Montgomery High School (San Diego)

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

Montgomery High School
Address
Map
3250 Palm Avenue

,
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/

History

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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, in1968, the Sweetwater High School District got $1.6 million for school projects, that was in part used for the school [citation needed] ( Chula Vista Star-News, Mar 17, 1968)''

In 1975, Tagalog class was first offered as a foreign language in California at Montgomery.[7][8]

Montgomery High underwent extensive renovations, with classrooms being gutted and renovated in 2006 by Turner Construction. In 2009-2010 more construction work began.[9] 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.[10] 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 in 2011 into early 2012 under Prop-O.[11] The new library, named for founding principal Joseph C Torres, was opened on February, 10th 2012,[12] 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.[13] In 2014 an approximately 15,800 sq. ft. custom gym floor was installed.[14]

Montgomery High School has a student-led Spotify podcast titled "MOHCAST" which seeks to talk about anything related to the school and its student culture.[15]

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, 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.[16]

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 a violation of students' rights and a misleading use of the drill.[17]

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.[18]

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."[19]

In November 2022, county health officials reported potential tuberculosis (TB) exposure at several schools in San Diego County, including Mission Bay High School, Montgomery High School, and Frederick H. Rohr Elementary in Chula Vista.[20]

Programs

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Montgomery High School offers specialized programs, including a range of AP courses, elective offerings, and honors courses.[21]

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 prepareing 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.[22]

  • 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.[23]
  • Band, students have the opportunity to participate in elective courses such as band and jazz classes.[24]

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.[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]

Montgomery High's Mariachi Aztecas is a school program dedicated to traditional Mexican mariachi music. March 2, 2024, over "170 Sweetwater Union High School District students" attended the Adelante Latino Conference at UC San Diego.[27] The event featured Montgomery High's Mariachi Azteca alongside talks with Latino leaders, including Dr. Moises Aguirre.[28] On April 17, 2024, Montgomery High's Mariachi Aztecas performed at the SUHSD Mariachi Spring District Concert.[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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The athletics department at (MOH) offers a range of sports throughout the academic year, divided into fall, winter, and spring seasons.

Notable alumni

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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[32]
Wuv Bernardo 1991 Musician Drummer for P.O.D.[33]
Sonny Sandoval 1991 Musician Singer for P.O.D.[33]
Rey Mysterio 1993 Athlete Professional wrestler[34]
Óscar Robles 1994 Athlete Professional baseball player[35]
Sergio Mitre 1999 Athlete Professional baseball player[36]
Thunder Rosa 2006 Athlete Professional wrestler
Alfredo Gutiérrez 2015 Athlete Professional football player[37]

See also

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References

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  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 2024-08-27.
  5. ^ "New School Named After Pioneer Flyer". cdnc.ucr.edu. Chula Vista Star-News. 21 April 1968. p. A4. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  6. ^ "National City Star-News 16 May 1968 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  7. ^ Lim, Ed (January 2010). "Filipino, Pilipino, Tagalog: Status of Filipino Classes in the U.S." (PDF). Language Training Center. San Diego State University. Retrieved 10 May 2018.[dead link]
  8. ^ 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 2018-11-08. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ^ District, Sweetwater Union High School (2008-09-30). "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 2024-08-27.
  10. ^ Čada, Glenn (2014-09-05). "A Most Unforgettable Character — Uncle Elden". clarksonhistory. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  11. ^ BuildingPropO (2010-07-20). Montgomery High School - Proposition O. Retrieved 2024-08-28 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ "Montgomery High School". Swinerton. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  13. ^ Salomino Jr (2012-02-10). Montgomery High School - Joseph C Torres Library & Media Center - 02.10.12. Retrieved 2024-08-27 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ "Montgomery High School Project". Geary Floors Inc. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
  15. ^ "Spotify". open.spotify.com. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  16. ^ Diego, Voice of San (2009-08-30). "The Battle for Montgomery High". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  17. ^ Huntsberry, Will (2018-11-30). "Police Arrested Montgomery High Students in Operation Disguised as Active Shooter Drill". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
  18. ^ Huard, Christine (2019-11-01). "Boy in Gorilla Suit Injured by Golf Cart; Montgomery HS Staffers Suspected". Times of San Diego. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  19. ^ "Student who jumped into shark tank at South Bay aquarium apologizes". Fox 5 San Diego. March 14, 2019. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  20. ^ Page • •, Eric S. (2022-11-10). "Kids, Teachers at Chula Vista School Warned About Tuberculosis Exposure". NBC 7 San Diego. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  21. ^ "MOH Counseling - Academics". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  22. ^ "Career Technical Education – Montgomery High School". Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  23. ^ "Montgomery Media Institute (KMMI) – Montgomery High School". Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  24. ^ "Library Concerts: Montgomery High School Jazz Band | San Diego Public Library". sandiego.librarymarket.com. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  25. ^ "Administration of Justice Program". Montgomery High School. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  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 2024-10-29.
  28. ^ "Adelante Latino". eaop.ucsd.edu. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  29. ^ Torres, Valerie. "Mariachi Barones unitedly celebrate music and culture". the Crusader. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  30. ^ "Monty's Market Soft Opening (Timestamp: 5:30)". YouTube. 22 August 2024. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  31. ^ "Instagram page of Team BOS Foundation". Instagram. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  32. ^ Stories, Local (2020-03-02). "Meet Nora Vargas". SDVoyager - San Diego. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  33. ^ a b "Hall of Fame inductees named (II)". The Star-News. November 4, 2005. p. 5. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ 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.
  35. ^ Brents, Phillip (October 22, 1994). "Local hero giving it back". The Star-News. p. 17. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ Wilson, Bernie (July 3, 2007). "Giles, Wells team to top Marlins". The Desert Sun. p. 25. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ 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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