South Hills High School is a traditional public high school in West Covina, California. It serves students in grades 9 through 12 as part of Covina-Valley Unified School District. The California Department of Education school profile identifies it as an active, non-charter high school. It is not a magnet or year-round school. The state profile also describes instruction as classroom-based rather than virtual. The school’s CDS code is 19 64436 1938372. Its current website provides school news, calendars, enrollment links, academic resources, and contact information for families.
Academic choices include Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Career Technical Education, and AVID. The school also publishes a course catalog and information about college and career preparation. AVID is a four-year elective designed for students preparing to enter a four-year university. Its lessons cover writing, inquiry, collaboration, reading, note-taking, and study skills. Career pathways connect classroom learning with fields such as health science, business, media, culinary arts, welding, HVAC, construction, and cosmetology. Counseling, wellness services, college planning, credit recovery, and before- or after-school tutoring provide additional support.
Families comparing high schools should review course choices, graduation planning, transportation needs, daily schedules, activities, and student support. They should also check whether the home address falls within the school’s attendance area. The district uses an online enrollment process and asks families to provide age, immunization, and residency records. Parents can use Aeries to follow attendance, grades, schedules, transcripts, and graduation progress. Students can also explore clubs, athletics, leadership, arts, and career programs. Families researching other campuses can browse more California schools before making an enrollment decision.
Basic Information
South Hills provides a comprehensive high school program for teenagers completing the final four grades of K–12 education. State records classify it as a traditional public school rather than a charter or magnet campus. The school remains active under Covina-Valley Unified School District. Its program is delivered primarily through in-person classroom instruction. The latest published accountability report covers the 2024–2025 academic year and was released during 2025–2026. It gives families a verified overview of enrollment, instruction, staffing, campus conditions, academic outcomes, and student services.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official name | South Hills High School |
| School type | Traditional public high school |
| Grade levels | 9–12 |
| District | Covina-Valley Unified School District |
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Current status | Active |
| Charter status | No |
| Magnet status | No |
| Instruction format | Not virtual |
| CDS code | 19 64436 1938372 |
| Reported enrollment | 1,568 students in 2024–2025 |
| Source | 2024–2025 South Hills High School Accountability Report Card |
Contact & Location Details
The campus stands on South Barranca Street in West Covina, near the eastern edge of Los Angeles County. Families can reach the main office by telephone, while the school also publishes a separate fax number. The current website serves as the central source for calendars, announcements, staff contacts, forms, and parent resources. CDE records and the school website display different postal-code formats. The current school site and accountability report both use 91791, so that ZIP code is used here. Families can also request a school visit through the official website.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Street address | 645 S. Barranca St. |
| City | West Covina |
| State and ZIP code | California 91791 |
| Main telephone | (626) 974-6220 |
| Fax | (626) 974-6245 |
| Official website | South Hills High School website |
| School visit information | Schedule a visit |
| Location source | 2025–2026 school contact information |
Academic & Curriculum
South Hills follows California academic standards and offers courses across English, mathematics, science, social science, world languages, health, physical education, and electives. The October 2025 instructional-material review reported that students had individual standards-aligned materials in core subjects. It recorded no students lacking an assigned copy in the listed subject areas. Available language materials support Spanish, Chinese, and American Sign Language courses. The curriculum also includes college-preparatory, AP, and IB materials. School goals emphasize critical writing, discussion, listening, speaking, performance, and preparation for college or employment.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Curriculum basis | California content standards and state frameworks |
| Core materials review | October 2025 |
| Students lacking assigned core materials | 0% in the subjects listed in the accountability report |
| Advanced coursework | Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate |
| Language course materials | Spanish, Chinese, and American Sign Language |
| Academic planning resource | South Hills course catalog |
| Instructional goals | South Hills instructional focus |
