James Monroe High School (California)

James Monroe High School
Location
9229 Haskell Avenue

North Hills
,
California
91343

United States
Coordinates34°14′18″N 118°28′37″W / 34.2384°N 118.4770°W / 34.2384; -118.4770
Information
TypePublic high school
Motto"Home of the Vikings"
EstablishedJuly 1, 1958
School districtLos Angeles Unified School District
PrincipalMathew Diamond
Teaching staff115.39 (FTE)[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment1,944 (2023-2024)[1]
Student to teacher ratio16.85[1]
Student Union/AssociationAssociated Student Body (ASB)
Colors  Red
  White
  Columbia Blue
Athletics conferenceEast Valley League
CIF Los Angeles City Section
MascotVik The Viking
NicknameVikings
AccreditationWestern Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
National ranking9,250
NewspaperThe Vanguard
WebsiteOfficial website

James Monroe High School (JMHS), at 9229 Haskell Avenue in North Hills, California, is a public high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District. It is home to Small Learning Communities (SLCs) and three magnet schools. Its mascot is the Viking.

History

The school opened in the fall of 1958.

The team name Vikings was selected by a student leadership class, as were the school colors and song. The Multipurpose room was named Odin's Hall, and the Annual was named "Valhalla".

It was in the Los Angeles City High School District until 1961, when it merged into LAUSD.

In 2004, five drop-out students including future rapper Hopsin were arrested for vandalizing James Monroe High School property, which was intended to be a school prank. They were later all charged and held on $20,000 bail.

The opening of Panorama High School in October 2006 relieved overcrowding at JMHS.

In 2010, it was ranked 420 in Newsweek's list of U.S. high schools.

Smaller Learning Communities (SLCs)

  • 9th Grade Academy
  • ARMY JROTC program called the Viking Battalion
  • Arts, Media, & Entertainment
  • Engineering & Design (including the Monroe SAS)
  • Magnet (Law & Government, Police Academy and Fire Academy)

School for Advanced Studies (SAS)

The Monroe School for Advanced Studies, formed in 2001, belongs to the larger SLC of Engineering & Design.

Athletics

The Monroe Vikings are a part of the CIF East Valley League. Monroe offers sports such as:

  • Baseball
  • Boys Basketball
  • Boys Soccer
  • Boys Volleyball
  • Boys Wrestling
  • Cheerleading
  • Cross Country
  • Football
  • Girls Basketball
  • Girls Flag Football
  • Girls Soccer
  • Girls Volleyball
  • Girls Wrestling
  • Golf
  • Softball
  • Track & Field

Magnet schools

The school offers three Magnet programs to prepare students to pursue careers in law, EMR, fire science, fire occupation, police science, criminology, forensics, and related fields.

Monroe Law and Government Magnet [1]

  • Established in 1991
  • It is the first established Law and Government magnet program in California [1]
  • Activities like mock trials, debate team, internships, Junior Statesmen of America membership, and invitations to events by local politicians
  • Graduates accepted at top universities including Harvard, Stanford, Yale, USC, UC Berkeley, UCLA

Monroe Police Academy Magnet [2]

Established in 1996

  • Founded through a partnership between the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and LAUSD; Monroe was one of the first two schools to launch the program
  • Academically and physically rigorous law enforcement pathway with specialized courses in criminal law, constitutional law, communication skills, computer crime, and physical training aligned with LAPD standards
  • Simulates the LAPD recruit academy with uniforms, inspections, grooming standards, leadership ranks, drill team, and officer-led instruction
  • Provides direct career exposure through a full-time LAPD officer, field trips to specialized units (Bomb Squad, Crime Lab, Mounted Unit), and preparation for careers such as patrol officer, sheriff deputy, FBI analyst, military police, and CHP officer

Monroe Fire Academy Magnet (Michael D. McComb Firefighter EMS Academy) [3]

Established in 1999

  • First fire academy created in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
  • Prepares over 90 cadets for careers and college pathways in firefighting, EMS, and public service
  • Provides real firefighter training through partnerships with LAFD and Los Angeles Valley College, including hands-on training at the Frank Hotchkins Memorial Training Center
  • Offers physical training, first aid & CPR certification, leadership ranks, community service, and realistic emergency response simulations

Mock trial competitions

Because of the Law and Government Magnet, Monroe has its own courtroom. It has a mock trial team that competes in the Los Angeles County Mock Trial Competition run by the Constitutional Rights Foundation, where about 80 schools compete each year. From 2002 to 2007, Monroe reached the semifinals four times, and the quarterfinals two times. In 2008, it reached the finals but lost to Gabrielino High.[2]In 2009, Monroe once again took 2nd place, losing by .76% to Louisville High School, a private all-girls school.[3]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ a b c "James Monroe High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved June 1, 2025.
  2. ^ Knoll, Corina (December 6, 2008). "Gabrielino High wins mock trial". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  3. ^ Khan, Amina (December 9, 2009). "L.A. County mock trial competition stirs real emotions". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  4. ^ Baxter, Meredith (2011). Untied: A Memoir of Family, Fame, and Floundering. Random House LLC. p. 34.
  5. ^ Kaplan, Karen (September 16, 1998). "The View Is Just Fine at GoldMine Software". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  6. ^ Vrana, Debora (April 19, 1999). "Colorado Firm Lays Claim to GoldMine". Los Angeles. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  7. ^ Mitnick, Kevin (2011). Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 978-0-316-03770-9.
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