Type Public, early college Superintendent Deborah Flores Staff 13 (2012-2013) Mascot Griffon | Established 2007 Principal Sonia Flores Phone +1 408-846-4909 | |
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Oversight Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Schools Address 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd, Gilroy, CA 95020, USA District Gilroy Unified School District Motto Be someone. Go somewhere. Seek Excellence. Similar Gavilan College, Gilroy High School, Christoph High School, Brownell Academy Middle Sc, Anzar High School | ||
Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy, or GECA, is an early college high school located in Gilroy, California, at the southern edge of Silicon Valley. Founded in 2007, with a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, GECA ranks among the top 10 high schools in California and is the best performing early college school in the state.
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History
Dr. TJ Owens, GECA's namesake, was the former Dean of Students at Gavilan College and president of the Gilroy Unified School Board. He was a father of five and an active member of the national organization 100 Black Men of America, as well as Bethany Church in Gilroy. Owens championed civil rights and was a key figure in GECA's inception, but died of a stroke two years before it was established.
GECA received a startup grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and is now solely funded by the state.
Mission
The mission of the Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy at Gavilan College is to provide a highly supportive and academically challenging learning environment for high school students with high potential for future academic and career success. Parental involvement in the school is required, and all books, materials, and Gavilan fees are paid for by the school.
Gender and Ethnicity
2013–2014
Academics
Approximately 90 percent of the class of 2011 graduated and entered a four-year university or continued their education at Gavilan with the intention to transfer to one.
The school's non-weighted average API from 2011-2013 is 929 schoolwide, 900 for socioeconomically disadvantaged students, and 869 for English learners. Statewide, students of all groups average 790, socioeconomically disadvantaged students 742, and English learners 717.
GECA is one of ten schools participating in A Study of American Public High Schools with Academically-Competitive Admissions sponsored by Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.
Rankings
The school was ranked 10th best in California and 54th best in the United States on the 2015 U.S. News & World Report rankings.
GECA is the best performing of the 28 early college high schools in California.
GECA is one of 40 Beat the Odds Schools in a study conducted by WestEd, which identified 40 schools that consistently and significantly outperforming schools with similar demographics on the California Standards Tests and the California Academic High School Exit Exam.
Awards
GECA was awarded the California Distinguished Schools Award in 2013,
GECA was awarded the California Gold Ribbon Award in 2015.
Student Groups
Student Government
GECA ASB organizes events to foster school spirit and assists students in setting up clubs. Tribunal is the judicial branch of student government and addresses honor code violations such as bullying, cheating, and other behavioral issues.
Clubs
Chicken Scratch, GECA's writing club, has created a full-length theatrical production which was later performed in the Gavilan theater. Other groups include the gay-straight alliance, interact club, and film club. Chicanos y Latinos Unidos (C.L.U./C.L.United) is dedicated to helping those of Latino origin find means of attending and affording college, Pink Angels is dedicated to raising awareness for breast cancer, CSF (California Scholarship Federation), and Robotics.