Clairemont High School
Encyclopedia
Clairemont High School is a public high school
(grades 9-12) located in the Clairemont
neighborhood of San Diego, California
. It is part of the San Diego Unified School District
. The campus is situated close to the intersection of Balboa Ave and Clairemont Drive. There are approximately 1,350 students and 87 certified staff members. It has accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
.
This school is ranked No. 848 on Newsweek
's 2005 list of the Best High Schools in America (out of 27,468 high schools nationwide).
When CHS opened its doors in 1958, it consisted of no senior class; a junior class (class of 1960) consisting mostly of transfers from Mission Bay High School
in nearby Pacific Beach
and Kearny Mesa High School; and a sophomore class (class of 1961) coming from its neighbor, Marston Junior High. There was no freshman class.
In 1960, the two closest rivals were Kearny High
and Mission Bay High. Their current rivals are crosstown locals Madison High
.
Mary Catherine Swanson started the AVID
program at Clairemont High in 1980 with 32 students.
Clairemont High includes a program for highly gifted students (scored in the 99.9%ile on a mental ability test) called the GATE
Seminar program.
was in 1981. The team made the playoffs in 1994, 2004, and 2006. Clairemont has a long distance running tradition and has recently won CIF championships in girls Cross Country in 2009 and 2010.
Clairemont's mascot
is the Chieftain, their school newspaper is "The Arrow" and their annual is "The Calumet" (which is a ceremonial pipe used for special occasions by early native american tribes).
(and the book published first) were inspired by author Cameron Crowe
's undercover research at Clairemont High School during the 1978-79 school year.
A track on the band Pierce The Veil's new album "Selfish Machines" is titled "Fast Times At Clairemont High"
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
(grades 9-12) located in the Clairemont
Clairemont, San Diego, California
Clairemont is a suburban neighborhood in northern San Diego.It includes the separate neighborhoods of North Clairemont, South Clairemont, Clairemont Mesa East and Clairemont Mesa West...
neighborhood of San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. It is part of the San Diego Unified School District
San Diego City Schools
San Diego Unified School District is the school district of San Diego, California. It was founded in 1854...
. The campus is situated close to the intersection of Balboa Ave and Clairemont Drive. There are approximately 1,350 students and 87 certified staff members. It has accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
.
This school is ranked No. 848 on Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
's 2005 list of the Best High Schools in America (out of 27,468 high schools nationwide).
History
The school is named for the Clairemont neighborhood where it is located.When CHS opened its doors in 1958, it consisted of no senior class; a junior class (class of 1960) consisting mostly of transfers from Mission Bay High School
Mission Bay Senior High School
Mission Bay High School is a public school located in the San Diego, California community of Pacific Beach . It is a magnet school with emphasis on Academic Studies. The school recently introduced a new member of the staff, Principal Fred Hilgers in Fall 2009....
in nearby Pacific Beach
Pacific Beach, San Diego, California
Pacific Beach is a neighborhood of San Diego, bounded by La Jolla to the north, Mission Beach and Mission Bay to the south, Interstate 5 to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. While largely populated by young people, surfers, and college students, the population is becoming older, more...
and Kearny Mesa High School; and a sophomore class (class of 1961) coming from its neighbor, Marston Junior High. There was no freshman class.
In 1960, the two closest rivals were Kearny High
Kearny High School (San Diego, California)
Kearny High School is a public high school in San Diego, California. Kearny High School serves students in grades 9-12 from the Linda Vista, Serra Mesa and Kearny Mesa communities. The school is part of the San Diego Unified School District...
and Mission Bay High. Their current rivals are crosstown locals Madison High
James Madison High School (California)
For schools with a similar name, see Madison High School.James Madison High School is a public high school in San Diego, California. It is part of the San Diego Unified School District. Madison's campus opened in 1962...
.
