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Montgomery High School (San Diego)

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Coordinates: 32°35′05.47″N 117°03′52.03″W / 32.5848528°N 117.0644528°W / 32.5848528; -117.0644528
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Montgomery High School
Address
Map
3250 Palm Avenue

San Diego, California
,
California
92154

United States
Coordinates32°35′05.47″N 117°03′52.03″W / 32.5848528°N 117.0644528°W / 32.5848528; -117.0644528
Information
TypePublic
Motto"We Are Aztecs”
Established1970
School districtSweetwater Union High School District
SuperintendentMoisés G. Aguirre
PrincipalLouie Zumstein
Teaching staff95.53 (on an FTE basis)[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment2,341 (2022–23)[1]
Student to teacher ratio24.51[1]
CampusSuburban
Color(s)  White   Blue   Red
Fight song'Up on the Hill of Glory'
Athletics conferenceMetropolitan - Mesa League
MascotMonty the Aztec
NicknameAztecs
NewspaperLa Voz Azteca (Spanish), Moctezuma (English)
TV ChannelKMMI [2]
Social MediaASB [3]
Websitehttp://moh.sweetwaterschools.org/

Montgomery High School (MOH) is a four-year (grade levels 9–12) public high school in San Diego, California, United States. It opened in 1970 in the Otay Mesa neighborhood.[4] The school serves more than 2,500 students. It is named after pioneer aviator John Joseph Montgomery, who made the first manned glider flight in U.S. history from a hill where the school is located.[5]

History

[edit]

Before the school even opened it could be noted that there was a meeting in the district that revealed Mexican-American parents' concerns about discrimination and educational resources in the district.[6] As such this affected the school deployment. Furthermore, in 1968, Sweetwater Union High School District received $1.6 million for school projects, which was partly used for the school.

Montgomery High underwent extensive renovations, with classrooms being gutted and renovated in 2006 by Turner Construction. In 2009-2010 more construction work began.[7] As such, the creation of a new synthetic field turf was installed at the school's stadium, along with new concrete work. On August 31, 2012, a formal ceremony was held to dedicate Montgomery High School's stadium in honor of Al Prazak, a former employee in the Athletics department.[8] On the original gym there is a plaque that reads the following: "In Honor Al Prazak, for his Loyalty and Dedication. 1970-1986." of In 2011, a new office, classrooms, and library were constructed all in one two-story building in front of campus. Other work was performed from 2011 to early 2012 under Prop-O.[9] The new library, named for founding principal Joseph C Torres, was opened on February, 10th 2012,[10] and a new landscaping and quad area in front of the library and other buildings were added for the adult school on the same campus.[11] In 2014 an approximately 15,800 sq. ft. custom gym floor was installed.[12]

In 2009, Montgomery High School in San Diego faced challenges with low test scores, prompting concern from the Sweetwater Union High School District. The District replaced the principal, implemented new schedules, and increased accountability measures. The new principal, at that time Lee Romero, took significant action to improve student performance as part of the state system; that "parallels No Child Left Behind, which pushes school to raise test scores." However, this did spark debate among teachers and the union, who were concerned about the process.[13] As of 2022, the changes were successful.[14][15]

In 2018, San Diego law enforcement proposed to conduct an active school shooter drill and use it as cover for the arrests of four students. On Halloween, officials at Montgomery High School carried out this plan. This tactic, seen as a new and untested law enforcement strategy, was defended by Sweetwater Union High School District officials as a measure to ensure safety. However, juvenile justice advocates criticized it as violating students' rights and a misleading use of the drill.[16]

In 2019, an incident occurred in which a student, dressed in a gorilla costume, was injured by a golf cart after throwing an egg at a staff member. The student claimed he was "run over" by the staff golf cart while the staff member said he was "tapped by the golf cart". The event was covered by the local news.[17]

In March 2019, a Montgomery High School student was involved in an incident at the Living Coast Discovery Center in Chula Vista, California during a school field trip. The student, a junior at the time, jumped into a shark tank. He claimed that "he did it as a dare in exchange for cash and a designer belt."[18]

Programs

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Montgomery High School offers specialized programs, including AP courses, elective offerings, and honors courses.[19]

Available programs under Advanced Placement (AP) include: AP Spanish Language, AP Spanish Literature, AP Language, AP Literature, AP Physics, AP Physics C:Mechanics, AP Biology, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Human Geography, AP World History: AP US History: AP United States Government and Politics, AP Statistics, AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Computer Science A.

