James Logan High School: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 22:58, 31 May 2007
| James Logan High School | |
| Type | Public |
| Year Opened | 1959 |
| Principal | Don Montoya |
| House Principals | House 1: Alberto Solorzano House 2: Jesus Varela House 3: Lorrie Barrera House 4: Craig Lang House 5: Allison Johnson House 6: Roxana Mohammed |
| Enrollment (05-06) | 4,003 students[1] |
| Faculty (05-06) | 192 teachers[2] |
| Mascot | Colts |
| Colors | Black, White and Red |
| Location | 1800 H Street Union City, CA 94587 |
| Information | (510) 471-2520 |
| Website | http://www.jlhs.nhusd.k12.ca.us |
James Logan High School is a high school in Union City, California, USA, part of the New Haven Unified School District. It serves as the primary public high school for the city of Union City and parts of Hayward. James Logan is one of two high schools in the city (the other being Conley-Caraballo High School for alternative education). With over 4000 students, James Logan is one of the largest high schools in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Campus description
James Logan High School consists of two separate properties, totalling approximately 70-acres, divided by H Street. The vast majority of the campus' facilities are on the east side of H street, including all of the school's classrooms. The west side includes sports facilities, a child-care center, and the student parking lot.
To maintain campus safety, James Logan has two permanently stationed police officers, a sight not normally seen at most high schools.[3]
History
Originally, the entire campus (which opened in 1959) was on the east side of H Street. In 1992, a two square block property on the west side of H Street, save for one flower shop, was acquired through eminent domain and added to the campus (which was dubbed the "Logan annex"). Originally this property contained a shopping center and several single-family homes. Since this acquisition, several of the school's facilities have gradually been moved to this land. In March 2006, the remaining flower shop was acquired and the land is currently under construction to complete the student parking lot and make room for other projects.[4]
James Logan High School is notable for being one of the first schools to have a 7-Eleven store on campus, which has since closed.[5]
Notable buildings and facilities
- Guy Emanuele, Jr. Pavilion - a 3,000 seat facility originally built as a venue for the district's "Marching On" performing arts show (held annually until 2001). The building includes a large maple floor which can be configured for various sports events, a padded wrestling room, a full-sized dance studio, and a professional-quality sound and lighting system. The building is dedicated in to Guy Emanuele, Jr., former superintendent of the school district, who, among his other accomplishments, was instrumental in the building's planning and construction.
- Dan Oden Swim Complex - jointly operated by the school district and the City of Union City. The complex is dedicated in memory of a beloved swimming coach who died suddenly of cancer in the mid-90s.
- Logan Little Theatre - an intimate theatre-in-the-round with a seating capacity of 300 and outstanding sound and lighting systems.[citation needed]
- Logan Stadium - a 4,050 seat stadium with an artificial turf football field surrounded by an artificial surface track.[6]
Academics
The school is jointly accredited by the California Department of Education and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
James Logan High School is known for its collection of faculty and curriculum and is home to several Regional Occupational Programs[1]. James Logan was also the first high school in the Bay Area to offer several Punjabi foreign-language courses[7], and an Electronic Media Production class allows students to produce a 5-10 minute show on the cable public access channel every morning as a form of making school announcements.
Although recent years have seen many successful graduates, the community has been battling a low 40% of graduates going to college. The school is also dealing with a currently skyrocketing dropout rate. [8]
Awards
The school has been recognized by a number of academic awards. In 1998 and 1994, it was recognized as a California Distinguished School by the California Department of Education.[9] It was one of the first high schools in the nation to be awarded the national award for Excellence in Education.[10] Logan has been recognized twice (1983 and 1987) as a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.[11]
Compliance with State Department of Education
Following entire faculty-takeovers of the nearby Oakland Unified School District[12], James Logan High School officials fear similar non-compliance with the requirements set by the California Department of Education. Originally, in terms of instructional minutes, James Logan was in compliance. However, after finding out that the school's extra class periods before and after regular school hours would not count because of low attendance, administrators have been scrambling to compose an alternate schedule that would meet such requirements.[13] A proposed schedule involved shorter breaks and extended school times, creating cause for controversy.[14]
Extracurricular programs
Sports
James Logan offers a wide assortment of sports teams for its student body to participate. These sports are: badminton, baseball, basketball, cross-country running, football, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling.
