Be a part of something bigger Milken Community School

Our Mission Core Values

At Milken Community School, we In order to create a world in which every person is treated B’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God - infinitely valuable, think education is more than what unique, and equal - we are committed to building a model pluralistic Jewish community school that embraces the you know. Our School, founded following values: on Jewish values, is about who Pursuing Academic Excellence Talmud Torah תלמוד תורה our children can become and how they can help others become Building Joyful, Welcoming Community Kehillah קהילה who they might be. Because the world our children will create Treating Others with Dignity and Kindness Kavod HaBriyot כבוד הבריות tomorrow is born in the School Taking Responsibility for Self and Others we build today, our mission is to Areivut ערבות educate our children so they Connecting to Israel and the Jewish People Ahavat Yisrael אהבת ישראל .can surpass us

Reflecting and Repairing with Integrity Inspired by Teshuvah תשובה Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Pausing to Nurture the Soul Shavat Vayinafash שבת וינפש Welcome to Milken On both the local and national landscape of education, Milken stands apart. Our curriculum is innovative, our resources are robust, and our students excel during their time with us and beyond.

What distinguishes Milken is our unparalleled commitment to truly knowing our students both for who they are today and who we know they can become. At Milken, students are at the center, and we teach them that they are both incredibly capable and ethically responsible; we are proud to educate students who think well, belong to something greater than themselves, and take positive action in our community, Los Angeles, and the world.

Milken is also a place where students are mentored by adults who are experts in their field, passionate about teaching, and are deeply committed to our mission and values. Our inspirational teachers help our students pursue academic excellence, discover new passions, forge lasting connections, and thrive today and in the future.

Milken is a place where genuine relationships lead not only to meaningful learning but also to a warm, welcoming, joyful community. We view each student as our own child and every parent as a partner in fulfilling our mission. Once you visit campus, you will see instantly that this is truly a special place and sacred community.

Welcome to Milken. I cannot wait to get to know you.

Warmly,

Dr. Sarah Shulkind

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Our passion: Every dream starts with a journey; every journey with a single step. At your potential Milken, we help students discover who they are and where they want to go. By nurturing their native talents and equipping them with the tools to explore new interests and opportunities, we empower them to develop their own identities and prepare for the path ahead. Our expert teachers and vast range of programs offer critical support as students learn to chart a course to meaningful accomplishment. This is success at Milken: engaging young people to grow – both intellectually and emotionally – as they reach for the stars, and giving them the confidence to know that with every step, they can soar.

2 Signature Programs That Set Us Apart Milken’s Signature Programs expose students to emerging trends and equip them to transform how we live as a global society. Our school is renowned for its emphasis on innovative excellence and its dedication to helping students invent the fields of the future.

Advanced Research and Design is the flagship program of the Mitchell Academy of Science+Technology (MAST) and allows students in grades 10-12 to immerse themselves in the academic research field of their choice. Students apply their research to create hypotheses and experimental designs with the ultimate goal of performing original research and/or designing novel solutions to problems and questions in their field.

Architecture + Design Institute, one of a few programs of its kind in the country, uses design-based learning, based on real-world design problems and challenges, to provide students a comprehensive foundation in product and structural design. Students analyze the impact of design on the human experience through the study of form and function, social and cultural precedents, environmental conditions, and energy-efficient materials and methodologies.

Tiferet Israel Fellowship brings students to live and study for a semester at Alexander Muss High School in Hod Hasharon, Israel. Tiferet fellows engage in learning inside and outside of the classroom as they continue Milken’s full college preparatory program in addition to the place- based curriculum in Jewish and Israel studies provided at Muss. Students travel each week, immerse themselves in the language and culture of Israel, engage in service learning, and learn to live independently in a dorm setting. Students must apply and be accepted to this program.

Beit Midrash Fellowship is an advanced, innovative Jewish studies program that integrates high-level text learning, social action, and community building. Beit Midrash students develop sophisticated teaching on contemporary personal and social issues, enrich the Jewish life of the larger Milken community, and work together to develop the Global Beit Midrash program, enabling Jewish teenagers from around the world to connect, collaborate, and create.

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Deep thinking Milken develops extraordinary thinkers – curious, creative students who profound results question deeply and rise to every challenge. We teach them to innovate and explore; to overcome obstacles, savor successes, and soak up the experiences along the way. Learning is responsive and adaptive at Milken, with curriculum designed to engage each student’s interests and ambitions. At the heart of the process is a dedication to dialogue and debate that is central to our Jewish intellectual tradition. It’s a legacy of exceptional scholarship that propels student achievement and produces outcomes that speak for themselves.

