History

Joey "Joseph" Campanella joins High Point Academy as the new Head of School. The transformation of the Art Room into the Sandi Brune Art Center, named in memory of HPA’s beloved art and music teacher of 33 years. The Art Center is a flexible, multimedia studio complete with mobile cabinets and desks, potter’s wheels, and a kiln and printing press (both generous gifts from HPA parents). Installing a new, campus-wide, key-card activated door lock system; keeping the athletic field in tip-top shape; and continuing to introduce drought-tolerant landscaping and energy-efficient lighting and heating/air-conditioning systems. The athletic court was resurfaced and the classrooms and lobby in the Church of Christ across the street from HPA were remodeled for our use.

 

The 2021 - 2022 school year brought students fully back to campus, reengaged parent volunteerism, and allowed us to enjoy many of the HPA traditions we'd been missing for so long. Joey Campanella was chosen as our new Head of School. The continued implementation of the Campus Master Plan with the remodeling of the Grade 3-6 classrooms and Spanish classroom. 

 

High Point continued its remote learning plan through the fall and winter. In spring, students were welcomed back to campus in small self-contained cohorts. Additional teachers were hired to help with on campus and remote classes. Campus upgrades progressed. The front hallway from the office entrance to the Heart of Campus, and the lunch area were paneled and painted, creating a bright and inviting entrance to High Point. Graduation was held outside on Higgins Field!

 

When the Covid pandemic closed in-person school in March, students and teachers worked together to quickly master the art of remote learning. Meanwhile, High Point dedicated substantial time and financial resources to perform essential campus upgrades necessitated by the pandemic, including the installation of expansive steps in the Heart of Campus, two modular classrooms on the Sport Court, and multiple hand-washing and hand-sanitizing stations. The most significant upgrade for the health of safety of High Point students was the hiring of a full-time school nurse.  

 

High Point completed a kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade classroom remodel. High Point undertook a comprehensive campus master planning process. 2019 graduates were awarded over $700,000 in merit scholarships for high school.

 

High Point created a MakerSpace to foster STEAM-based learning and upgraded its Science Lab.  High Point implemented a Families program led by 8th grade students to deepen community among all students. 2018 graduates were awarded over $700,000 in merit scholarships for high school.

 

High Point's Junior High remodel is completed. A significant technology infrastructure upgrade is completed. High Point continues to implement its Strategic Plan. A Parent Education program is launched and Community Service programs are implemented at all grade levels. High Point is voted "Best of Pasadena" Private School.

 

High Point dedicates and buries a time capsule that will be opened during HPA's 75th Anniversary in 2041. High Point implements its new collaboratively minted five-year Strategic Plan (2016-2021). High Point launched a 1:1 laptop program in 4th-8th grades and a 2:1 iPad program in kindergarten-3rd grade. High Point implemented a community service/engagement program with service learning projects at each grade level. High Point is voted "Best of Pasadena" Private School.

 

2015 

High Point Academy underwent CAIS re-certification and is awarded the maximum certification of 7 years.  Gary Stern was appointed High Point's eighth Head of School (2015 - present). High Point celebrates its 50th Anniversary with the theme Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, Imagining the Future.  

 

John Higgins retired after 21 years as High Point Academy’s Headmaster. He left a strong legacy and a sound school. In his honor, the athletic field was renamed “Higgins Field”.  Timothy M. Burns was appointed High Point's interim, seventh Head of School (2014 - 2015).

 

Enhanced the school’s entry way with a new façade, outdoor seating, and climate-friendly vegetation. 

 

The New Year arrived and so did coveted iPads, to selected classrooms. The junior began its one-to-one laptop program.

2010-2011

Over these two years, High Point Academy was able to grow what was previously a small endowment into a respectable one that will support the Academy's long-term financial sustainability. At the same time, the installation of Smartboards in every classroom on campus was competed, the school's digital library was markedly expended, and netbooks for student and faculty use were introduced.

The interior of the new building was completed and fully utilized for instrumental music, special tutoring, extended care, evening meetings and special class presentations using the SmartBoard in the large multi-purpose room.

