Grant Joint Union High School District
Encyclopedia
Grant Joint Union High School District was a high school district located in northern Sacramento County. It was considered an urban-suburban school district, serving, at its peak, approximately 12,000 students in grades 7 – 12. The district had nine comprehensive school sites—five junior high schools, three high schools and a 7-12 Arts & Design Academy.
On November 6, 2007, the Measure B was passed by voters to merge the Grant Joint Union High School district with the local elementary school districts, including Rio Linda, North Sacramento and Del Paso Heights. On July 1, 2008, they formed the Twin Rivers Unified School District
that now serves about a total of 30,000 students.
The enduring “can-do” spirit of Grant District and North Area neighborhoods has created educational programs, facilities and community resources that have continued to serve students families and communities—from building an Olympic-size community swimming pool in 1934, to starting the nations first school-run radio program in 1940, to establishing a resident school for Aeronautical Training—Grant Tech—which would later become American River College.
1932 – Grant Union High School opens and adopts the team name Pacers in honor of the horse racing heritage of the area
1939 – The Grant Wurlitzer organ was heard on-air for the first time, played by Grant alumnus George Wright
, who would become the most famous theatre organist of the modern era.
1955 - Norte Del Rio High School opens
1958 – Highlands High School opens.
1962 – Rio Linda High School opens.
1965 – Foothill High School opens.
2002 – Grant Union High School’s Criminal Justice Academy wins a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association in the School to Career category.
2003 – Grant District teacher Virginia Avila is named one of the California Teachers of the Year and goes on to represent the state for the 2003 National Teacher of the Year competition.
2004 – The new Foothill High School stadium opens.
2005 – Grant District Superintendent Dr. Larry Buchanan is named California’s Superintendent of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators.
2006 – The Rio Linda High School Aquatic Complex opens.
2007 - Measure B passes, merging Grant with Rio Linda, North Sacramento and Del Paso Heights school districts into the Twin Rivers Unified School District
.
On November 6, 2007, the Measure B was passed by voters to merge the Grant Joint Union High School district with the local elementary school districts, including Rio Linda, North Sacramento and Del Paso Heights. On July 1, 2008, they formed the Twin Rivers Unified School District
Twin Rivers Unified School District
The Twin Rivers Unified School District was created as a result of the November 2007 approval of Measure B, a proposal to merge the four North Sacramento area school districts: the North Sacramento School District, the Del Paso Heights School District, the Rio Linda Union School District, and the...
that now serves about a total of 30,000 students.
History of the Grant District
The dream of creating a new district to serve the students in the territory north of the American River began in 1931, when voters approved plans for the district with an overwhelming 750-25 vote. A bond, promoted through door-to-door canvassing by a citizen named William Rutherford, was passed by the taxpayers and the Grant Joint Union High School District was formed. First classes were held in the Hotel North Sacramento at the corner of Del Paso Blvd. and ArdenThe enduring “can-do” spirit of Grant District and North Area neighborhoods has created educational programs, facilities and community resources that have continued to serve students families and communities—from building an Olympic-size community swimming pool in 1934, to starting the nations first school-run radio program in 1940, to establishing a resident school for Aeronautical Training—Grant Tech—which would later become American River College.
District Timeline
1931 – The District name “Grant” was chosen in honor of the Ben Ali Haggin land grant, when the famous racing stables were located in the area.1932 – Grant Union High School opens and adopts the team name Pacers in honor of the horse racing heritage of the area
1939 – The Grant Wurlitzer organ was heard on-air for the first time, played by Grant alumnus George Wright
George Wright (organist)
George Wright was an American musician, possibly the most famous virtuoso of the theatre organ of the modern era....
, who would become the most famous theatre organist of the modern era.
1955 - Norte Del Rio High School opens
1958 – Highlands High School opens.
1962 – Rio Linda High School opens.
1965 – Foothill High School opens.
2002 – Grant Union High School’s Criminal Justice Academy wins a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association in the School to Career category.
2003 – Grant District teacher Virginia Avila is named one of the California Teachers of the Year and goes on to represent the state for the 2003 National Teacher of the Year competition.
2004 – The new Foothill High School stadium opens.
2005 – Grant District Superintendent Dr. Larry Buchanan is named California’s Superintendent of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators.
2006 – The Rio Linda High School Aquatic Complex opens.
2007 - Measure B passes, merging Grant with Rio Linda, North Sacramento and Del Paso Heights school districts into the Twin Rivers Unified School District
Twin Rivers Unified School District
The Twin Rivers Unified School District was created as a result of the November 2007 approval of Measure B, a proposal to merge the four North Sacramento area school districts: the North Sacramento School District, the Del Paso Heights School District, the Rio Linda Union School District, and the...
.
Notable Students and Staff
There have been several students and staff members of the Grant Joint Union High School district that have noteworthy status.- Virginia Avila - Grant Union High School Teacher - California Teacher of the Year 2003
- Larry M. Buchanan, Ed.D - California Superintendent of the Year 2005
- Sean Chambers - Highlands High School Class of 1993, Current Highlands High School Basketball Coach - Alaska Aces (PBA)Alaska Aces (PBA)The Alaska Aces is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association since 1986 under the ownership of the Alaska Milk Corporation and the owner of 13 PBA championships with the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference as their latest...
star player - Grantland JohnsonGrantland JohnsonGrantland L. Johnson is a Sacramento-area politician and former Secretary of California's Health and Human Services Agency, the first African-American to hold the position.-Political career:...
- Grant Union High School graduate - Former California Secretary of Health and Human Services - Dr. William H. Lee - Grant Union High School graduate - Owner/Publisher of The Sacramento ObserverThe Sacramento ObserverThe Sacramento Observer is an African American-owned weekly newspaper in Sacramento, California, USA. It serves the African American community throughout the Sacramento Metropolitan Area. There are an estimated 144,000 African Americans living in Sacramento, according to the 2005 American Community...
- Rob Vernatchi - Grant Adult Education NCOA Referee Graduate - NFL Official (Field Judge)
- George WrightGeorge Wright (organist)George Wright was an American musician, possibly the most famous virtuoso of the theatre organ of the modern era....
- Grant Union High School Graduate - Organist