Mission Viejo High School

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Mission Viejo High School
Location
25025 Chrisanta Drive
Mission Viejo, CA
Information
School district Saddleback Valley Unified School District
Principal Mrs. Marilyn McDowell
Enrollment

2,997 (as of 2005-06)[1]
Faculty 110.0 (on FTE basis)[1]
Student:teacher ratio 27.2[1]
Type Public high school
Grades 9-12
Mascot Pablo the Diablo
Color(s)           scarlet and gold
Established 1966
Information 949-837-7722
Homepage School wesbite
Welcome screen to Mission Viejo High School
Welcome screen to Mission Viejo High School

Mission Viejo High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Mission Viejo, California, United States, as part of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. The school has served the area since 1966. Students within its attendance boundaries live in western Mission Viejo, southwest Lake Forest, Trabuco Canyon, Rancho Santa Margarita, and Laguna Hills. Its mascot is Pablo the Diablo and its colors are scarlet and gold. 230 credits are required to graduate Mission Viejo High School.

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,997 students and 110.0 classroom teachers (on a FTE basis, for a student-teacher ratio of 27.2.[1]

Contents

[edit] Awards and Recognition

Mission Viejo High School has been awarded the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education on three separate occasions, in 1988-89, 1994-96[2] and 2001-02[3][4], the highest award an American school can receive.[5][6]

Mission Viejo High School has been recognized three times as a California Distinguished School, in 1988, 1994 and 2001.[7][8]

[edit] Academics

[edit] International Baccalaureate

Mission Viejo has been an International Baccalaureate school since July 1985. This program, taught to 132 students, is for academically talented and highly motivated students sponsored and administered by the I.B. Organization. The students who meet the I.B. requirements are eligible for the International Baccalaureate Diploma. This school received 57 diplomas in the 2005-2006 school year.[9] Owing to the recently proposed statewide budget cuts, the future of Mission Viejo High School's International Baccalaureate program has come into question.

[edit] Advanced Placement and Honors courses

The school offers Advanced Placement and Honor Courses at all grade levels. Advanced Placement Program (AP) classes are offered in AP Biology, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP English Language and Composition, AP French Language, AP European History, AP German Language, AP Microeconomics, AP Physics B, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Psychology, AP Spanish Language, AP United States Government and Politics and AP United States History.

[edit] Accreditation

Mission Viejo High School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges[10]. The school received its most recent 6-year renewal of its full accreditation in the 2004-05 school year.[11]

[edit] Athletics

The Diablo sports teams compete in the South Coast League of CIF Southern Section

[edit] Football

The school has fielded one of the best football records in the country over the past decade, and at one time in 2005 were ranked number 2 in the nation by USA Today. Mark Sanchez(USC), Nick Reed (Oregon), Gregg Peat(Oregon State), Konrad Reuland and Kevin Bemoll (CAL) were the key ingredients to one of the best high school football teams ever to come from MVHS. The school finished the 2004 season ranked third in the nation by USA Today, and was one of only ten schools that appeared in the paper's Top 25 during every week of the season.[12] In the fall of 2005, however, they finished with a 12-1 record and were ranked 20th in the country by USA Today, due to their loss against Hart High School.[13]

Mission Viejo Football ethics have been called into question. As reported in the The Orange County Register on May 29, 2003, Coach Johnson and his Diablos were barred from hosting CIFSS playoff games for one season due to a controversial incident. CIFSS had mandated Spalding footballs for use in playoff games, but the Diablos had used Wilson footballs all season; the MVHS staff then painted their Wilson footballs with the Spalding logo in an attempt to deceive CIF officials. In addition to the ban on playoff home games, Coach Johnson and his staff were ordered to take classes in sportsmanship. Many critics felt the Diablos were punished lightly, compared to some other schools who were caught cheating and forced to forfeit games or relinquish titles. [14]

2006 was considered a rebuilding year, as the Diablos were defeated by solid teams in the Southern California area as well as De La Salle of Concord. They won the league title, and reached the second round of the CIF-SS Pac-5 playoffs before being eliminated by Santa Margarita Catholic High School in a close game.

[edit] Swimming

Mission Viejo's swimming program is one of the strongest in the region, and has dominated Orange County for decades. They are now ranked number 10 in the nation by many polls.

[edit] Boys Cross Country

Mission's cross country program has been relatively successful in past years, most notably under the coaching program of Gene Gurule. In recent years, the team has produced several outstanding athletes and teams.

In 2005, Michael Wolde-Yohannes claimed the title of South Coast League Champion, though the team did not advance to CIF prelims.

The 2006 year saw the addition of coach Chris Jones to the team staff, as well as a host of new varsity athletes. The team had very few returning varsity runners, and no seniors, making it easily the youngest team in the South Coast League and perhaps in the county. Led by sophomore James Cameron and junior Troy Torrez, the Mission team placed second in league and advanced to CIF prelims.

Because of the youth of the 2006 team, the 2007 varsity team is composed entirely of returning varsity athletes, and predictions for the season are optimistic. In a dual meet versus Capistrano Valley High School, James Cameron ran a 15:04 3-mile, making him one of the leading contenders for league champion alongside Dana Hills' Tyler Valdes.

[edit] Performing Arts

[edit] Wind Ensemble

The wind ensemble is the most advanced class in all of Mission Viejo High School's band and orchestra classes. These students learn sophisticated understanding of music such as rhythms, key signatures, accents, and terminology. These students represented their high school and nicely reflected their entire band program by having such prestigious performances to various audiences. The students in wind ensemble may also enroll in marching band for P.E. (physical education) credits that are needed to graduate.

[edit] Concert Band

The concert band, also known as the symphonic band, is another type of band class for the students who have intermediate experience with their instrument. They learn the basic skills of music during the beginning of the school years. These skills include, but are not limited to, flexibility, endurance, and tone qualities. As the school year progresses, music difficulty becomes increasingly harder, thus motivating students to acquire more skills of music. They perform various pieces of music from many types of backgrounds. Along with wind ensemble, the concert band may also enroll in marching band for P.E. credits needed to graduate. Those highly competent enough can audition, and if they qualify they can go into wind ensemble.

[edit] Marching Band

The school's marching band, as part of the Western Band Association, is a military-like band that usually rehearses outdoors, performs in parades, festivals, and of course, creates their own marching show. Marching band takes place in the first semester of the school year. The band ranges from freshmen to senior students. They have professional instructors in their marching band as well as their entire music program. Their program coordinator and music arranger is Jim Wunderlich.

  • In 1998 and 2003, the marching band were the WBA State Champions.
  • Additionally, the drumline is very successful, winning High Percussion at WBA State Championships each year from 1997 to 2003, excluding 2000.[15]
  • Also the drumline were the 2001 & 2007 WGI World Champions!
  • "The 150-member band also won High Percussion and High General Effect awards. It's the third consecutive year the drum line has won the High Percussion award"</ref>, 2004 and 2006. Both the drumline and color guard compete in WGI.
  • In 2006, the marching band won 2nd place in the WBA State Finals in their 5A Class.
  • With over 150 members, the marching band is one of the largest marching bands in the Western Band Association.

[edit] Jazz ensemble

Along with the marching band, the Mission Viejo High School jazz ensemble is one of the most entertaining bands of all in Mission Viejo High school. Jazz ensemble takes place in the second semester of the school year. Many students eager to join this type of band had to audition music of the highest caliber on their instrument. The band plays a variety of music including swing, Latin, modern and many "big band" standards. This class helps students approach college level music in its complexity.

Those who cannot take Jazz Ensemble, but still wish to try out some jazz music, can take Jazz combo, also called Ensembles-independent study. This is another type of jazz band, but the only difference is that they focus on more paperwork to learn the basic principles of jazz music.

[edit] Drama

The MVHS Drama Team recently finished the 2007 spring musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie. "Millie". The 2006 musical, Les Misérables' was nominated 17 M.A.C.Y (Music and Art Commendation for Youth) Awards, and several Cappie awards (a high school theatre critics association). Mission's Drama Director is Kathleen Cannarozzi-Harris.Mrs. Harris also started the first Cappie association in the west coast. Mrs. Harris is this year's Saddleback Valley Unified School District's "Teacher of the Year," and also took MVHS's "Teacher of the Year" award. In a recent interview of MVHS's "Diablo Heat," Mrs. Harris stated, "If I wasn't devoting eight hours of my day here (meaning at the MVHS' theater Department) I would probably be at a professional Theater devoting eight hours of my day there." This is probably in reference to her second job at the Laguna Playhouse, and several other posistions she holds at various Orange County Theaters. In Mrs. Harris's bio, she puts in the school's progams, it states "KC Harris has been teaching drama and dance since 1978 in her native state of Pennsylvania on the high school, university and community theater levels. She has directed over 150 productions, received her Master's degree in theater from Penn State University, and began her Doctoral study at Northwestern University in children's theater. She served for six years as the Pennsylvania State Director for the International Thespian Society and was awarded the city and county teacher of the year in 1988 and 1990. Mrs. Harris is the chairperson of the MVHS Performing and Visual Arts and the mentor teacher for Performing Arts for SVUSD. She was the 1997 Los Angeles County Music Center's Bravo Finalist for Arts Excellence in Drama and was recognized as a 1997 Distinguished Woman of Orange County. She was awarded the Arts Educator of the Year 2002 from Arts Orange County and the 2007 California Educational Leadership Award. She is the 2008 SVUSD Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Harris is also an adjunct faculty member at Cal State Fullerton, UCI, and Saddleback College and is a member of the teaching staff at the Laguna Playhouse." In the words of most of her students, "She's pretty much amazing." [16]

[edit] Choir

Mission Viejo High School is well known throughout the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, as well as throughout Orange County, for its Choral Arts program. Under the direction of John Elg, the program consists of the beginning level Concert Choir, the intermediate, all girls Treble Choir, and the advanced Chamber Choir. Every year, all three choirs perform at the fall, winter, and spring concerts held in the school's Performing Arts Theater. Additionally, for the past ten years all three choirs have participated annually in the Disneyland Community Arts Showcase held each February in the Carnation Plaza at Disneyland. Furthermore, Chamber Choir regularly attends and performs in festivals and competitions throughout Orange County. One of these festivals is the annual California State University Fullerton Choir Festival, in which the Mission Viejo Chamber Singers took home a Superior rating, the highest achievement at the festival, in 2006. The 2007-08 Chamber Choir was one of three high school choirs in the country invited to perform at the American Choral Director's Association National Choir Convention. One of the program's most famous traditions is the performance of G.F. Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" at the Winter concert, and Willhousky's "Battle Hymn of the Republic" at the Spring concert. These two pieces are performed every year at the end of the respective concert by all three choirs, as well as choir alumni who are invited to come up on stage and sing with the choir.

[edit] Student Ethnicity

Ethnicity This School State Average
White, not Hispanic 74% 31%
Asian 6% 8%
Hispanic or Latino 16% 47%
Multiple or No Response <1% 2%
African American, not Hispanic 2% 8%
Filipino <1% 3%
Pacific Islander <1% <1%
American Indian or Alaska Native <1 <1%

