Reseda Charter High School (RCHS), established in 1955, is located in the Reseda section of the

San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County, California. Situated to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it comprises a large portion of Los Angeles, the Municipal corpo ...

region of

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, United States. In the fall of 2018, the school became a charter and is now Reseda Charter High School. In the fall of 2020, the school added middle grades becoming 6-12. It is in the

Los Angeles Unified School District Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is a State school, public school district in Los Angeles County, California, United States of America. It is the largest public school system in California in terms of number of students and the List ...

. The school's Police Academy Magnet and Science Magnet were named a national Magnet School of Distinction by the Magnet Schools of America in 2017, 2018, and 2019. As of July 2017, the school was issued a full six-year term of accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges' accreditation process. The charter school is now home to Charter Academy 6-12 with enrollment by charter lottery and automatically for former residential boundary students, an International Dual Language Center (Spanish) 6-12, a School for Advanced Studies 6-12: PLTW Biomedical Science CTE pathway 9-12, the Arts, Media & Entertainment 9-12

Magnet A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, steel, nickel, ...

: Film Production and Management Magnet 9-12, the Police Academy Magnet 9-12, and the Reseda High School Science Magnet 9-12: PLTW Biomedical Science & PLTW Engineering Magnet. Reseda Charter High School is in the planning stages of a 180+ million dollar renovation. New buildings will include administration, library, auditorium, Regent Hall (cafeteria), kitchen, and food service and two classroom buildings which will replace three industrial arts buildings. The new administration building will house administration, counseling, three magnet offices (AMEM, PA, Science), campus security, school police, college counseling, parent center, nursing and psychological services.

History

Reseda Charter High was the first complete high school to be built in the San Fernando Valley after World War II. Reseda opened with complete academic and science buildings, a gymnasium, track & field, Industrial shops, including an automotive repair facility. Reseda High School has a three-color system of navy,

Columbia blue Columbia blue is a light blue color named after Columbia University. The color itself derives from the official hue of the Philolexian Society, the university's oldest student organization. Although Columbia blue is often identified with Pantone ...

, and white. It was one of few high schools in the San Fernando Valley to have a complete auditorium when it was built. It was in the

Los Angeles City High School District Los Angeles City High School District (known in its last year as West County Union High School District) was a school district that served high school-aged residents of western Los Angeles County, California from 1890 to 1962. At times the dis ...

until 1961 when it merged into LAUSD.

Academic programs

Reseda Charter programs include Charter Academy residential school 6-8 & 9-12, an International Dual Language Center 6-8 & 9-12(Spanish), a School for Advanced Studies 6-8 & 9-12: PLTW Biomedical Science CTE pathway, the Arts, Media & Entertainment Magnet: Film Production and Management CTE

, the Police Academy Magnet CTE Magnet, and the Reseda High School Science Magnet: PLTW Biomedical Science CTE and PLTW Engineering CTE

an award-winning arts program including: animation, marching band, dance, graphic art, jazz band, orchestra, stagecraft, studio art, and theater arts

Academic Decathlon The Academic Decathlon (also called AcDec, AcaDeca or AcaDec) is an annual Student competition, high school academic competition organized by the non-profit United States Academic Decathlon (USAD). The competition consists of seven objective mult ...

program, Navy

Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) is a federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools and also in some middle schools across the United States and at US military bases across the world. The progr ...

, chapter of

Health Occupations Students of America HOSA – Future Health Professionals, formerly known as Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), is an international career and technical student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Technology Ed ...

Science Bowl The National Science Bowl (NSB) is a high school and middle school science knowledge competition, using a quiz bowl format, held in the United States. A buzzer system similar to those seen on popular television game shows is used to signal an an ...

. In addition, Reseda Charter has a competitive flag and drill team performing and competing with the marching band. The Reseda Charter Marching Brigade won 1st place in the LAUSD Band Competition in 2019 and 1st place in the 2019 Granada Hills Christmas Parade. Additionally in 2019, Reseda opened a professional dance CTE pathway led by a working professional dancer. Reseda Charter has the only robotics program in the San Fernando Valley competing in the

FIRST Robotics Competition FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is an international high school robotics competition operated by ''FIRST''®. Each year, teams of high school students, coaches, and mentors work to build robots capable of competing in that year's game. Robots c ...

and was in the 1st place alliance in the spring of 2018 in Pomona, CA.

Sports

Reseda Charter fields teams for boys & girls in football, basketball, cheerleading, soccer, baseball, softball, volleyball, tennis, golf, track & field, cross country, water polo, swimming & wrestling. The teams have won

CIF CIF, c.i.f. or Cif may refer to: Finance * Climate Investment Funds, in international climate change agreements * Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF), a method of UK government funding for transport infrastructure * Cost, Insurance and Freight, ...

Championships in sports including football, basketball, track & field, soccer, volleyball, cross country, and tennis.

Football

In 2019, the Reseda Charter High School football team was the 2019 CIF LA City D-1 Champions, CIF State 5A South Regional Champions. Previously, Reseda boasted championship titles in 1987, 1995 City Champions 1998, and in 2016 were City Finalists. Overall, the Reseda football team won league championships in 1959, 1964, 1966, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1995, 2010, 2011, 2019, and 2021 seasons for three different leagues. The Regents were 2-A

champions in 1986, 3-A champions in 1995, and 5-A South Regional Champions in 2019. Reseda's football field is dedicated to former head coach Joel Shaeffer, who died in early January 2013. Schaeffer coached the Regents from 1976 to 2000, during which the team won 6 league titles and 2 CIF championships. The team's current head coach, Alonso Arreola, took over the team in the 2005 season and won consecutive league championship titles in the 2010 and 2011 seasons led by quarterback Kwamhe Davis.

Reseda Charter Science Magnet

The Reseda Science Magnet provides students with a strong background in science, math, and social responsibility/community service. The program prepares students to be successful at the college level in the fields of medicine, physics, chemistry, engineering, geology, and environmental science. Students develop a strong competency in both math and science. Students are offered two pathways: PLTW biomedical or PLTW engineering option.

School shooting

On February 22, 1993, 15-year-old Robert Heard shot and killed 17-year-old Michael Shean Ensley in a corridor of Reseda High School. Although police declined to characterize the shooting as gang-related, they did say both boys were involved in tagging. Ensley was the younger brother of actress

Niecy Nash Carol Denise Betts (previously Nash, née Ensley; born February 23, 1970) (), known professionally as Niecy Nash, is an American actress. Her career began in the late 1990s, with appearances in the films '' Boys on the Side'' (1995) and '' Cooki ...

. Heard was convicted as a juvenile for his crime. In 2017, Heard was charged with second-degree murder for stabbing his wife to death in 2012 during his parole and faced up to life without parole. The murder prompted

LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is a State school, public school district in Los Angeles County, California, United States of America. It is the largest public school system in California in terms of number of students and the List ...

to install hundreds of metal detectors throughout the school district and a California State Assembly bill was passed allocating $1.5 million to buy metal wanding devices for all secondary schools in the state.

Notable alumni

* Hal Bedsole (1959), former NFL tight end *

Bob Christiansen Robert Scott Christiansen (born May 8, 1949) is a former professional American football defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Buffalo Bills in 1972. For the 1971 season playing for the UCLA Bruins The UCL ...

, former NFL defensive tackle *

Bill Griffeth Bill Griffeth is an author and retired TV news anchor. Early life and education In 1980, Griffeth received a bachelor's degree in journalism from California State University, Northridge. While a student there, Griffeth co-hosted a weekly intervi ...

, (1974) Author and TV news anchor. *

Robert Hilburn Robert Hilburn (born September 25, 1939) is an American pop music critic, author, and radio host. As music critic and editor at the ''Los Angeles Times'' from 1970 to 2005, his reviews, essays, and profiles have appeared in publications worldwide ...

(1957), former ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' music critic *

Randy Kerber Randy Kerber (born September 25, 1958) is an American composer, orchestrator and keyboard player, who has had a prolific career in the world of cinema. Kerber was born in Encino, California. He began his first national tour with Bette Midler in ...

, (1976) Award winning pianist, composer * Greg Lee (1971), former ABA and NBA point guard *

Christine Maggiore Christine Joy Maggiore (July 25, 1956 – December 27, 2008) was an HIV-positive activist and promoter of HIV/AIDS denialism. She was the founder of Alive & Well AIDS Alternatives, an organization which disputes the link between HIV and AIDS and ...

, deceased AIDS denialist *

Caroline Menjivar Caroline Menjivar (Born 1988 or 1989) is an American politician and United States Marine Corps veteran. She has served as a member of the California State Senate since 2022. A Democrat, she represents the 20th district. She became the first LGB ...