The primary yard for kindergarten and first grade students, was completely re-designed and beautifully landscaped.

 

A new building housing instrumental music, a resource room, some extra office space, and an amphitheater was complete. A new rooftop playground with a Space Net [, some great "monkey bars", and a rock climbing wall] were unveiled. The blacktop was resurfaced with Sport Court material and two glass and four fiberglass backboards were installed. The court area was completed with a High Point eagle in the center.

 

Garage band started. High Point's invitational battle of the bands.The stadium seating was built. This necessitated replacing the septic system, building a massive, buried retaining wall, and resurfacing the athletic field.

 

The bathrooms that were used between the Eagles nest and the Library were removed, allowing for an expansion of the math classroom. A new two-story structure near the athletic court was built, with the upper half containing both student and faculty restrooms, and the lower half containing storage space on the field.

 

An art/music room and a science laboratory were added. This ended an era of shared space between art/music and science. The large art/music room provides space for full classes to work. The state of the art science laboratory includes lab tables, laptops, and a dark room for any photography work.

 

A small service room and two handicapped accessible restrooms were added to the lunch patio while two undersized classrooms were enlarged. The administration wing was reconfigured and enlarged providing a separate sick room, faculty kitchen and lounge, faculty work room, and offices for the administrative staff. These changes also gave us space for a foreign language classroom.

 

A new first grade classroom was added, allowing grades kindergarten through second to be in the same area by the primary playground.

 

A computer room was added and the library and locker rooms were renovated as school enrollment reached our capacity of 350 students.

 

A major fire in Altadena burned down to the fences surrounding the school, but the buildings were left untouched, but sooty and dirty. Only the storage on the athletic field was replaced. John Higgins is appointed High Point's sixth Head of School (1993 - 2014).

 

312 students were enrolled with a faculty of 29 and three administrators. High Point Academy celebrated its 25th Anniversary.

 

The HPA Highlights newsletter was started. High Point sweat suits were introduced and students were allowed to wear them on cold days.

 

The kindergarten building was completed.  Betty Cowan is appointed High Point's fifth Head of School (1987 - 1993).

 

Noel Wilson is appointed High Point's fourth Head of School (1986-1987).

 

Four classrooms were added and six computers were installed on campus.  Vatche Hagopianis appointed High Point's third Head of School (1984 -  1986)

 

Two new classrooms were built and the bank loan for the land was paid off. The High Point Academy Board of Trustees focus was on keeping tuition low to allow families of moderate means access to a quality education founded in strong fundamental academics. The school also supported the collaboration of family and educators and feels that this is critical to the success of the child. These tenets drove parents to donate time and money to the school , which enabled High Point Academy to pay off the original bank loan for the school land and structure in five years. A time capsule was sealed into the wall of the new science building. It contains a time line depicting the growth of the school, mementos, and messages from the students on what they thought the future would be like. It will be opened on June 6, 2028. 

 

The library was opened and a junior high science department was developed.

 

1974 

High Point moved to its current location and Mae Carden, creator of the Carden Method taught in the lower grades, visited the school for the flag raising ceremony. 230 students were enrolled with 15 faculty members. The sports field was planted. School uniforms were instituted. A $10 donation to the building fund was included in the monthly statements and was continued through at least 1990.  

 

Construction began on a new campus at 1720 Kinneloa Canyon Road in Pasadena. The land cost $100,000 and the building, built by Shephard and Morgan, was $250,000.

 

Helen de Petra is appointed High Point's second Head of School (1970 - 1984) 

 

The school grew to 75 students and eight faculty members. Another space was leased to accommodate grades 3 - 9.  

 

One year after its founding, enrollment for the school year jumped to fifty students. The campus was located at 216 S. Chester Avenue in Pasadena. 

 

1965 

High Point Academy is founded by a group of parents with sixteen students in school. The initial staff used the Carden Teaching Method, focused on building strong phonics and language arts.  Although modified for the needs of today's students, the Carden Method is still in use at the school today in kindergarten through second grade. Millicent Wilson is High Point's first Head of School (1965 - 1970).