Mary Catherine Swanson started the AVID
Advancement Via Individual Determination
Advancement Via Individual Determination is an American college-readiness system designed to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges, focusing on students in the academic middle. The formula is to raise expectations of students...
program at Clairemont High in 1980 with 32 students.
Clairemont High includes a program for highly gifted students (scored in the 99.9%ile on a mental ability test) called the GATE
Gate
A gate is a point of entry to a space enclosed by walls, or a moderately sized opening in a fence. Gates may prevent or control entry or exit, or they may be merely decorative. Other terms for gate include yett and port...
Seminar program.
Sports
Clairemont has a variety of sports teams. The most attended game is football. The last time the football team won CIFCalifornia Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
was in 1981. The team made the playoffs in 1994, 2004, and 2006. Clairemont has a long distance running tradition and has recently won CIF championships in girls Cross Country in 2009 and 2010.
Clairemont's mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is the Chieftain, their school newspaper is "The Arrow" and their annual is "The Calumet" (which is a ceremonial pipe used for special occasions by early native american tribes).
In popular culture
The movie Fast Times at Ridgemont HighFast Times at Ridgemont High
Fast Times at Ridgemont High is a 1982 American coming-of-age teen comedy film written by Cameron Crowe and adapted from his 1981 book of the same name...
(and the book published first) were inspired by author Cameron Crowe
Cameron Crowe
Cameron Bruce Crowe is an American screenwriter and film director. Before moving into the film industry, Crowe was a contributing editor at Rolling Stone magazine, for which he still frequently writes....
's undercover research at Clairemont High School during the 1978-79 school year.
A track on the band Pierce The Veil's new album "Selfish Machines" is titled "Fast Times At Clairemont High"
Notable alumni
- Kendra WilkinsonKendra WilkinsonKendra Leigh Baskett , professionally known by her maiden name, is an American television personality and glamour model...
, class of 2003, playboy model and reality-television personality - Mo GaffneyMo GaffneyMaureen E. "Mo" Gaffney is an American actress, comedian, writer and activist.-Biography:She hosted two of her own television talk shows: Women Aloud! and The Mo Show...
, class of 1976, actress/comedienne - Kelly WardKelly WardKelly Ward is an American actor and voice director for TV animation. He is most famous for his role as T-Bird's Putzie in Grease.-Films and TV:...
, class of 1974, most famous for his role as Putzie in the film, Grease. - Thomas A. Shannon, Jr.Thomas A. Shannon, Jr.Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. is an American diplomat. President Barack Obama nominated him as U.S. Ambassador to Brazil. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 24, 2009...
, class of 1976, Assistant Secretary of State - Kevin MitchellKevin Mitchell (baseball player)Kevin Darnell Mitchell is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder. He became widely known not only for his occasional brilliance on the field, but also for his unpredictable and sometimes volatile behavior off the field.-New York Mets:In Amazin, Peter Golenbock's oral history of the...
, baseball player and 1989 National League MVP, San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. - Randy Brush, class of 1974, jazz drummer
- Jennifer BattenJennifer BattenJennifer Batten is an American guitarist, who has worked as both a session musician and solo artist. She has released three studio albums: her 1992 debut, Above Below and Beyond, was produced by former Stevie Wonder guitarist Michael Sembello. In 1997, she released the worldbeat-influenced Jennifer...
, class of 1975, solo guitarist, toured with Jeff BeckJeff BeckGeoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
and Michael JacksonMichael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records... - Kris JennerKris JennerKristen Mary "Kris" Jenner is an American television personality, socialite and businesswoman. She also is the manager for all of her family members, including Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian and Khloé Kardashian...
, class unknown, stars on Keeping Up With The KardashiansKeeping Up with the KardashiansKeeping Up with the Kardashians is an American reality television series that airs on E!. The series premiered in October 2007. It focuses on the personal and professional lives of the members of the Kardashian and Jenner family. There will be a 7th Season to premiere in 2012.As of September 2011,...