MISSION- The mission of Encore High School is to provide a creative, challenging, and nurturing environment that offers secondary students with innovative preparation for a university education, career pathway, and a pursuit of the arts.

During Encore's third charter term with HUSD, Encore experienced successes while adapting into a career minded curriculum using technology as the main conduit for education.

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• Encore moved all students to one to one technology, using online curriculum and laptops computers assigned to all students.

• Encore’s film program was awarded state recognition for films that covered the topic of teenage mental health and suicide prevention.

• Encore’s musical theater team was adjudicated and named state champions in 2019 for the MCTA state competition at Disneyland. 

• Encore was awarded Inland Empire’s Best Music School for 2019 by Inland Empire Magazine.

• Encore was awarded High Desert's Best Live Entertainment by the Daily Press.

• Encore's graduates have earned over 14 million in scholarship awards over the first twelve years of operation - 1.5 million awarded in 2020.

• 75% of Encore’s graduating seniors have entered into a postsecondary program (25% four year universities and 50% in two year programs).

• Dashboard gains in suspension rate, college and career readiness, English language arts, and mathematics were flashed for 2019.

• Encore adopted CTE pathways and are in process of partnering with VVC to initiate dual enrollment for high school students. 

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY –
Encore offers a creative learning environment combining intensive studies of arts education with intensive pre college academic classes. The goal of Encore is to help Encore students learn how to juggle academics and career experiences / expertise. If a student learns how to multi task using both academic and career skills, they will become lifelong learners and successful after high school.

• An educated person of the 21st century is well rounded and can use critical thinking to work through every day problems. With education beyond high school through either University, Trade, or Life Experience - an educated person can interact, socialize, and flourish in today’s society.

• A student will be most successful in their high school career if they enjoy the educational atmosphere in their institution. It is important that the academic lessons are challenging, relevant to today’s expanding technology, and clear.

• It is also important that electives appeal to the student directly with relevant career skills tied into each elective class.

• An educated person in the 21st century must be technologically fluent and be able to use technology as a means for communication. They must also be interested in seeking furtherdevelopment within technology regardless of career choice.

• Students should strive to be college and career by the time they graduate high school to be ready for life after high school. This means that all students should graduate either: A-G qualified or by completing an appropriate CTE completer.

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WHO ATTENDS ENCORE?
The ideal applicant for Encore is highly motivated with an interest in management careers, performing, and/or technical arts. They have aspirations of a higher education and possibly a career in one of the many business or arts fields upon completion of college. Encore is open to any student grades 7 through 12 that is a California resident. Whether the student is highly talented or just an arts enthusiast, the appreciation and study of the arts will help motivate the students of Encore.

HOW ARE ENCORE STUDENTS EDUCATED?
To help the students of Encore excel in their education, Encore has implemented one to one technology for most academic classes, traditional classes, hybrid/independent study education, lecture halls to prepare students for education after high school, traditional schedule for junior high, block scheduling for high school where students have a college reflective class schedule, career technical based arts classes with commercial artistry that is taught as an element of each individual arts class, master classes and project based learning events. The goal of Encore is to have students achieving at or above grade level in benchmark testing.

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• ONE TO ONE TECHNOLOGY – It is the philosophy of the founders of Encore that in a rapid-paced technological world, students are faced with the challenge of being able to understand and keep up with how fast technology changes. All students at Encore are assigned a Chromebook computer where they are tasked with completing assignments in most of their academic classes using this technology.

 

• TRADITIONAL CLASSES – Encore believes that students that are involved in a traditional classroom experience have the ability for teacher/student engagement. Encore offers a 90 minute block schedule traditional class for all high school students. Encore also offers a daily schedule for junior high students where they experience all academic classes every school day.

 

• HYBRID / INDEPENDENT STUDY EDUCATION – Making sure that Encore keeps up with current trends in education, Encore has a small population that takes part in hybrid/independent study education. Encore has a variety of online courses that satisfy A-G requirements for high school graduation. Starting in the 20/21 school year, Encore’s block schedule will no longer rotate, giving students in this program an opportunity to also enroll concurrently with community colleges and universities while still attending Encore. Hybrid students have one or more classes in the traditional block, but are still counted as an IS enrollment. Full time IS students are required to come on campus once per week for three hours.  (Some changes have occurred since the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.)

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• LECTURE HALLS - In order to appropriately prepare high school students for college, Encore incorporates a lecture style course within areas of social sciences, English, and Spanish. This class teaches the Encore student discipline necessary in college, especially during the freshman year of college when lecture classes can soar up to 500 people in a class.  Encore's lecture hall classes generally have about 60 students in them.

 

• TRADITIONAL SCHEDULE FOR JUNIOR HIGH – Encore's junior high has a traditional schedule where the students have 8 classes every day.  This is new in the fall 2020 due to sluggish gains in state test scores.  All classes meet daily.  Students that have earned a letter grade of "C" or lower in any English or Math class is automatically placed in a remediation class for that subject.  The philosophy behind this change is students will have more time to fill in knowledge gaps from the 39 different schools they matriculate from.  By the time they reach high school, Encore's goal is to fill achievement gaps for an increased rate of success in high school math and English classes. 

 

• BLOCK SCHEDULE FOR HIGH SCHOOL – In high school, a block schedule gives teachers a 90-minute class period to teach material. Classes meet every other day so students have two days to complete homework assignments. The longer class period offers a teacher more lecture and project time. The transition and “settle down” time for a class period will not cut into the learning process because of the reduced number of transitions. Encore uses the block schedule and has successfully prepared students for college schedules after high school. Starting in the fall of 2020, block schedules will not rotate as they have for the first 12 years of operation. Only Fridays will rotate in the block.  The philosophy behind this change is to offer students the ability to enroll in community college courses, attend hybrid study programs as an alternative to traditional scheduling.  This change also gives Encore the flexbility to hire part time instructors with stability in their scheduling. 

 

• CAREER TECHNICAL BASED ARTS CLASSES – In a fast paced society, linking arts education with specific career minded skills is critical for student success. Encore has experienced the highest level of commitment and engagement by students within their arts classes. While these arts classes are deep rooted in rigorous and advanced arts training, each of the arts courses work toward CTE completers by helping students gain valuable professional skills to be able to get and maintain employment after high school. These courses are rooted in arts, but are practical for any student whether or not they plan on pursuing an arts career after high school.

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• MASTER CLASSES AND PROJECT BASED LEARNING EVENTS – Throughout the school year, students are tasked to create and complete specific projects within their academic and arts classes for Project Based Learning. One of the most advanced PBL programs with the Encore organization are the Professional Artist Honors programs that task students with creating, marketing, producing, and executing a special project. For students within a specific conservatory, opportunities for master classes throughout the year are offered to give students a chance to learn outside of their normal learning environment and by professional within their conservatory field.  Professional Artist Honors Career Technical Programs include:

  • Professional Artist Development Honors Program - Students create a professional digital portfolio for potential agents and employers.  Students create, market, produce and execute an elementary school tour that promotes an anti-bully message.  Students create and execute an "industry showcase" where they network with college scouts, agents, and managers.​

  • Professional Musician Honors Program - Students create a professional digital portfolio for potential agents, employers, college recruiters.  Students create, market, produce, and execute a musical tour for schools and senior centers that promotes music education.  Students create and execute an "industry showcase" where they network with college scouts, agents, and managers.

  • Professional Film Makers and Film Actors Honors Program - Students create a professional digital portfolio for potential agents, employers, college recruiters.  Students create film works in a variety of genres and submit works to festival competitions.  Students create and execute a "film festival" where they show their work and invite college scouts, agents, and managers.