Type Public Principal P.J. Daley Grades 9-12 Phone +1 925-606-4800 Number of students 2,400 | Established 1963 Faculty 173 Enrollment 2,400 Mascot Matador | |
 | ||
Address 400 Wall St, Liver, CA 94550, USA District Liver Valley Joint Unified School District Profiles | ||
Granada High School is a high school located at 400 Wall Street in Livermore, California, United States. It opened its doors to students in January 1963. Situated on a 40-acre campus, it is the larger of two comprehensive high schools in the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD). Granada was established as the town's second public high school in response to significant population growth in the 1960s. Livermore High School was the first high school in Livermore, and rivals Granada. The name Granada is a Spanish word meaning "pomegranate". The school's official newspaper is called The Pomegranate, which is published monthly. The school mascot is a matador.
Contents
History
Granada High School is located in the midst of housing tracts in Livermore, which changed from an agrarian community to a growing suburban community at the end of World War II. This change was escalated by the development of the research laboratory that started in the 1950s as a reaction to the United States' role as a nuclear power. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is still a major employer in the community. The growth of the Bay Area as a leader in the area of technology has also changed the nature of the community, as has the recent development of the local wine industry.
Granada High School opened in January 1963. It is one of two comprehensive high schools in the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District. There are presently five administrators, 111 teachers, three counselors, and a 54 member support staff that includes custodians, campus supervisors, office clerical, school resource officer, athletic director, and instructional assistants. Although there has been significant turnover of staff in recent years, Granada remains a blend of experienced and new, with many of the teaching staff having been at Granada for over 25 years.
During the spring quarter of 2008, the new science wing opened. The science center has 14 classrooms. A media and library center also opened in 2008. The multimedia center is open daily from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm; it has computers and books.
The Teacher:student ratio as of the 2014/15 school year was 1:28. As of the 2014-15 school year, the ethnic makeup of the student body was:
Academics
Granada High School's academic objective is to transform every student into an active learner.
When the 2008 school year started, the schedule changed from the block system to the trimester system. The school year features a three-trimester calendar with five-semester-unit courses. A typical school day feature five 70-minute periods, with the exception of Wednesdays, when periods are shortened to 50 minutes in order to incorporate Staff Development. The trimester schedule was formed to allow for more opportunities for students to take elective courses; for more flexibility in meeting student scheduling needs (students can attend periods 1-5, 2-5, 1-4, 2-4 or 1-3), depending on their post-high school goals and extracurricular commitment; and to allow for slower pacing in math classes. Students must earn 230 credits to graduate (five credits per trimester for courses completed with a grade of D or better). Credits must include four years of English, two years of math, two years of science (physical and life), three and a half years of social science, two years of physical education, one trimester of health, and one year from foreign language or career technical or visual/performing arts.
Granada High School offers a varied and comprehensive curriculum. The college preparatory program includes advanced and honors courses, and the following Advanced Placement offerings for 2015-2016:
Students are not limited in the number of AP/Honors courses they may take, however schedule conflicts often arise when there are attempts to sign up for more than 3 AP courses, as they are relatively low in demand and usually only offered at one or two specific times.
In the Class of 2014, the highest GPA was 4.5, while the mean was 3.08. 59 students graduated with a GPA of 4.0 or higher. Granada’s student population reflects the demographics of the community. Approximately 34 percent of graduates attend four-year colleges upon leaving high school, and 51 percent go to two-year colleges. Close to 60 percent of Granada students meet the University of California and California State University A-G requirements for college admission.
Athletics
Granada High School has teams in 15 sports. These teams compete in the North Coast Section CIF (NCS) and East Bay Athletic League (EBAL).
Men's sports:
Women's sports
The lacrosse team is relatively new to the school. It was created in 2005, as a club team. In the spring of 2007, the program made the transition to an EBAL team. During their first season the boys' team beat Livermore High School twice, including a shutout in the second game. The competition has recently become more fierce, with the Livermore varsity lacrosse team prevailing in more recent matches. The girls' lacrosse team has been very successful with many wins, including several against Livermore High School.
Granada's baseball team has found success in recent years, under manager and former Granada grad Corrigan Willis, who has compiled a 111–68 record while heading the Matadors. Willis took over the program in the 2009 season, and, beginning in 2010, he has led Granada baseball to six consecutive playoff appearances.
In 2013, Willis' squad featured eight senior starts, as they finished the season with a record of 24–2, making it to the semifinals in the North Coast Section playoffs. The team featured San Francisco Giants draftee Ryan Kirby and current Miami Marlins minor leaguer Casey Soltis. The Matadors began the season with 20 consecutive victories, outscoring their opponents 190-39 over the course of the 26-game season. The pitching staff was led by seniors Jacob Payne and Anthony Olmo, who finished with records of 12–1 and 11–1, respectively. In 79 innings, Payne struck out 104 batters, allowing just five earned runs and 45 hits. Olmo was dominant as well, pitching 66 2/3 innings, while striking out 58 hitters and finishing with an E.R.A of 1.58. Offensively, the team was led by seniors Ryan Kirby, Matt Richards, Dan Whitney, Vince Fernandez and Jordan Thrailkill. While the team only hit six total home runs, their collective batting average was .317. Kirby led the team with a .390 average, followed by Richards at .386 and Whitney at .382. Fernandez led the team in runs batted in, while Richards led the team with 32 hits. Highlights from the dream season include a 20–1 win over Enochs High School and an 11–1 win over Tracy High School and current Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim minor leaguer Jonah Wesely. The team had a 13–1 record in their league games, as they won the East Bay Athletic league for the first time since the 1980s. The team was ranked as high as second in the nation by MaxPreps during the course of the season.
Parking
The student parking lot can hold approximately 300 cars. Students are not allowed to park in the front parking lot or the lot alongside the shop classes, as these are reserved for staff and visitors. All parking on campus requires a permit.
Closed campus policy
High schools in Livermore have closed campuses. Students are not allowed to leave campus at break or at lunch. Seniors can earn off-campus lunch privileges by maintaining good grades (no Fs), good attendance (no unexcused absences and three or fewer tardies to 4th period), and good behavior (no suspensions). Seniors are given special ID cards that they must have in their possession in order to leave campus. Seniors who do not have their IDs are not allowed to leave campus during lunch. The parking lots are considered off-campus and students are not allowed to go back and forth to their cars during the school day.
Lunches
The district Campus Catering Services meet regularly with a student committee to pick items to be sold on campus. New federal regulations regarding the nutritional values of products sold on campus must be followed. This eliminates some of the high calorie snack foods that have been sold in the past.
Student life
With Spirit Weeks occurring every trimester to unite the student body, Granada's massive student body has plenty of activities. In the beginning of the year, students participate in Homecoming, which includes not just a football game and a dance, but also a spirit week, the Homecoming Carnival, rallies, and skits, which occur throughout the week. Only seniors are allowed to participate in the off-campus lunch program, allowing them to go to nearby fast food restaurants and grocery stores. There is occasionally music at lunch in the quad.
Clubs
Granada currently offers 33 clubs. From common clubs such as CSF to more unusual clubs like Smash Bros., there are opportunities for every student: