John F. Kennedy High School (Guam)

Public high school in Tamuning, Guam, United States

John F. Kennedy High School

John F. Kennedy High School in 2022

Address

331 N. Marine Corps Drive, Tamuning, Guam 96913

Tumon

Guam

Coordinates| 13°30′04″N 144°47′50″E﻿ / ﻿13.5011°N 144.7971°E﻿ / 13.5011; 144.7971
Information
Type| Public
Motto| "Home of the Islanders"
Established| 1959
School district| Guam Department of Education
Principal| Asherdee Rosete
Staff| 50
Faculty| 135
Grades| 9–12
Enrollment| 1,792 (SY 2021–22)
Color(s)| Green and gold
Mascot| Islanders
Accreditation| Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Website| gdoe.net/jfkislanders

John F. Kennedy High School (JFKHS),[1] formerly Tumon Senior-Junior High School,[2] is a public high school located in the Tumon area of Tamuning in the United States Territory of Guam.[2] It is a part of the Guam Department of Education.

The school, which opened in September 1959, serves Tamuning, Hagåtña, and portions of Dededo.[2]

## History

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### Early years

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John F. Kennedy High School (JFKHS) was opened in September 1959 as "Tumon Junior-Senior High School". The first graduating class was from the same school year and graduated in 1960. In November 1962, Typhoon Karen, a category 5 typhoon, devastated Guam, leaving the only other public high school, George Washington High School (GWHS) without a campus. Following Typhoon Karen, GWHS held double sessions at John F. Kennedy High School. During 1962, John F. Kennedy High School's chapter of the National Honor Society was chartered.[2]

In 1964, Governor Manuel F.L. Guerrero signed Public Law 7–113, introduced by Senator J.U. Torres. This law renamed Tumon Junior-Senior High School "John F. Kennedy High School".[3] Following enactment, the date of enactment was changed by Public Laws 7-124[4] and 7-125[5] to begin August 26, 1964. On August 26, 1965, Governor Guerrero signed Public Law 8-74, introduced by Senator George M. Bamba. This law appropriated $2,000 to design and erect a statue of President John F. Kennedy in front of John F. Kennedy High School.[6]

John F. Kennedy High School's Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (AFJROTC) started at the school in 1970. In 1976, the Guam Community College began offering vocational training courses in nursing, marketing, and electronics through JFKHS.[2]

### Temporary relocation

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In June 2008 some of John F. Kennedy High School's buildings were declared unsafe, so for the school year 2008–2009, Kennedy students shared space with George Washington High School in double sessions.[7] For the 2009–2010 school year, JFK moved into a facility in the Tiyan area of Barrigada. While other public high schools welcomed their students back on Tuesday, August 11, students at the interim John F. Kennedy high school at Tiyan were met with bad news after hearing that their school was delayed further after large amounts of the chlordane were found in the soil and in the air. The students were able to finally arrive to school on August 24 after the chlordane levels in the air were declared safe.[8][9] The Islanders remained in this facility through the 2010–2011 school year.

Return to the Tumon campus

In August 2011, the JFKHS campus in Tumon was ready for occupancy. New equipment filled the classrooms and offices, to include:  student and teacher desks, desktop computers, laptops, classroom furniture & equipment for the respective departments. Student enrollment averaged 2,800 annually until SY2014-2015 when a new central high school was opened. In 2018, the surface of the track and field lighting were replaced thus complementing the “newness” of the overall facility.

JFKHS accommodates approximately 1,750 students annually from grades 9 through 12 and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

In celebration of JFKHS's 50th anniversary, the new statue of President Kennedy was presented to the student body, alumni, and the community of Guam.