4 Signature Pedagogy and Signature Spaces X- Learning X-Learning is a Milken Signature Pedagogy that engages the Milken community in the design thinking process, engaging students to solve real-world problems and cultivating their abilities as innovators and entrepreneurs. The program, inspired by Stanford University’s d.school, harnesses the power of immersive learning, giving students access to a leading-edge makerspace that allows them to master vital design principles.

Positive Education This Signature Pedagogy comes in many forms on Milken’s campus: a wildly popular class in Positive Psychology for upper-level students; a rethinking of a grade-centered approach to success; and seminars on the topic for parents, faculty, staff, and board members. It advances a philosophy that enables us to identify our strengths, deepen our sense of appreciation, and form lasting bonds with others. This unique program at Milken has transformed our students’ perspectives, empowering them with the tools to change negative habits and foster an optimistic outlook on life.

Guerin Family Institute and Fab Lab A Milken Signature Space, the Guerin Family Institute and Fab Lab houses the area’s only MIT-inspired Fab Lab. A groundbreaking home for student exploration and invention, the Fab Lab includes a computer- aided design (CAD) lab, an engineering lab, and a cutting-edge classroom, enabling students to redefine possibilities in programming and design. The Milken Knights, Milken's Robotics team, compete in local, national, and international competitions, developing solutions to engineering challenges.

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From generation At Milken, ritual, history, and culture leap from the page, linking the Jewish to generation, past to our students’ promising futures. We immerse them in the rhythm education to and flow of Jewish communal life, and they find their own relevance, inspiration planting the seeds of an enduring connection that will flourish as they grow and mature. Our students follow the Milken model: discovering multiple ways to express and experience Judaism; translating ethics into action; building the confidence to live as Jews; forging ties to Israel; and inspiring identities that keep the Jewish people, and its spirit, strong.

6 Milken's Houses Milken is organized around four distinct houses: Brandeis, Hekmat, Lazarus, and Ramon. Students join a particular house for their entire Milken tenure, enabling them to receive the individual attention they deserve while increasing both community and camaraderie across and between grade levels. The houses also help build spirit, excitement, and a sense of connection that lasts long after graduation day.

Community One of Milken’s core values is Community, Kehilah, which encompasses both building a joyful, welcoming community along with connecting and contributing to our community, the Jewish People, and the State of Israel. Students gather on Fridays to celebrate and learn together during Nafshi and 2.0neg, exploring what Judaism means to each student and how we come together for each other.

Service Learning Kulam (everybody) and Yozma (initiative) are Milken’s social action leadership initiatives. Through a leadership-based curriculum, students work collaboratively to envision, plan, and teach, turning ideas into action. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, students came together to create CAT - Connect Apart Together - a student mentorship program for elementary school aged children who were at home. Activities included virtual gym class, art instruction, and tutoring by Milken high school students.

Lifelong friendships are one of the most amazing things I took away from my time at Milken. Today, my support system of former classmates, faculty, and fellow alumni keep me connected and have helped me in both my professional and personal life. -Adam B. ‘00

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Going here is Our students belong at Milken. What they find here are joyous, dynamic coming home relationships – teachers who are mentors, friends who are family, and a community focused on helping them thrive. Milken encourages individual expression and offers a warm and welcoming environment for students standing at the threshold of young adulthood. When they come here, they carve out their own space; when they leave, they take with them the knowledge that this is one place they can always call home.

8 Performing Arts The Performing Arts Department at Milken is dedicated to awakening, nurturing, and celebrating the artistic expression in each student. Milken students are encouraged to create honest and meaningful work while pushing the limits of their own physical, mental, and emotional capabilities through music, dance, and theatre arts. Students can be a part of our choirs, Koleinu, Kol Echad, and Milken Honeys, the orchestra program, and our jazz ensemble.

Student-Run Clubs Students express themselves outside the classroom through student-run clubs like Girl Talk, Young Americans for Freedom, and the Genders & Sexualities Alliance. There is also representation among our students in student government, with leadership positions held across Milken’s middle and upper school divisions.

Wildcat Athletics At Milken, student-athletes enjoy the complete secondary school sporting experience. In conjunction with the San Fernando Valley Private School League (SFVPSL) and the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section (CIF-SS), we enable students to compete and perform at a high level as they deepen their connection to Milken’s core values. That’s why over 70% of our students compete in athletics.

Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12 Baseball Baseball Basketball Basketball Cross-Country Cheerleading Flag Football Cross-Country Golf Football Soccer Golf Swimming Soccer Tennis Tennis Track and Field Track and Field Volleyball Volleyball Boys Water Polo

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We'll take American Jewish University Rochester Institute of Technology American University San Diego State University you there Arizona State University San Francisco State University Babson College Santa Barbara City College Barnard College Santa Clara University The following is a list Berklee College of Music Santa Monica College of institutions to which SUNY at Binghamton University School of Visual Arts Boston University Scripps College our students have Brandeis University Skidmore College matriculated over Brown University Sonoma State University the past four years. California Institute of Technology Southern Methodist University California State Polytechnic University, Stanford University Pomona Stony Brook University California State Polytechnic University, Suffolk University San Luis Obispo Syracuse University Carnegie Mellon University Temple University Chapman University The American University of Paris Claremont McKenna College The University of Texas at Austin College of Charleston Tufts University Colorado College Tulane University Columbia College Union College Columbia University United States Air Force Academy Cornell University University of Alaska CUNY Borough of Manhattan University of Arizona Community College University of British Columbia Drexel University University of California, Berkeley Duke University University of California, Irvine Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University University of California, Los Angeles Emory University University of California, San Diego Fairfield University University of California, Santa Barbara Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising University of California, Santa Cruz Flagler College University of Chicago George Washington University University of Colorado, Boulder Hofstra University University of Exeter Indiana University University of Kansas Jewish Theological Seminary of America University of Maryland John Cabot University University of Miami Lehigh University University of Michigan Lewis & Clark College University of Oregon Los Angeles Pierce College University of Pennsylvania Loyola Marymount University University of San Francisco New York University University of Southern California Northeastern University University of Toronto Northwestern University University of Washington Occidental College University of Wisconsin Otis College of Art and Design Vanderbilt University Pepperdine University Vassar College Princeton University Washington University in St. Louis Purdue University Wesleyan University Reed College Willamette University Rhode Island School of Design Worcester Polytechnic Institute Rice University Yale University

10 College Counseling & Academic Planning At Milken, we implement the most comprehensive college counseling program in the city. We believe success is defined by finding the right fit that will enable each graduate to thrive. By building partnerships between counselors, students, and their families, we work together to provide guidance and direction that result in a placement where each individual student’s gifts can shine. Milken graduates have earned admission to a wide range of colleges and universities across the country and throughout the world. 99% of students matriculate at a four-year institution either directly after graduation or after attending community college first. A handful of graduates choose to engage in a gap year program after graduation or join the Israeli Defense Forces.

4 dedicated full-time college counselors

40 weekly college counseling courses taught to juniors and seniors each year

300+ colleges and universities around the world visited by Milken college counseling staff

125 colleges and gap-year programs visiting Milken each year

$2.5 million in merit-based scholarships awarded to graduates

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Our success Students come first at Milken. Through dedicated, comprehensive is your support support, we prioritize their ongoing growth and development. Our goal here is more than taking students from point A to point B; it is also making sure they maximize their experience and find joy along the way. The resources we offer them seek to broaden their horizons and nurture their physical and emotional well-being. This is a place where, in every student matter, every student matters.

I love that my Advisory class is like family - where we are all so different but we can learn from each other. At the same time, I have built lifelong bonds with my fellow performing arts students as we share the same passion and love for singing and acting. -Tali M. ‘20

12 Commitment to Students Student Services The Student Services team at Milken is based on a holistic approach and encompasses faculty and programs to support our students’ academic, social, emotional, physical, and mental wellness. With the understanding that all students benefit from support in some of these areas, we have created a comprehensive program designed to meet students where they are and to encourage them to grow and thrive in all areas.

Led by our head of Student Services, our school-wide student support team includes three division counselors, six division academic support faculty, and one positive psychology teacher. Each plays a role in the supportive network, offering individual, group, and school-wide opportunities for students to develop critical lifelong skills, and to connect meaningfully to their community. The Student Services team partners with the Physical Education, Health, and Wellness Department, as well as with the school’s instructional and leadership teams to shape the student experience in school, both in and out of the classroom. In addition, the team works closely with experts in the community, faculty, and the parent body to ensure alignment with the latest research and best practices in the field.

Wellness Our Physical Education, Health, and Wellness program equips Milken students with a growth mindset. As they increase their physical fitness, they gain a deeper understanding of their bodies and learn to cultivate the habits and decision-making skills necessary to make healthy choices.

Advisory Milken’s Advisory is a program that provides students crucial support and direction on their path to academic, emotional, and social growth. An essential element of the Milken experience, Advisory surrounds each student with an intimate cohort of peers, under the guidance of dedicated adult mentors. Advisory meets two to three times per week to grapple with issues and themes related to adolescent academic and social development including orientation and community building, executive functioning, identity development, and wellness.

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Where family Milken is for students and alumni – and for siblings, parents, grandparents is forever and the entire extended family. Our students are successful when they are surrounded by a network of support, and that network is stronger when its members work together toward a common goal. This is a gathering hub, a central convener for diverse stakeholders to make connections, find resources, and forge relationships. Ask people what they take away from Milken, and the answer is enduring community.

