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Balboa High School (San Francisco, California)
Encyclopedia
Balboa High School, colloquially known as Bal, is an American public high school
located near the Excelsior District in the Mission Terrace neighborhood of San Francisco, California
. Balboa serves grades nine
through twelve
as part of the San Francisco Unified School District
(SFUSD).
Balboa is a comprehensive school
located in an urban working class
district. It educates a greater proportion of the city's disadvantaged
and minority
students relative to other city high schools. Mirroring conditions in the areas it serves, the school has a history marked by periods of violence, controversy, and low academic performance.
The school motto is "First on the Pacific." The campus is the only historic landmark school in the district and the only one operating in the city. Following the dismissal of the entire faculty in 1999, it became the first school in Northern California
to embrace and convert its curriculum to the concept of small learning communities
. It was the first in California to start a school-based student health clinic. In response to the AIDS pandemic
, it was the first school in California to distribute free condom
s to students. In the last decade, Balboa has experienced a turnaround and has improved its reputation and academic performance. The school achieved placement on Newsweek
' s "America's Top Public High Schools" list in 2007 and 2008.
Balboa High School is named after 16th century Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa
. Founded in 1928, campus construction was completed in 1931.
In the spring of 1952, students at Balboa invented a variation on a conga line
dance
which inspired bandleader and songwriter Ray Anthony
to compose an accompanying hit song
with the same name, "The Bunny Hop
".
In 1986, Balboa converted its metal shop into the first school-based health clinic
in California: the Balboa Teen Health Center. The clinic provides basic medical
and mental health
services. The clinic has improved access and the health habits of a disadvantaged student population that might otherwise have gone without professional health assistance.
In an effort to prevent the spread of AIDS
, Balboa became the first school in California to distribute free condoms to students in May 1992. This program and the clinic's other family planning
and sexually transmitted disease
efforts have featured somewhat controversially in a number of research papers and debates.
Balboa became embroiled in controversy over a hazing
incident on February 22, 1994 in which three Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
(JROTC) cadet
s were assaulted by other team members under orders from senior commanders. Ultimately one cadet was rendered partially deaf from a punctured eardrum
. The resulting litigation from this incident exposed a culture and history of JROTC hazing at Balboa and several other SFUSD schools extending back to the 1980s.
This controversy has been cited by JROTC opponents in efforts to eliminate the program at all SFUSD schools, which lasted from 2007-2009.
On January 3, 2001, a student showing off a gun accidentally shot a 15-year-old friend in the hip and triggered a two-hour lockdown of Balboa and a nearby middle school and elementary school. Police immediately took the shooting student into custody. The 16-year-old student who had the gun was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and possessing and discharging a weapon on a school campus. The following week, Balboa created a telephone hotline to receive reports of students bringing weapons to school.
During the 1999–2000 academic year, Balboa shifted its academic program to the concept of Small Learning Communities (SLC). These communities would form a "school within a school" in an effort to turn around past poor academic performance. To support the formation of SLCs, Balboa was the recipient of funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
in 2004 and 2005 through the Every Child Can Learn Foundation Secondary Redesign Initiative.
Frustrated by poor conditions such as insufficient textbook
s and dilapidated facilities during the late 1990s, students at Balboa became members of the class-action lawsuit
Williams v. California. Filed in 2000 by the American Civil Liberties Union
(ACLU) against the State of California, the suit alleged a failure to provide adequate facilities, textbooks, and teachers for the poorest schools in the state. The case was named after Eliezer Williams, a middle school
student age 12 at the time, who would go on to graduate from Balboa. The lawsuit was resolved in 2004, with the administration of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
agreeing to provide US$
138 million for instructional material, US$50 million for critical facility repairs at nearly 2,400 state schools, and to reimburse school districts for future repairs of deficient facilities. Estimates indicate California may be liable for up to US$1 billion in reimbursements over several years.
Building on an effort started in 2001 to increase scores by providing breakfast
before tests, Balboa initiated a pilot breakfast program in 2005 called "Grab N Go". A first for Northern California, the program has increased the number of disadvantaged students receiving breakfast. Using magnetic swipe cards, eligible students can pick up a pre-bagged meal as they enter the building and can eat the meal during the first ten minutes of their first class. Previously, students would have to arrive up to 30 minutes before classes started and finish the meal in the cafeteria
. Prior to 2001 participation in the free or reduced fee meal program averaged under 40% of eligible enrollment. Since the pilot program started, breakfast participation has averaged over 55%. Credited with increasing academic performance, the program was nominated by Nancy Pelosi
for and subsequently received a Victory Against Hunger Award from the Congressional Hunger Center in 2006. Balboa was one of four schools nationwide to receive part of a grant from the got breakfast? campaign in March 2007 to support the program. Balboa has continued to serve subsidized lunch meals in a traditional two-tiered system. The social stratification caused by the separate lunch lines has attracted some criticism and efforts by the district to improve participation by eligible students.
For the spring 2006 administration, 47% of the school's ninth-graders scored "proficient" or above on the statewide standardized English exam, up from 39% from the previous year.
. The campus is close to Balboa Park
, Balboa Park Station, and Interstate 280
. San Francisco Municipal Railway
transit lines J
, K
, M, 8X, 14, 14L, 14X, 26, 29, 43, 49, and 54 provide nearby service.
The Balboa campus is part of a larger SFUSD academic complex that includes neighboring James Denman Middle School and the San Miguel Child Development Center. Balboa is close to City College of San Francisco
, the private Lick-Wilmerding High School
, and Catholic
Archbishop Riordan High School
. Situated at the bottom of a valley, parts of the campus are built over a former river and lake.
signed on January 20, 1995 by mayor Frank Jordan
. Balboa is regarded as one of the better designed and visually engaging schools within the SFUSD. San Francisco architect John Reid Jr. designed the first campus buildings in the Spanish Colonial Revival Style
with a prominent center courtyard, mission style roof tiles, and arcades
.
Although originally designed with a distinctive red mission tile roof, all campus buildings had their roofs replaced in 1998 with seismically stable materials. An original roof tile is displayed in Balboa's Hall of History.
is dominated by the three-story main classroom building. The library building to the north of the quad is equal in height to the main building and houses classrooms adjacent to and above the first floor library, including two computer labs and all the science lab classrooms. Distinct bridges on all three levels connect these two buildings.
Arts and athletic facilities dominate the southern half of the campus. Facilities along this side of the quad include the gym
nasium, tennis courts, track, and football field. The main cafeteria and the Teen Health Clinic are housed on the southern side of the quad.
Vocational and cafeteria facilities form the western side of the campus quad. Balboa's auditorium
, theater
, and music rehearsal rooms also are found on the western side of the campus quad. In 2004, the theater was refurbished with the help of charitable funding from theatrical producer Carole Shorenstein Hays
.
In partnership with PG&E, Balboa will be one of seven SFUSD schools to participate in the district's "Solar Schools" program. Solar panel
s will be installed on the roof to benefit from and raise awareness of alternative energy.