Logan competes with the five Fremont high schools and Newark Memorial of Newark as part of the Mission Valley Athletic League. Logan's mascot is the Colt.[15]
In 2004, Logan's Varsity Boys Tennis Team won the MVAL Singles League Title for the first time in Logan's history. Nico Bernardo won the MVAL Singles title in 2005, and won it for the next 2 years making it a 3 year MVAL Singles Title Streak.
In 2004 the Logan boys Track & Field team won the California State Meet with 46 points, behind two wins by Kevin Craddock (110 high hurdles and 300 intermediate hurdles), a win in the 3200 by Yosef Ghebray and two medals in the triple jump, a win by Nkosinza Balumbu and a third place by Angelo Jeffery.
In 2006, after five second place finishes, the Colts girls Track & Field team tied Long Beach Wilson for first place with 37 points at the California State Meet. Despite not winning in an individual or relay event, the Colts moved into title contention late in the meet when Tierra Ward finished in third-place in the 300 hurdles right about the same time that Tracey Stewart was finishing in second-place in the triple jump. Stewart earlier landed a second-place mark in the long jump while Ward had a fifth-place run in the 100 hurdles. The rest of Logan’s points came via a second-place sprint in the 4x100 relay, a fourth-place finish in the 100-meter dash from Kristina Davis and a sixth-place throw in the shot put from Jaleesa Jeffery.
Logan has won various North Coast Section championships, including wrestling, baseball (2001)[16] and basketball (boys: 1985, 1987; girls: 1988), among others.
The Forensics Speech and Debate Program
The Forensics Speech and Debate program (not to be confused with forensic science) at James Logan High School, ranked as one of the top five teams in the National Forensic League [17] is one of the largest extracurricular programs at James Logan[citation needed]. The program was started 16 years ago in 1989 as nothing more than an after-school club activity, but quickly became one of the largest programs in the nation of over 200 members, offering classes throughout the day.[citation needed]
The James Logan Forensics team is coached by Tommie Lindsey, Jr. who has appeared on Oprah[18], won the prestigious MacArthur Award[19], and received many other awards from organizations such as the NAACP. Normally, a speech and debate program is an expensive operation, and because James Logan is located in a working-class community, Tommie Lindsey strives to make sure everyone has a chance to compete. For example, in the past, he has helped purchase suits for students who cannot afford them right out of his pocket. Acts like these have helped gained him recognition in the community.[citation needed]
Team members compete in debate and individual events at many tournaments throughout the school-year ranging from local California High School Speech Association(CHSSA) league tournaments to national circuit tournaments throughout the country, including prestigious competitions hosted by the University of California, Berkeley, Emory University, Stanford University, and Wake Forest University.
Every year, James Logan High School hosts the Martin Luther King, Jr. Speech and Debate Invitational on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend in January. During this busiest time of the forensics season, thousands of competitors from more than 50 schools in the Bay Area region and out-of-state participate in the three-day tournament.
At the end of each competitive season, the James Logan Forensics team participates at a CHSSA championship, in which it has achieved status as a five-time California state champion (1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, and 2005), and also at a NFL Nationals championship where it has twice earned the distinction of participating at the most number of elimination rounds (1996 and 2005). In 2005, the James Logan Forensics team, with over 200 members, became the largest and most successful team in the history of the National Forensic League, winning the California State Tournament and National Forensic League Championship, while also sending the highest number of competitors to those respective tournaments. Such success has allowed the team to be recognized throughout the nation and has been featured in a PBS documentary titled "Accidental Hero, Room 408"[20], The Jim Lehrer News Hour on PBS[21], and various local news broadcasts around the Bay Area.
