Valhalla High School (El Cajon, California)
Coordinates: 32°45′38.74″N 116°55′16.18″W / 32.7607611°N 116.9211611°W
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| Valhalla High School | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1974 |
| Type | Public comprehensive secondary |
| Principal | Mary-Beth Kastan |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Location | 1725 Hillsdale Road, El Cajon, California, USA |
| District | Grossmont Union High School District |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Colors | Orange and White |
| Mascot | Norseman |
| Yearbook | Ragnarok |
| Newspaper | The Saga |
| Website | Valhalla High School |
Valhalla High School is a public, comprehensive high school located in Rancho San Diego, a neighborhood near El Cajon, California. It serves approximately 2,200 students in grades nine through twelve. Opened in 1974, Valhalla is the tenth of 12 high schools established by the Grossmont Union High School District. Its motto upon opening was "Freedom with Responsibility" and was an experimental, open campus with a college-like class schedule. Many classrooms were open air, with few walls between work areas. Quiet areas were color indicated, and generally the school maintained an open space feeling within the large, round superstructure of the school. Although the school's unique indoor architecture remains, the open-campus policy changed significantly in the 1980s and it became like other schools in the Grossmont District. Valhalla High School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and is a 2001 and 2007 California Distinguished School Award winner.
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[edit] Students
Valhalla's student body is composed of students from the following ethnic backgrounds (2009-2010 school year):[1]
- White - 66.4%
- Hispanic or Latino - 20.7%
- African American - 5.2%
- Asian - 2.2%
- Filipino - 2.2%
- Chaldo-Assyrians - 16%
- American Indian - 1.0%
- Pacific Islander - 0.3%
- Two or More - 0.1%
- None Reported - 1.9%
[edit] Campus
Valhalla's main structure is a four-story, orange,blue, octagonal building. Classrooms are situated along the outside wall and center of the building. The gymnasiums are freestanding.
Sports facilities include a football and soccer field, baseball diamonds, basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, and two swimming pools.
A new, freestanding, two-story building that house 12 science classrooms is currently in use. They have state of the art science and laboratory equipment. The building was proposed in order to make more room for teachers. It was dedicated in May 2010.
[edit] Traditions
Odin's March is the initiation for any new students or faculty members entering Valhalla High School. They must march up the stairs, through the rainbow bridge, and touch Thor's Hammer. When a student graduates, he or she descends the stairs and once again touches Thor's Hammer.
Each year the senior class paints a mural that is permanently displayed and hung up inside the school building. Each mural is unique to the year in which that particular class attended including current events not normally related to the school itself.
[edit] Vision statement
- "The vision of the staff and administration at Valhalla High School includes quality instruction and curriculum designed to meet the diverse needs and interests of all students. There also exists at Valhalla an ongoing commitment on the part of all stakeholders to continually assess the core curriculum to assure that, through academic offerings, the standards established by the State of California, the Valhalla Expected Schoolwide Learner Results, and our school's Core Values are met."
[edit] Notable alumni
- Tony Clark, Major League Baseball player
- Amy Finley, The Gourmet Next Door host on the Food Network
- Scott Burnworth, Motocross National Champion
- Broc Glover, Motocross National Champion
- Dan Gookin, author
- Ryan Hansen, actor
- Jacob Underwood, musician
- Greg Louganis, 1976, four-time Olympic gold medalist in diving
- Peter Thomas, NCAA quarterback, Colorado State
- Sean O'Sullivan, MLB pitcher
- Harrison Haberkorn, host on Epic Meal Time
- Eric Close, actor
- Jason Russell, co-founder of Invisible Children
- Brad Daluiso, NFL kicker
[edit] Sports championships
- 1978-79,1981,1985–86,1990–91,1994–96, 2000 — CIF Division Champions Men's Water Polo
- 1986-1988, 1998-1999 — 3A Division III CIF Champs - Boys Soccer
- 2009 — Division II Champions - Boys Soccer
- 1987, 1993, 2004 — 3A/Division III CIF Champs - Girls Soccer
- 2003, 2005 — CIF Champions Men's Swimming
- 1985 — California State Champions - Wrestling
- 2006 — Division III CIF Champs - Baseball
- 2005 — CIF Champions - Volleyball
- 1985-2001, 2008 — Men's Golf Champions
- 2008 — Girls' Cross-Country CIF Division II champions
- 2009 — Girls' Cross-Country CIF Division II champions
- 2009 — Grossmont South League Champions-Football 1st and only title
- 2010 — Girls' Cross-Country League champions; second place CIF Division II
- 2010 — Grossmont Hills League Champions-Girls Waterpolo
- 2011 — Girls' Cross-Country League Champions; third place CIF Division II
- 2011 — Grossmont Hills League Champions-Girls Waterpolo - Undefeated
- 2011 — CIF SDS Division II Champions - Girls Water Polo - First ever for an East County School
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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