1. Mira Costa High School Profile 2016-2017
1401 Artesia Blvd. Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 (310) 318-7337 Fax (310) 303-3814
CEEB Code: 051895
Administration
Superintendent
Dr. Michael Matthews
Principal
Dr. Ben Dale
Vice Principal
Dr. Karina Gerger
Vice Principal
Deborah Hofreiter
Vice Principal
Jon Shaw Jr.
Vice Principal
Kristin Wolberg
Counselors
A-Da: Jennifer Wildenberg
Dh-Hoo: Corrine Lee-Iwai
Hop-Mh: Brittney Olson
Mi-Se: David Beck
Sf-Z: Emily Sommer
College Counselors
Caryn Ramirez
Elizabeth Rieken
Shalyn Tharayil
Academic Support
Counselors
Keshia Fields
Eliza Santarosa
School Information
Mira Costa High School is a 4-
year comprehensive public
high school, nationally
recognized for academic
excellence, serving
approximately 2,600 students
in grades 9-12. Mira Costa
serves a diverse student body
in the South Bay of Los
Angeles County. It is the sole
high school in the Manhattan
Beach Unified School District
and serves students from
Manhattan Beach, Hermosa
Beach, and students by
permit from surrounding
communities. These
communities are mostly
middle to upper income
suburban towns located
southwest of metropolitan Los
Angeles. There are about 124
certificated staff members,
including 5 administrators, 5
guidance counselors, 3
college and career
counselors, and 2 academic
support counselors. The
teacher to student ratio is 29
to 1.
Mission Statement
The Mira Costa school community strives to maximize the unique potential of each student, to cultivate the skills
essential for lifelong learning and to nurture responsible citizenship. Our tradition of excellence provides a
positive learning environment which includes: a wide range of curricular and co-curricular opportunities; clear
expectations for academic achievement and responsible behavior; respect for people, property, and ideas;
programs that develop the skills of communication, teamwork, problem-solving, technology, and information
management; and dedicated and supportive staff, parents, and community partners who focus on "students
first.”
Curriculum
Mira Costa High School demands academic excellence from all students. All students are required to complete
230 credits with 5 credits earned for each class completed per semester. The school is on a traditional semester
schedule. There are 6 periods with an optional 0 period. Freshmen-Juniors are required to take 6 classes. Seniors
may take 5 classes. All classes meet for 56 minutes daily, with a periodic office hours schedule. Mira Costa
provides a wide range of rigorous courses for students including 33 Advanced Placement/Honors courses,
pathways, and Science labs. The following advanced/honors courses are offered at Mira Costa High School:
Mathematics
AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus BC
AP Statistics
Algebra II/Trigonometry
Foreign
Language
AP French
AP Spanish
H Spanish Speakers
AP Chinese
Art/Music/
Computer Science
AP Art History
AP Music Theory
AP Studio Art
AP Comp Science Principles
AP Computer Science A
English
AP English Literature
English 10 Advanced
H English 11
Science
AP Biology
AP Chemistry
AP Environmental
Science
AP Physics C
H Chemistry
H Earth Science
Earth Science H
H Physics
Social Science
AP Government
AP Human Geography
AP Economics
AP European History
AP Psychology
AP US History
H Modern World
H US History
Grading and Distribution
Mira Costa has a traditional A to F grading
system. GPAs are calculated on a weighted 5-
point system for AP courses only. All other courses
factor into the GPA based on a 4-point scale.
Mira Costa does not compute class rank, and
does not name a Valedictorian.
