Fresno High School

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2008)
This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling.
You can assist by editing it now. A how-to guide is available. (January 2008)
Fresno High School
Location
1839 N. Echo Ave.
Fresno, California 93704
USA
Information
School district Fresno Unified School District
Principal Bob Reyes
Enrollment

3,020 (2005-06[1])
Faculty 124.4 (on FTE basis)[1]
Student:teacher ratio 24.3[1]
School type Public
Grades 9-12
Accreditation(s) WASC[2]
Rival Roosevelt High School
Mascot Warriors
Nickname Home of the Warriors
School Colour(s) Purple and Gold
Newspaper The Owlet
Established 1889[3]
Additional Accreditation International Baccalaureate[4]
Homepage FHS

Fresno High School is a four-year secondary school located in Fresno, CA. Fresno High is the oldest high school in the Fresno Metropolitan area and one of the few International Baccalaureate schools; in addition it continues to be the most populous and most diverse campus in Fresno. Bob Reyes is the current principal of Fresno High.

Contents

[edit] History

The tremendous growth of Fresno during the boom period of the 1880's brought about many changes. One of the most important was the establishing of the city’s first high school in 1889. It was named Fresno High because it would serve all high school-age young people in Fresno.

The initial student body totaled fifty students with three teachers and three grade levels, ninth, junior and middle. The Senior class was formed a year later by those who passed the third level. At that time, it became a four-year school.

The first classes were held on September 16, 1889, on the second floor of the K Street School, located at Santa Clara and K (now Van Ness Avenue) streets. T. L Heaton was the principal. The curriculum was classical—four years of Latin as well as English, history, science and math. In June of 1891, the first commencement exercises were held at the Heaton Opera House. There were seven graduates.

The new school rapidly outgrew the available space and had to be moved to the White School, where the Memorial Auditorium is located today. Plans for a new high school building were underway. In September of 1896, the school year began in the new building on 0 Street between Stanislaus and Toluene streets. The new back structure, with its stately clock tower, had the latest and most modem facilities, including a library, a chemistry lab, a gymnasium and a theater-style lecture hall. There were those who felt it was too far from town and that the land, which cost $7,500, was too expensive. In 1922, the school moved to its present site on Echo Avenue.

Over a hundred years after its founding, Fresno High continues to serve the students of this community. Although the curriculum has been broadened to meet the needs of today, the administrators of the school are well aware of the commitment to traditional learning that was made by those who formed the school. Today, the opportunity to pursue a classical education, including the study of Latin, still is available to the students of Fresno High School. Fresno High School has foundations dating back to the 1800's. This Fresno's second high school was originally located in downtown near "M" Street. The school was relocated several times. Freshman students were once sent one-fourth of a mile away from their school to the Hamilton K-8 magnet campus. Fresno High School's current location is at 1839 North Echo Avenue, near Palm and McKinley Avenues in Fresno, CA. Fresno High School is surrounded by large homes (originally in one of Fresno's affluent areas) and large Fresno Ash and Pine trees. Fresno High School is described by some as the most "beautiful campus in Fresno",[who?] The campus retains most of its history and is one of the few schools to hold on to its original architecture.[citation needed] During 2002 the historic Royce Hall building caught fire and suffered minimal damage.[5]

[edit] Academics

Fresno High School is one of the few accredited schools in the Fresno Unified School District to offer its students the prestigious, full International Baccalaureate diplomas.[4] The school has been offering its graduate students full IB diploma since June, 2007. The campus offers several AP courses and requires the study of foreign language in order to receive a diploma. The campus has received poor academic achievement (API Scores); however has shown impressive improvement in its scores.[6] The campus employs 133 full and part time instructors, in addition to several guidance counselors, classified staff, Administrative employees, one full time psychologist and one full time family therapist.[7] The campus offers Spanish, French, Latin and German in foreign language.

[edit] Sports

Fresno High remains very active in sports, maintaining several teams for both sexes in addition to several co-ed teams. The Fresno High football team continues "the oldest high school rivalry West of the Mississippi" known as the Pig Game.[citation needed] The Pig Game is an annual game in which Fresno High competes against its rival Roosevelt High School for a pig statue to hold for that year. The pig was at one time stolen from Fresno High's attendance office and a replacement was made.[8] The campus offers Football, Soccer, Baseball, Golf, Tennis, Water polo, Softball teams.

[edit] Structure

Fresno High's Campus has changed several times from its creation downtown near "M" Street. The campus is currently one of the smallest in Fresno Unified School District. The campus is divided into several components. The two main components are "South Side" and "North Side", simply referring to their location[9]. South Side campus houses Title I offices, the Business , Foreign Language, Science and Mathematics divisions. The North Side houses English, Social Sciences, Art, and History divisions. Physical Education, Leadership and J.R.O.T.C. are housed on the Westernmost portion of the campus. The Drama and Music divisions, in addition to various miscellaneous classrooms are attached to Fresno High's historic Royce Hall.

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Fresno High. National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
  2. ^ Directory of Schools 2005-2006 (PDF). Western Association of Schools and Colleges (June 2005). Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
  3. ^ FHS History. Fresno High School. Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
  4. ^ a b Fresno High School. International Baccalaureate. Retrieved on 2008-01-07. “IB school code: 001469; Fresno High School has been an IB World School since July 2003.”
  5. ^ Rehart, Catherine Morison (2006). The valley's legends & legacies VI. Sanger, CA: Quill Driver Books, p. 106. ISBN 1884995500. 
  6. ^ http://www.fresno.k12.ca.us/schools/s092/sparc/SPARC.htm
  7. ^ Teaching Staff
  8. ^ Anthony Witrado. "Celebrated Pig Trophy stolen from Fresno High", The Fresno Bee, 2004-04-21. 
  9. ^ http://www.fresno.k12.ca.us/schools/s092/map/FHS%20Map.pdf
  10. ^ a b c "FRESNO FIRST PULITZER PURSUIT", The Fresno Bee, 1988-02-28. 
  11. ^ Dick Contino's Home Page. Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
  12. ^ a b Dave Anderson. "Irabu? Mets Prefer Jones, Thank You All the Same", The New York Times, 1987-06-01. Retrieved on 2008-01-07. 
  13. ^ King, Robert B. (1995). "ARTHUR S. KING", Biographical Memoirs V. 68. National Academy of Sciences, p. 181. ISBN 0-309-05239-4. 
  14. ^ Kinter, Earl Wilson (1958). Organized professional team sports : hearings before the Subcommittee on Antitrust and Monopoly.... Washington: U.S. G.P.O., p. 340. OCLC 13041594. 
  15. ^ Lee, Lawrence; Barry Gifford (2005). Saroyan: A Biography. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, p. 317. ISBN 156025761X.