Balboa historically has a school population of primarily ethnic minorities. Between 1993 and 2010, the White
population at Balboa consistently totaled less than 5% of yearly enrollment, but the incoming freshman classes of 2013 and 2014 spiked the white population up to 5.4%. Up to 2003, the predominant ethnic groups at the school alternated between Hispanic
(24–30%) and African American
(19–24%). During this time Filipino
students also figured prominently in the ethnic distribution (19–30%) briefly becoming the majority ethnic group between 1997 and 1999. American Indians
have always comprised less than 1%, and Pacific Islander
s less than 3% of the school population.
Starting in 2004, the school's increasing academic stature combined with citywide demographic changes attributable to gentrification
and policy change
radically changed the student demographic at Balboa.
Asian
students became the predominant ethnic group (34–39%) previously accounting for less than 20% of the school population. Hispanic and Filipino students followed with declining majorities. The largest decline was in the number of African American students, accounting for only 11.3% of the school population through the 2007-2008 school year.
Coinciding with the academic turmoil of the late 1990s, the dropout rate at Balboa experienced a spike of over 230 students (16.8%) leaving in 1998. The year 2000 saw a sharp decline in the dropout rate, with no students leaving that year. The rate has averaged 2–6% since then.
The demographic composition of certified
faculty over the last decade has consisted primarily of White teachers (32–54%) with approximately similar distributions of staff reporting Asian (6–15%), Filipino (9–19%), or Hispanic (11–19%) ethnicity. African American staff accounted for the remaining 8–11%. The number of staff over the last decade has averaged between 55 and 91 members.
Balboa participates in the SFUSD's admissions lottery in which students from the entire city can indicate a preference to attend any of the district schools regardless of geographical location. Based on this preference and certain socioeconomic factors, students are then assigned to schools per district policies and goals.
In their first two years, communities of approximately 60–120 students experience focused core literary and mathematics instruction, with emphasis on community citizenship, and an exploration of career
paths. Academies or pathways are chosen by students at the end of the 10th grade for the second half of their school career with the goal of preparation for career and college. A few exceptions are noted below.
Every community or academy has several goals in common. Students are educated in preparation for their future career or post-secondary education. All communities provide the University of California
"A-G college prep" coursework necessary for university admissions eligibility. All 11th and 12th grade academies have a common goal of combining coursework with external experiences through field trips, internships, or a mentorship with local business entities or the community at large. These external events are used to raise career awareness. Students in all communities will develop a personal portfolio
or résumé
. Students will develop skills in research
and presentation
with the goal of developing collaborative
and social skills.
, Calculus AB
, Computer Science A, Chinese
, English Literature
, Physics
, Spanish
, Statistics
, and World History
. Honors classes are also provided for students wishing to learn at an accelerated pace. The administration has placed an emphasis on attracting and retaining students in AP courses from underrepresented ethnic groups. For example, the AP Spanish class is used to introduce Hispanic students to other AP classes. The school has a unique policy of not allowing students to drop out of an AP course without the approval of the principal. The goal of this policy is to identify struggling AP students and to provide additional resources and support to allow them to complete the course.
. Female sports teams are fielded in badminton, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, fencing, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track,swimming, and volleyball. Twelve male sports teams are fielded in baseball
, basketball, cross country, fencing, football
, golf, soccer, tennis, track, volleyball, swimming and wrestling
.
The football team achieved a 111–39–5 record between 1962 and 1977, including four wins of the annual city Turkey Day
title game in 1967, 1968, 1975 and 1976, led by coach Archie Chagonjian. From 1967 to 1984, the team won section or season titles 11 times. Beginning in 1984 the football program at Balboa went into decline, failing to make it to the Turkey Day playoff until 2004. They lost to Lowell
in 2004 but made it back again in 2005, with that year's Samoan
team members notably performing a haka
dance before going on to lose to Lincoln High
.
Balboa also has made a come back in baseball making it to the Semi-Finals under their new coach, John Tynan in 2007. They had a 13–2 record going into the game against Lowell, but lost 4-3. The Balboa team had many star players, including the player of the year, Nikolas Fangonilo.
Another big accomplishment Balboa recently achieved in sports is the Championship Title for Boys Volleyball in 2009 under the coaching of Cubales, the athletic director. They defeated Lowell in an exciting 5 games. Balboa that year had 3 first team all-city players and 1 2nd team all-city player.
flag drill and other drilling and marching exhibitions. Balboa's special teams participate and perform in many parades where it is well known and award winning such as the annual San Francisco Veterans Day
Parade, the Excelsior District Festival and the annual 91st or spring drill competition in the Presidio
.
The Balboa Battalion and its cadet corps of approximately 225 cadets volunteer extensively in different service learning projects and community service projects coordinated by the battalion staff of student officers and the army instructors. The battalion donates canned food items and toys to annual holiday food and toy drives where it has gained notoriety among the Student Association for amassing large amounts of food for the drive; because of this, the Balboa Battalion sponsors and puts together the food drive each year at Balboa. Balboa's JROTC participates in the city-wide beach clean up annually, as well as cleaning up the school campus on a regular basis several times a month. The Balboa Battalion is a familiar face in each Earth Day
event at Balboa, where cadets volunteer and clean the school. The JROTC program participates in service learning programs such as training in the Neighborhood Emergency Response Team
to respond to any emergency event that may happen within the city or the school to keep fellow cadets and students alike of Balboa High School safe.
team is sponsored by a local law firm. The team practices from September to February in preparation for City and County of San Francisco competitions held the last two weeks of February. The champion from this competition advances to the state competition in March. The state champion will then move on to the national competition in May, representing the state of California.
In 2006, it was crowned the champion of the City and County of San Francisco. Despite a 0–2 record in the first rounds, technicalities (a team's win/loss record and point percentages) allowed Balboa to move on to the semi-finals. It was then that the Balboa team defeated The School of the Arts
after losing to SOTA previously in the first round. The team then went on to defeat Mission High School in the finals. As the winning team for San Francisco, Balboa went on to represent the county at the state competitions in Riverside, California
. In commemoration of this achievement, San Francisco District 11 Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval
awarded the Balboa Mock Trial team the title of "District 11 Local Heroes."
In 2007, Balboa lost to Lowell High School, yet defeated Mission High School to advance to the semi-final competitions. In the semi-finals, Balboa lost to the School of the Arts who would then lose to Lowell High School in the city/county championships. Balboa's record for 2007 was 1–2. 2008 had Balboa faring better in competition; the school would enter the city finals with an undefeated record, to become the runner up to SOTA as city champions.
United Playaz is an anti-violence and gang
prevention program that seeks to stop the seeds of school violence through collaborative meetings and activities. The program was started in 1994 by former Balboa student turned gang prevention counselor, Rudy Corpuz, in response to racially motivated gang violence between Balboa students. The group is best known for fostering meetings and discussions between the school administration, community, and various adversarial student factions. These efforts were credited with turning the security situation at Balboa around by 1997. The "Playaz" have hosted sports programs, talent show
s, and field trip
s to dissuade at-risk youth from gangs. They provide ways for students to openly discuss and express opinions on issues and tensions which unchecked lead to violence. United Playaz was the subject of an episode on television news magazine California Connected
in June 2003.
The United Playaz collaborates with the ROOTS program, a program for students whose parents or family members are incarcerated
. ROOTS focuses on interdependence with their peers including the "Playaz."
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located near the Excelsior District in the Mission Terrace neighborhood of San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Balboa serves grades nine
Ninth grade
Ninth grade is the ninth post-kindergarten year of school education in some school systems. The students are 13 to 15 years of age, depending on when their birthday occurs. Depending on the school district, ninth grade is usually the first year of high school....
through twelve
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
as part of the San Francisco Unified School District
San Francisco Unified School District
San Francisco Unified School District , established in 1851, is the only public school district within the City and County of San Francisco, and the first in the state of California...
(SFUSD).
Balboa is a comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
located in an urban working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
district. It educates a greater proportion of the city's disadvantaged
Disadvantaged
The "disadvantaged" is a generic term for individuals or groups of people who:* Face special problems such as physical or mental disability * Lack money or economic support....
and minority
Minority group
A minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
students relative to other city high schools. Mirroring conditions in the areas it serves, the school has a history marked by periods of violence, controversy, and low academic performance.
The school motto is "First on the Pacific." The campus is the only historic landmark school in the district and the only one operating in the city. Following the dismissal of the entire faculty in 1999, it became the first school in Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
to embrace and convert its curriculum to the concept of small learning communities
Small Learning Community
A Small Learning Community , also referred to as a School-Within-A-School, is a form of school structure that is increasingly common in secondary schools to subdivide large school populations into smaller, autonomous groups of students and teachers....
. It was the first in California to start a school-based student health clinic. In response to the AIDS pandemic
AIDS pandemic
The acquired immune deficiency syndrome pandemic is a widespread disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus .Since AIDS was first recognized in 1981, it has led to the deaths of more than 25 million people, making it one of the most destructive diseases in recorded history.Despite recent...
, it was the first school in California to distribute free condom
Condom
A condom is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases . It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner...
s to students. In the last decade, Balboa has experienced a turnaround and has improved its reputation and academic performance. The school achieved placement on Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
History
Vasco Núñez de Balboa
Vasco Núñez de Balboa was a Spanish explorer, governor, and conquistador. He is best known for having crossed the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean in 1513, becoming the first European to lead an expedition to have seen or reached the Pacific from the New World.He traveled to the New World in...
. Founded in 1928, campus construction was completed in 1931.
In the spring of 1952, students at Balboa invented a variation on a conga line
Conga Line
The conga line is a Cuban carnival march that was first developed in Cuba and became popular in the United States in the 1930s and 1950s. The dancers form a long, processing line. It has three shuffle steps on the beat, followed by a kick that is slightly ahead of the fourth beat...
dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
which inspired bandleader and songwriter Ray Anthony
Ray Anthony
Ray Anthony is an American bandleader, trumpeter, songwriter and actor.- Biography :...
to compose an accompanying hit song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
with the same name, "The Bunny Hop
Bunny hop (dance)
The bunny hop is a novelty dance that was created at Balboa High School of San Francisco in 1952. It is a social mixer dance, sometimes also referred to as a "party" or "dance party" dance....
".
In 1986, Balboa converted its metal shop into the first school-based health clinic
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
in California: the Balboa Teen Health Center. The clinic provides basic medical
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
and mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
services. The clinic has improved access and the health habits of a disadvantaged student population that might otherwise have gone without professional health assistance.
In an effort to prevent the spread of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, Balboa became the first school in California to distribute free condoms to students in May 1992. This program and the clinic's other family planning
Family planning
Family planning is the planning of when to have children, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans. Other techniques commonly used include sexuality education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counseling and...
and sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
efforts have featured somewhat controversially in a number of research papers and debates.
Balboa became embroiled in controversy over a hazing
Hazing
Hazing is a term used to describe various ritual and other activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group....
incident on February 22, 1994 in which three Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a Federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools across the United States...
(JROTC) cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
s were assaulted by other team members under orders from senior commanders. Ultimately one cadet was rendered partially deaf from a punctured eardrum
Eardrum
The eardrum, or tympanic membrane, is a thin membrane that separates the external ear from the middle ear in humans and other tetrapods. Its function is to transmit sound from the air to the ossicles inside the middle ear. The malleus bone bridges the gap between the eardrum and the other ossicles...
. The resulting litigation from this incident exposed a culture and history of JROTC hazing at Balboa and several other SFUSD schools extending back to the 1980s.
This controversy has been cited by JROTC opponents in efforts to eliminate the program at all SFUSD schools, which lasted from 2007-2009.
On January 3, 2001, a student showing off a gun accidentally shot a 15-year-old friend in the hip and triggered a two-hour lockdown of Balboa and a nearby middle school and elementary school. Police immediately took the shooting student into custody. The 16-year-old student who had the gun was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and possessing and discharging a weapon on a school campus. The following week, Balboa created a telephone hotline to receive reports of students bringing weapons to school.
Academic resurgence
In 1996, frustrated by high turnover and low performance on the part of the educational staff, the SFUSD dismissed the entire faculty.During the 1999–2000 academic year, Balboa shifted its academic program to the concept of Small Learning Communities (SLC). These communities would form a "school within a school" in an effort to turn around past poor academic performance. To support the formation of SLCs, Balboa was the recipient of funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest transparently operated private foundation in the world, founded by Bill and Melinda Gates. It is "driven by the interests and passions of the Gates family"...
in 2004 and 2005 through the Every Child Can Learn Foundation Secondary Redesign Initiative.
Frustrated by poor conditions such as insufficient textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
s and dilapidated facilities during the late 1990s, students at Balboa became members of the class-action lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
Williams v. California. Filed in 2000 by the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
(ACLU) against the State of California, the suit alleged a failure to provide adequate facilities, textbooks, and teachers for the poorest schools in the state. The case was named after Eliezer Williams, a middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
student age 12 at the time, who would go on to graduate from Balboa. The lawsuit was resolved in 2004, with the administration of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
agreeing to provide US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
138 million for instructional material, US$50 million for critical facility repairs at nearly 2,400 state schools, and to reimburse school districts for future repairs of deficient facilities. Estimates indicate California may be liable for up to US$1 billion in reimbursements over several years.
