'''Milpitas High School
''
''
|
Milpitas High School's mascot, the Trojan
|
|
| Headmaster and Prior |
Dr. Charles Gary |
| Deputy Headmaster (Seniors) |
Mr. Kenneth Schlaff |
| Deputy Headmaster (Juniors) |
Ms. Katherine Martinez |
| Deputy Headmaster (Sophomores) |
Ms. Cheryl Rivera |
| Deputy Headmaster (Freshmen) |
Mr. Casey McMurray |
| Visitor and Patron |
The Honorable Jose Esteves,
Mayor of Milpitas |
| School type |
Public |
| Founded |
1970 |
| Location |
Milpitas, California |
| Enrollment |
2,800 |
| Anthem |
"Milpitas Alma Mater Dear" |
| Fight Song |
"Notre Dame Victory March" |
| Faculty |
130 certified personnel, 50 classified personnel |
| Campus surroundings |
Suburban, upper middle-class |
| Advanced Placement Courses |
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science, Spanish Language, Spanish Literature, French Language, French Literature, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, English language, US History, Computer Science, Studio Art |
| Honors classes |
English, Pre-calculus, Chemistry |
| Student Legislature |
The Student Congress of Milpitas High School |
| Student Newsletter |
The Union |
| Yearbook |
The Saga |
| Mascot |
Trojans |
| School Colors |
Blue and Gold |
| Address |
1285 Escuela Parkway
Milpitas, CA 95035 |
| Website |
www.musd.org |
(abbreviated '''MHS''') is a public four-year comprehensive high school in
Milpitas, California . It is the prime high school out of three high schools in the City of
Milpitas . Milpitas High School was preceded by
Samuel Ayer High School and the historic
Milpitas Grammar School which had both closed down due to the growing population. (The latter school had an emphasis on a classical education in Latin and English literature.) Milpitas High School is run by the
Milpitas Unified School District . Dr. Charles Gary is the headmaster of the school and serves as the prior (chief) of the school's instructors.
As of
2004 , Milpitas High School had an
API score of 722 and had a API ranking of 8 out of 10. Milpitas High School has been continually degraded and derogatorily described by other local schools as formerly full of people with less opportunities, but now has more educated students attending the school.
In 2004, MHS was granted a full, six year accreditation by the
Western Association Of Schools And Colleges . Strong emphasis in the curriculum is placed on mathematics, science, writing, and the use of technology.
Milpitas High School simultaneously strives to be one of the leading schools in the technology-savvy
Silicon Valley . It seeks to achieve the highest levels of distinction in the discovery and transmission of knowledge and understanding, and in the education of its students.
The school provides its students with academic, extracurricular and other resources — in a community committed to diversity in its student body, faculty and staff — that help them achieve at the highest scholarly levels and prepare them for positions of leadership and lives of service in many fields of human endeavor. The school also has strong links with research institutions and with business and industry, both in the United States and overseas. Milpitas High School's modern and well-equipped facilities are spread across a spacious campus, with easy access to cafes and restaurants in close proximity. The school offers a wide variety of subjects in flexible academy and program structures.
Through the scholarship and teaching of its faculty, and the many contributions to society of its alumni, Milpitas High School seeks to fulfill a line from her anthem: "And though the years our pledge will be: to honor your community."
Milpitas High School is located on Escuela Parkway in Milpitas, north of Jacklin Road. The eastern side of the school is the main entrance and student drop-off area, and the western side consists of a football stadium, track, and mural of Milpitas High School's mascot, the Trojan. The newly constructed math and science wing has two stories and offers new tools and facilities for student use.
Thomas Russell Middle School is adjacent to Milpitas High School's east side, and
Marshall Pomeroy Elementary School is just north of the high school. Milpitas High School also has a swimming pool.
''"The mission of Milpitas High School is to provide a comprehensive educational program that addresses the needs of a diverse community, promotes an attitude of academic excellence, and reinforces the belief in the dignity of all humanity."''