14 Commitment to Parents Milken Parents Association The Milken Parents Association (MPA) is the heart of our community. These lay leaders join together to create programming for parents, students, and faculty such as our beloved annual Challah Bake and homecoming festivities. The MPA is also instrumental in celebrating our senior class every year with special activities like Senior Mystery Night and our Senior Drive-In.

Commitment to the Community Tuition Assistance Milken takes pride in being a community of economically diverse students and families with a commitment to the Jewish values of balancing personal dignity and communal responsibility. Diversity enriches the educational opportunities for all families. The participation of a wide range of families is critical to embracing our mission of educating our children so they can surpass us. At Milken, we value the importance of tuition assistance in building and sustaining our community. Nearly 40% of our students receive some percentage of tuition assistance to support their education.

Commitment for Life Alumni Program With over 3,000 members worldwide, the Milken Alumni Association spans leaders in the fields of business, tech, medicine, education, public service, the arts, fashion, law, and more. We host events throughout the year, creating opportunities for alumni to meet current students and expand their professional networks. Milken graduates look out for one another, helping fellow alumni scale the ladder toward success.

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A school Talent is everywhere at Milken: in the classroom, on the stage, in the Beit for Midrash, on the athletic field, and everywhere in between. It flows from our teaching students, our administration, and especially our faculty – professionals talent at the forefront of their academic disciplines, dedicated to developing young minds, and expanding their potential. Teachers here are among the city’s best, driven not only by skill and intellect, but also by an unflagging commitment to helping each student grow into the best version of themselves. At Milken, teachers matter, and their influence shapes the future across our community and beyond.

16 Our Educational Philosophy Learning at Milken happens everywhere and is grounded in Jewish ideas, values, traditions, and practices. Education here is personal and communal, encompassing social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual realms. Our philosophy, which applies to our entire community of learners (students, faculty, parents, alumni, and leaders), is articulated in the 10 belief statements: 1. We believe in intellectual excellence grounded in ethical responsibility. 2. We believe that critical thinking, problem- solving, innovation, and iteration develop humility and self-efficacy. 3. We believe integration of Jewish texts, ideas, and values leads to deep understanding of self and the world. 4. We believe that learning is enhanced through exploring and appreciating diversity. 5. We believe that learning is relational and communal. 6. We believe in meaningful learning with multiple entry points, multiple means of demonstrating knowledge, and multiple definitions of success. 7. We believe that knowledge, ability, mindset, and motivation are fluid and grow over time. 8. We believe in emotionally-responsive, developmentally-appropriate instructional choices, decisions, and practices. 9. We believe that learning comes from setting ambitious goals that are learner-centered. 10. We believe that lifelong learning leads to joy, and curiosity leads to scholarship.

My teacher encouraged me to try robotics as she noticed that I had a passion for design thinking challenges. I never would have tried it without that extra push, and now that I have, I feel inspired everyday to create new things, collaborate with my peers, and learn how to think differently. - Jaden S. ‘24

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Portrait Milken Graduates Embody the Following:

of the Think Well graduate • Have the strong academic foundation necessary for success at their next level of graduation and beyond. • Develop an innovator’s mindset and an entrepreneurial approach to the world around them.

Belong to Something Greater than Themselves • Connect and contribute to their communities, the Jewish People, and the State of Israel. • Integrate Jewish values, ideas, and texts when making important decisions in their private, personal, professional, and public lives.

Take Positive Action • Make a real impact on the world around them—now and in the future. • Act with empathy, justice, and compassion towards others.

18 What Happens at Milken Changes the World As they learn and grow, Milken students also look outside themselves, tapping into a larger community of committed individuals ready to make a difference. Our mandate is molding students who act on Jewish values and take ownership of their ethical responsibility to leave the world better than they found it. We teach them that change starts locally and then ripples outward; that their actions have impact both within and well beyond Milken’s campus. At Milken, our strength lies not just in what we learn, but in how we use that knowledge for good, at home and around the globe.

I think there was a direct connection between my Tiferet experience and my ability to help ensure Jewish students felt safe on Berkeley’s campus. Having had the privilege of living in Israel for four months [while on Tiferet] breathed life into my Jewish identity and made me a more effective advocate. -Joey F. ‘09

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Milken Community School

Be a part of We welcome your interest in Milken and are excited to share more something about our school! bigger Admission Applications to grades 6-12 are reviewed by our admission team and a committee of administrators. Admission is based upon a number of factors including the application, interview, transcripts, and recommendations.

For information on the application process, important due dates, and upcoming admission events, please visit milkenschool.org/admission.

Milken Community School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, financial aid, athletic, and other school-administered programs.

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Milken Community School 15800 Zeldins’ Way Los Angeles, CA 90049 T 310.440.3500