Building on an effort started in 2001 to increase scores by providing breakfast
Child Nutrition Act
The Child Nutrition Act is a United States federal law signed on October 11, 1966 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Act was created as a result of the "years of cumulative successful experience under the National School Lunch Program to help meet the nutritional needs of children." The National...
before tests, Balboa initiated a pilot breakfast program in 2005 called "Grab N Go". A first for Northern California, the program has increased the number of disadvantaged students receiving breakfast. Using magnetic swipe cards, eligible students can pick up a pre-bagged meal as they enter the building and can eat the meal during the first ten minutes of their first class. Previously, students would have to arrive up to 30 minutes before classes started and finish the meal in the cafeteria
Cafeteria
A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
. Prior to 2001 participation in the free or reduced fee meal program averaged under 40% of eligible enrollment. Since the pilot program started, breakfast participation has averaged over 55%. Credited with increasing academic performance, the program was nominated by Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
for and subsequently received a Victory Against Hunger Award from the Congressional Hunger Center in 2006. Balboa was one of four schools nationwide to receive part of a grant from the got breakfast? campaign in March 2007 to support the program. Balboa has continued to serve subsidized lunch meals in a traditional two-tiered system. The social stratification caused by the separate lunch lines has attracted some criticism and efforts by the district to improve participation by eligible students.
For the spring 2006 administration, 47% of the school's ninth-graders scored "proficient" or above on the statewide standardized English exam, up from 39% from the previous year.
Location
The school campus is located a few blocks away from major thoroughfares including Mission StreetMission Street
Mission Street is a north-south arterial thoroughfare in San Francisco, California that runs from the city's southern border to its northeast corner. The street and the Mission District through which it runs were named for the Spanish Mission Dolores, several blocks away from the modern route. Only...
. The campus is close to Balboa Park
Balboa Park, San Francisco, California
Balboa Park is a neighborhood and public park in San Francisco, California. It was created in 1909 and parts of it were built over time. The neighborhood is located between Mission Street and Interstate 280 north of Geneva Avenue and the park is located on San Jose Avenue, north of Ocean Avenue...
, Balboa Park Station, and Interstate 280
Interstate 280 (California)
Interstate 280 is a 57-mile long north–south Interstate Highway in the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It connects San Jose and San Francisco, running along just to the west of the cities of San Francisco Peninsula for most of its route.I-280 from its northern end at King...
. San Francisco Municipal Railway
San Francisco Municipal Railway
The San Francisco Municipal Railway is the public transit system for the city and county of San Francisco, California. In 2006, it served with an operating budget of about $700 million...
transit lines J
J Church
The J Church is a Muni Metro railway line in San Francisco, California mainly serving the Noe Valley and Balboa Park neighborhoods, connecting them to downtown. It began as one of San Francisco's streetcar lines in 1917, and was converted to modern light rail operation with the creation of the Muni...
, K
K Ingleside
The K Ingleside is a Muni Metro line in San Francisco, California, mainly serving the West Portal and Ingleside neighborhoods. It was one of San Francisco's streetcar lines in the early 20th century, and was converted to modern light rail operation with the creation of the Muni Metro system in the...
, M, 8X, 14, 14L, 14X, 26, 29, 43, 49, and 54 provide nearby service.
The Balboa campus is part of a larger SFUSD academic complex that includes neighboring James Denman Middle School and the San Miguel Child Development Center. Balboa is close to City College of San Francisco
City College of San Francisco
City College of San Francisco, or CCSF, is a two-year community college in San Francisco, California. The Ocean Avenue campus, in the Ingleside neighborhood, is the college's primary location...
, the private Lick-Wilmerding High School
Lick-Wilmerding High School
Lick-Wilmerding High School is a college-preparatory high school located in San Francisco, California, United States.-History:Lick-Wilmerding was founded on September 21, 1874 as the California School of Mechanical Arts by a trust by James Lick. George Merrill was hired to manage the school as the...
, and Catholic
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States. It covers the City and County of San Francisco and the Counties of Marin and San Mateo...
Archbishop Riordan High School
Archbishop Riordan High School
Archbishop Riordan High School is an Archdiocesan, all-boys Catholic high school run by members of the Society of Mary in San Francisco, California. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco. Originally called Riordan High School, the school was named after Archbishop...
. Situated at the bottom of a valley, parts of the campus are built over a former river and lake.
Landmark
Balboa is one of two of the only historic landmark schools operating in San Francisco (the second being Mission High School designated with landmark number 250.) The campus became city historic landmark number 205 by proclamationProclamation
A proclamation is an official declaration.-England and Wales:In English law, a proclamation is a formal announcement , made under the great seal, of some matter which the King in Council or Queen in Council desires to make known to his or her subjects: e.g., the declaration of war, or state of...
signed on January 20, 1995 by mayor Frank Jordan
Frank Jordan
Francis M. “Frank” Jordan is a U.S. politician, foundation executive and former Chief of Police.Jordan was born in San Francisco in 1935 and graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1953...
. Balboa is regarded as one of the better designed and visually engaging schools within the SFUSD. San Francisco architect John Reid Jr. designed the first campus buildings in the Spanish Colonial Revival Style
Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture
The Spanish Colonial Revival Style was a United States architectural stylistic movement that came about in the early 20th century, starting in California and Florida as a regional expression related to history, environment, and nostalgia...
with a prominent center courtyard, mission style roof tiles, and arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
.
Although originally designed with a distinctive red mission tile roof, all campus buildings had their roofs replaced in 1998 with seismically stable materials. An original roof tile is displayed in Balboa's Hall of History.
Facilities
The main entrance along the eastern side of the campus quadrangleQuadrangle (architecture)
In architecture, a quadrangle is a space or courtyard, usually rectangular in plan, the sides of which are entirely or mainly occupied by parts of a large building. The word is probably most closely associated with college or university campus architecture, but quadrangles may be found in other...
is dominated by the three-story main classroom building. The library building to the north of the quad is equal in height to the main building and houses classrooms adjacent to and above the first floor library, including two computer labs and all the science lab classrooms. Distinct bridges on all three levels connect these two buildings.
Arts and athletic facilities dominate the southern half of the campus. Facilities along this side of the quad include the gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium, tennis courts, track, and football field. The main cafeteria and the Teen Health Clinic are housed on the southern side of the quad.
Vocational and cafeteria facilities form the western side of the campus quad. Balboa's auditorium
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
, theater
Theater (structure)
A theater or theatre is a structure where theatrical works or plays are performed or other performances such as musical concerts may be produced. While a theater is not required for performance , a theater serves to define the performance and audience spaces...
, and music rehearsal rooms also are found on the western side of the campus quad. In 2004, the theater was refurbished with the help of charitable funding from theatrical producer Carole Shorenstein Hays
Carole Shorenstein Hays
Carole Shorenstein Hays is an American theatrical producer. She has produced many award-winning Broadway plays. In additiion to her Broadway endeavors, she is the President of SHN , a theatrical producing company in San Francisco...
.
In partnership with PG&E, Balboa will be one of seven SFUSD schools to participate in the district's "Solar Schools" program. Solar panel
Photovoltaic module
A solar panel is a packaged, connected assembly of solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells...
s will be installed on the roof to benefit from and raise awareness of alternative energy.