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Mission Viejo High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed October 27, 2007.
  2. ^ It's a Blue Ribbon day for six Orange County schools - EDUCATION: Two have won the nation's top honor before., The Orange County Register, February 9, 1996.
  3. ^ Mission Viejo, Trabuco Hills highs BLUE, The Orange County Register, May 31, 2002, "The Blue Ribbon award is the third that Mission Viejo High School has received in its 35-year history. Mission Viejo received Blue Ribbons in 1988 and 1996."
  4. ^ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), accessed May 11, 2006.
  5. ^ CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department, Journal Inquirer, November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
  6. ^ Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; The Washington Post. September 29, 2005 "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."
  7. ^ Schools take state honors, The Orange County Register, April 13, 2001, "Two Mission Viejo high schools were named California Distinguished Schools this week. It was the first recognition for 15-year-old Trabuco Hills High School and third time around for Mission Viejo High School."
  8. ^ Distinguished School Awards: Award Winners for Orange County, accessed December 2, 2006.
  9. ^ International Baccalaureate Organization: Mission Viejo High School, accessed December 2, 2006.
  10. ^ "The Blue Directory of Schools: Search Details - Mission Viejo High School, accessed December 2, 2006.
  11. ^ Mission Viejo High School Facts: Accreditation, accessed December 2, 2006.
  12. ^ Super 25 football rankings, USA Today, December 20, 2004.
  13. ^ Final 2005 Super 25 football rankings, USA Today, December 20, 2005.
  14. ^ CIF seeks answers from Diablos CIF maintains punishment of Mission Viejo, Orange County Register, May 29, 2003
  15. ^ Mission Viejo High band wins state title, The Orange County Register, November 28, 2003, "Mission Viejo High School Marching Band and Color Guard competed with 25 bands to win the Western Band Association State Championship in Fresno on Saturday. It is the first time in six years that the school band, which practices 14 hours a week, won the title."
  16. ^ Diablo Drama
  17. ^ Julie Foudy profile, San Diego Spirit. Accessed July 10, 2007. "Attended Mission Viejo High School where she was a two-time First-Team All-American"
  18. ^ "`Diablo Heat' grad pursuing TV career", The Orange County Register, January 24, 2003. "Brianna Keilar had it figured out. She was working as a reporter and fill-in anchor at KIMA TV, a CBS affiliate in Yakima, Wash., and looked at bigger media markets such as Tucson, Ariz., to eventually work her way up to a job in Los Angeles or New York. But the Mission Viejo High School alumna will not be reporting from Tucson anytime soon."
  19. ^ Robbins, Gary. "O. C. Native to lead Space Station: Lopez-Alegria, among the most experienced of NASA's astronauts, will spend six months aboard.", Orange County Register, May 23, 2006. Accessed July 10, 2007. "Lopez-Alegria was born in Spain, but later moved to Orange County. He graduated from Mission Viejo High School in 1976 and went on to a distinguished career as a Navy aviator."
  20. ^ Ritchie, Erika I. "O.C. native dies in Iraq; The Mission Viejo graduate is the first female Marine officer killed in the war.", The Orange County Register, December 12, 2006. Accessed October 20, 2007. "McClung grew up in Mission Viejo, graduated from Mission Viejo High School, and received her officer's commission from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1995."
  21. ^ "U.S. women get cheers from afar", CNN Sports Illustrated, July 4, 1999. Accessed July 10, 2007. "New England and U.S. international forward Joe-Max Moore said he graduated from Mission Viejo High School in California with U.S. women's star Julie Foudy."
  22. ^ Mark O'Meara profile,2007 Senior PGA Championship. Accessed July 10, 2007. "As a freshman at Mission Viejo High School he made the golf team and in his junior year the team won the state championship."
  23. ^ USC's Powdrell pulls his weight, and then some, The Orange County Register, September 8, 2006.
  24. ^ Friendship, competition motivates USC QBs to perform, The Stanford Daily, August 17, 2006.
  25. ^ Glowish, Amanda. "'Idol' singer shares story: Sabrina Sloan, graduate of Mission Viejo High School, was cut from show but plans to make album.", Orange County Register, April 4, 2007. Accessed October 21, 2007.

[edit] External links