Lynbrook High School

Lynbrook High School (also referred to as Lynbrook or LHS) is a co-educational, public, four-year high school located in the West San Jose neighborhood of San Jose, California, USA. It was founded in 1965 and graduated its first class in 1968.

Lynbrook is in the Fremont Union High School District along with Monta Vista High School, Cupertino High School, Fremont High School, and Homestead High School. It is fairly close to Miller Middle School. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Several measures rank Lynbrook as one of the best high schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and California as a whole.^[3] A larger percentage of its graduates are accepted into the University of California (UC) system than at any other school in the Fremont Union High School District.^[4]

History

Lynbrook High School opened on September 13, 1965, with an enrollment of 1,026 freshmen and sophomores. Because Cupertino High School had grown very large by that time, a new school in the West San Jose area was constructed. The District Board nominated Kendall Stanger as the first principal of the school. The school was technologically advanced around the time it was built and had closed-circuit television and air conditioning. During the first year, there was no gymnasium, locker room, or swimming pool. By the second school year, the gymnasium, locker room, and an Olympic-size swimming pool were built.

Campus

Many of Lynbrook's buildings and facilities are in their original state and have not been significantly renovated. However, the bleachers in the main gym were replaced between 2003 and 2006. Most of Lynbrook's buildings are constructed of old brick exteriors. New structures and facilities built since 1990 include the library, swimming pool, field house, and Voyager buildings. During the summer in 2009, the parking lot was renovated and solar panels were added. In the fall of 2012, the football field and track was renovated, including new lights.^[5] There are also has redesigned its library.

Lynbrook has a football field with a synthetic track around, a baseball field, and a field hockey/soccer field, also known as Stober field. Lynbrook's Olympic-sized swimming pool is in excellent condition. During water polo season, Lynbrook's nine-lane swimming pool devotes about half of its area to non-lane-divided deep-water areas. The deep-water area is used mainly for water polo competitions. The pool was renovated in the summer of 2009. The softball and field hockey areas were also renovated in 2006-2007.

The classroom wings are on the back (east) side of the school and are numbered from 101-615. The 100 and 200 wings are on the north side, and the 500 and 600 wings are on the south side. The gymnasium, swimming pool, and tennis and basketball courts are situated on the southwest side of Lynbrook's campus. The western third of the campus consists of the Stober field (a large green lawn used primarily for field hockey practice and student events) and a football field. The visual and performing arts center is the school's easternmost building. The school's mural of the Viking, which faces the main parking lot, is painted on the building that houses the girls' locker rooms and the weight training room.

The rally court or quad is the hub of student life at Lynbrook and is surrounded by the cafeteria, classroom wings, auditorium, and the Associated Student Body den. School-wide homecoming skits are performed in the rally court. Other student activities also take place in the quad, including "Club Day." On Club Day, participating clubs set up tables in the quad and fundraise by selling food and drinks. Spirit Weeks, week-long events put on by the Associated Student Body (ASB), are also held in the quad. Spirit weeks culminate in a school-wide rally at the end of the week, located in the main gym. While the bleachers in the main gym were being replaced, rallies were held outdoors in the quad.

Academics

Lynbrook has widely been known for consistently being one of the top 20 academic high schools in California for several years.^[6] Lynbrook's academic reputation has also influenced the real estate market in the surrounding neighborhood, causing home prices to rise higher than other neighborhoods in the San Jose area.

As of 2011, Lynbrook High School's base Academic Performance Index (API) is 943, which is 201 points higher than the state average for high schools, and is similar to those of Saratoga, Mission San Jose, and Monta Vista.^[7] The API ranking for Lynbrook High School is 19 out of 19, which is the best rating possible for any school, and its similar-schools API ranking is 9 out of 10. In 2008, Lynbrook was ranked 6th out of all public schools in the state of California, excluding magnet schools, based on API scores.^[8] In 2009, the U.S. News & World Report ranked Lynbrook as the 98th best high school in the United States.^[9] In 2007, the school scored a 10 out of 10 in both API Statewide and Similar School ranking.^[10]

Lynbrook students consistently receive high marks on standardized exams, including the SAT and Advanced Placement Exams. On the SAT Reasoning Test, the mean critical reading score for the class of 2012 was 636/800, the mean writing score was 668/800, and the mean mathematics score was 696/800. The mean composite score on the SAT was a 2000/2400. Out of 1585 tests taken by 672 students who took Advanced Placement Exams in May 2012, 57% scored a 5, the highest score possible, and 94% of the people passed by scoring a 3 or higher.^[11]

Lynbrook produced 62 National Merit semifinalists, and 93 commended students from the class of 2013, which is the highest proportion based on the size of the graduating class (431) out of all of the high schools in the Fremont Union High School District.

93% of Lynbrook students passed the English-portion of the CAHSEE and 95% passed the mathematics portion.

Lynbrook has a relatively high proportion of high student GPA's, and the top 10 percent of students have a GPA from 3.97 to 4.00.^[12] More than half of all Lynbrook graduates attend the University of California, making Lynbrook one of the university's largest feeders. Not all students attend four-year colleges; about one-fourth attend two-year colleges such as nearby distinguished De Anza College before transferring to other prestigious institutions.

In 2009–2010, Lynbrook had a total of 6 semifinalists, two finalists, and one 2nd-place student from the Intel Science Talent Search, one of the most prestigious science competitions in America.

In 2010, Lynbrook had 8 qualifiers for the USAMO (USA Mathematical Olympiad) and 8 for the USAJMO (USA Junior Mathematical Olympiad), some of the most prestigious math competitions in the nation.

In 2011, Lynbrook was recognized at a Gala Dinner in Washington DC as an Intel School of Distinction Winner in science. Lynbrook is one of only six schools (two elementary, two middle and two high schools, each for either math or science) in the nation to receive this recognition.