, California state senator *

Jeff "Swampy" Marsh Jeffrey Kent "Swampy" Marsh (; born December 9, 1960) is an American animator, voice actor, writer, director, and producer. With Dan Povenmire, Marsh is the co-creator and co-star of the Disney Channel animated series ''Phineas and Ferb'' and ...

(1978), animator, writer, director, producer, voice actor, and composer. Co-creator of ''

Phineas and Ferb ''Phineas and Ferb'' is an American animated series, animated Musical film, musical-television comedy, comedy television series created by Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh for Disney Channel and Disney XD. The series originally aired on t ...

'' and ''

Milo Murphy's Law ''Milo Murphy's Law'' is an American animated comedy television series created by Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh for Disney Channel and Disney XD. The series premiered on October 3, 2016, on Disney XD. It revolves around the title charact ...

'' * Jim McGlothlin (1961), former MLB pitcher * Elizabeth McKenzie, 1976, Author and editor *

Odis McKinney Odis McKinney Jr. (born May 19, 1957) is an American former professional football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, and the Kansas City Chiefs. He played High School footb ...

(1974), former NFL cornerback * Ted Nash, (1977), Grammy winning jazz saxophonist, composer *

Mark Nordquist Mark Allan Nordquist (born November 3, 1945) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive lineman for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Bears. He played co ...

(1963), former NFL lineman * Dan Peña (1963)

Wall Street Wall Street is a street in the Financial District, Manhattan, Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It runs eight city blocks between Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway in the west and South Street (Manhattan), South Str ...

as a

financial analyst A financial analyst is a professional undertaking financial analysis for external or internal clients as a core feature of the job. Bobby Pfeil Robert Raymond Pfeil (born November 13, 1943) is an American former professional baseball third baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) in and for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, respectively. He threw and batted right ...

, former MLB third baseman *

Leo Rosales Leonel Rosales (born May 28, 1981) is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National Leagu ...

(1999), former MLB pitcher *

Brenda Scott Brenda Scott (born March 15, 1943) is an American film and television actress. Her stage name comes from an F. Scott Fitzgerald character. Early life Born Brenda Jean Smith on March 15, 1943 in Cincinnati,

, former film and television actress"Local Beauty Featured in 'Look' Article"
''The Van Nuys News and Valley Green Sheet''. March 22, 1962. p. 15. Retrieved May 8, 2025. "Sharing the limelight with six other attractive young television actresses in a current Look magazine illustrated feature titled "TV's Beauties" is talented Brenda Smith, 19, graduate of Reseda High School, who is known professionally as Brenda Scott. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dewey E. Smith, Brenda has had parts in three movies, and appears in such television shows as 'The Detectives,' 'Dr. Ben Casey,' 'My Three Sons,' 'Window on Main Street,' 'Hazel,' and others. Currently, she is being considered by a leading studio for roles in two movies. Miss Scott, who holds the title of honored Queen of Job's Daughters Bethel 254 of Reseda, studied drama at Reseda High and San Fernando Valley State College where she appeared in "Cinderella.'." * Willie Sims, professional soccer player * Brody Stevens, stand-up comedian and actor *

Mark Summer The Turtle Island Quartet is a string quartet that plays hybrids of jazz, classical, and rock music. The group was formed in 1985 by David Balakrishnan, Darol Anger, and Mark Summer in San Francisco. They released their first album on Windha ...

. (1976), Grammy winning Cellist, composer, former member of the Turtle Island String Quartet *

Bob Swaim Robert Frank "Bob" Swaim, Jr. (born November 2, 1943) is an American film director. Life and career Swaim was born in Evanston, Illinois, and was the son of Eleanor (Connor) and Robert Frank Swaim. He grew up in the Reseda area of Los Angeles and ...

(1961), film director *

Michael Tigar Michael Edward Tigar (born January 18, 1941, in Glendale, California) is an American criminal defense attorney known for representing controversial clients, a human rights activist and a scholar and law teacher. Tigar is an emeritus (retired) m ...

, criminal defense lawyer * Jeff Widener, photographer * David Wilson, former NFL defensive back

References

External links

Official site
{{authority control High schools in the San Fernando Valley Los Angeles Unified School District schools Public high schools in Los Angeles Educational institutions established in 1955 Magnet schools in California Reseda, Los Angeles 1955 establishments in California