The school's honors courses include Physics Honors, Chemistry Honors, and US History Honors.

AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) is an academic course that aids students in preparing for college.

Career Technical Education (CTE) courses are a blend of academics with hands-on training to prepare students for careers by learning practical skills. At Montgomery, students can pursue classes in Sports Medicine, Engineering, Robotics, Computer Art, Digital Art, and Television/Film production.[20]

  • Sports Medicine: Covers basic anatomy and emergency care, with advanced students learning to assess and treat injuries.
  • Robotics: Teaches the fundamentals of robots and computer-controlled machines.
  • Computer Art: Focuses on design and software skills.
  • Digital Art: An advanced course where students create digital portfolios using tools like Adobe Photoshop.
  • Television/Film: Teaches video production and broadcasting, with students working on school news segments. Witch is known as KMMI.[21]
  • Band, students have the opportunity to participate in elective courses such as band and jazz classes.[22]

The Administration of Justice Program is a specialized curriculum available to Montgomery High School students who aspire to careers in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. This program spans from the sophomore year to the senior year, offering students a comprehensive education in justice administration.[23]

Since it has been taught in 1975, Tagalog class has been offered as a foreign language in California at Montgomery.[24][25]

Operation GRIT (Growth, Resilience, Integrity, and Tenacity) is a program that junior and senior students. The program pairs upperclassmen with underclassmen to provide academic support and peer mentoring. The class emphasizes the development of academic skills and "resilience," encouraging students to adopt a growth mindset through structured mentorship.[26]

Montgomery High School partners with Southwestern College, allowing students to take an American Sign Language (ASL) class taught by a college professor at the high school.[citation needed]

The Montgomery High School Mariachi Band entertains Sailors and civilian employees

Montgomery High's Mariachi Aztecas is a school program dedicated to traditional Mexican mariachi music.[27][28][29]

Monty's Market provides essentials such as clothes, toiletries, and school supplies. The market is located in the school's old drama room and also serves as a practical learning environment where students in the transition program can develop job skills and gain work experience.[30] The market operates as a thrift store on campus, allowing students to select up to three items once per week.[31]

Athletics

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MOH offers a full range of athletic teams. These teams compete under the Aztec team name against other schools in the district and the surrounding area.

The varsity baseball field at Montgomery High School
The original basketball gym of the school, the school has two.
Fall Winter Spring
Fall

Football[32]

Girls Field hockey

Girls Flag Football

Girls & Boys Cross Country

Girls Volleyball

Girls Golf[33]

Girls Tennis

Boys Water Polo


Girls & Boys Basketball[34]

Girls Water Polo

Soccer

Wrestling

Cheer

Boys Tennis

Football

Boys Volleyball

Girls & Boys Swimming

Boys Golf

Boys Baseball[35]

Girls Softball

Track & Field

Beach Volleyball

Notable alumni

[edit]
Name Grad Class Category Best Known For
Tony Walker 1977 Athlete Professional baseball player
William McLeroy 1978 Other Firefighter
Nora Vargas 1990 Politician American politician[36]
Wuv Bernardo 1991 Musician Drummer for P.O.D.[37]
Sonny Sandoval 1991 Musician Singer for P.O.D.[37]
Rey Mysterio 1993 Athlete Professional wrestler[38]
Óscar Robles 1994 Athlete Professional baseball player[39]
Sergio Mitre 1999 Athlete Professional baseball player[40]
Thunder Rosa 2006 Athlete Professional wrestler
Alfredo Gutiérrez 2015 Athlete Professional football player[41]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Montgomery High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  2. ^ "KMMI Academy YouTube Channel". YouTube. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  3. ^ "ASBMoh Instagram Profile". Instagram. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  4. ^ "Montgomery High School 1968-1972 - South Bay Historical Society". sunnycv.com. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  5. ^ "New School Named After Pioneer Flyer". cdnc.ucr.edu. Chula Vista Star-News. April 21, 1968. p. A4. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  6. ^ "National City Star-News 16 May 1968 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  7. ^ District, Sweetwater Union High School (September 30, 2008). "Montgomery High School New Two Story Building And Modernization Of Building 102, 1200 And Synthetic Track and Turf Field Project". ceqanet.opr.ca.gov. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  8. ^ Čada, Glenn (September 5, 2014). "A Most Unforgettable Character — Uncle Elden". clarksonhistory. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  9. ^ BuildingPropO (July 20, 2010). Montgomery High School - Proposition O. Retrieved August 28, 2024 – via YouTube.
  10. ^ "Montgomery High School". Swinerton. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  11. ^ Salomino Jr (February 10, 2012). Montgomery High School - Joseph C Torres Library & Media Center - 02.10.12. Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ "Montgomery High School Project". Geary Floors Inc. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  13. ^ Diego, Voice of San (August 30, 2009). "The Battle for Montgomery High". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  14. ^ "San Diego students earn full-ride scholarships to Ivy League schools". FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. May 31, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  15. ^ Diego, Debbie L. Sklar • Times of San (May 25, 2022). "First Gen Scholars Program Helps Local Students Earn Scholarships to Ivy League". Times of San Diego. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  16. ^ Huntsberry, Will (November 30, 2018). "Police Arrested Montgomery High Students in Operation Disguised as Active Shooter Drill". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  17. ^ Huard, Christine (November 1, 2019). "Boy in Gorilla Suit Injured by Golf Cart; Montgomery HS Staffers Suspected". Times of San Diego. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  18. ^ "Student who jumped into shark tank at South Bay aquarium apologizes". Fox 5 San Diego. March 14, 2019. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  19. ^ "MOH Counseling - Academics". sites.google.com. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  20. ^ "Career Technical Education – Montgomery High School". Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  21. ^ "Montgomery Media Institute (KMMI) – Montgomery High School". Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  22. ^ "Library Concerts: Montgomery High School Jazz Band | San Diego Public Library". sandiego.librarymarket.com. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  23. ^ "Administration of Justice Program". Montgomery High School. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  24. ^ Lim, Ed (January 2010). "Filipino, Pilipino, Tagalog: Status of Filipino Classes in the U.S." (PDF). Language Training Center. San Diego State University. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 11, 2018. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  25. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20181108184441/https://larc.sdsu.edu/images/larc/Lim-Filipino-Pilipino-Tagalog-Status-of-Filipino-Classes-in-the-US.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 8, 2018. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  26. ^ Chambers, Angela. "Expanding Access to a College-Level Environment". National Math and Science Initiative.
  27. ^ "24TH ANNUAL ADELANTE LATINO CONFERNCE AT UCSD". 24TH ANNUAL ADELANTE LATINO CONFERNCE AT UCSD. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  28. ^ "Adelante Latino". eaop.ucsd.edu. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  29. ^ Torres, Valerie. "Mariachi Barones unitedly celebrate music and culture". the Crusader. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  30. ^ "Monty's Market Soft Opening (Timestamp: 5:30)". YouTube. August 22, 2024. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  31. ^ "Instagram page of Team BOS Foundation". Instagram. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  32. ^ Brand, Steve (September 26, 2019). "Montgomery football coaches go 'New School'". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  33. ^ Brents, Phillip (September 25, 2024). "Fall sports preview: Girls golf at Sweetwater High School". www.thestarnews.com. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  34. ^ "Twin basketball players are 'double trouble' for Montgomery High School". FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. February 1, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  35. ^ "Montgomery's Manny Hermosillo highlights Hall of Fame Coaching Legends class". San Diego Union-Tribune. August 28, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  36. ^ Stories, Local (March 2, 2020). "Meet Nora Vargas". SDVoyager - San Diego. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  37. ^ a b "Hall of Fame inductees named (II)". The Star-News. November 4, 2005. p. 5. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ Howard, Eric (June 29, 2007). "Lucha libre to rock SWC on June 30". The Star-News. p. 22. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ^ Brents, Phillip (October 22, 1994). "Local hero giving it back". The Star-News. p. 17. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ^ Wilson, Bernie (July 3, 2007). "Giles, Wells team to top Marlins". The Desert Sun. p. 25. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ^ Krasovic, Tom (June 4, 2021). "Tijuana and San Diego's Alfredo Gutierrez Joins the NFL Fast Lane with 49ers". Retrieved October 19, 2023.
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