About Us

John Hope Continuation High School (Hope HS), named after an African American educator and activist, is located approximately 7 miles south of downtown Los Angeles in the Florence section of the city. Since 1971, Hope HS has opened its doors to students at risk of dropping out, including court referrals, opportunity transfers, teen parents, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and social services placements, and employed students.

The attendance area is part of the Fremont Zone of Choice (ZoC), which allows students to attend any one of three comprehensive high schools: John C. Fremont HS, Mervyn Dymally HS, and Diego Rivera Learning Complex. A fourth campus, Augustus F. Hawkins HS, adjacent to the Fremont attendance area, also refers students to Hope High School. Still, Hope HS opens Enrollment to students from Westchester HS, University HS, Washington Prep HS, King-Drew, West Adams Prep, Narbonne HS, and all Los Angeles Unified School District high schools.

Hope HS is the only Continuation High School serving the attendance area. The Hope HS campus consists of two bungalows housing three classrooms, three support offices, and the main office. All classrooms and offices have internet or WIFI access. Each classroom has one or more desktop computers. Each student has a chromebook checked out to them.

The regular school day runs from 8:30 am until 1:25 pm with breakfast from 8:00am to 8:25am and lunch from 10:49am 11:24am. Each student is assigned to five core classes plus homeroom/advisory during the regular school day and has the opportunity to enroll in a maximum of two additional courses through the online Edgenuity Program or an Independent Studies Course. Classes are taught through direct instruction and the Edgenuity online platform. In addition to the regular school day, students can earn additional credits.

Enrollment Services

Once students are referred to John Hope High School from one of four comprehensive high schools within the Zone of Choice Attendance Area or anywhere in LAUSD District, parent and student enrollees participate in an intake interview with the principal or counselor before enrollment. The principal and academic counselor review the student’s official transcript, Social Adjustment report, Individual Graduation Plan (IGP), Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and all documents within the enrollment packet and address any parental concerns.

Counseling Services

Academic Guidance Counselor provides student support towards meeting graduation requirements. The counselor meets and conferences with students once a week by grade levels and conducts parent walk-in conferences. In addition, students receive copies of their grade report, unofficial transcript, and Individualized Graduation Plan by request at the end of each quarter, as well as assistance in completing the FAFSA forms application. Since the beginning of the 2022-2023 year, we now have a full time AGC who is on campus five days a week as opposed to only two days per week. Our new counselor, Ms. Cortez, is also involved in planning academic and instructional field trips throughout the school year. Due to time constraints, prior counselor was not able to provide this instructional need for our students.

A-G Diploma Project Counselor provides Tier 3 student support services to those deficient in credits by five or more missing courses. The counselor meets individually with identified students once a week to monitor course completion progress and discuss strategies to succeed in credit recovery efforts. The counselor also refers students to tutoring and concurrent enrollment opportunities beyond the regular school day at college campuses and at other larger high schools to obtain additional course credit to graduate. By sending students to colleges and larger high schools, students have more opportunities to have in person courses that Hope HS only offers through an online platform, Edgenuity. The courses are Spanish (or any language other than English course), Biology, and Health. If necessary, our current A-G Counselor, Ms. Riboli, refers students struggling with attendance to Fremont ACCT to better suit their schedules to earn their high school diploma.

The half day a week Specialized Student Services Counselor (SSS), Divinity Sardin, counselor meets with the students on their caseload who have been identified as foster youth, homeless, pregnant, parents, or returning from being in juvenile hall. They are there to counsel the students as needed and to provide additional services to the students that can be either during school or outside of school. They could also be in the form of products and goods needed by the individual student.

Beginning with the 2023-2024 year, Hope HS now has the full time Intervention Prevention Support Coordinator (IPSC). The IPSC, Ms. Anderson, is responsible for providing the following support services: Enhancing the implementation of the LAUSD Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), Assisting in the implementation of the LAUSD Single Plan for StudentAchievement (SPSA), Supporting instruction, intervention, transition, and compliance activities for all of Hope HS student subgroups, including English Language Learners (ELL), Standard English Learners (SEL), as well as all foster/homeless students, and gifted/talented students. Ms. Anderson is also the Testing Coordinator for Hope HS.

Special Education Services are provided one day a week. The Resource Specialist Teacher (RST) provides services to students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) within the resource program. The students in the resource program are learning with their peers in general education courses, and they get support from the RST in Mathematics and/ or English, as indicated on their IEPs. The RST also provides services within Mathematics and English classes as indicated on students’ IEPs.

Division of Transition Services (DOTS) Itinerant provides services once a month to students with IEPs. These services are geared towards helping students prepare for college or career, including but not limited to helping with applications, getting job opportunities, preparing mock interviews, and providing lessons on what is needed for college or career both during and after high school.

Mental Health Services

School Mental Health Therapists provide anger management and social-emotional therapy for students who need counseling support through Weber’s Community Center. Family counseling services are also available to families seeking guidance and support or court-mandated sessions. Therapists meet with students on the weekly basis undergoing individualized counseling and/or group counseling as determined by the severity of needs. In the past this has been very helpful for students and families in need as seen in student course completions and increased attendance.

In August 2021 the budgeted Psychiatric Social Worker (PSW) position was opened. That service is to be provided by an LAUSD employee that works at Hope HS two days a week and provides the same services as the aforementioned Weber’s Mental Health Services providers with the exception that the PSW will only work on campus and not go to the students’ homes. As of December 2021, Hope HS is still awaiting a PSW to be assigned to the campus, thus for those students more comfortable speaking with an LAUSD employee vs. an outside agency has not yet been able to have the support they may need. For the 2023-2024 year, we now have a PSW counselor, Ms. Ochoa, two days a week.

Attendance Services

In August 2021 the budgeted Pupil Services Attendance (PSA) counselor position was opened. That service is to be provided by an LAUSD employee that works at Hope HS 1.5 days a week. The position was opened to help get students into school and have better attendance. They do home visits, make phone calls, connect with parents, and connect with legal departments pertaining to chronic absenteeism. As of December 2021, Hope HS is still awaiting a PSA to be assigned to the campus, thus we are still struggling with attendance with no additional support. For the 2023-24 school year we purchased a 1 ½ day PSA, but none were available to service our school.

Medical Services

The UMMA Clinic Fremont Wellness Center is co-located and provides medical services and COVID vaccines to students and the surrounding community members. Clinical services are rendered to clients who receive Medi-care and Medi-caid. Limited free clinical services are rendered to clients without medical insurance such as physicals and child immunizations. COVID vaccines are provided free of charge to anyone within the community. In addition to medical services and the COVID vaccines, Fremont Wellness Center partners with the Land Grant, the Green House, and Community Garden, to promote healthy eating habits and invite community members to harvest free organic fruits and vegetables every other Wednesday. Since COVID, the fruits and vegetables are distributed from the parking lot that we share with Fremont HS. UMMA is now offering dental services to our community.

Nurse services are provided by the LAUSD assigned school Nurse as needed. The Nurse provides services for students feeling ill, having to take medications, helping with the Hope HS COVID Compliance Task Force duties and ensuring that all emergency supplies, first aid kits and other such medical supplies are stocked and not expired.