Sacramento Charter High School is an independent public charter high school located in the Medical Center neighborhood, adjacent to the Alhambra Triangle and Oak Park neighborhoods in Sacramento, California. Its charter was approved by the Sacramento City Unified School District's Board of Trustees on July 21, 2003. The charter school occupies the school site formerly occupied by Sacramento High School, the second oldest high school west of the Mississippi.
Founded in 1856, Sacramento High School moved several times. In 1922, construction began at its current location on 34th Street. It opened at this location in 1924 and continuously served the growing neighborhoods of Downtown Sacramento, Midtown, East Sacramento, River Park, College Greens, Tahoe Park and Oak Park until 2003.
The school was closed by the SCUSD School Board in June 2003, over the objections of many students, parents and teachers. The new charter high school, which opened in September 2003, kept the same school colors, purple and white, and the dragon mascot but not the Visual and Performing Arts Center (VAPAC) which had been one of the school's unique features for many years. Sacramento Charter High School is governed by a private Board of Directors from St. Hope Public Schools.
Michael James Adams - aviator and NASA astronaut
David-Matthew Barnes, novelist, playwright, poet and filmmaker
Herb Caen - former gossip columnist for The X-Ray went on to become Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle
Eugene Chappie - Congressman 1981-1987
Ray Eames - American artist, designer, architect and filmmaker
Ernesto Galarza - author, labor organizer and activist
Aaron Hines - national composer, educator, and clinician for drumline
Hiram Johnson - former California governor
Alva Johnston - author and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer for The New York Times
Tim Kelly - President of the Alaska Senate 1989-1991
Darius Logan - Blaq Tuxedo group half of D&D - with his brother Dominique Logan, Grammy nominated music - Cat Daddy - song writer Universal
Aaron Peckham - founder of Urban Dictionary
Rufus Reid - jazz bassist, educator, and composer
Trent Smith - swimmer and public service
Kevin Galloway - NBA
Kevin Johnson - former NBA guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Phoenix Suns. In 2008, Johnson was elected the 55th Mayor of Sacramento.
Tommy Kono - three-time medalist in weightlifting in the 1952 Summer Olympics, 1956 Summer Olympics and 1960 Summer Olympics
Josiah Turner - Professional basketball player
Chase Tapley -Professional basketball player
Cuno Barragan - former MLB catcher
Tommy Glaviano - former MLB infielder
Stan Hack - 16-year MLB third baseman
Drungo Hazewood - former MLB outfielder
Woodie Held - 12-year MLB outfielder
Myril Hoag - 13-year MLB outfielder
Mike Howard - former MLB outfielder
Gordon Jones - 11-year MLB pitcher
John McNamara - former minor-league catcher and major-league manager
Jerry Royster - former MLB third baseman for five teams and current manager of the Lotte Giants, the Busan professional baseball team in South Korea
Greg Sims - former MLB outfielder
Matt Walbeck - Texas Rangers third-base coach and 11-year MLB catcher
Jim Breech - 14-year kicker for the Oakland Raiders and Cincinnati Bengals
Ralph DeLoach - NFL player
Kato Serwanga - five-year defensive back with the New England Patriots, Washington Redskins and the New York Giants
Wasswa Serwanga - three-year defensive back with the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings
