Montgomery High School (Santa Rosa, California)

Public high school in Santa Rosa, California, U.S.

Montgomery High School

Address

1250 Hahman Drive

Santa Rosa, California

95405

United States

Coordinates| 38°26′24″N 122°41′03″W﻿ / ﻿38.44000°N 122.68417°W﻿ / 38.44000; -122.68417
Information
Type| Public high school
Established| 1958
School district| Santa Rosa City Schools
Principal| April Santos
Teaching staff| 77.18 (FTE)[1]
Grades| 9–12
Enrollment| 1,433 (2023-2024)[1]
Student to teacher ratio| 20.37[1]
Color(s)|
Team name| Viking
Website| www.montgomeryhighschool.com

Montgomery High School is a public high school located in Santa Rosa, California. It is part of the Santa Rosa High School District, which is itself part of Santa Rosa City Schools.[2]

## History

[edit]

Montgomery High School was named after Bill Montgomery. Montgomery is considered the first person from the city of Santa Rosa to have died in World War II. William "Billy" Montgomery was killed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, while serving aboard the battleship USS California.[3]

On March 1, 2023, a 16-year-old student was stabbed to death by another student on the school’s campus.[4]

In February 2025, the Santa Rosa City School District Board decided to make Montgomery High School into a K7-12 school taking in middle schoolers who were expected to go to Herbert Slater Middle School by June 2026.[5]

## Curriculum

[edit]

Montgomery participates in the International Baccalaureate Organization as an IB World School, providing the IB Diploma Programme as well as the full complement of classes available to juniors and seniors. Montgomery High School has been an IB World School since July 1995.[6]

Montgomery High School houses an elective called Advancement Via Individual Determination or AVID. This 4-year elective course is geared towards preparing students to become first-generation college students within their families through academic support programs and access to aid.[7]

Montgomery High School is involved in a dual-enrollment program with Santa Rosa Junior College allowing students to take junior college courses for college and high school credits.[8]

## Awards and recognition

[edit]

During the 1990–1991 school year, Montgomery High School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education,[9] the highest award an American school can receive.[10]

Montgomery was recognized as a California Distinguished School by the California Department of Education in 1990.[11]

## Demographics

[edit]

### 2023–2024

[edit]

* 1,433 students:

Hispanic  | African American  | Asian  | Pacific Islander  | White, non-Hispanic  | Multiracial  | American Indian

|
|
|
|
|
|

54.7%  | 2.9%  | 3.1%  | 2.0%  | 30.4%  | 5.0%  | 0.5%

[12]

## Notable alumni

[edit]

* Melba Pattillo Beals (born 1941), member of the Little Rock Nine, a group of African-American students who were the first to integrate Little Rock Central High School; attended Montgomery for her senior year.[13]
* Kim Conley (born 1986), Olympic middle and long-distance runner.[14]
* Mel Gray (born 1948), wide receiver for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1971 to 1982.[15][16]
* Sara Hall (born 1983), professional American middle-distance runner.[17]
* Dan Hicks (1941–2016), singer in Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks and The Charlatans[18]
* Brandon Hyde (born 1973), Manager of the Baltimore Orioles (2019– )[19]
* Mark Illsley (born 1958), writer & director of Happy, Texas[20]
* Koa Misi (born 1987), outside linebacker for the Miami Dolphins.[21]
* Nancy Ling Perry (1947–1974), member of the Symbionese Liberation Army.[22][23]
* Scott Ware (born 1983), former safety on the football team of the University of Southern California and the practice squad of the Indianapolis Colts[24]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Montgomery High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
2. ^ "Home - Montgomery High School". mhs.srcschools.org. May 1, 2025. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
3. ^ "Our School - Montgomery High School". mhs.srcschools.org. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
4. ^ "Update: Family identifies 16-year-old fatally stabbed at Montgomery High in Santa Rosa - CBS San Francisco". www.cbsnews.com. March 2, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
5. ^ BENEFIELD, KERRY (February 21, 2025). "Elsie Allen spared in campus closure plan that saves $2 million less, a move trustee calls 'terrifying'". The Press Democrat. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
6. ^ Montgomery High School, International Baccalaureate Organization. Accessed September 4, 2007.
7. ^ "AVID - Montgomery High School". mhs.srcschools.org. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
8. ^ "College & Career Center - Montgomery High School". mhs.srcschools.org. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
9. ^ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982–1983 through 1999–2002 (PDF) Archived March 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, United States Department of Education. Accessed May 11, 2006.
10. ^ CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department Archived August 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Journal Inquirer, November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
11. ^ https://www.cde.ca.gov/schooldirectory/details?cdscode=49709204934154
12. ^ "Enrollment by Ethnicity - Montgomery High (CA Dept of Education)". dq.cde.ca.gov. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
13. ^ Interview with Melba Patillo Beals Archived October 1, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Scholastic Press, January 31, 1998. Accessed September 4, 2007. "I went to Santa Rosa, CA, taken in by Dr. and Mrs. George McCabe, who I still call mom and dad today.... I finished high school in California. Montgomery High School — an integrated school."
14. ^ BENEFIELD, KERRY (July 17, 2023). "Want to run with a Santa Rosa Olympian? Here's how". The Press Democrat. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
15. ^ Mason, Clark. "Donald Ellis", The Press Democrat, March 30, 2006. Accessed January 29, 2008.
16. ^ Mel Gray[usurped], database Football. Accessed January 29, 2008.
17. ^ MORRIS, GUS (February 1, 2024). "At 40, Montgomery alum Hall is trying for an 8th time to make it to the Olympics". The Press Democrat. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
18. ^ SWINDELL, BILL (February 7, 2016). "Santa Rosa-raised musician Hicks dies at 74". The Press Democrat. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
19. ^ BARBER, PHIL (January 20, 2019). "Barber: MLB manager is the hardest job Brandon Hyde will ever love". The Press Democrat. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
20. ^ "Mark Illsley | Second Unit Director or Assistant Director, Additional Crew, Director". IMDb. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
21. ^ "Koa Misi - Miami Dolphins Linebacker". ESPN. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
22. ^ "ARRESTS REVIVE GRIM AND SURREAL MEMORIES OF TIME WORTH FORGETTING", The Press Democrat, January 18, 2002.
23. ^ Caldwell, Earl (February 23, 1974). "Symbionese Liberation Army: Terrorism From Left". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
24. ^ "Scott Ware - Football". USC Athletics. Retrieved April 28, 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Santa Rosa City Schools

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