Montgomery High School (San Diego)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Montgomery High School" San Diego – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Public school in San Diego, California, California, United States

Montgomery High School

Address

3250 Palm Avenue

San Diego, California

California

92154

United States

Coordinates| 32°35′05.47″N 117°03′52.03″W﻿ / ﻿32.5848528°N 117.0644528°W﻿ / 32.5848528; -117.0644528
Information
Type| Public
Motto| "We Are Aztecs”
Established| 1970
School district| Sweetwater Union High School District
Superintendent| Moisés G. Aguirre
Principal| Louie Zumstein
Teaching staff| 95.53 (on an FTE basis)[1]
Grades| 9-12
Enrollment| 2,341 (2022–23)[1]
Student to teacher ratio| 24.51[1]
Campus| Suburban
Color(s)|  White  Blue  Red
Fight song| 'Up on the Hill of Glory'
Athletics conference| Metropolitan - Mesa League
Mascot| Monty the Aztec
Nickname| Aztecs
Newspaper| La Voz Azteca (Spanish), Moctezuma (English)
TV Channel| KMMI [2]
Website| http://moh.sweetwaterschools.org/

Montgomery High School (MOH) is a four-year (grade levels 9–12) public high school in the city of San Diego, California, United States. It opened in 1970 in the Otay Mesa neighborhood.[3] Montgomery High School serves more than 2,500 students and is named after pioneer aviator John J. Montgomery, who made the first manned glider flight in U.S. history from a hill in the area where the school is located.

## History

[edit]

In 1975, Tagalog class was first offered as a foreign language in California at Montgomery.[4]

January 26, 1978, Joseph Torres, the first Mexican-American principal in South Bay, retired after 29 years with the Sweetwater High School District.

Montgomery High underwent extensive renovations, with classrooms being gutted and renovated in 2006 by Turner Construction. In 2009-2010 more construction work began.[5] As such, the creation of a new synthetic field turf was installed at the school's stadium, along with new concrete work. On August 31, 2012, a formal ceremony was held to dedicate Montgomery High School's stadium in honor of Al Prazak.[6] The stadium was officially named Al Prazak Stadium in recognition of his impact.[7] On the original gym there is a plaque that reads the following: "In Honor Al Prazak, for his Loyalty and Dedication. 1970-1986." of In 2011, a new office, classrooms, and library were constructed all in one two-story building in front of campus. Other work was performed in 2011 into early 2012 under Prop-O.[8] The new library, named for founding principal Joseph C Torres, was opened in February, 10th 2012,[9] and a new landscaping and quad area in front of the library and other buildings were added for the adult school on the same campus.[10] In 2014 an approximately 15,800 sq. ft. custom gym floor was installed.[11]

Montgomery High School has a student-led Spotify podcast titled "MOHCAST" which seeks to talk about anything related to the school and its student culture.[12]

In 2009, Montgomery High School in San Diego faced challenges with low test scores, prompting concern from the Sweetwater Union High School District. The District replaced the principal, implemented new schedules, and increased accountability measures. The new principal, Lee Romero, took significant action to improve student performance as part of the state system; that "parallels No Child Left Behind, which pushes school to raise test scores." However, this did spark debate among teachers and the union, who were concerned about the process.[13]

On September 14, 2013, Prep Pigskin Report KUSI aired an interview with Al Prazak. In the interview, Prazak, one of the first Aztecs, reflected on his years in the Montgomery High School sports program and discussed the significance of having the stadium named in his honor.[14]

In 2018, San Diego law enforcement proposed to conduct an active school shooter drill and use it as cover for the arrests of four students. On Halloween, officials at Montgomery High School carried out this plan. This tactic, seen as a new and untested law enforcement strategy, was defended by Sweetwater Union High School District officials as a measure to ensure safety. However, juvenile justice advocates criticized it as a violation of students' rights and a misleading use of the drill.[15]

In 2019, an incident occurred in which a student, dressed in a gorilla costume, was injured by a golf cart after throwing an egg at a staff member. The student claimed he was "run over" by the staff golf cart while the staff member said he was "tapped by the golf cart". The event was covered by the local news.[16]

In March 2019, a Montgomery High School student was involved in an incident at the Living Coast Discovery Center in Chula Vista, California during a school field trip. The student, a junior at the time, jumped into a shark tank. He claimed that "he did it as a dare in exchange for cash and a designer belt."[17]

On August 26, 2019, a physical altercation involving multiple teenagers was recorded at a busy intersection near the school.[18]

August 26, 2019 a live-streamed meeting of the Sweetwater Union High School District's Board of Trustees located inside school's Boston Square Gymnasium.[19] While also on this date there was a "Closed Session" at 4:00 PM.[20] The live-streamed meeting could be viewed on YouTube[21]

## Programs

[edit]

The Administration of Justice Program[22] is a specialized curriculum available to Montgomery High School students who aspire to careers in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. This program spans from the sophomore year to the senior year, offering students a comprehensive education in justice administration.

Southwestern College offers a comprehensive American Sign Language (ASL) program designed to develop students' skills in communicating with Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.[23] Montgomery High School benefits from a partnership with Southwestern College, allowing students to take an ASL classes on their campus. A college professor comes to the high school to teach this course, providing students with a unique opportunity to earn a language credit that contributes towards A though G graduation requirements.

Montgomery High’s Mariachi Aztecas is a school program dedicated to traditional Mexican mariachi music. During the Joseph C. Torres Library & Media Center ribbon cutting ceremony in 2012[24] Dec 7, 2023, they preformed at Montgomery Middle School's Posada.[25] March 2, 2024, over "170 Sweetwater Union High School District students" attended the Adelante Latino Conference at UC San Diego. The event featured Montgomery High’s Mariachi Azteca along side talks with Latino leaders, including Dr. Moises Aguirre.[26] On April 17, 2024, Montgomery High’s Mariachi Aztecas performed at the SUHSD Mariachi Spring District Concert.[27]

Monty's Market provides essentials such as clothes, toiletries, and school supplies. The market is located in the school's old drama room and also serves as a practical learning environment where students in the transition program can develop job skills and gain work experience.[28] The market operates as a thrift store on campus, allowing students to select up to three items once per week.[29]

## Notable alumni

[edit]

* Wuv Bernardo (1991) - Drummer for P.O.D.[30]
* Alfredo Gutiérrez (2015) - Professional football player[31]
* Rey Mysterio (1993) - Professional wrestler[32]
* William McLeroy (1978) - Firefighter
* Sergio Mitre (1999) - Professional baseball player[33]
* Óscar Robles (1994) - Professional baseball player[34]
* Thunder Rosa (2006) - Professional wrestler
* Sonny Sandoval (1991) - singer for P.O.D.[30]
* Tony Walker (1977) - Professional baseball player
* Nora Vargas (1990) - American politician[35]

## See also

[edit]

