Gunn High School

Henry M. Gunn High School
Address
780 Arastradero Road Palo Alto, California, 94306 United States
Coordinates	37°23′56″N 122°07′59″W / 37.399°N 122.133°W / 37.399; -122.133Coordinates: 37°23′56″N 122°07′59″W / 37.399°N 122.133°W / 37.399; -122.133
Information
Type	Public
Established	1964
School district	Palo Alto Unified School District
Oversight	Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Schools
Superintendent	Kevin Skelly
Principal	Katya Villalobos
Assistant principals	Kimberley Cowell, Tom Jacoubowsky, Trinity Klein
Staff	131 (2011–2012)[1]
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	1,850 (2012–2013)[2]
Area	Northern Santa Clara County
Color(s)	Red and Black
Mascot	Timmy the Titan
Team name	Titans
Newspaper	The Oracle
Yearbook	The Olympian
Feeder schools	Jordan Middle School JLS Middle School Terman Middle School
Website	gunn.pausd.org

Henry M. Gunn High School is one of two public high schools in Palo Alto, California.

Gunn is well known for its academically rigorous environment and enjoys a spirited academic and athletic rivalry with nearby Palo Alto High School.

History

Established in 1964, Gunn High School was named after the late Henry M. Gunn (1898–1988), who served as the Palo Alto superintendent from 1950 to 1961. In 1964, the Palo Alto Unified School District announced it would name the district's third high school after him. The Class of 1966 was the first class to graduate from Gunn High School.^[3]

In the spring of 2010, Gunn High School was picketed by the Westboro Baptist Church. Rather than responding with violence, students and staff staged a successful counter-demonstration in the form of a Phelps-A-Thon. As a result, the school received favorable press and publicity and raised more than $1,100.00 for its gay-straight alliance.^[4][5]

Academic reputation

U.S. News & World Report rated Gunn High School 66th in 2007, 74th in 2008, and 64th in 2010.^[6] Newsweek rated Gunn High School the 81st best high school in America in 2008 and 42nd in 2011.^[7]

U.S. News & World Report rated Gunn High School 4th in the nation in 2012 for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math education.^[8]

95.9% of the graduating class go on to attend college, with 80.2% going to four-year colleges. The average SAT score for Gunn seniors is 1942 for the Class of 2010 (633 CR, 673 M, 636 W).^[9] Gunn has one of the highest average SAT scores for public high schools in the United States. Gunn also has many students who are selected as National Merit Semifinalists – 43 in 2007, 44 in 2008, 31 in 2009, 42 in 2010, 30 in 2011, and 36 in 2012.^[10] In addition, 50 students received a National Merit letter of commendation in 2007, 50 in 2008, 60 in 2009, 68 in 2010 and 74 in 2011. Usually 25% of the Gunn senior class receives one of these two National Merit honors.

Gunn offers 22 AP classes and 8 Honors classes that count for the weighted GPA.^[9] In May 2010, 657 students took 1820 AP tests. 93% scored 3 or higher and 54% scored a grade of 5. Gunn does not rank students individually – ranking is reported by decile.^[9]

Education in mathematics and sciences is particularly strong. In 2004, 5 students qualified for the USAMO out of around 250 nationally, and during the 2004–2005 school year 5 out of the approximately 35 American students in the Gold Division of the USACO were from Gunn. In 2009, nine students qualified for the USAMO. Gunn also consistently places in the Top 3 at the Bay Area Mathematics Olympiad (BAMO). In 2011, the Gunn team placed 9th at the Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament.

In 2011, Gunn had four national semifinalists in the Siemens Competition and the Intel Science Talent Search, two of the most prestigious science competitions in America. In each competition, one individual went on to compete at the finalist stage.^[11][12]

PLTW

Gunn is also host to Project Lead the Way (PLTW), an organization that promotes science, technology, engineering, and math. Courses from this program include Digital Electronics and Introduction to Engineering Design, as well as Principles of Engineering.^[13] However, in the 2012-2013 school year, only Introduction to Engineering Design will be offered. Digital Electronics was cancelled due to low enrollment and Principles of Engineering was cancelled due to funding issues.