Programs & Timing
The regular instructional plan uses seven periods, with each period lasting 52 minutes. The school’s accountability report says this schedule operates five days per week. Twice each month, selected Tuesdays use a modified late-start schedule. Those mornings provide 90 minutes for staff development. The school website announced an 8:30 a.m. class start for regular days in September 2026. Program choices include AP, IB, AVID, academic pathways, and CTE. Families should use the current calendar and bell-schedule page when planning arrival because schedules may change for special events or modified days.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Regular class start | 8:30 a.m., as announced for regular days in September 2026 |
| Daily periods | Seven |
| Period length | 52 minutes |
| Modified schedule | Late-start Tuesday twice monthly |
| Staff development time | 90 minutes on modified Tuesdays |
| College-readiness support | AVID program |
| Advanced study | Advanced Placement |
| Current schedule resource | South Hills bell schedule |
Fees & Admissions
Enrollment is managed by Covina-Valley Unified School District. New families begin with a valid email address and confirm their assigned school using their residential address. They then upload digital copies of the required records through the Aeries enrollment portal. A representative from the assigned school reviews the application and contacts the parent or guardian after verification. The district also publishes separate procedures for intradistrict transfers, interdistrict permits, District of Choice applications, and Allen Bill requests. South Hills is identified as a public school, and its enrollment pages do not publish a tuition schedule.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Enrollment method | Online through the district’s Aeries enrollment portal |
| Age verification | Birth certificate, passport, or county registrar/recorder statement |
| Health documentation | Required immunization records and applicable Los Angeles County TB-testing evidence |
| Residency documentation | One approved proof of residency |
| Accepted residency examples | Utility record, pay stub, lease record, property-tax receipt, voter registration, or government correspondence |
| South Hills registration contact | Nell Upchurch |
| Registration email | dupchurch@c-vusd.org |
| Enrollment instructions | Covina-Valley Unified new student enrollment |
Facilities & Infrastructure
The 2025–2026 accountability report describes a 30-acre campus containing more than 189,000 square feet of facilities. Listed spaces include permanent and portable classrooms, administrative offices, a gymnasium, restrooms, and storage areas. Campus improvements have included gym expansion, information-technology classrooms, an accessible elevator, a two-story modular classroom building, and renovated athletic grounds. Outdoor improvements include a football field, track lighting, basketball space, accessible routes, and updated irrigation. A November 2025 inspection rated the overall condition as good, with maintenance work orders assigned for several repair categories.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Campus area | 30 acres |
| Building area | More than 189,000 square feet |
| Learning spaces | Permanent classrooms, portable classrooms, and information-technology classrooms |
| Indoor activity facility | Gymnasium |
| Outdoor facilities | Renovated sports fields, football field, track lighting, and basketball playing surface |
| Accessibility feature | DSA-approved elevator and accessible field routes |
| Latest facility inspection | November 2025 |
| Overall facility rating | Good |
| Facility source | South Hills 2025–2026 accountability report |
Staff & Management
Terry Abernathy leads South Hills as principal for the 2026–2027 school year. His official page identifies Judy Quintanilla, Erin Lippert, and Secoral Yanez as members of the administrative team. Nell Upchurch serves as the principal’s secretary and the registration contact. Student counseling is divided by surname so learners have an assigned counselor. The published team also includes a wellness counselor, school psychologist, counseling secretary, attendance clerk, and support-services secretary. These roles connect families with academic planning, wellness support, attendance help, Aeries assistance, and other school services.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Principal | Terry Abernathy |
| Principal email | tabernathy@c-vusd.org |
| Principal telephone | (626) 974-6271 |
| Administrative team | Judy Quintanilla, Erin Lippert, and Secoral Yanez |
| Principal’s secretary | Nell Upchurch |
| Head counselor | Shawna Hansen |
| Counseling office telephone | (626) 974-6208 |
| Leadership source | Office of the principal |
| Counseling source | South Hills counseling team |
Events, Activities & Extracurriculars
