Academic calendar
School Year 2026-2027 runs Aug 20, 2026 – Jun 9, 2027. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- School Year 2026-2027Relevant now
- School Year 2027-2028
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 11 of 11 terms
A
- A-House
- One of the administrative 'houses' (S, A, N, T, O, M, I) that manage student counseling and discipline based on last names.
- ASB
- Associated Student Body; the student government responsible for school activities and clubs.
I
- ISAP
- International Student Ambassador Program; a group that helps new international students integrate into Samohi.
L
- Lunch Carts
- Mobile food distribution points located around campus during the lunch period.
P
- PTSA
- Parent Teacher Student Association; the organization supporting school programs and events.
S
- Samohi
- The standard and most common nickname for Santa Monica High School.
T
- The 4th Street Side
- Refers to the eastern side of the campus near the tennis courts and 4th Street.
- The Caf
- The main cafeteria area where student meals are served.
- The Hill
- The sloped area of campus near the Greek Theatre.
- The Promenade
- The Third Street Promenade, a popular nearby commercial area where students go for off-campus lunch.
V
- VAPA
- Visual and Performing Arts; refers to the school's music, drama, and arts department programs.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Barnum Hall
- The historic large auditorium and theater used for concerts, plays, and assemblies.
- Blue Slip
- The official pass required for students to leave a classroom or be excused for an appointment.
- Discovery
- The Discovery Building, a multi-story facility housing the cafeteria, classrooms, and an Olympic-sized pool.
- Flex Time
- A designated period in the schedule used for tutoring, enrichment, or extra help from teachers.
- House System
- The administrative structure where students are assigned to a specific 'House' office for all four years.
- Innovation
- The Innovation Building, primarily used for science and mathematics classrooms.
- Late Start
- Modified schedule days where the first period begins later in the morning for teacher meetings.
- Michigan Gate
- The main entrance/exit located on Michigan Avenue.
- Off-campus lunch
- A privilege typically granted to upperclassmen allowing them to leave campus during the lunch hour.
- PowerSchool
- The online portal used by students and parents to track grades and attendance.
- Roberts Field
- The primary athletic field and track used for football and other outdoor sports.
- samohi_cafeteria
- Samohi Cafeteria
- The Greek
- The Greek Theatre, an outdoor amphitheater used for school gatherings and performances.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- School Year 2026-2027 runs Aug 20, 2026 – Jun 9, 2027.
- How much campus context is included?
- 11 approved campus terms and 13 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.