About Menlo-Atherton
Menlo-Atherton High School is an outstanding academic institution where students are nurtured to their full potential. Located in a fantastic small-town residential neighborhood between San Francisco and San Jose, our students enjoy rich academic activities in a park-like atmosphere with attractive landscaping and tree-lined paths. There is an exceptional amount of parent and community involvement, which contributes to our calm, clean, and safe learning environment. Menlo-Atherton serves a community with high academic expectations and strong support for quality public education.Menlo-Atherton High School is part of the Sequoia Union High School District, which includes four comprehensive and one continuation high school. The district draws most of its 7858 students from nine neighboring elementary/junior high school districts. District wide, approximately 850 credentialed and classified staff members serve the students and community. Located in southern San Mateo County, in the town of Atherton, Menlo-Atherton High School serves approximately 2,000 students in grade nine through twelve. The district’s student body reflects the area’s wide range of social, economic, cultural, and educational diversity.

Academic Life
Our schedule is modified block, with Wednesday and Thursday being “block days,” each with three 90-minute periods. The other days consist of seven 50-minute periods. Most students are enrolled in six classes. Of the certificated staff of 119, 38% have master’s degrees and 4% have doctorates. Menlo-Atherton also has intern teachers from nearby Stanford University.
In recent years, Menlo-Atherton has been named one of the top secondary schools in the nation by the United States Department of Education as part of its National School Recognition Program. Menlo-Atherton was also selected as a California Distinguished School by the State Department of Education. In the last several years, Newsweek has consistently ranked Menlo-Atherton as one of the top public high schools in the United States.

Grade Point Average and Class rank
The GPA computation is based on a grading system of A, B, C, D, and F, with point values of 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0. Honors and Advanced Placement courses taken in the 11th and 12th grades are weighted and assigned point values of 5, 4, 3, and 2. These classes are designated with an “HP.”

“WP” (Withdrawal Pass) indicates the student withdrew from class while in good standing. “WF” (Withdrawal Fail) indicates the student was failing at the time of withdrawal.

College Admissions
Typically, over 50% of our graduates go to a four-year college or university. Of these, 46% opt for private or out-of-state colleges, 29% to the University of California, and 25% to the California State University system. An additional 42% of the graduating class attends community college.

Curriculum and Standards
The Menlo-Atherton staff is proud of its rich curriculum. We offer the following Advanced Placement courses: Biology, Calculus AB/BC, English Composition/Language, English Literature, French (language and literature), Latin (language), Spanish (language and literature), Statistics, Studio Art and U.S. History. AP US History is limited in space and therefore not available to all students.

Art, business, child development, gender studies, industrial arts, computers, instrumental and vocal music, living skills, psychology, and work experience are offered as electives. In the Technology Wing, we offer classes in computer science, networking, and integrated science.

With teacher supervision and administrative approval, a student may undertake independent study in one course. Through concurrent enrollment in local community colleges, juniors and seniors take advanced and special-interest courses.