History:

Oceana High School first opened in 1962, but our identity as a small restructuring school began in 1991. With district, union, and community support, the old Oceana closed as a traditional comprehensive high school and reopened as a small school with s design borrowing heavily from the work of Theodore Sizer and the Coalition of Essential Schools, especially the Ten Common Principles. 

We applied for and received an alternative school designation from the California State Department of Education (CDE), which included a time waiver on instructional minutes. Our time waiver enables us to release students early on Wednesdays to accommodate their community service requirement. It also enables our faculty to meet weekly. We use these weekly meetings to review student data and to discuss and collaborate on common assessments and teacher practice. We submit an annual report and a bi-annual renewal application to the CDE to report on student performance and the use of our time waiver. With each bi-annual application since 1991, our time waiver has been renewed.

Mission:

Oceana High School is a small public alternative school with a college preparatory program. Oceana serves a diverse student body through a student-centered curriculum that supports all students in achieving academic excellence.  Our students work hard and share responsibility for their own growth and learning. We have created a school culture built on respect, trust, and decency where students can learn and work in safety.