Type Public Grades 9-12 Phone +1 858-496-8370 Founded 1941 | Established 1941 Enrollment 1,714 Mascot Komets Colors White, Maroon | |
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Address 1954 Komet Way, San Diego, CA 92111, USA District San Diego Unified School District Profiles | ||
Kearny High School is a public high school in San Diego, California. Kearny High School serves students in grades 9-12 from the Linda Vista, Serra Mesa and Kearny Mesa communities. The school is part of the San Diego Unified School District. Kearny's mascot is the Komet.
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History
The actual name of the school is Stephen Watts Kearny High School, named after General Stephen Watts Kearny. A former military base on the land, Camp Kearny was near where the current campus is located. The camp was named in honor of General Stephen W. Kearny, a leader in the Mexican-American War.
Kearny High opened its doors in 1941 in Linda Vista. The original school was a building in the neighborhood before moving into what is now Montgomery Middle School located at 2470 Ulric Street San Diego, CA 92111. The Class of 1943, was the first graduating class. In September 1945, Army ROTC was introduced on-campus. In 1953 the high school moved to its present location on Wellington.
Small schools
During the 2004-2005 school year, Kearny transformed from a traditional high school into a campus with four specialized small schools, each with an emphasis on a different field of study. The schools are:
The small school system is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Kearny is one of three such small schools in the San Diego area, the other two being San Diego High School and Crawford Educational Complex. The class of 2005 was the first graduating class from Kearny's small school system. The small schools are distinct from one another with different principals, teaching staff and course requirements. Each school offers specialized classes only available through their specific program.
Curriculum
Kearny High uses a 4x4 block schedule, which means that students are able to complete four full classes a semester (fall term and spring term) totaling eight full classes a year, rather than the traditional six year-long courses. This enables students to complete a year’s full curriculum in a more condensed term and allows them to enroll in additional electives or ROP courses.
Since Kearny has specialized academies, each school is able to offer a variety of elective courses not commonly taught in public schools. Each academy offers individual AP, ROP, and electives pertaining to their specific theme. All four schools have come together with a common emphasis on planetary changes and global warming, using various technological skills to educate the student body.
Exclusive to Kearny High, students who display academic excellence are able to take Mesa Fast Track their junior and senior years. This program allows students to enroll in college courses at Mesa College for both high school and college credit during the school day, and further enables the students to succeed post high school.
Athletics
Kearny offers a wide array of sports:
Kearny participates in California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) sports.
The current Athletic Director is Wrestling Coach Jonathan Sachs.