The program has also been acclaimed for helping to battle academic odds in the community. In the 2005-2006 school year, 96% of all seniors in the program attended a 4-year college or university the following fall (as compared to 40% of all Logan seniors). Appreciating the benefits they experience from the program, many of its current members and alumni describe the program as "not only preparing you for public speaking, but preparing you for life."[22]
Band and color guard
The Marching Band and Color Guard at James Logan High School is considered among the best in California. Directed by Ramiro Barrera, the James Logan Marching Band has won two WSMBC championships (1997, 1999) and six WBA championships (2000-2002, 2004-2006). They did not attend the championships in 2003.
The marching band has also performed in the the 1999 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the 2003 Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, and the 2005 Edinburgh Easter Festival. The band will also be performing in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.
The music program also includes the Wind Symphony concert band, which has attended the Midwest Clinic of 2003 in Chicago and performed in a joint concert with the Ninth Annual National Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall in 2006. The Logan Wind Ensemble commissioned 2 pieces for this event. One piece was composed by jazz musician James Miley entitled "After The Water, The Clouds," and the other written by Carter Pann entitled "The Wrangler (Cowboy Dances)."[23][24] In February 2006, the Logan Wind Symphony sent twelve students to the California All-State Honor Band Convention in Fresno, CA, the maximum amount of students eligible to audition for the rigorous event. Of these twelve students, four were ranked 1st in their respective instrument categories.
| 1998 | Powerhouse | NA |
| 1999 | Marco Polo | Based on "Tempered Steel," Gustav Holst' "Mars", and songs from Star Wars: Episode I |
| 2000 | Tribe | Based on Vincent Persichetti's "Symphony No.6. Final Score: 97.90 Note: This is the one of the only years that Logan won all captions, including the Percussion caption that Mission Viejo High School historically has won instead. |
| 2001 | Paris Sketches | Based on the Martin Ellerby wind ensemble piece of the same name. All captions except Percussion. |
| 2002 | Masque: A Medieval Production | Based on music from the Kenneth Hesketh piece of the same name, "Sarabande" by Ron Nelson, "Blithe Bells," music from Harry Potter, and "Carmina Burana". Final Score: 96.99. All captions except Percussion |
| 2003 | Ode to Joy: A Musical Celebration | featuring Beethoven's "Ode To Joy," Morten Lauridsen's "O Magnum Mysterium" and Giuseppe Verdi's "Requiem". Note: Logan did not go to Championships this year, as the Midwest Clinic occurred in the same year. Mission Viejo High School won in place. |
| 2004 | Wind Dances | Based on "Mars" by Gustav Holst, "Danza De Los Duendes" by Nancy Galbraith , music from Stravinsky's "The Firebird," and John Williams's "Buckbeak's Flight" which appeared in the motion picture Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Notably, the film was released concurrent to the band season. Final Score: 97.24 Note: This was the infamous year that Logan received a perfect score of 100 in the Music category. |
| 2005 | The Secret Garden | Based on music from Lord of the Rings, the Candide Suite by Leonard Bernstein, and music of Philip Glass. Final Score: 96.25 All Captions except Percussion |
| 2006 | Snakes, Lizards and Dragons | Based on "Symphony in Bb" by Paul Hindemith, "The Carnival Of The Animals mvt. VII: The Aquarium" by Camille Saint-Saëns. and "Night on Bald Mountain". This marching show ends with the Firebird chords also found in the finale of "Wind Dances." Final Score 95.50. |
Winter guard
The Color Guard is directed by Mark Metzger and is one of the largest guards in the state. The James Logan World Guard competes in the Winter Guard International championships, where it has won ten consecutive gold medals (1998-2007), the most in the history of the competition. The James Logan Open Guard competes in the California Color Guard Circuit of the WGI, winning the bronze medal in 2006, the silver in 2005, and the gold in 2004, 2003, and 2002. [25]
Student population issues
Administration
Over the years, James Logan High School has adopted unique provisions in handling such a vast student population. The student body is divided into six "houses" that are each overseen by a separate team of administrators and counselors. Each house has its own "House Principal", who has authority comparable to a vice principal at other high schools. James Logan has had to adjust the number of houses as student population has fluctuated.
James Logan also implements a 2-period lunch where half of the school has lunch one period, and the other half has lunch the other period. This increases the safety of the school in that only half of the students need to be monitored by campus safety technicians during these times.
Overcrowding
Every year, students voice their concerns regarding overcrowding at the school. Over decades of the school's existence, the school has added more and more wings of classrooms. However, today, the problem is most exemplified as traffic jams in school hallways are now causing students to be tardy to classes. Also, the times immediately before and after of the school day are known for a daily 2-mile long traffic jam along Alvarado-Niles Road, a major thoroughfare through the city which gives access to Interstate 880. [citation needed]
Measure A expansion projects
Measure A, passed by local voters in 2003, enabled the New Haven Unified School District to issue $120,000,000 in bonds to facilitate the relief of overcrowding and improvement of school buildings with projects including replacing deteriorated portables with permanent classrooms; renovating aging restrooms, roofs, plumbing, heating/cooling, lighting, electrical and technology systems; and acquiring and constructing school classrooms, sites, and other facilities.[26]
So far, the expansion project has yielded new tennis courts, additional portable classrooms, two new permanent classroom buildings, and new basketball courts. The project has plans to build one additional wing of permanent classrooms (to replace recently demolished portable classrooms) and a 625-seat theater.[27]
Demographics
Student
Statistics for the 2005-2006 school year[28]
| Asian | 24.4% |
|---|---|
| Pacific Islander | 1.6% |
| Filipino | 20.7% |
| Hispanic and Latino | 25.0% |
| African American | 11.1% |
| White | 16.6% |
| Female | 48.2% |
|---|---|
| Male | 51.8% |
| Freshman (Grade 9) | 983 |
|---|---|
| Sophomore (Grade 10) | 1,008 |
| Junior (Grade 11) | 931 |
| Senior (Grade 12) | 928 |
| Other | 153 |
Teacher
Statistics for the 2005-2006 school year[29]
| Full | 85.9% |
|---|---|
| Univ. Intern. | 12.0% |
| Dist. Intern. | 0% |
| Pre-Intern. | 0% |
| Emergency | 4.2% |
| Waiver | 0% |
| Doctorate | 1% |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree +30 | 28.1% |
| Master's Degree | 1% |
| Bachelor's Degree +30 | 57.8% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 12.5% |
| Less than Bachelor's | 0% |
| None Reported | 0% |
| Avg. Yrs. Teaching | 13.6 |
|---|---|
| Avg. Yrs. in District | 12.0 |
| First Year Teachers | 23 |
| Second Year Teachers | 16 |
Notable alumni
- Stephen Abas, 2004 Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling
- Otis Amey, wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers
- Vince Amey, defensive lineman for the Arizona Rattlers
- Jim Donovan, sportscaster
- SuChin Pak, MTV News reporter
- Danielle Reyes, contestant, CBS's Big Brother 3 (2002) & Big Brother 7: All-Stars (2006)
- Donnie Spragan, linebacker for the Miami Dolphins
- Marice Taylor, defensive back for the Louisville Cardinals
- Kelli White, track and field athlete involved in the BALCO scandal
- Roy Williams, defensive back for the Dallas Cowboys
Logan in the news
- In the Spring of 2002, students in Logan's Leadership (Student Government) class started an initiative to permit high school students to carry cell phones on campus with Senator Liz Figueroa (D-Fremont, Senate District 10). At the time, state law prohibited students from carrying signaling devices such as cell phones and pagers. The Leadership students were motivated to reverse this law because cell phone ownership had become common practice. They cited the September 11th, 2001 attacks and Columbine shootings as examples to why students could possibly need cell phones in emergencies, as well as the fact that they have become a modern convenience. The Leadership students took the time to have open discussions with Figueroa and edited the then current law to allow signaling devices to be allowed on all California high school campuses with discretion from their respective school district boards. By writing letters to other high schools across the state and writing letters to high profile California politicians, the Leadership students garnered support from all sides of the table, including the California Teacher's Association. Then ASB President Christine Start, ASB Vice President Monica Esqueda and ASB Board Representative Juan Pagan testified in person at the State Capitol in Sacramento in the Spring of 2002 and pulled a unanimous vote at the Senate Education Committee hearing solidifying the Leadership class' success. Senate Bill 1253 was passed in the California Legislature and the new law was signed by Governor Gray Davis. It went into effect in January of 2003.[30] Although school administration was forced to allow students to have their cell phones on campus, their use is generally restricted to before and after school, as well as during break periods. This can be seen as Leadership's greatest contribution to James Logan's history. [citation needed]
- On March 20th, 2007, James Logan High School's student newsletter, The Courier celebrated its first anniversary as the only High school newspaper in the nation to have a daily publication. ABC 7 News covered this event, and a news broadcast on the same day showed the class celebration by the class adviser, Patrick Hannigan.[citation needed]
Notes
- ^ "DataQuest". California Department of Education. Retrieved 2006-04-17.
