Morse High School (San Diego, California)

Samuel F. B. Morse High School, also called Morse High School or simply Morse, is an urban public high school located in southeastern San Diego in the neighborhood of Skyline Hills serving grades 9-12 in the American K-12 education system. Named after inventor Samuel Finley Breese Morse, it first opened its doors in 1962. Morse has produced several notable athletes among its alumni and has sent its graduates to numerous colleges and universities throughout the United States including San Diego State University, Stanford, MIT, Yale, University of California & California State University campuses, Hampton University, Columbia University, USC, Caltech, & many more.^[1]

Morse High School, the most populous of all high schools in the San Diego Unified School District, serves the predominantly working-class, culturally diverse urban communities of Alta Vista, Bay Terraces, Encanto, Jamacha-Lomita, Paradise Hills, and Skyline in Southeast San Diego.^[2] As of 2006-2007, demographics from the California Department of Education show that 35% of the students are Filipino, followed by Hispanic-Latino (34%), Black (21%), and non-Hispanic White (4.0%).^[3] Nearly 70% of the student body is eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.^[4]

Academic Performance Index place the school in schoolwide API of 640 (growth) in 2007 from 648 (base) in 2006 where 800 is the targeted California state goal.^[5] As of 2006, Morse High School has an API Statewide Rank of 3 out of 10, and an API Similar Schools Rank of 6 out of 10.^[6]

Amid criticism of the school's declining performance after its administrative shake-up in 2002,^[7] then-superintendent Carl Cohn brought in Todd Irving, a Co-Principal from East Palo Alto High School,^[8] as Co-Principal to assist Principal Rocio Weiss for the 2006-2007 school year.^[9] Following Rocio Weiss's departure as Co-Principal in 2008, Todd Irving has retained his role as Principal of Morse High School.

With the closing of Gompers High School in 2007, Morse High School and the rebuilt Lincoln High School remain the only public senior high schools in Southeast San Diego.^[10][11] Additionally, Lincoln's reopening in 2007 has brought back a renewed, spirited crosstown rivalry between the two Southeast San Diego high schools.^[12]

Programs

Athletics

Morse offers a full range of athletic teams. These teams compete against other schools in the district and in the surrounding area. Tryouts for the teams usually take place the previous semester. Morse High School is one of very few high schools to have produced two Olympic Gold Medalists (Arnie Robinson and Monique Henderson).

Clubs