Belmont Senior High School

My high school... overcrowded and full of wonderful kids and teachers that always need more... public schools with these many students need all the help possible.

A teacher was assaulted in front of the class in November, 2009. It is not a safe school. Do not send your child to that school!

School is coming around, ever since it changed to a traditional format school.
—Submitted by a parent

So far I have had no problems with the way the school coordinates a student in order to achieve success. From the counselors to the teaching staff.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is good but the it is too crowded that if u don't leave your last period fast enough, you might not be able to get out. The school education system is great the teachers are talented and inspirational. However i can't wait to transfer but I'm gonna miss my friends there. I;m currently in Belmont Senior high,LA and I'm in 9th grade and I'm in LAAMPS ACADEMY. The counselor is always there for you, don't mind what people say about Belmont. Belmont is a great school in overall, their sports are great!!!
—Submitted by a student

I am currently attending Belmont and it's great. I'm in the academy LAAMPS. This is a great school. The teachers that I have want to be your friends. The counselors are there for you but they could do a better job in communicating with the student's. For the few months I've been there the school is challenging me academically and physically and by that I mean in sports the coaches push you to your limit so you could dot he best. Overall Belmont has definitely improved from the rumors and statistics I've heard.
—Submitted by a student

I have been attending Belmont High School. It is a good school however, some factors such as gang activity and affiliation of students need attention. Extracurricular activities such as sports are outstanding however, clubs and organizations are limited. Academic performance is improving as the school is now in a traditional state and student performance is emphasized within small learning communities. Overall, Belmont is a good school with a need for funding and improvements.
—Submitted by a student

I attended Belmont for my sophomore year and it was absolutely atrocious. Teachers are mediocre, excluding a handful that genuinely care about the students. The academic counselors (from my experience) didn't really care about us; it's more of a feeling that they're trying to push us out, rather than help us succeed. It's extremely overcrowded, and full of troublemakers (who I not personally blame, they just need guidance)....I'm eternally grateful that I was transferred to a new high school that they built right up the street from Belmont, Miguel Contreras L.C. I'm now a college sophomore and couldn't think of how horrible my future would have been if I stayed at Belmont. If any of you parents ever read this, please do me and yourself a favor and don't ever let your kids go there. You'll save yourself (and your child) from the disappointment.
—Submitted by a student

I am a former student and went to Belmont for my whole 4 years of high school. I also had two older sisters that went there. While I was there, the only problem I saw was the overcrownded hallways, classroom, and lunch lines. Other than that I thought it was great. I was part of the music program and it's one of the top music programs in Los Angeles. Also, Belmont has these small learning communitites called academies which help better prepare the students for college. I myself was in the Arts & Humanities Academy and the teachers were great. I am forever greatful to them because they made college so much easier for me. I think that as long as parents are involved, they shouldn't have a problem in this school. I know many of my classmates and fellow students that went on to top universities around the U.S.
—Submitted by a student

Belmont has one of the best music programs in the district. They are one of the few schools who participate in SCSBOA competitions all throughout Southern California.
—Submitted by a student

BHS is a good school, not great and the only reason I say this it's because I use to go there. As a former student I enjoyed this HS,even thought it was in a tough neighborhood and the school budget was scarce, like other HS around the LAUSD, but managed to graduate. The teachers are great, it's just the lack of money, the lack of parent involvement and the overcrowding. It's hard to focus.
—Submitted by a former student

Man, I dont want to sound too negative or anything, but this school is horrible! I was there for a year, and i was fortunate enough to move to a new school that was just recently built around there.
—Submitted by a former student

I attended this school my entire high school year. I was fortunate enough to be part of the International Studies Program (ISA)...a great program to be in. You get to take all honors and AP classes...therefore got to meet excellent teachers and counselor. I had good experience at this school.
—Submitted by a former student

Belmont High School is a good school but is immensebly overcrowded. More and more students are not meeting the schools goals as an opose of graduating and not failing. LAUSD has a very well defined school policy, but as more kids go to Belmont more students are not getting the education they must deserve because of overpopulating classes. What this school needs is to have more classes for newcoming students, more security for those not wanting to go to class children and finally more concerned teachers. I was a teacher at the LAUSD school district for many years until I had to move to Arizona, I know perfectly how the school is in need so I think the government should do more to help schools like this one.
—Submitted by Alyssa Burbank, a teacher

It really is not a bad school.Parents just need to get more involved as these kids need supervision which is what they are not getting.
—Submitted by a parent

Belmont is immensely overpopulated. Simple tasks such as going to class and waiting in lunch lines are a constant problem, due to the overpopulated campus. However, Belmont does offer various academies which helps reduce this large school into smaller sections and aims at helping students take coures that will help them prepare for college. Though only about two of these academies meet their expectations, all do help students build better relationships with teachers, as students have a single teacher for a two semester course, while regular students (students not part of an academy) are always having their teachers changed at the end of each course. The tardy policy is ridiculous, students are shifted to another school after their sixth offense. Another problem is the fire alarm system that constantly goes on throughout the day interrupting classes. Bureaucracy is a factor, some clerks are unfriendly and lazy, but some deeply teachers care.
—Submitted by a student

People that post comments not knowing what the school is like should get out there and actually see that Belmont Students not only get accepted to any community colleges but to UCLA Yale Brown and even Harvard. To me that school is like a hidden jewl in the middle of the city.
—Submitted by Ary Caballero, a student

As a librarian who lives in this community, I am impressed by the number of Belmont students who have gone on to 4-yr colleges and universities, even Ivy league. Many of them study diligently at the local public library on sophisticated projects and homework. I hope that LAUSD is aware of the great potential of this HS, and will work harder to enrich its program and facilities. Belmont has the largest high school student population in the nation, has adult enrichment classes, reputable faculty, is located close to downtown, and deserves better attention.

Belmont could be a very safe and intellectual school, with all the resources it has. It has many students who are very famous and admired today. The location of Belmont interests me, how a lot immigrants come to that specific area. As an overall quality Belmont is a good school, except for when it comes to safety and a good environment. Belmont can have a better reputation then the one it has now. I wonder why many students complain about the teachers? Education is determined by one students motives not the teachers.
—Submitted by a former student

I went to Belmont for a month before I transferred out. It was a scary place because of all the fights, and the poor sanitation.
—Submitted by Sarah Rodriguez