Granada Hills Charter High School

Granada Hills Charter High School (often called "GHCHS" or "Granada") is an independent public school consisting of over 4,200 students in grades 9–12, located in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Granada Hills. It currently holds the record as the top comprehensive public senior high school in Los Angeles and the largest charter school in the nation. Granada also has a high Academic Performance Index (API) score of 878, which greatly exceeds the target API score of 800 for all schools in California.^[2] On April 12, 2011, Granada was named a 2011 California Distinguished School.^[3] On December 22, 2011, Granada became an International Baccalaureate World School.^[4] In 2013, Granada won their 3rd consecutive National Academic Decathlon Championship.

History

Granada Hills High School is a comprehensive public high school, founded in 1960 as part of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

In the 1970-1971 and 1971-72 school years, Granada Hills High had the largest student body of any high school in the United States.^[5] The school was relieved by the 1971 opening of Kennedy High School.^[6]

In 1994, the school opened a LAUSD magnet school with emphasis in math, science and technology in conjunction with the California State University at Northridge. In 2003, the school was awarded charter status which granted it fiscal and instructional autonomy in order to improve student academic performance.^[7]

Granada Hills Charter made history when almost all of its employees – teachers, classified staff and administrators – along with over 2,000 parents, signed its charter petition for independence from Los Angeles Unified. In 2003 the Los Angeles Board of Education voted to allow the school to become a charter, making it the largest charter school in the United States.^[8] The school administration asked for a charter status since being directly operated the district limited its fundraising opportunities, and it also was against LAUSD funding cuts.^[9]

As a fiscally independent conversion charter school, Granada Hills Charter has a current student enrollment of over 4,300 and an annual student wait list of approximately 2,000. The School's student body is considered one of the most diverse, with more than 40 languages other than English spoken at home and over 60 nationalities represented. As a 501c3 non-profit benefit corporation, the School’s Governing Board is the legal entity overseeing all school policy and its $35 million operating budget.

In spring, 2011, the school attempted to gain control of a newly built public high school, claiming that the school's charter status was responsible for the school's success. However, after a community vote, Granada was not given the opportunity to control the school and the new Valley Region High School is a performing arts magnet.

Technology

On campus, there are six computer labs, each with more than 35 computers. There are also laptop carts, which house many laptop computers and can be transported around the campus for enrichment activities. Science classrooms are updated with new lab technology often. Most classrooms have Smart Boards and projectors, increasing the overall student interaction in class.

Beginning in the 2015-2016 school year, Chromebooks are given to every student, as an effort to modernize teaching methods. Teachers may use Google Classroom to post assignments, online teaching materials, and give instant feedback to the students. Additionally, the school has wifi networks campuswide, and can provide wifi at a student's home if they cannot afford it.^[10]

Demographics

According to US News and World Report, 72% of Granada's student body is "of color," with 52% of the student body coming from an economically disadvantaged household, determined by student eligibility for California's Reduced-price meal program. ^[11]

Accreditations and achievements

• Granada Hills Charter High School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.^[1]
• 2011 Academic Performance Index of 876 – the highest of any public comprehensive high school in Los Angeles and the sixth consecutive year the school has scored over 800.
• 2011 California Distinguished School – the only comprehensive high school in Los Angeles to receive this prestigious statewide award.
• Graduation rate of 98%.
• College acceptance rate above 95%.
• In-seat attendance rate of 98%.
• All significant business and operational services are handled in-house.
• Blended Virtual Program – Serving over 100 students (and expanding next year), the Granada Hills Charter Virtual Program offers the same rigorous academic program to students in a blended learning setting. Granada Hills Charter is one of a select group of public schools in the nation to have secured the NCAA certification for all of its web based and online courses.
• Lowered class sizes (32 to 1 school wide).
• Developed a required two- and four-week summer transition academy for in-coming 9th grade and new students.
• Developed academic and career programs such as Humanitas/New Media, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), GBF (Global Business and Finance), GHI (Global History of Ideas), Construction, Automotive, and Culinary Arts among others to ensure students are college and career-ready.
• International Baccalaureate (IB) World School – In the fall of 2011, GHCHS was named an IB World School, only one of a handful of high schools in California to earn the prestigious certification to offer the IB diploma to its students (courses begin in the Fall 2012).^[4] This program is designed for 11th and 12th grade students, and aims to develop writing, speaking, and research skills across an internationally conscious curriculum so students will be able to prepare for learning and leading upon graduation.
• DECA introduced for students interested in business and finance led by the head of the GBF house, Mr. Andrew Nelson

Facilities

The school's sports stadium, the John Elway Stadium, is used by the Los Angeles Rampage women's soccer team and is the former home ground of the San Fernando Valley Quakes United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League soccer team. While playing for University of Southern California, Reggie Bush used the school's track to train and stay in shape. The school's campus is especially well maintained, with planters scattered throughout campus containing various types of flora and fauna, particularly ferns.

