we are all Wildcats. We all work together to succeed."

Families spoke with teacher and student representatives from Monrovia's Math and Science, Humanities and Digital Arts academies, Theater Arts Conservatory, Achievement Via Individual Determination (AVID), Advanced Placement and eight CTE programs.

Club life, elective classes, student leadership and extracurricular activities were well represented, with students and faculty detailing a diverse array of campus life - including robotics, dual immersion, Renaissance leadership and band.

"Monrovia's Open House is a way to make our new students feel welcome, meet their new classmates, and lessen the anxiety of beginning high school," Superintendent Dr. Katherine Thorossian said. "It also gives our high school students a chance to show their leadership skills by promoting the classes and activities that resonate with them."

Monrovia junior Marc Altamirano pitched the perks of enrolling in French class and joining the French club, which includes celebrating the French Epiphany - the date of the Three Kings - and eating traditional French pastries such as Galette des Rois.

"French class is really fun; I highly recommend it," Altamirano said. "The focus is on comprehension and immersion. We listen to a lot of French music and watch French New Wave cinema. Each week we come in and try to describe our weekend entirely in French."

The Open House was the first step in preparing incoming freshmen for high school. On Jan. 16-17, MHS reps traveled to Clifton and Santa Fe middle schools to make program presentations. A campus tour for all eighth-graders is scheduled for Feb. 4. Fall registration begins July 15 and new freshman orientations will be held Aug. 10

"The Monrovia High Open House is a community event, and it's not unusual to see MHS alumni here with their children, talking with their former teachers and just as excited as their kids," Board of Education Vice President Bryan Wong said. "Our mission is to provide equity and opportunity to every student and encourage them to find the academic path that will help them to become lifelong learners."

Source: Monrovia Schools press release

- Brad Haugaard