History, Present, Demographics

Bell High School began as the Bell Unit of the Huntington Park Union High School, and opened with only two classes, freshmen and sophomores. There were only 14 teachers and 325 students. Mr. Claude L. Reeves, a graduate from USC, was the first principal of Bell High School and he remained until 1939.

Located in the Southeastern section of Los Angeles County, Bell High School is a multi-track Year Round comprehensive high school (grades 9-12) serving 4,375 (2006 – 2007) students from the tri-communities of Bell, Cudahy, and Maywood. One of six high schools in Local District 6, and one of forty-nine comprehensive high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Bell High School opened its doors in 1925 for 800 students. It has faithfully served the community through dramatic historical, social and technological periods of transition, and now faces even newer challenges of educating its increasing student population on the 1925 original school ground acreage.

The ethnic makeup of our students is 97.9% Hispanic (2006 – 2007). This designation encompasses a broad spectrum of Spanish speaking cultures including those of Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America. Of the remaining 2.1%, approximately 1.6% are White and .5% are Native American Indian, Asian, African American and Filipino.

Mission Statement

The mission of Bell High School is to educate all students to the highest degree of their abilities socially, academically, and technologically so that they become contributing members of society.

Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs)

By the time BHS students complete their education at graduation, it is expected that all BHS students will:

• Behave in a responsible, respectful and mature manner in dealing with others while at Bell and in the future.
• Read for comprehension using grade level standards enabling them to analyze, interpret and evaluate written text.

• Demonstrate the ability to write in a clear, organized and concise manner appropriate to the subject at or above grade level.
• Become critical, logical and independent thinkers.
• Become competent academically and technologically with marketable skills.

In an Eagle eggshell: We are responsible, respectful and mature high school students with marketable technology skills who can read for understanding, write clearly and think independently and logically at or above grade level.