Demographics
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
population at Balboa consistently totaled less than 5% of yearly enrollment, but the incoming freshman classes of 2013 and 2014 spiked the white population up to 5.4%. Up to 2003, the predominant ethnic groups at the school alternated between Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
(24–30%) and African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
(19–24%). During this time Filipino
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
students also figured prominently in the ethnic distribution (19–30%) briefly becoming the majority ethnic group between 1997 and 1999. American Indians
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
have always comprised less than 1%, and Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
s less than 3% of the school population.
Starting in 2004, the school's increasing academic stature combined with citywide demographic changes attributable to gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
and policy change
Diversity index
A diversity index is a statistic which is intended to measure the local members of a set consisting of various types of objects. Diversity indices can be used in many fields of study to assess the diversity of any population in which each member belongs to a unique group, type or species...
radically changed the student demographic at Balboa.
Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
students became the predominant ethnic group (34–39%) previously accounting for less than 20% of the school population. Hispanic and Filipino students followed with declining majorities. The largest decline was in the number of African American students, accounting for only 11.3% of the school population through the 2007-2008 school year.
Coinciding with the academic turmoil of the late 1990s, the dropout rate at Balboa experienced a spike of over 230 students (16.8%) leaving in 1998. The year 2000 saw a sharp decline in the dropout rate, with no students leaving that year. The rate has averaged 2–6% since then.
The demographic composition of certified
Professional certification
Professional certification, trade certification, or professional designation, often called simply certification or qualification, is a designation earned by a person to assure qualification to perform a job or task...
faculty over the last decade has consisted primarily of White teachers (32–54%) with approximately similar distributions of staff reporting Asian (6–15%), Filipino (9–19%), or Hispanic (11–19%) ethnicity. African American staff accounted for the remaining 8–11%. The number of staff over the last decade has averaged between 55 and 91 members.
Curriculum
Small learning communities
Academic instruction at Balboa High School is centered on the concept of SLCs. Each community has a thematic focus that encourages individualized learning, an awareness of the future, and personal responsibility. Teachers and students work in a shared thematic collaboration to integrate lessons from their classes. The same sets of students are present in each of the classes, fostering the learning community. Some teachers will follow their students into successive grade levels to enhance continuity.In their first two years, communities of approximately 60–120 students experience focused core literary and mathematics instruction, with emphasis on community citizenship, and an exploration of career
Career
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
paths. Academies or pathways are chosen by students at the end of the 10th grade for the second half of their school career with the goal of preparation for career and college. A few exceptions are noted below.
Every community or academy has several goals in common. Students are educated in preparation for their future career or post-secondary education. All communities provide the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
"A-G college prep" coursework necessary for university admissions eligibility. All 11th and 12th grade academies have a common goal of combining coursework with external experiences through field trips, internships, or a mentorship with local business entities or the community at large. These external events are used to raise career awareness. Students in all communities will develop a personal portfolio
Career portfolio
Career portfolios are used to plan, organize and document education, work samples and skills. People use career portfolios to apply to jobs, apply to college or training programs, get a higher salary, show transferable skills, and to track personal development. They are more in-depth than a resume,...
or résumé
Résumé
A résumé is a document used by individuals to present their background and skillsets. Résumés can be used for a variety of reasons but most often to secure new employment. A typical résumé contains a summary of relevant job experience and education...
. Students will develop skills in research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
and presentation
Presentation
Presentation is the practice of showing and explaining the content of a topic to an audience or learner. Presentations come in nearly as many forms as there are life situations...
with the goal of developing collaborative
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
and social skills.
- Academy of Information TechnologyAcademy of Information TechnologyThe Academy of Information Technology is one of the three major programs sponsored by the National Academy Foundation which provides students with knowledge of technology and its ever expanding universe. It was formed in 2000, with the first graduating class being the class of 2004, and was the...
(AoIT): A two year academy which develops digital technology skills. Students participate in an electronic mentorshipMentorshipMentorship refers to a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps a less experienced or less knowledgeable person....
program with professionals in the technology industry and develop a digital portfolio. In collaboration with the Pearson Foundation, AoIT students have developed digital storytellingDigital storytellingDigital storytelling refers to a short form of digital film-making that allows everyday people to share aspects of their life story."Digital storytelling" is a relatively new term which describes the new practice of ordinary people who use digital tools to tell their 'story'...
exercises to learn about historical subjects such as abolitionismAbolitionismAbolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
.
- International Pathway (formerly World Languages): This program has a curriculum with an internationalInternational----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
and multiculturalMulticulturalismMulticulturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
focus. Courses focus on ethnic literature, American history, and American literatureAmerican literatureAmerican literature is the written or literary work produced in the area of the United States and its preceding colonies. For more specific discussions of poetry and theater, see Poetry of the United States and Theater in the United States. During its early history, America was a series of British...
. Students participate in projects and write papers to develop interpersonal skillsInterpersonal skillsInterpersonal skills are sometimes also referred to as people skills or communication skills. Interpersonal skills involve using skills such as active listening and tone of voice, this include delegation and leadership...
(public speakingPublic speakingPublic speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners...
and conflict resolutionConflict resolutionConflict resolution is conceptualized as the methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of some social conflict. Often, committed group members attempt to resolve group conflicts by actively communicating information about their conflicting motives or ideologies to the rest...
), and an awareness of human geographyHuman geographyHuman geography is one of the two major sub-fields of the discipline of geography. Human geography is the study of the world, its people, communities, and cultures. Human geography differs from physical geography mainly in that it has a greater focus on studying human activities and is more...
. The International Pathway is available to students for all four years of their high school career.
- LawLawLaw is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
: The Law Academy prepares 11th and 12th grade students for college and career with a focus on justiceJusticeJustice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
. By encouraging students to challenge and reflect on their coursework in American history, American literature, and Pre-lawPre-lawIn the United States, pre-law refers to any course of study taken by an undergraduate in preparation for study at a law school.The American Bar Association requires law schools that it approves to require at least a bachelor's degree for North American students for admission...
; students develop an awareness of community and interdependenceInterdependenceInterdependence is a relation between its members such that each is mutually dependent on the others. This concept differs from a simple dependence relation, which implies that one member of the relationship can function or survive apart from the other....
. Students will build analyticalAnalytical jurisprudenceAnalytical jurisprudence is a legal theory that draws on the resources of modern analytical philosophy to try to understand the nature of law. Since the boundaries of analytical philosophy are somewhat vague, it is difficult to say how far it extends. H. L. A...
and problem solving skills by identifying a need or issue in a community and addressing it.
- Wilderness Arts and Literacy Collaborative (WALC): A co-curricular academic pathway started in 1998 with the goal of using education in and of the environmentNatural environmentThe natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
to provide an alternative means to learning science, art, technology, math, and literacy. The Sierra ClubSierra ClubThe Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
provided an initial grant as part of a private / public funding initiative to help start the WALC. Sponsored by the Tides CenterTides CenterTides Center is a non-profit organization in the United States which provides fiscal sponsorship for progressive groups. Tides Center is classified a 501 tax-exempt organization by the IRS...
