FAQ

What's the benefit of being in an academy?

Data from the California Department of Education demonstrate that students enrolled in career academies (regardless of career sector) have higher GPAs, better attendance, higher UC/CSU 'a-g' completion rates, and fewer discipline problems compared to non-academy students. Beyond those very compelling reasons, students leave school with not only a high school diploma but also real world work skills. They not only benefit from the skills they learn but by also being exposed to the process of work emphasizing important 21st-century workplace skills of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving.

My child is into video games. Should they join the Digital Media Academy?

As of the 2020-21 school year we do not yet have a specific class for game design, though it is something we are considering.  That said, both the Animation and  Digital Media Production Pathways will absolutely help students who are interested in game design. Students will learn how to animate, create characters, and tell stories--all essential skills for game designers.

How are academy classes different from regular classes?

There are two main differences. One, academy core classes, specifically English and Social Science, are made up of almost exclusively DMA students. This allows for student relationships and bonds to grow and strengthen over time - a key component to the success of academies in general.  The other is in how the core classes and the digital media classes are connected.  Because we are able to group students in a class together, we use that to work with students on cross curricular assignments. For example, students write an autobiographical essay in English and that essay becomes the basis for a video in Digital Media Arts 1. Also, because teachers have a group of students in their class that have a shared interest they are able to draw connections with the academic curriculum to concepts in media production. For example, when English teachers review the setting of a novel, they can relate it to how setting in a movie has similar effects on the story. With these differences, students are still learning a rigorous curriculum that meets UC/CSU 'a-g' requirements just as they would in the equivalent non-DMA class.

Will my child's daily schedule be different from the typical high school schedule?

Yes. Your child will have all the same classes as a typical student, but the academy classes will have some differences compared to regular classes (see above).

Can my child still participate in extracurricular activities?

Yes. DMA students are also athletes; in addition, they are  involved in ASB, participate in the theater program, work part-time jobs, and participate in various campus clubs such as Key Club, Science Olympiad, and Academic Decathlon, for example.  We work with all of our students to make sure they can participate in all the activities that interest them while still being actively involved in DMA.

If they start on the DMA track and later change their mind about the academy, will that throw them off course for graduation/college entrance requirements? 

No. Most of the academy classes fill electives in a student's schedule.  The first priority with every student is to make sure they are on track for graduation.  We also make it a priority to ensure students are meeting the requirements for college/university, but the specific choices made with regard to classes will be specific to that student based on his/her post-secondary goals.

Does the academy track limit my child's options for college?

Not at all; in fact, membership in an academy is helpful to students applying to colleges or universities, especially if they have an interest in such areas as film, art, digital media, animation, communications, journalism, or public relations.  Students from our academy also study engineering, computer science, law, medicine/healthcare, management, and business.

Please Contact Us if you have additional questions that we have not answered.