Frequently Asked Questions
At what time does school start and end?
School begins each day Monday through Friday at 8:45 a.m. On Monday through Thursday, school ends at 3:45 p.m. On Fridays, school ends at 2:15 p.m.
What about electives and programs in the arts?
Bridges Academy offers visual arts (all media), drama, film studies, photography, yearbook production and after-school music, writing, art and robotics programs. Technology classes include (or have included) computer programming, audio/video editing, web design, gaming and 3D animation. Bridges provides weekly enrichment clusters in the Middle School and several enrichment classes for both high school and middle school students during Wintersession, the two-week period that begins the second semester. Bridges also is developing an innovative and challenging talent development program in each of the major academic disciplines.
How about transportation?
Because students attend Bridges Academy from throughout the greater Los Angeles areas, families rely heavily on carpools.
How many class periods are there during the day?
Bridges is on a modified Block Schedule with academic classes lasting 83 minutes (four blocks per day) with a two-week block rotation. There are several components within each block including lecture, discussion, research, presentation and project work.
How large are your classes?
High school class sizes range from as few as three or four in foreign language, upper math, and some electives to 12 for certain grade-level core classes. Both regular and honors tracks are offered. Students have the opportunity to take AP exams in certain core classes. Middle School class sizes average eight. Some 7th and 8th grade core classes have two teachers per eight students.
What do students do for lunch?
Students who bring their lunch have access to a student refrigerator and microwave. Students may also order food from one of several vendors who deliver during the lunch period. Options include sandwiches, salads, wraps, etc. Students in grades 11 and 12, with parental permission, have the option of going off campus to neighborhood restaurants.
Is there a school uniform or a dress code?
Bridges does not require students to wear a uniform. There is a dress code that requires students to be modestly and appropriately attired.
When it comes time to apply for college, how are Bridges Academy students evaluated?
Graduation requirements for Bridges Academy exceed the entry requirements for the University of California. In addition to our accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the California Association of Independent Schools, all of our academic courses are specifically approved by the University of California. Private colleges evaluate Bridges Academy students in the same way they do students from other accredited schools: through grades, test scores, teacher recommendations, student essays, and student interviews. Students are assisted in the college application process by our director of college guidance and senior faculty.
What about sports and athletic opportunities?
Bridges Academy is a member of the California Interscholastic Federation. We participate in a league of small private schools. Currently, students are able to compete in basketball, cross-country and track. Other sports, such as softball, tennis, soccer, volleyball, etc., are part of the Physical Education program that is built around traditional fitness components.
What kinds of off-campus trips or activities are offered?
Middle School students enjoy monthly field trips. Grades 8 and 9 participate in team-building activities and other outdoor education opportunities. High school students are provided various off-campus educational outings throughout the year. We also have offered several science trips during school vacations and Wintersession—Alaska, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Australia/New Zealand, Kenya, Mt. Lassen, Death Valley—and periodic foreign language trips to Spain and Japan.
Is there a Parents Association?
Yes. Our parents are involved in all aspects of school life from fundraising and faculty support to facility improvement, generating on-campus social events, and helping foster community service and other character development and academic programs. We welcome everyone’s talents and support!
Are you a Non-Public School and do you accommodate Individual Education Programs?
Bridges is not a Non-Public School. We provide a rigorous, college preparatory independent school program. We provide the academic support necessary for bright, academically talented yet challenged students to succeed at this level of curriculum. Some students come to us with public school district Individual Education Programs (IEPs) in place. Those families must pay tuition directly to Bridges. If, how and when the family is reimbursed is a matter between the family and the district. We use these IEPs in designing student support systems. Other student accommodations come from private testing and our own analysis of student needs through the creation of Individual Learning Profiles.
Do you have staff counseling for students?
Yes, we have a full-time school psychologist who works with staff on social skills integration and who also provides crisis counseling. Bridges also has an Educational Therapist who works closely with faculty on classroom management and curriculum design and implementation, and who assists students with study skills, organizational and other academic issues.
Do you offer college counseling?
We have a director of college guidance and a part-time college counselor to assist students with preparation for and transition to college/university life including testing, research, application and interview, financial aid, academic accommodations, etc. Bridges has developed Life After Bridges classes, grades 10-12 and Senior College workshops.
What kinds of colleges do your graduates attend?
Our students attend the full range of colleges such as UC campuses at Los Angeles, Berkeley, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Santa Cruz, Davis and Irvine; the CSU campuses of Sonoma, Northridge, San Francisco, Fullerton and San Diego; out-of-state public universities like Oregon, Indiana, Arizona, West Virginia, Hawaii, New Mexico and Colorado; private colleges and universities including Duke University, Princeton, Denison, Chapman, Emerson, Hampshire, Loyola-Marymount, The University of Denver, Pitzer College, Washington University in Saint Louis, Sarah Lawrence, Goucher, Ithaca and USC..
What about the computer and technology-based aspects of your program?
Every classroom and office at Bridges Academy is wired for internet access, and wireless internet access is available campus-wide, with the exception of the gym and cafeteria areas. Every Bridges student is required to own and bring a laptop computer which must be equipped with Microsoft Office, a wireless network adapter that supports WPA2 encryption, an up-to-date operating system (Windows or Apple OS X), and enough memory and computing power to do reliable work at useful speeds. High school students have the option of taking a media technology elective where they can learn computer programming, web development and audio and video editing. All middle school students have a media technology class.
Bridges has general information email discussion groups for both parents and students (at both division levels and schoolwide) and faculty have individual email groups for each of their classes. In the high school (in addition to email), Bridges relies upon technology for private communication among parents, students, and teachers about schedules, attendance, assignments, grades, progress, and teacher comments. This is done through a secure web service called PowerSchool. Tutorial sessions and passwords are provided when a family joins the Bridges community. Bridges also uses Moodle, a curriculum-based social networking system.