Athletics and extracurriculars

Sports

Lynbrook is a member of the California Interscholastic Federation. It offers a total of 16 distinct varsity and JV sports, with sports split into two different seasons for girls and boys (such as tennis and volleyball) counted as one sport.^[13]

ASB

The Lynbrook ASB (Associated Student Body) organizes student activities and is led by both student and administrative members. The ASB organizes many class competitions, brunch and lunch time entertainment, rallies, and also homecoming. Homecoming is the largest event on the school calendar. During homecoming, classes hold "skits" and compete against each other during homecoming week.

ASB cards, issued by the ASB, allow students to receive discounted prices on school merchandise, tickets, and activities. As of the 2011-2012 school year, an ASB card can be purchased for $85, with the cost of the yearbook included.

Lynbrook holds school dances throughout the year, usually on Friday nights. The dances begin at 7:30 p.m. and end at 10:30 p.m. School rules are in effect during the dances, and only Lynbrook students are allowed in the dances unless a guest pass is obtained.

There are four to six spirit weeks held throughout the school year. During these themed weeks, the ASB puts on spirit games in the quad that involve students and teachers in ridiculous but entertaining games. Usually these games involve one student from each class.

Demographics

Like most other American high schools, Lynbrook is a four-year high school that consists of freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classes. As of the 2016-2017 school year, Lynbrook High School had a total of 1,741 students, with 449 students belonging to the senior class of 2014.^[14]

87% of students are Asian, 9% are White, 4% are "Other", and the remaining are English learners.^[14] Like many top high schools in the Bay Area, Lynbrook's student body is primarily Chinese American, many of whom are Taiwanese, with a growing Indian American population.^[15]

School boundaries

Lynbrook High School's boundaries comprise the western part of West San Jose and parts of northern Saratoga. The school's area is bound to the north by Bollinger Road, to the east by Saratoga Creek, to the south by Cox Avenue, and to the west by De Anza Boulevard.

Currently, the Residency Verification policy states that all students who are enrolled in Lynbrook High School must be physically residing within the district's boundaries. The Residency Verification Anonymous Hotline is one of the district's ways of helping to enforce the policy (see Fremont Union High School District). However, a small number of students live elsewhere but are allowed enrollment due to lottery enrollment or by exceptions from the district.

Curriculum

Policies and grading

Lynbrook High School's most important policies are covered by the Fremont Union High School District's main policies, including the Zero Tolerance Policy, Academic Code of Conduct, and Residency Verification. They are all stated in the first few pages of the Student Planner. Assistant principals and the Student Legislative Council set minor policies and school rules.

AP and honors courses

Lynbrook offers a total of 17 different AP courses (counting AP Calculus AB and BC as two separate courses) and 8 different honors courses.

Graduation requirements

A minimum of 220 semester units are required for graduation from Lynbrook High School. Ten units equal one year of work for each period.

Lynbrook's electives include 3D Design, Art, Architecture, Principles of Business, Virtual Enterprise, Engineering Tech, Choir, Computer-Aided Design (Drafting), Java, Computer Science, Computer Applications, Chinese, French, Japanese, Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, and Spanish. Physical education is a required course for freshmen and sophomores. Sophomores also have the opportunity to take PE Athletics (Team Sports), Racquet Sports, PE Basketball, Weight Training, or Weight Training(For athletes) instead of PE 10.^[16]

School technology

Lynbrook considers itself a technology-literate school which uses the Internet as the primary means of communication. Like some schools within the Fremont Union High School District, teachers, administrators, and students use the School Loop for announcements, discussions, assignments and schedules. The School Loop can also be used for posting e-mail addresses and files.

Teachers use turnitin.com, mygradebook.com, and other such websites to post grades and collect and evaluate papers.

The school library also has 36 public terminals for student use. Two computer labs in Rooms 005 and 006 are only for use by classes that have made appointments with the school, but students may access the computers during Monday and Thursday tutorial periods. Many classrooms have surround sound systems and/or Smartboards. A flex lab also provides teachers a new technology-rich learning space.^[17]

Notable alumni

• Douglas McNeil (Class of 1977) - Honored by the White House Administration- Champions of Change Program
• Brian Matthew Krzanich (Class of 1978) - CEO of Intel
• Chris Cavanaugh (Class of 1980) - Former Olympic swimmer, winning the gold medal in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay at the 1984 Summer Olympics
• Greg Camp (Class of 1985) - Former lead guitarist and songwriter for the band Smash Mouth
• Kurt Kuenne (Class of 1990) - Filmmaker and composer
• Kristie Lu Stout (Class of 1992) - CNN International Anchor/Correspondent
• Boris Bershteyn (Class of 1995) – acting Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
• Paraag Marathe (Class of 1995) – President of the San Francisco 49ers (2014–present)
• George Fan (Class of 1996) - Creator of Insaniquarium and Plants vs. Zombies
• Laura Shigihara (Class of 1998) - Video game composer, independent game developer, and singer-songwriter
• Sanjit Biswas (Class of 1998) - Former CEO and a co-founder of Meraki
• Noah Kagan (Class of 2000) - American Internet entrepreneur and the founder of AppSumo
• Vinay Bhat (Class of 2002) - Grandmaster of chess
• Charlie Yin (Class of 2007) - Electronic music producer that performs under the name Giraffage

References

External links

• Lynbrook High School Official Website

• Lynbrook ASB
• Lynbrook Robotics
• Lynbrook High's Official School Newspaper
• Yahoo! Education profile of Lynbrook
• Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD)
• Lynbrook Aletheia
• "Map" or layout of buildings on campus
• Lynbrook Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)