Statistics

Demographics

2012–2013^[2]

• 1,850 students: 984 Male (53.2%), 866 Female (46.8%)

Standardized testing

Student groups

Gunn offers over 90 student clubs, teams, and organizations that focus on art, community action, culture, environment, politics, music, dance, journalism, and more.

Newspaper

The Oracle is Gunn's official student newspaper publication. The organization was established in 1964. The newspaper publishes nine issues of approximately 28 pages every school year and concludes the year with the publication of a Senior Issue.^[17]

Student government

The Gunn Associated Student Body Student Executive Council (SEC) is in charge of maintaining student funds and planning and executing activities that foster school spirit and make high school memorable.^[18] SEC handles Homecoming Week, Spring Fling, school dances, special events, and rallies on campus. SEC is led by an elected President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Class Presidents and VP's, and various Commissioners.^[19]

Theatre

Gunn students stage three major productions every year (Fall, Spring and One Acts) and occasional staged readings.^[20] Current theatre director James Shelby has been with the program since 1983.

Music

The Gunn Music Program has a long and proud tradition of excellence, achieving outstanding group results while rewarding individual competence and dedication.^[21] The program contains several music groups including a Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Orchestra, Concert Band, Concert Choir, and Chamber Singers.

Robotics Team

The acclaimed^[22][23] Gunn Robotics Team (GRT), established in 1997, has consistently placed in the top 25 at the FIRST Robotics Competition. It is also the only FIRST Robotics team to have won the national animation award more than once, winning in 1997, 2006, and 2012. They also won best models worldwide in their 2010 animation.^[24] In 2012 The Robotics Team won the Chesapeake Bay Regional in Baltimore and won National FRC Championship Excellence in Design Award (3D Animation) sponsored by Autodesk. GRT is the only team that has won a total of three Animation awards in the history of FIRST.^[25]

Notable alumni

Stephan Jenkins, class of 1983 – lead singer for Third Eye Blind

• Steve Almond, class of 1984 – writer (The Evil B.B. Chow, Candyfreak)
• Mehdi Ballouchy, class of 2002 – professional soccer player, currently with the New York Red Bulls
• Matt Flynn, class of 1988 – drummer (The B-52's, Maroon 5)
• Andrew Jacobson, class of 2003 – professional soccer player, currently with FC Dallas
• Stephan Jenkins, class of 1983 – lead singer for Third Eye Blind
• Stanley Jordan, class of 1977 – jazz guitarist (Magic Touch)
• David Leavitt, class of 1979 – author (The Lost Language of Cranes, The Body of Jonah Boyd)
• Brad Lee, class of 1998 – musician (The Album Leaf, Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects)
• Zoe Lofgren, class of 1966 – U.S. Representative for California's 16th congressional district, 1995 – present
• Matt Marquess, class of 2004 – professional soccer player for the Kansas City Wizards
• Brian Martin, class of 1992 – Olympic medal-winning luger
• Shemar Moore, class of 1988 – actor (Criminal Minds, The Young and the Restless)
• Ann Packer, class of 1977 – author (The Dive from Clausen's Pier)
• George Packer, class of 1978 – journalist (Mother Jones, The New Yorker) and author
• Tom E. Politzer, class of 1976 – saxophonist (Tower of Power)
• Rick Porras, class of 1984 – film producer (co-producer of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Contact)
• Brett Simon, class of 1992 – film director (Assassination of a High School President)
• Anne Wojcicki, class of 1991 – biologist, founder of 23andMe and wife of Google founder Sergey Brin
• Yiaway Yeh, class of 1996 – Mayor of Palo Alto, 2012 – present
• Jessica Yu, class of 1983 – Oscar-winning documentarian and film director (Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien, Ping Pong Playa)

References

External links

• Gunn High School website
• Gunn Alumni Site
• The Oracle, student-run newspaper
• Gunn Auto Tech
• Gunn Robotics Team
• Titan Broadcast Network
• Gunn Band and Orchestra
• Gunn Theatre