Students can participate in clubs, Associated Student Body leadership, yearbook, athletics, school business activities, and the campus print shop. The club program supports service, personal growth, shared interests, and student leadership. Students interested in joining are directed to a club president or staff adviser. The athletics department uses an online clearance process that asks families to complete student, education, medical, and signature forms. A current physical form is also part of athletic clearance. School events, college visits, competitions, games, and activity dates appear on the online calendar and weekly announcements.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Student leadership | Associated Student Body |
| Student publications | Yearbook |
| Club purpose | Service, personal growth, interests, and leadership |
| Athletics requirement | Online clearance and current physical documentation |
| Activity information | South Hills clubs |
| Sports participation | Athletic clearance instructions |
| Event schedule | South Hills calendar |
Reviews & Accreditations
Third-party ratings provide one view of a school, but they should not replace official performance reports, campus visits, or family priorities. GreatSchools displayed an 8-out-of-10 rating based on its school-rating method and showed 59 community reviews when checked on September 12, 2026. Niche displayed a 3.88-out-of-5 user rating from 457 reviews on the same date. These scores use different methods and should not be combined. The school also maintains a WASC information page, while its current accountability report states that improvement planning aligns with WASC, district, and school goals.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| GreatSchools rating | 8/10 |
| GreatSchools review count | 59 reviews |
| Niche user rating | 3.88/5 |
| Niche review count | 457 reviews |
| Rating check date | September 12, 2026 |
| Accreditation resource | South Hills WASC page |
| Review platform | GreatSchools school profile |
| Additional review platform | Niche school profile |
Parent Communication & Amenities
Families have several tools for following school life and student progress. The secure Aeries Parent Portal displays grades, attendance, schedules, unofficial transcripts, demographic details, emergency contacts, class progress, and graduation progress. ParentSquare carries school and district messages, while the website provides announcements, calendars, staff contacts, absence reporting, and nutrition links. The campus also publishes counseling and wellness resources. A SpeakUp Tipline is available for reporting concerns. The 2025–2026 accountability report identifies an active PTSA that meets monthly and supports student scholarships, arts participation, staff appreciation, and Grad Night.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Student information system | Aeries Parent Portal |
| Portal information | Grades, attendance, schedules, transcripts, contacts, and graduation progress |
| Family messaging platform | ParentSquare |
| Safety reporting | SpeakUp Tipline |
| Food information | District-linked lunch menu and Nutrition Services |
| Parent organization | PTSA |
| PTSA meeting frequency | Monthly |
| Portal guide | South Hills Parent Portal |
| Meal resource | Covina-Valley Nutrition Services |
Conclusion
South Hills High School is a public high school serving grades 9–12 in West Covina. Its academic options include AP, IB, AVID, college preparation, and career-focused courses. Students can also access counseling, wellness resources, clubs, athletics, and leadership activities. Families considering South Hills High School should review the course catalog, bell schedule, attendance boundary, and enrollment requirements. The official website, district enrollment page, and accountability report provide the strongest starting points for that review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Hills High School a public or private school?
South Hills High School is a traditional public high school within Covina-Valley Unified School District. The California Department of Education lists it as active, non-charter, non-magnet, and classroom-based.
What grades does South Hills High School serve?
The school serves grades 9 through 12. Its 2024–2025 enrollment report included students in all four high school grade levels.
Where is South Hills High School located?
The campus is at 645 S. Barranca St., West Covina, CA 91791. The main office telephone number is (626) 974-6220.
What time do classes begin?
The school announced an 8:30 a.m. start for regular school days in September 2026. Its accountability report describes seven daily periods lasting 52 minutes each. Selected Tuesdays follow a modified late-start schedule for staff development.
What documents are needed for enrollment?
The district asks families for age verification, immunization records, applicable TB-testing evidence, and one approved proof of residency. Documents must be uploaded in a clear digital format during online enrollment.
What academic programs are available?
Published options include Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, AVID, Career Technical Education, and college and career planning. CTE subjects include health science, business, media production, culinary arts, welding, HVAC, construction, and cosmetology.
How can parents monitor grades and attendance?
Parents can use the secure Aeries Parent Portal. It provides access to grades, attendance, schedules, unofficial transcripts, emergency contacts, current class progress, and progress toward graduation requirements.
