Torrey Pines High School

Academics

The school is a three-time National Blue Ribbon School and a California Distinguished School. In 2005, Torrey Pines was ranked as one of the 100 Best High Schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine. In 2012, Torrey Pines appeared as 110th and in 2011, as 90th. In 2015, Torrey Pines was ranked 336th. Torrey Pines offers 26 Advanced Placement courses and had a 2012–2013 API score of 895. That same year, Torrey Pines seniors scored an average of 1860 on the SAT I, with 41 and 31 of them being recognized as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists and Finalists respectively.

In December 2006, Torrey Pines received the Claes Nobel School of Distinction Award from the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS)

In 2007, Torrey Pines had students designated AP scholars by the College Board. Torrey Pines is well known for its numerous AP advanced students.

History

Prior to 1936, students in all of coastal North County went to high school in Oceanside, California, as the areas of Carmel Valley and Torrey Hills were not developed for several decades.

In 1936, the San Dieguito Union High School District was created and San Dieguito High School in Encinitas opened to serve students living in Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Olivenhain, Cardiff, Encinitas and Leucadia. It remained the only high school in the district until Torrey Pines High School opened in 1974.

Based on population growth in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and projections, a second high school was needed. At the time, San Dieguito High School and Earl Warren Middle School were forced to do double sessions to deal with the shortage of space. Earl Warren at the time also had the ninth grade freshman class attending its school.

In the early 1970s after two defeats, a bond issue placed on the ballot finally passed. A location was chosen at what seemed out-of-the-way at the time; however, the location was based on the projected growth of what was then known as “North City West” – commonly known today as Carmel Valley.

Torrey Pines High School opened in the fall of 1974. The architecture reflects the era with stained/painted wood and the avocado greens, yellow, and orange decor popular in the era 1970s. When initially opened, access was from the original alignment of two-lanes only Black Mountain Rd., later when Del Mar Heights Rd. was extended east, the access road was modified.

It was considered very modern at the time, being built with an open courtyard, classrooms with no windows, and many of the classrooms had no doors. Another design feature was wide hallways with large carpeted podium-like benches one could sit on. The large library (the Media Center) was considered state-of-the-art at the time. In 2016 the Media Center is being gutted and a new exterior and entrance is being built (to be finished December 2016). It also had its own Black Box Theater.

For all its fanfare, there were some noticeable discrepancies: There was an immediate shortage of classrooms – portable classrooms had to be brought in; there was a shortage of lockers, no food service building – instead a bank of vending machines was available, and there was no football stadium; games were played at San Dieguito High School. The school got rid of all lockers in the 1990s.

In the 1980s, the school was expanded: the building containing the Media Center was expanded towards Del Mar Heights Rd.; a new parking/bus/student drop-off area was added; a football stadium built; the portable classrooms were converted to a weight room and other sport-related uses; and the original black box theater is now used as a lecture hall (with a second black box theater, a converted machine shop, was added in the Arts building). In 2003, Building E and G were built. Stairs were added to the main building. During the summer of 2008, more stairs were constructed leading from the parking lot nearest Del Mar Heights Road to the English building.

Demographics

Torrey Pines High School has a primarily Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic student body. Students from the districts of Del Mar, Solana Beach and Rancho Santa Fe school districts, with the exception of the area north of Escondido Creek in the Rancho Santa Fe School are eligible to attend.

The student body is largely reflective of the surrounding area of Torrey Pines, characterized mainly by a high level of affluence; many adults in the area are married, the median household income is over $100,000 although 5% of the students qualify for the free lunch program. Most adults in the area are highly educated, and a strong majority have a Bachelor's and Master's degree.

Academic teams

Torrey Pines High School's academic teams include Speech and Debate, Academic League, Quizbowl, and Science Olympiad. In the 2009-2010 school year, Torrey Pines High School placed 7th at the Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence National Quizbowl tournament and 7th at the HSNCT Nationals tournament. In the 2013-2014 school year, the TPHS Academic Team had 10 Freshmen Team members, 16 JV Team members, and 6 Varsity Team members.

Athletics

Programs include Football, Wrestling, Basketball, Men's and Women's Volleyball, Softball, Cross Country, Cheerleading, Tennis, Track & Field, Soccer, Golf, Gymnastics, Baseball, Lacrosse, Swimming, Surfing and Water Polo. On October 11, 2007, Torrey Pines football was featured in a nationally televised game on ESPNU.

Torrey Pines was named "State School of the Year" for sports again in 2016.

Clubs

The school has over 140 clubs. Many other non-school sponsored clubs are also available for students to join, from arts clubs such as Torrey Pines Players and National Art Honor Society, to science clubs like Torrey Pines FIRST Robotics and Drone Club, to community service organizations like American Red Cross and Amnesty International.

Mock Trial

Torrey Pines High School has a Mock Trial team which team competes in the annual San Diego County Mock Trial Competition, hosted by the San Diego County Bar Association. Each year, a fictional case is created by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. Schools statewide in California compete in their respective counties leading to the State Final competition hosted by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. In the 2013 competition season, Torrey Pines High School placed first in the San Diego County competition.

Music

Torrey Pines music program includes two orchestras, a wind ensemble, a symphonic band, and a jazz band. The music program is a well-developed, competitive establishment,

Speech and Debate

The speech and debate team participates in events including Congressional debate, Lincoln-Douglas debate, and Parliamentary debate. In 2005, Public Forum debaters competed in the final round of the nationally ranked Tournament of Champions. In 2013, the team qualified multiple people to the Tournament of Champions. In 2015, the team qualified three students to the Tournament of Champions, five students to NSDA nationals, and eleven students to the CHSSA state tournament.

The Falconer

The Falconer is the monthly school newspaper. It placed first in the 1984 JEA/National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) Spring National High School Journalism Convention in San Diego and again in March 1999 at the Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Phoenix. It placed first once again at the 2009 JEA/NSPA Convention and received a Pacemaker Award at the 2010 convention in Kansas City, Missouri. It also placed first at both the spring 2012 JEA/NSPA Convention in Seattle and the spring 2014 JEA/NSPA Convention in San Diego. The Falconer receives no school funding, and instead relies on money from advertisers the staff members find.

First Flight

First Flight is the school literary magazine. Its 2005–2006 edition placed first in the 2006 JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Chicago, Illinois and the 2006–2007 edition won first place Best in Show at the 2007 JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. First Flight again won first place Best in Show at the 2010 JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.

FreeFlight

FreeFlight is the school yearbook. Freeflight 2006–2007 yearbook with the theme of IMPACT placed 4th at the JEA/NSPA National Convention in the Spring of 2008 in Anaheim, CA and Freeflight 2007–2008 yearbook with the theme of LAYERS placed 3rd at the JEA/NSPA National Convention in the Spring of 2009 in Phoenix, AZ.

Theater

The Torrey Pines black box theater program (TP Players) has received awards for best play in the region from the California Educational Theater Association for Metamorphosis in 2003 and Inherit the Wind in 2005. TP Players performed at the International Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland in the summers of 2006 and 2009.

Notable faculty