* Sweetwater Union High School District

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Montgomery High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
2. ^ "KMMI Academy YouTube Channel". YouTube. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
3. ^ "Montgomery High School 1968-1972 - South Bay Historical Society". sunnycv.com. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
4. ^ Lim, Ed (January 2010). "Filipino, Pilipino, Tagalog: Status of Filipino Classes in the U.S." (PDF). Language Training Center. San Diego State University. Retrieved 10 May 2018.[dead link]
5. ^ District, Sweetwater Union High School (2008-09-30). "Montgomery High School New Two Story Building And Modernization Of Building 102, 1200 And Synthetic Track and Turf Field Project". ceqanet.opr.ca.gov. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
6. ^ Čada, Glenn (2014-09-05). "A Most Unforgettable Character — Uncle Elden". clarksonhistory. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
7. ^ Salomino Jr (2012-09-01). Montgomery High School Al Prazak Stadium Dedication - 31 Aug 2012. Retrieved 2024-08-27 - via YouTube.
8. ^ BuildingPropO (2010-07-20). Montgomery High School - Proposition O. Retrieved 2024-08-28 - via YouTube.
9. ^ "Montgomery High School". Swinerton. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
10. ^ Salomino Jr (2012-02-10). Montgomery High School - Joseph C Torres Library & Media Center - 02.10.12. Retrieved 2024-08-27 - via YouTube.
11. ^ "Montgomery High School Project". Geary Floors Inc. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
12. ^ "Spotify". open.spotify.com. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
13. ^ Diego, Voice of San (2009-08-30). "The Battle for Montgomery High". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
14. ^ Prep Pigskin Report (2013-09-14). PPR: Interview with Montgomery's Al Prazak. Retrieved 2024-08-27 - via YouTube.
15. ^ Huntsberry, Will (2018-11-30). "Police Arrested Montgomery High Students in Operation Disguised as Active Shooter Drill". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
16. ^ Huard, Christine (2019-11-01). "Boy in Gorilla Suit Injured by Golf Cart; Montgomery HS Staffers Suspected". Times of San Diego. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
17. ^ "Student who jumped into shark tank at South Bay aquarium apologizes". Fox 5 San Diego. March 14, 2019. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
18. ^ Chen, Michael (2019-08-26). "Caught on video: Teens brawl at busy intersection near high school". KGTV. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
19. ^ "NovusAGENDA". sweetwaterschools.novusagenda.com. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
20. ^ "NovusAGENDA". sweetwaterschools.novusagenda.com. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
21. ^ suhsdk12 (2019-08-27). Board of Trustees Meeting (at Montgomery High) - August 26, 2019. Retrieved 2024-08-28 - via YouTube.`{{cite AV media}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
22. ^ "Administration of Justice Program". Montgomery High School. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
23. ^ "American Sign Language". www.swccd.edu. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
24. ^ Salomino Jr (2012-02-11). Montgomery High School Mariachi Aztecas - Joseph C Torres Library & Media Center - 02.10.12. Retrieved 2024-08-28 - via YouTube.
25. ^ MamaTitaVee (2024-03-06). Montgomery High School Mariachi Azteca. Retrieved 2024-08-28 - via YouTube.
26. ^ "Adelante Latino". eaop.ucsd.edu. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
27. ^ Torres, Valerie. "Mariachi Barones unitedly celebrate music and culture". the Crusader. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
28. ^ "Monty's Market Soft Opening (Timestamp: 5:30)". YouTube. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
29. ^ "Instagram page of Team BOS Foundation". Instagram. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
30. ^ a b "Hall of Fame inductees named (II)". The Star-News. November 4, 2005. p. 5. Retrieved October 19, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
31. ^ Krasovic, Tom (June 4, 2021). "Tijuana and San Diego's Alfredo Gutierrez Joins the NFL Fast Lane with 49ers". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
32. ^ Howard, Eric (June 29, 2007). "Lucha libre to rock SWC on June 30". The Star-News. p. 22. Retrieved October 19, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
33. ^ Wilson, Bernie (July 3, 2007). "Giles, Wells team to top Marlins". The Desert Sun. p. 25. Retrieved October 19, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
34. ^ Brents, Phillip (October 22, 1994). "Local hero giving it back". The Star-News. p. 17. Retrieved October 19, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
35. ^ Stories, Local (2020-03-02). "Meet Nora Vargas". SDVoyager - San Diego. Retrieved 2024-04-03.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Sweetwater Union High School District

Senior high
schools|

* Bonita Vista High School
* Castle Park High School
* Chula Vista High School
* Eastlake High School
* Hilltop High School
* MAAC Community Charter School
* Mar Vista High School
* Montgomery High School
* Olympian High School
* Options Secondary School
* Otay Ranch High School
* Palomar High School
* San Ysidro High School
* Southwest High School
* Sweetwater High School

Middle
schools|

* Bonita Vista Middle School
* Castle Park Middle
* Chula Vista Middle
* Eastlake Middle
* Granger Junior High
* Hilltop Middle
* Mar Vista Middle
* Montgomery Middle
* National City Middle
* Rancho del Rey Middle
* Southwest Middle

Authority control databases: Geographic |

* NCES

|

This San Diego County school-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

|

* v
* t
* e

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template