AP International Diploma
AP Capstone
AP Seminar (2016-17)
AP Research (2017-18)
Senior Recognition
Mira Costa designates honor
graduates based on the following
GPA system:
Suma cum laude – 4.0 and above
Magna cum laude – 3.76-3.9
Cum Laude – 3.5-3.75

2. Academy of Art University
American Musical and
Dramatic Academy
American University
Amherst College
Arizona State University
Babson College
Bard College
Boston College
Boston University
Brigham Young University
Brown University
California Lutheran
University
Cal Poly Pomona
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
CSU Channel Islands
CSU Dominguez Hills
CSU Fullerton
CSU Long Beach
CSU Monterey Bay
CSU Northridge
CSU Sonoma
Chapman College
Claremont-McKenna College
Clark Atlanta University
College of the Canyons
College of William and Mary
Colorado State University
Columbia University
Concordia University
Cornell University
Cuesta College
Dartmouth College
Davidson College
Northwestern University
Oberlin College
Occidental College
Ohio State University
Olin College of Engineering
Oregon State University
Pace University
Parson’s School of Design
Pepperdine University
Point Loma Nazarene University
Pomona College
Princeton University
Purdue University
Reed College
Rennselaer Poly Inst.
Rhodes College
Rhode Island School of Design
Saint Mary’s College of
California
Saint Mary’s of Notre Dame
Salisbury University
San Diego State
San Francisco Conservatory of
Music
San Jose State
Santa Clara University
Sarah Lawrence College
Santa Monica City College
School of Museum of Fine Arts
Scripps College
Seattle Pacific University
Southern Illinois University
Southern Methodist University
South Puget Sound Community
College
St. Olaf College
Stanford University
Stevens College
Suffolk University
Swarthmore College
Syracuse University
Texas A&M University
The Art Institute of California
San Francisco
The Master’s College
Trinity College
Tufts University
Tulane University
UC Berkeley
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UC Los Angeles
UC Riverside
UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Cruz
UC San Diego
University College London
University of Arizona
University of Chicago
University of Colorado at
Boulder
University of Connecticut
University of Denver
University of Florida
University of Hartford
University of Indiana
University of Louisville
University of Maine
University of Massachusetts
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of Missouri, Kansas
City
University of Nevada, Reno
University of New England
University of New Hampshire
University of North Dakota
University of Northern Colorado
University of Oregon
University of Puget Sound
University of Redlands
University of Rhode Island
University of Southern California
University of San Diego
University of Texas
University of the Pacific
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin at
Madison
Ventura College
Villanova University
Virginia Tech University
Wake Forest University
Western Washington University
West Los Angeles College
Westminster College
Westmont College
Wheaton College
Whitman College
Whittier College
Yale University
72%
19%
9%
4-year University 2-year College Other
College Matriculation Data for 2015-2016
SAT Averages
Critical Reading - 577
Math - 585
Writing - 573
ACT Averages
English - 27.4
Math - 26.7
Reading - 27.5
Science - 26.2
Composite - 27.1
Mira Costa is a
GRAMMY
Signature School
Gold Recipient
Mustang Morning
News is a National
Scholastic Press
Association
Pacemaker Award
Finalist
Model United Nations
National Champions
CIF Champion
Girls Beach Volleyball
Boys Volleyball
Boys Water polo
Cross Country
Girls Golf
Hockey
Rugby
Surf
Mira Costa is a California
Distinguished School and a
California Business for
Education Excellence School
Typical Student Awards
National Merit Scholar
National Honor Society
CSF Life Members
Science Olympiad Finalists
International Math Champions
Northrop-Grumman Challenge
Boeing Internship
Jerry Herman Awards
National Council of Teachers of English
Denver Community College
DePaul University
Drew University
Drexel University
Duke University
El Camino College
Emerson College
Fort Lewis College
Fresno Pacific University
Fresno State
Georgetown University
George Washington University
Gonzaga University
Hamilton College
Hampshire College
Hampton University
Harvard College
Hofstra University
Howard University
Lehigh University
Lewis University
Louisiana State University
Los Angeles Harbor College
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola University of Chicago
Marymount College
Michigan State University
Morehouse College
Mount Saint Mary’s College
New England Conservatory of Music
New York University
Northeastern University
Northern Arizona University
College Acceptances
Mira Costa graduates are admitted to colleges and universities across the country. Ninety-one percent of
graduates enter institutions of higher learning. Here is a partial list of where our graduates are attending:
Here is a partial list of where our graduates are attending from the last three graduating classes.