High School and College Readiness
Spring 2026: Parent Workshop on High School Readiness
Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 7:00-8:00pm in Zoom
Covering academic expectations, social and emotional readiness, graduation requirements, extracurriculars, and involvement.
Palms helps students prepare not just for completion of middle school but for what comes next: high school and college. The counselors and Magnet Coordinator provide information for High School Readiness. The College and Career Readiness Coach provides information for College Readiness.
Click or tap the menu items at the right to explore the events and information provided at Palms.
Summer 2026 for Current 8th Graders
Current 8th graders should speak to the 8th grade counselor if they are interested in any of the summer programs shown on the Eighth Grade page.
Venice High School Spring 2026 Events
Tuesday March 17: Parent Zoom
Thursday, March 19: Students visit
April 29, 4:30pm to 6:30pm: Orientation
April 30, 4pm to 6pm: Orientation
May 2, 9am to 11am: Orientation
Where to get High School Information
See: High School Facts and High School Information Night.
In some past years, the Palms-Rancho Park Library held a Middle and High School Fair, with over 30 middle and high schools represented, including private, public, charter, magnet, and independent schools.
ACT Explore Test and PSAT
8th grade students are encouraged to take the ACT EXPLORE Test. LAUSD provides this opportunity to all 8th and 9th graders to help them as they start thinking about future educational and career opportunities. The test is administered at Palms. For details, contact your counselor.
Interested students can also take the PSAT in October.
See also: Testing Summary
Determined To Succeed
Determined to Succeed is a program for 8th grade students from low-income families who will be attending Hamilton High School in the Fall.
The 3 or 4-week summer program provides each student with an advisor, a health and wellness director, a testing specialist, a college counselor, school supplies, tutoring, a quiet place to study Monday to Saturday, and even food.
Palms has been associated with the program for many years.
Palms Graduates Attend Dozens of Top Universities and Colleges
Students who get their middle school education at Palms move on to high school, and many then go to highly ranked universities and colleges. Former Palms students are found to be attending 40% to 50% of the top-ranked universities in each category in the U.S. News and World Report rankings for 2017.
PDFs