York School (California)
Encyclopedia
York School is a coeducational day school consisting of about 235 students on a hilltop near Highway 68
in Monterey, California
.
It was decided that the Episcopal school would be called York after the Diocese of York
in England, one of the oldest in existence. The coat of arms of the See of York was adopted as the school's slogan and is still in use today.
York started in Pacific Grove
, but was soon moved to Monterey. Out of necessity, it was a day school until dormitories could be built in 1964. The same year, the new Laguna Seca campus was opened, where York remains today. Later, for various reasons, including financial constraints, York stopped accepting boarding students. The dorms were converted into classrooms and the boarders were sent to a house in Pacific Grove
, called the “pink house,” where they finished their education as the last class to include boarding students.
York would see many more changes in the ensuing years. In 1970, York became coeducational. In 1973, it became non-diocesan. The land still belongs to the Episcopal Church and will return to the Church if York dissolves. However, York is not as closely affiliated with the Church as it had been in the past. As the school grew, more electives were added to the curriculum, such as art and choral music. Originally, York had no official sports teams, but in time various teams were formed. A chapel was built in 1981 in memory of a local philanthropist and in 1983 a locomotive bell was added to the chapel.
In 2003, York built an energy-efficient green-sciences building. It includes photo-voltaic solar panels that supply power for the building, recycled materials in the building itself, sensor controlled lighting, waterless urinals, and optimized framing that reduced lumber use in the project. There was limited site disturbance during construction of the science building. Some of the materials used were recycled, including insulation and lumber. In 2007 the York became the first school to be certified by the Monterey Bay Area Green Business Program.
.
York employs a unique seven-day rotating schedule of A through G days that allows students to take a maximum of seven classes. There are only six periods each day though, as each class only meets six times during the seven-day rotation. Additionally, the order of the classes rotates such that no class meets at the same time of the day during a given cycle.
campuses, top liberal arts colleges, or Ivy League
schools. York has also done well in its interscholastic sports competition, where it competes in the Mission Trail Athletic League (MTAL).
California State Route 68
State Route 68 is a state highway that runs from Pacific Grove to Salinas in Monterey County. It is about long.-Route description:This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System and is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System. However, only the part from SR 1 to the Salinas...
in Monterey, California
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
.
History
York was founded in 1959 with 12 seventh-grade boys and two teachers. For the first year, only seventh-grade boys were admitted, but it was planned that a grade would be added each year as the class advanced until a full high school was in session. Later, the seventh grade was dropped.It was decided that the Episcopal school would be called York after the Diocese of York
Diocese of York
The Diocese of York is an administrative division of the Church of England, part of the Province of York. It covers the city of York, the eastern part of North Yorkshire, and most of the East Riding of Yorkshire....
in England, one of the oldest in existence. The coat of arms of the See of York was adopted as the school's slogan and is still in use today.
York started in Pacific Grove
Pacific Grove, California
Pacific Grove is a coastal city in Monterey County, California, USA, with a population of 15,041 as of the 2010 census, down from 15,522 as of the 2000 census...
, but was soon moved to Monterey. Out of necessity, it was a day school until dormitories could be built in 1964. The same year, the new Laguna Seca campus was opened, where York remains today. Later, for various reasons, including financial constraints, York stopped accepting boarding students. The dorms were converted into classrooms and the boarders were sent to a house in Pacific Grove
Pacific Grove, California
Pacific Grove is a coastal city in Monterey County, California, USA, with a population of 15,041 as of the 2010 census, down from 15,522 as of the 2000 census...
, called the “pink house,” where they finished their education as the last class to include boarding students.
York would see many more changes in the ensuing years. In 1970, York became coeducational. In 1973, it became non-diocesan. The land still belongs to the Episcopal Church and will return to the Church if York dissolves. However, York is not as closely affiliated with the Church as it had been in the past. As the school grew, more electives were added to the curriculum, such as art and choral music. Originally, York had no official sports teams, but in time various teams were formed. A chapel was built in 1981 in memory of a local philanthropist and in 1983 a locomotive bell was added to the chapel.
In 2003, York built an energy-efficient green-sciences building. It includes photo-voltaic solar panels that supply power for the building, recycled materials in the building itself, sensor controlled lighting, waterless urinals, and optimized framing that reduced lumber use in the project. There was limited site disturbance during construction of the science building. Some of the materials used were recycled, including insulation and lumber. In 2007 the York became the first school to be certified by the Monterey Bay Area Green Business Program.
Sports
York has a variety of sports for both boys and girls. The school's colors are red and black and its mascot is the FalconFalcon
A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America....
.
Spring
- Track and Field
- Boys Tennis
- Girls Softball
- Golf
- Swimming
- Boys Lacrosse
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Softball
Classes and Schedule
York's core curriculum, as determined by the school's graduation requirements, reflects a traditional liberal arts paradigm with an emphasis on math, history, English, foreign languages, and science. The students must also fulfill a fine arts and performing arts requirement. Modern languages studied include Spanish, Chinese, and French (German which was formerly offered is currently being phased out). Latin and ancient Greek are also offered. A variety of elective courses, including Asian History, Psychology, Cinema, American Government, and Philosophy, supplement the core curriculum.York employs a unique seven-day rotating schedule of A through G days that allows students to take a maximum of seven classes. There are only six periods each day though, as each class only meets six times during the seven-day rotation. Additionally, the order of the classes rotates such that no class meets at the same time of the day during a given cycle.
Headmasters
- 1965-66 Father Wood
- 1966-74 Charles S. Downes
- 1974-76 John H. Pomeroy
- 1977-90 Henry Littlefield
- 1991-93 Dr. Richard Enemark
- 1994-95 Jim TunneyJim Tunney (American football official)Dr. Jim Tunney was an American football official in the National Football League from 1960 to 1991. In his 31 years as an NFL official, Jim Tunney received a record 29 post-season assignments, including ten Championship games and Super Bowls VI, XI, and XII and named as an alternate in Super Bowl...
- 1995-2002 Roger Bowen
- 2002–present Chuck Harmon
Noted alumni
- Ben Jealous, President of NAACP
- Scott SnibbeScott SnibbeScott Snibbe is an interactive media artist, researcher, and entrepreneur. He is one of the first artists to work with projector-based interactivity, where a computer-controlled projection onto a wall or floor changes in response to people moving across its surface, with his well-known full-body...
, media artist and founder of Snibbe Interactive - Greg RuckaGreg RuckaGregory "Greg" Rucka is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.-Career:Rucka's writing career...
, novelist and comic book writer
Financial Aid
Through an ambitious financial aid program that awards grants and loans to approximately 37 percent of its students' families, the school is able to enroll excellent students from across a spectrum of economic diversity. York offers a rigorous academic curriculum, a competitive athletic program, opportunities for individual and group participation in the arts, and a healthy variety of extracurricular activities and clubs. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1 and the average class size is fewer than 15.Recognition
In 1991, York was one of 222 public and private schools nationwide to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Over the past six years, approximately 43 percent of York's seniors have been honored by the National Merit Corporation as finalists, winners, or commended students. One hundred percent of York's graduates go to college, with a majority attending University of CaliforniaUniversity of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
campuses, top liberal arts colleges, or Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
schools. York has also done well in its interscholastic sports competition, where it competes in the Mission Trail Athletic League (MTAL).