, students combine wilderness experiences in environmental citizenship such as hikingHikingHiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, habitat restorationRestoration ecology-Definition:Restoration ecology is the scientific study and practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human intervention and action, within a short time frame...
, recyclingRecyclingRecycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
, or gardeningGardeningGardening is the practice of growing and cultivating plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance; useful plants are grown for consumption , for their dyes, or for medicinal or cosmetic use...
with a rigorous classroom curriculum. WALC is offered to 11th and 12th grade students.
Advanced placement
Balboa began offering two Advanced Placement (AP) classes in 1990 which were briefly discontinued from 1996 to 1998. Since 1998, the number has grown to the current offering of ten AP courses in BiologyAP Biology
In the United States, Advanced Placement Biology , is a course and examination offered by the College Board to high school students as an opportunity to earn placement credit for a college-level biology course....
, Calculus AB
AP Calculus
Advanced Placement Calculus is used to indicate one of two distinct Advanced Placement courses and examinations offered by the College Board, AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC....
, Computer Science A, Chinese
AP Chinese Language and Culture
Advanced Placement Chinese Language and Culture is a course offered by the College Board as a part of the Advanced Placement Program...
, English Literature
AP English Literature and Composition
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.-The Course:This course is designated for motivated students with a command of standard English, an...
, Physics
AP Physics B
AP Physics B is an Advanced Placement science course that is divided into nine different sections: Newtonian Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Physics, Waves and Optics, and Atomic and Nuclear Physics. The course is equivalent to a one-year college course that...
, Spanish
AP Spanish Language
Advanced Placement Spanish Language is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.-The course:...
, Statistics
AP Statistics
Advanced Placement Statistics is a college-level high school statistics course offered in the United States through the College Board's Advanced Placement program...
, and World History
AP World History
Advanced Placement World History is a college-level course offered through the College Board's Advanced Placement Program designed to help students develop greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts and interactions between different types of Human societies...
. Honors classes are also provided for students wishing to learn at an accelerated pace. The administration has placed an emphasis on attracting and retaining students in AP courses from underrepresented ethnic groups. For example, the AP Spanish class is used to introduce Hispanic students to other AP classes. The school has a unique policy of not allowing students to drop out of an AP course without the approval of the principal. The goal of this policy is to identify struggling AP students and to provide additional resources and support to allow them to complete the course.
Athletics
The athletic programs at Balboa participate in the San Francisco Section of the California Interscholastic FederationCalifornia Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
. Female sports teams are fielded in badminton, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, fencing, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track,swimming, and volleyball. Twelve male sports teams are fielded in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, basketball, cross country, fencing, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, golf, soccer, tennis, track, volleyball, swimming and wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...
.
The football team achieved a 111–39–5 record between 1962 and 1977, including four wins of the annual city Turkey Day
Turkey Bowl
Turkey Bowl may refer to one of the following sports events:*Turkey Bowl , a common name for high school American football games held either on Thanksgiving or over Thanksgiving weekend...
title game in 1967, 1968, 1975 and 1976, led by coach Archie Chagonjian. From 1967 to 1984, the team won section or season titles 11 times. Beginning in 1984 the football program at Balboa went into decline, failing to make it to the Turkey Day playoff until 2004. They lost to Lowell
Lowell High School (San Francisco)
Lowell High School is a public magnet school in San Francisco, California. The school opened in 1856 as the Union Grammar School and attained its current name in 1896. Lowell moved to its current location in the Merced Manor neighborhood in 1962....
in 2004 but made it back again in 2005, with that year's Samoan
Samoans
The Samoan people are a Polynesian ethnic group of the Samoan Islands, sharing genetics, language, history and culture. Due to colonialism, the home islands are politically and geographically divided between the country of Samoa, official name Independent State of Samoa ; and American Samoa, an...
team members notably performing a haka
Haka
Haka is a traditional ancestral war cry, dance or challenge from the Māori people of New Zealand. It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment...
dance before going on to lose to Lincoln High
Abraham Lincoln High School (San Francisco)
Abraham Lincoln High School is a California Distinguished, fully accredited comprehensive public high school located in the Sunset District of San Francisco, California...
.
Balboa also has made a come back in baseball making it to the Semi-Finals under their new coach, John Tynan in 2007. They had a 13–2 record going into the game against Lowell, but lost 4-3. The Balboa team had many star players, including the player of the year, Nikolas Fangonilo.
Another big accomplishment Balboa recently achieved in sports is the Championship Title for Boys Volleyball in 2009 under the coaching of Cubales, the athletic director. They defeated Lowell in an exciting 5 games. Balboa that year had 3 first team all-city players and 1 2nd team all-city player.
Organizations
There are over 40 extracurricular clubs or organizations for students.- 100 Bucs Society
- Adventure
- Automotive & Technology
- Being in Balboa, Living Examples (BIBLE)
- Balboa Fencing Club
- Black Student Union
- Break-dancing
- BridgeBridgeA bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
- Building With Books
- ChessChessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
- ChineseChinese AmericanChinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
- Club Mabuhay (Filipino)
- Computer ArtComputer artComputer art is any art in which computers play a role in production or display of the artwork. Such art can be an image, sound, animation, video, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, videogame, web site, algorithm, performance or gallery installation...
- Computer Repair
- Dance
- Dragonboat
- Drum CorpsDrum and bugle corps (modern)A drum and bugle corps, also known as a drum corps, is a musical marching unit consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, and color guard. Typically operating as independent non-profit organizations, drum corps perform in competitions, parades, festivals, and other civic functions...
: see JROTC - French
- Gay-Straight AllianceGay-straight allianceGay–straight alliances are student organizations, found primarily in North American high schools and universities, that are intended to provide a safe and supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth and their straight allies .-Goal:The goal of most, if not all,...
- GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- JROTC
- Kabataan
- KoreanKorean AmericanKorean Americans are Americans of Korean descent, mostly from South Korea, with a small minority from North Korea...
- LatinoLatinoThe demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
- Mock Trial
- Movie
- Peer Resources
- Photography
- Poetry
- Political Sciences
- PolynesianPolynesian culturePolynesian culture refers to the indigenous peoples' culture of Polynesia who share common traits in language, customs and society. Chronologically, the development of Polynesian culture can be divided into four different historical eras:...
- Random Acts of KindnessRandom act of kindnessA random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by a person or people wishing to either assist or cheer up an individual person or people. The phrase may have been coined by Anne Herbert, who claims to have written "Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty" on a place mat at a...
- Red Cross Association
- ROOTS: see United Playaz
- SASSY (Girls' Club)
- School to Career
- ScienceScienceScience is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
- Spoken WordSpoken wordSpoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
/Hip-Hop - Student Activities Association (the SA)
- Student newspaperStudent newspaperA student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
and YearbookYearbookA yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks... - TangoTango (dance)Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....
- United Playaz
- Urban Debate LeagueUrban debate leagueAn urban debate league is a group of high school policy debate teams from urban high schools in the United States. Usually, UDL's are located in large cities throughout the US, and work with predominantly minority students-Early years:...
- VietnameseVietnamese AmericanA Vietnamese American is an American of Vietnamese descent. They make up about half of all overseas Vietnamese and are the fourth-largest Asian American group....
- YogaYogaYoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Balboa has six JROTC companies (classes) with five of them meeting each day, five days a week. Balboa has a before and after school class from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 pm, respectively everyday. Balboa's Drum Corps are well known for receiving first place in the SFUSD Brigade Fall Liberty Ball Competition for over a decade during the 80's, 90's, and early 2000s. Balboa constantly participates in physical activity challenges in its Raiders Team, individual drill-down competitions, guidonGuidon
Guidon may refer to:*Guidon , a type of heraldic flag*Guidon , a swallow tailed flag for the colours of a light cavalry regiment...
flag drill and other drilling and marching exhibitions. Balboa's special teams participate and perform in many parades where it is well known and award winning such as the annual San Francisco Veterans Day
Veterans Day
Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. It is a federal holiday that is observed on November 11. It coincides with other holidays such as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark...
Parade, the Excelsior District Festival and the annual 91st or spring drill competition in the Presidio
Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco is a park on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area...
.
The Balboa Battalion and its cadet corps of approximately 225 cadets volunteer extensively in different service learning projects and community service projects coordinated by the battalion staff of student officers and the army instructors. The battalion donates canned food items and toys to annual holiday food and toy drives where it has gained notoriety among the Student Association for amassing large amounts of food for the drive; because of this, the Balboa Battalion sponsors and puts together the food drive each year at Balboa. Balboa's JROTC participates in the city-wide beach clean up annually, as well as cleaning up the school campus on a regular basis several times a month. The Balboa Battalion is a familiar face in each Earth Day
Earth Day
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the...
event at Balboa, where cadets volunteer and clean the school. The JROTC program participates in service learning programs such as training in the Neighborhood Emergency Response Team
Cert
Cert or CERT may refer to:* Certificate, an official document* Certiorari, a Latin legal term for a court order requiring judicial review of a case...
to respond to any emergency event that may happen within the city or the school to keep fellow cadets and students alike of Balboa High School safe.
Mock Trial
The Mock TrialMock trial
A Mock Trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting of volunteers as role players to test theories or...
team is sponsored by a local law firm. The team practices from September to February in preparation for City and County of San Francisco competitions held the last two weeks of February. The champion from this competition advances to the state competition in March. The state champion will then move on to the national competition in May, representing the state of California.
In 2006, it was crowned the champion of the City and County of San Francisco. Despite a 0–2 record in the first rounds, technicalities (a team's win/loss record and point percentages) allowed Balboa to move on to the semi-finals. It was then that the Balboa team defeated The School of the Arts
Sota
Sota may refer to:An Indian surname *Ashok Soota, co-founder and executive chairman of the Indian IT consulting company MindTreeA Japanese given name *Sōta Higurashi, a fictional character of InuYasha...
after losing to SOTA previously in the first round. The team then went on to defeat Mission High School in the finals. As the winning team for San Francisco, Balboa went on to represent the county at the state competitions in Riverside, California
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
. In commemoration of this achievement, San Francisco District 11 Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval
Gerardo Sandoval
Gerardo Compos Sandoval is a judge of the Superior Court of California in and for the County of San Francisco. He was formerly a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. A practicing attorney, he defeated Superior Court judge Thomas J. Mellon, Jr...
awarded the Balboa Mock Trial team the title of "District 11 Local Heroes."
In 2007, Balboa lost to Lowell High School, yet defeated Mission High School to advance to the semi-final competitions. In the semi-finals, Balboa lost to the School of the Arts who would then lose to Lowell High School in the city/county championships. Balboa's record for 2007 was 1–2. 2008 had Balboa faring better in competition; the school would enter the city finals with an undefeated record, to become the runner up to SOTA as city champions.
United Playaz
United Playaz is an anti-violence and gang
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
prevention program that seeks to stop the seeds of school violence through collaborative meetings and activities. The program was started in 1994 by former Balboa student turned gang prevention counselor, Rudy Corpuz, in response to racially motivated gang violence between Balboa students. The group is best known for fostering meetings and discussions between the school administration, community, and various adversarial student factions. These efforts were credited with turning the security situation at Balboa around by 1997. The "Playaz" have hosted sports programs, talent show
Talent show
A talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...
s, and field trip
Field trip
A field trip or excursion, known as school trip in the UK and school tour in Ireland, is a journey by a group of people to a place away from their normal environment...
s to dissuade at-risk youth from gangs. They provide ways for students to openly discuss and express opinions on issues and tensions which unchecked lead to violence. United Playaz was the subject of an episode on television news magazine California Connected
California Connected
California Connected was a television newsmagazine that broadcast stories about the state of California to "increase civic engagement." The show was created by Marley Klaus and aired on twelve PBS member stations throughout California. In 2006, former NBC producer Bret Marcus took over as executive...
in June 2003.
The United Playaz collaborates with the ROOTS program, a program for students whose parents or family members are incarcerated
Incarceration
Incarceration is the detention of a person in prison, typically as punishment for a crime .People are most commonly incarcerated upon suspicion or conviction of committing a crime, and different jurisdictions have differing laws governing the function of incarceration within a larger system of...
. ROOTS focuses on interdependence with their peers including the "Playaz."
Notable people
- Alumni
- William "Billy" Catalano, 1952: Trumpeter for Stan Kenton'sStan KentonStanley Newcomb "Stan" Kenton was a pianist, composer, and arranger who led a highly innovative, influential, and often controversial American jazz orchestra. In later years he was widely active as an educator....
jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
orchestraOrchestraAn orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus... - Gary DeLongGary DeLongGary DeLong is a former American soccer goalkeeper.In 1958, DeLong graduated from Balboa High School in San Francisco, California where he was a 1958 All State/San Francisco Section soccer player. He is a member of the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame. In 1968, he played nine games for the...
, 1958: Former soccer goalkeeper for the United States men's national soccer teamUnited States men's national soccer teamThe United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF... - Juan EichelbergerJuan EichelbergerJuan Tyrone Eichelberger is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He graduated from Balboa High School of San Francisco, California in 1971, played collegiately at the University of California, Berkeley and pitched for the San Diego Padres , Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves...
, 1971: Former professional MLBMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
baseball player - Solofa FatuSolofa FatuSolofa F. Fatu, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Rikishi.-The Samoan Swat Team:...
