DNHS Mission Statement

Design Principles

International Emphasis

• Plans to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program
• Plans to promote intercultural respect and understanding and to infuse a global perspective throughout the curriculum

Academic Rigor

• Plans to offer a full array of Advanced Placement Classes
• All students will have access to the UC/CSU A-G required courses
• Performance-based assessment

Student-Centered Learning

• Every student will be assigned to a homeroom staff advisor in addition to their counselor
• Small group and project-based learning opportunities
• Ninth and tenth grade service learning projects
• Junior year internships
• Senior Project/Digital Portfolio

Preparing Students for the 21st Century:
A Vision for Del Norte High School

• Solid foundation in global literacy with a particular emphasis on critical and technical reading, writing, informational fluency and oral communication
• Integrated math, science and engineering instruction taught within career clusters
• Comprehensive music, visual and performing arts, health and physical education and athletic programs
• Interdisciplinary knowledge acquired through contextualized instruction with an emphasis on creativity, collaboration, innovation and community service
• 21st century skills, attitudes and behaviors integrated into all subject areas with special emphasis placed on analysis, interpretation, precision and accuracy, problem solving and reasoning
• Promotion of intercultural respect, appreciation and understanding; emphasis placed on ethical responsibility and global engagement

Graduate Profile

~ Del Norte High School seniors will graduate college ready, globally aware and future focused, equipped for success in post-secondary education, work and life. Graduates will be resourceful, resilient, and ready to meet real world challenges. They will possess the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind needed to contribute, compete, and excel in the 21st century.

Del Norte graduates are College Ready. They...
~ have successfully earned a high school diploma satisfying the course requirements needed to pursue a college education in the United States or abroad, or to pursue other training designed to enhance their preparation for the workforce. The UC/CSU A-G requirements serve as the default curriculum.
~ Completed a rigorous and relevant course of study having been exposed to ideas and issues that have local, national, and global significance and real world implications.
~ Learned to identify options, evaluate opportunities, establish goals, and organize educational experiences, enabling them to continue their education at higher levels.
~ Developed the attitudes and behaviors necessary for success in life after high school: critical thinking/problem solving, teamwork, leadership, professionalism, and self direction.

Del Norte graduates are 21st Century Literate. They...
~ Apply critical reading, writing, information literacy, oral communication, and mathematics skills.
~ Analyze local, national, and global issues, consider multiple perspectives, gather and synthesize relevant information, and draw conclusions only after evaluating diverse viewpoints.
~ Demonstrate an independence and eagerness to explore new roles, assimilate new ideas, and experiment with new strategies. Del Norte graduates have inquiring minds and are willing to learn, unlearn, and relearn. They are entrepreneurial and improvisational.
~ Access emerging technologies. They are effective consumers of information trained to evaluate its veracity, accuracy, and usefulness and to identify sources of bias.

~Del Norte graduates are Dynamic. They ...
~ Understand and appreciate the unique history of the United States and the U.S. Constitution; yet, maintain an openness to and awareness of perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and world cultures, recognizing the limitations of their own perspectives and the benefits of listening and learning from others.
~ Understand how the world’s people and institutions are interconnected and interdependent: economically, politically, technologically, environmentally, and socially.
~ Realize the importance of living a balanced life. They are committed to lifelong learning, health, and wellness. They pursue passions and interests in areas such as athletics, fitness, the arts, and community service.
~ Are young men and women of character, and are fully prepared to take their place in the world, leading a life of active, responsible citizenship.