- ^ "DataQuest". California Department of Education. Retrieved 2007-01-07.
- ^ "City of Union City, CA - UCPD Field Ops". City of Union City, CA. Retrieved 2006-04-20.
- ^ Shatzman, Berry (2005-08-31). "Union City's first and only florist going out of business". The Argus. Alameda Newspaper Group.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "James Logan High School Information Page". James Logan High School. Retrieved 2006-04-19.
- ^ "New Haven Unified School District Curriculum". New Having Unified School District.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dateaccessed=ignored (help) - ^ Fernandez, Lisa (2006-01-30). "School's Punjabi Course Goes Beyond Language". San Jose Mercury News. Knight Ridder, Inc. Retrieved 2006-04-19.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "School Level Dropout Reports (CA Department of Education)". California Department of Education. Retrieved 2006-04-17.
- ^ "Distinguished School Awards - Alameda County". State of California - Department of Education. Retrieved 2006-04-18.
- ^ "James Logan High School Information Page". James Logan High School. Retrieved 2006-04-19.
- ^ "Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002". U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved 2006-04-19.
- ^ Meredith May (2002-12-08). "Oakland Schools Broke, Face Bailout / $100 Million Takeover Would Be Biggest Yet". San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2006-04-20.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Staff writer (2006-03-23). ""New and Improved" Schedule Revealed". James Logan Courier. James Logan High School. Retrieved 2006-04-20.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Staff writer (2006-03-28). "Principal Answers Staff's Schedule Questions". James Logan Courier. James Logan High School. Retrieved 2006-04-16.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "NCS School Directory". North Coast Section, CIF. Retrieved 2006-04-18.
- ^ "HISTORYBASEBALL" (PDF). North Coast Section, CIF. Retrieved 2006-04-21.
- ^ "View NFL Reports". National Forensic League. Retrieved 2006-04-16.
- ^ "James Logan Forensics Team". Harpo Productions, Inc. Retrieved 2006-04-16.
- ^ DeFao, Janine (2004-09-28). "The MacArthur Grants: Bay Area Profiles". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications, Inc. p. A-11. Retrieved 2006-04-16.
- ^ "Accidental Hero . Meet Tommie Lindsey". PBS. Retrieved 2006-04-16.
- ^ "Online News Hour: Speaking For Success". PBS. Retrieved 2006-04-16.
- ^ "James Logan Forensics Team". Harpo Productions, Inc. Retrieved 2006-04-16.
- ^ Carnegie Hall Concert Series
- ^ John Mackey's Blog, OstiMusic (Composer Mackey called the Logan High School Wind Ensemble "the best high school band I've ever heard.")
- ^ "James Logan High School Band and Color Guard". James Logan High School. Retrieved 2006-04-20.
- ^ "Measure A: School Bonds - Alameda County, CA". League of Women Voters of California Education Fund. Retrieved 2006-04-18.
- ^ "James Logan Theater Plan Unveiled". Oakland Tribune. Retrieved 2006-04-20.
- ^ "DataQuest". California Department of Education. Retrieved 2006-04-17.
- ^ "DataQuest". California Department of Education. Retrieved 2007-01-07. Note: DataQuest states that percentages may not add up to 100% due to incomplete reporting or teachers holding multiple credentials.
- ^ Goot, Dustin (2002-08-27). "Cell Sanity Arrives in Schools". Wired News. Advance Magazine Publishers, Inc. Retrieved 2006-04-18.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)