, 1984: Professional WWEWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
wrestler best known as Rikishi - Eddie Flores Jr, 1966: Co-Founder and CEO of the theme restaurantTheme restaurantTheme restaurants are restaurants in which the concept of the restaurant takes priority over everything else, influencing the architecture, food, music, and overall 'feel' of the restaurant...
chain L&L Hawaiian BarbecueL&L Hawaiian BarbecueL&L Hawaiian Barbecue, or simply L&L and known as L&L Drive-Inn in Hawaii, is a theme franchise restaurant chain based in Honolulu, Hawaii centered on the Hawaiian plate lunch .- History :... - Jerry GarciaJerry GarciaJerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
, dropped out in 1959: Lead guitarist and vocalist for the Grateful DeadGrateful DeadThe Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long... - Cindy HerronCindy HerronCindy Herron-Braggs , is an American singer and actress, who is best known as a founding member of the R&B/Pop quartet En Vogue.-Early life:...
: Singer of the Contemporary R&BContemporary R&BContemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
quartet En VogueEn VogueEn Vogue is an American female R&B vocal group from Oakland, California assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.The group has won more MTV Video Music Awards than any other female group in MTV history, a total of seven, along with four Soul Train Awards, six American Music...
. Actress best known for her role in JuiceJuice (film)Juice is a 1992 American crime drama film that stars rapper Tupac Shakur and Omar Epps. Additional cast members include Jermaine "Huggy" Hopkins, Khalil Kain, Samuel L. Jackson, and features cameo appearances by Queen Latifah, EPMD, Special Ed, Ed Lover, Doctor Dré, Flex Alexander, Fab Five... - Calvin JonesCalvin Jones (cornerback)Calvin Jones is a former cornerback of the Denver Broncos. He collegiately played for Washington Huskies. He graduated from Balboa High School in the Fall of 1968.- References :...
, 1968: Former professional football cornerbackCornerbackA cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 1973–1976 - Philip LamantiaPhilip LamantiaPhilip Lamantia was an American poet and lecturer. Lamantia's visionary poems were ecstatic, terror-filled, and erotic which explored the subconscious world of dreams and linked it to the experience of daily life.-Biography:...
, dropped out in 1943: SurrealistSurrealismSurrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
poet of the Beat GenerationBeat generationThe Beat Generation refers to a group of American post-WWII writers who came to prominence in the 1950s, as well as the cultural phenomena that they both documented and inspired... - Jim McLennan, 1950: NHRA Hall of Fame inductee, drag racingDrag racingDrag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
pioneer - Michael NorrisMike Norris (baseball player)Michael Kelvin Norris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played with the Oakland Athletics ....
, 1972: Former professional MLB baseball player - Winters Patterson, 1996: Noted for scoring the most points in a single Northern California basketball game with a 82–point performance against Skyline High SchoolSkyline High School (Oakland, California)Skyline High School is a public high school in Oakland, California. It is noted for its strong academics and athletic programs, and consistently ranks as the top performing school in the area in terms of standardized testing, SAT scores, college acceptance rates, and matriculation...
in November 1995 - Richard Quitevis, 1987: Turntablist best known as DJ QBert
- Brandy ReedBrandy ReedBrandy Carmina Reed is a former professional basketball player.Reed grew up and graduated from Balboa High School in San Francisco, California in 1994. After graduating from The University of Southern Mississippi in 1998, Reed began her professional career with the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's...
, 1994: Former WNBA professional basketball player - George H. RugeGeorge H. RugeGeorge Henry Ruge is a Charter Member of the Broadcast Legends. Mr. Ruge's broadcast career spanned many years in San Francisco radio at stations KYA, KFRC, KNBR, and KGO...
, 1939: Radio, television broadcaster and producer. Charter Member of the Broadcast Legends. - George Marshall RugeGeorge Marshall RugeGeorge Marshall Ruge is an American filmmaker, film director, second unit director, stunt coordinator, actor, and writer.George Marshall Ruge is known for his work as second unit director and stunt coordinator on such film projects as the Pirates of the Caribbean four-film franchise, and as stunt...
, 1969: American filmmaker, film director, actor, writer, stunt coordinator - Calvin E. SimmonsCalvin E. SimmonsCalvin Eugene Simmons was an American symphony orchestra conductor. He was the first African-American conductor of a major orchestra.-Biography:...
, 1972: The first African-American conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
of a major U.S. symphony orchestra. Former assistant conductor of the Los Angeles PhilharmonicLos Angeles PhilharmonicThe Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
and musical director of the Oakland Symphony Orchestra - Bob SweeneyBob Sweeney (TV director and producer)child = Bridget Bob Sweeney was an actor, director and producer of radio, television and film.-Early career on radio and television:...
, 1936: Actor, director of The Andy Griffith ShowThe Andy Griffith ShowThe Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised by CBS between October 3, 1960, and April 1, 1968. Andy Griffith portrays a widowed sheriff in the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina...
, and producer for Hawaii Five-OHawaii Five-OHawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and Leonard Freeman. Set in Hawaii, the show originally aired for twelve seasons from 1968 to 1980, and continues in reruns. The show featured a fictional state police unit run by Detective Steve McGarrett,... - Raymond Taft, 1937: Masters swimmingMasters swimmingMasters swimming is a special class of competitive swimming for swimmers 25 years or older...
coach and medalist, inducted as a International Swimming Hall of FameInternational Swimming Hall of FameThe International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around...
honoree - George VaroffGeorge VaroffGeorge Dimitri Varoff was an American pole vaulter.-Early life:Varoff was born in Hawaii to Ukrainian immigrants and grew up in San Francisco, where he competed for Balboa High School...
, 1932: Record setting pole vaulter - Derrick Ward, 1973: Customized car artist and founder of the Low Creations Car Club
- Eliezer Williams, 2005: Lead plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit Williams v. California (2000)
- Willie WiseWillie WiseWillie M. Wise is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'6" forward from Drake University, Wise earned a spot on the American Basketball Association's Los Angeles Stars as a walk-on in 1969...
, 1965: Former professional basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player with the Denver NuggetsDenver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
and Seattle SuperSonicsSeattle SuperSonicsThe Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
. Draft pick of the San Francisco Warriors
- William "Billy" Catalano, 1952: Trumpeter for Stan Kenton's
- Staff
- Archie Chagonjian: teacher and coach inducted into the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame
- Josephine E. Cole, 1942– ?: The SFUSD's first African-American teacher. Namesake of the library at City College of San Francisco, South East Campus
- Lloyd LeithLloyd LeithLloyd R. Leith was an American basketball referee and high school coach. The San Francisco, California native officiated 16 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championships between 1939 and 1955...
, 1931–1936: Basketball Hall of FameBasketball Hall of FameThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
coach and referee - Kevin RestaniKevin RestaniKevin Gilbert "Big Bird" Restani was an American professional basketball player from San Francisco, California....
, 2006–2010: former professional NBA player. - George White, 1966–1992: Hamburg Blue DevilsHamburg Blue DevilsThe Hamburg Blue Devils are an American football team in Hamburg, Germany. The Blue Devils are one of the most successful American football clubs in Germany, having won four German Bowls as well as three Eurobowls...
head coach 1994-1996. California Coaches Hall of Fame inductee.
See also
- San Francisco County high schools
External links
- Information
- Data
- Alumni and history