Athletics

In 1964, Granada Hills High School won the L.A. City Basketball Championship.

In 1970, Granada Hills High School won the L.A. City Football Championship with the five-receiver passing attack innovated by Coach Jack Neumeier later known as the spread offense that a few years later attracted John Elway's father, Jack Elway's attention, after the Elway family moved to Los Angeles when Jack Elway assumed the head football coaching position at California State University, Northridge.^[12]

In 1987, in a highly publicized rematch, Granada Hills High School upset the Carson Colts (at the time the #2 rated high school football team in the United States), 27-14, to win their second L.A. City Football Championship. Head coach Darryl Stroh, offensive coordinator Tom Harp, and line coach Bill Lake were instrumental in developing a successful new game plan that countered Carson's offensive juggernaut and ferocious pass rush. Carson had clobbered Granada, 42-14, earlier in the season. It is still regarded as one of the biggest upsets in the history of L.A. high school football.

In the 1978 L.A. City Championship Baseball game, John Elway led Granada to the title over Crenshaw High, which featured future major leaguers Chris Brown and Darryl Strawberry.

Ryan Braun was a four-year letterman on the Granada Hills High School baseball team, and three-year team captain and Most Valuable Player (MVP). In 2002 he batted .451 as a senior, with an OBP of .675, and broke the school record for career home runs with 25.^[13]

Activities

The Lincoln-Douglas Debate team at Granada won the 2009 Varsity LD Championship at Pepperdine University. Also in 2011 won Standford Junior Varsity LD tournament^[14] (Yellow River)It was also the 2008 CHSSA State Champion in Thematic Interpretation.^[15] In 2011 took 13th at the CHSSA State tournament in Original Prose and Poetry

The Academic Decathlon team won back-to-back-to-back National championships in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The 2015 team also secured another national championship.^[16] Granada again won the 2016 National Academic Decathlon Championship for another back-to-back championship win, its fifth championship win so far.

Real Estate Purchases and Expansion Plans

In mid 2013, Granada Hills Charter High School purchased the nearby Pinecrest Northridge Elementary School campus for $5.6M,^[17] using funds obtained from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Granada Hills Charter High School used this new land to create iGranada, a campus specializing in digital arts and sciences. This campus opened for the first time for the Fall 2015 school year.^[18]

As part of their Charter Renewal Petition, GHCHS has applied to increase their enrollment from 4,300 students up to 5,500 students. This includes adding approximately 200 additional grades 9-12 seats to the existing GHCHS campus, through a Charter Augmentation Grant, and adding up to 1,000 additional seats at the Pinecrest site (or at another possible property acquisition).^[19]

Notable alumni

• Doug Baker, professional baseball player^[20]
• Dave Baldwin, college football coach^[21]
• Valerie Bertinelli, actress
• Ryan Braun, major league baseball player for Milwaukee Brewers, 2011 MVP^[20]
• Bill Buford, author/writer
• Bryan Caplan, economist, natalist, teacher
• John Elway, Hall of Fame quarterback for the Denver Broncos
• Robert Englund, actor
• Dave Fogel, Radio/TV star
• Gary Frank, actor and director
• Brad Garfield, television director
• Bob Hite,musician
• Jamal Brooks, professional football player
• Travis Kalanick, co-founder of Uber
• Barry Kerzin, Professor of medicine and Buddhist monk^[22]
• Kameron Loe, professional baseball player^[20]
• Geoffrey Marcy, UC Berkeley astronomy professor, discoverer of planets
• Gary Matthews, Jr., professional baseball player^[20]
• Blanchard Montgomery, professional football player^[23]
• Michael Morhaime, videogame producer and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment^[24]
• Neal Morse, progressive rock musician
• David Mullich, videogame producer
• Jeffrey Lee Pierce, guitarist of The Gun Club
• Dave Schmidt, professional baseball player^[20]
• Tamlyn Tomita, actress
• Lisa Wilhoit, actress
• Kristine Quance, Swimming Olympic Gold Medalist 1996
• Ariane Andrew, professional wrestler and singer^[25]

References

Further reading

• Charter petition 2004-2009 (Archive)
• Charter petition 2009-2014 (Archive)

External links

• official Granada Hills Charter High School website