Students in grades 7, 8, and 9 attend the Middle School, located at 700 North Faring Road, tucked into the neighborhood just north of Sunset Boulevard and east of Beverly Glen Boulevard in Holmby Hills.
Students in grades 10, 11, and 12 attend the Upper School, located in Studio City, just south of Ventura Boulevard on Coldwater Canyon Avenue.
Yes. Harvard-Westlake offers 27 distinct bus routes throughout the greater Los Angeles area. We serve all areas that generate ridership sufficient to cover costs (i.e., we operate at cost).
Pick-up and drop-off points are located on major arteries to minimize total ride time. Riders have a choice of two afternoon buses each day: the "early bus" departs after classes and the "late bus" departs at the conclusion of most after-school sports and activities. Some interscholastic games and events may end later, so students may occasionally need to arrange alternate transportation.
Current routes include Pacific Palisades, San Vicente/Sunset, Los Feliz/Hancock Park, Westchester/Ladera Heights/Cheviot Hills, West San Fernando Valley (Agoura/Calabasas), North San Fernando Valley (Chatsworth/Northridge), and East San Fernando Valley (Arcadia/Pasadena).
View Middle School bus information >
View Upper School bus information >
Middle School (Grades 7-9)
The middle school uses a six-day rotating cycle (Monday-Friday). School begins daily at 8:00 am and ends at 3:05 pm, except for Mondays, which end at 3:15 pm. The day is slightly longer to accommodate a 30-minute community-wide assembly to showcase student talent, invite a guest speaker or performer to campus, or make important announcements.
Each day contains nine 40-minute class periods. On Tuesday through Friday, students have a 25-minute activity period, which allows for club meetings or a mid-morning break.
View a sample middle school schedule for grade 7 and grade 9
Upper School (Grades 10-12)
The upper school uses a six-day rotating cycle (Monday-Friday), with school typically beginning at 8:00 am. A “late start day” occurs every Day 3 of the cycle. Classes meet for a 75-minute block every other day, and community time (including a common break and a common lunch) occurs daily. Co-curricular activities begin at 3:15 p.m.
View an overview of the upper school schedule
Lunch periods are built into each student's schedule. Students may also eat during their free periods and the activities/break period. Students may bring lunches or purchase hot food, sandwiches, salads, drinks, and snacks at the cafeteria from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Purchases are made with student ID cards, and charges are billed monthly.
A free period is a period during which no class has been scheduled. The Middle School schedule follows a six-day cycle wherein academic classes — English, history, math, world language, and science — meet on five days in each cycle. The period when an academic class does not meet is called an X (free) period.
The X period is first and foremost a learning period. During this time, students may meet with their teachers, work on projects with other students, or work individually in the library or other places on campus. Once academic responsibilities have been met, students may use their X period as they choose.
We offer several levels of student support, beginning with grade-level deans. Deans are accessible throughout the school day to provide students with academic and guidance counseling. Deans also create programming that proactively addresses common developmental milestones and challenges.
Each campus also has learning specialists, counselors, and clincial psychologists.
Harvard-Westlake does not require a uniform, but we do enforce a dress code. Students are expected to be appropriately and neatly attired. Clothing must be clean, in good repair, and in good taste.
Harvard-Westlake is a nondenominational independent institution.
Harvard-Westlake has an agreement set forth by students, faculty, and administrators that states middle school students are allowed no more than 30 to 45 minutes of homework per academic subject per night. Although a stated policy, not every teacher gives the maximum amount of homework every night. Students average 1.5 to 2.5 hours of homework per night, but most utilize their free periods during the day to complete homework and meet with teachers, which minimizes evening workload. The homework for upper school students varies depending on their coursework.
Harvard-Westlake is larger than most independent schools, with a total enrollment of roughly1,620 students (approximately 745 on the Middle School and 875 on the Upper School). Although we are large for an independent school, the number of students in each classroom is small, usually no more than 16, and the student-teacher ratio is 8:1.
Our enrollment allows for a range of academic, athletic, artistic, and extracurricular opportunities that are perhaps only available because of our scale.
In the Middle School, the seventh and eighth grades are each assigned two deans, and the ninth grade is assigned three deans. Deans serve as student advocates and help students academically, socially, and emotionally, encouraging communication among students, teachers, and parents/guardians. In the Upper School, each student is individually assigned a dean, who will eventually serve as the student's college counselor.
Harvard-Westlake hosts a recommended but optional summer program called Fast Start for all seventh-grade students and all newly enrolled ninth-grade students in August before school begins. Students take mini-classes to get a feel for a typical school day. Fast Start also helps incoming students make friends, meet their classmates, teachers, and deans, and become comfortable with the campus before the school year begins.
The Middle School (Grades 7-9) also takes a week off from school to attend grade-level retreats in October. Retreats encourage team building and class unity among the students and faculty.
Our daily schedule and breadth of program allow students to explore numerous activities and discover their passions. There are more than 100 existing clubs to join, and creating a new one is easy. There is also at least one no-cut sport per season on each campus, so new and developing athletes can patricipate. As long as students manage their time well, they have many opportunities to get involved.