### Accreditation

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The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) is the accreditation authority for John F. Kennedy High School. The following is a brief summary of the accreditation history of JFKHS:

Accreditation year  | Accreditation period granted

|

1967 | initial
1968 | revisit, 2 years accreditation
1970 | revisit, 2 years accreditation
1972 | 6 years accreditation
1978 | 3 years accreditation
1981 | revisit, 2 years accreditation
1983 | revisit, 4 years accreditation
1987 | 6 years accreditation[10]
1993 | 6 years accreditation[10]
1999 | 3 years accreditation[10]
2002 | 3 years accreditation[10]
2005 | 2 years accreditation[10]
2007 | 1 year accreditation[10]
2008 | 3 years accreditation
2011 | 3 years accreditation
2014 | 3 years accreditation
2017 | 6 years accreditation
2020 | mid-term visit, reaffirmed

## Student body

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During the 1999–2000 school year, the school had 2,400 students. 42% were Filipino, 37% were Chamorro, and the next largest groups Asians and other Pacific Islanders.[11]

## Notable alumni

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* Leevin Camacho, attorney general of Guam
* John A. Cruz, politician and retired civil servant, Mayor of Hagåtña since 2005[12]
* Eugene, member of the Korean girl group S.E.S.
* William C. McCool, NASA astronaut
* James Moylan, Guam delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives (2023–)
* Michael San Nicolas, delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives (2019–2023)[13]
* Terry Stotts, NBA head coach
* Robert A. Underwood, president of the University of Guam, delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives (1993–2003)

## See also

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* United States portal
* Schools portal

* List of memorials to John F. Kennedy

## References

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1. ^ "Progress Report Smaller Learning Communities Planning Grant." Guam Public School System. June 30, 2005.
2. ^ a b c d e History Archived 2009-01-05 at the Wayback Machine. John F. Kennedy High School. Retrieved on September 1, 2009.
3. ^ Guam Legislature. Public Law 7-113 Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine. Hagatna, 1964.
4. ^ Guam Legislature. Public Law 7-124 Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine. Hagatna, 1964.
5. ^ Guam Legislature. Public Law 7-125 Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine. Hagatna, 1964.
6. ^ Guam Legislature. Public Law 8-74 Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine. Hagatna, 1965.
7. ^ "John F. Kennedy High remains in limbo." Pacific Daily News. June 23, 2009.
8. ^ Tamondong, Dionesis. "Pesticide found at JFK site: Concerns could delay classes at Tiyan facility[permanent dead link]." Pacific Daily News. August 8, 2009. Accessed September 1, 2009.
9. ^ Staff. "BREAKING NEWS: Final chlordane test in soil done, interim JFK could open Monday[permanent dead link]." Pacific Daily News. August 21, 2009. Accessed September 1, 2009.
10. ^ a b c d e f John F. Kennedy High School. Accreditation History Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine. Tumon, 2012.
11. ^ "Guam's Public High Schools." Guam Public School System. Accessed September 8, 2008.
12. ^ "John Cruz biography". KUAM. June 30, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
13. ^ KUAM, Michael San Nicolas, Hagatna, July 2012.

## External links

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* John F. Kennedy High School

* v
* t
* e

Tamuning, Guam

Areas|

* Tumon
* Tumon Bay

Landmarks|

* Guam Premier Outlets
* Guam Memorial Hospital
* Two Lovers Point
* UnderWater World Guam

Education|

* John F. Kennedy High School
* St. John's School

Transportation|

* Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport

This list is incomplete.

* v
* t
* e

Education in Guam

Public senior high schools

Guam Department
of Education|

* Kennedy
* Okkodo
* Sanchez
* Southern
* Tiyan
* Washington

Department of Defense
Education Activity|

* Guam High School

Independent

Secular private|

* Japanese School of Guam

Religious|

* Academy of Our Lady of Guam
* Father Dueñas
* Guam Adventist Academy
* Harvest Christian
* Notre Dame
* St. John's School

| Closed|

* St. Thomas Aquinas

|

Tertiary

University|

* University of Guam

Comm. college|

* Guam Community College

Libraries

Public|

* Guam Public Library System

This list is incomplete.
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