''"Milpitas High School students shall dress appropriately for daily attendance at school. A student's apparel or lack of apparel should not be distractive or detrimental to the educational process. Students are to practice standards related to proper cleanliness and hygiene. The school shall be concerned only when these are extreme and could cause school distraction or disruptions or be unsafe."''
- Shoes must be worn at all times for safety reasons. No flip-flops, slippers, stilletos, high heels, and sandals.
- Clothing or buttons which show obscene words or pictures, sexually suggestive statements, or deal with drugs or alcohol are inappropriate clothing at Milpitas High School.
- The administration reserves the right to negate the influence of gangs at Milpitas High School. Therefore, bandanas, doo-rags, and any other attire that promotes or denotes gang membership are prohibited.
- Students who wear clothing that bare cleavage, the baring of the bodice, (bare bellies and backs) and the baring of underwear are behaviors that disrupt the educational process. The student dress code prohibits dress that is disruptive to the educational process. Any student dressed inappropriately will be sent to the office. Students will be given the following options:
- ---• Accept the T-shirt provided by the school administration in exchange for the offending clothing item (clothing item will be given back at the end of the school day when the “T” is returned) or
- ---• Call their parent and the parent brings appropriate clothing or be sent home
There are three programs at Milpitas High School. They are the:-
- Tutorial Program (English, Spanish, History, Biology);
- Service Learning Program; and the
- Workability Program.
There are 14 academic departments, all headed by a Chair.
- Business
- ELD-PFEL
- Fine and Perfoming Arts
- Foreign Language
- Home Economics
- Industrial Technology
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- NJROTC
- Physical Education
- Science
- Social Studies
- Special Education
- CCOC/ROP
There are two committees to enrich development at Milpitas School. There are the:-
- Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA); and the
- School Site Council
The President of the PTSA is Ms. Machelle Kessinger, and the Secretary of the School Site Council is Ms. Sachi Ishida.
Students must complete 220 credits, including:
- - 40 credits
- - 35 credits
- - 30 credits
- - 20 credits
- - 30 credits
- - 10 credits
- - 65 credits
Milpitas High School additionally requires 20 hours of community service for a high school diploma.
Milpitas High School recognizes the importance of a rich campus culture and leading a balanced social life while studying in its hallowed premises. Milpitas High School's official athletic team is the Trojans. Students take great pride in their school and sports teams. The cross country and track teams rank as one of the best in the Central California Division. The Milpitas Trojans rival those of
Piedmont Hills High School and
Independence High School , both in neighboring
San Jose, California . The school colors are blue and gold, which are also reflected in the City of Milpitas' official city seal.
''The Saga'', the yearbook of Milpitas High School, is now in its 26th year of publication. It has won first place for large publications at the Capital Journalism Day held in Sacramento by the Journalism Education Association of Northern California.
Off-campus, there is a secret unincorporated society of distinguished Milpitas High School students and alumni known as
The Dark Chamber , which is by invitation only. Members are not allowed to make themselves known or even narrate that the society exists. Rumors sustain that all valedictorians and salutatorians since 1989, graduates awarded with the honors ''cum laude'', ''magna cum laude'', ''summa cum laude'', ''dignissima'', ''satis bene'', and ''très honorable avec félicitations'', and prominent students who have been accepted into
UC Berkeley ,
Stanford University , and
Ivy League schools are automatically invited.
Milpitas High School is the site of the annual festival
Music In The Parks , hosted by the school's marching band, the Milpitas High School Marching Band.
Unique to campus lexicon is the word "clogs", which means "clubs and organizations".
Milpitas High School boasts 57 clogs as of March 2006.
The Student Bank is where students can purchase numerous items, including parking permits, yearbooks, ID cards, P.E. uniforms, dance tickets, and Associated Student Body (ASB) stickers. The Bank is open daily before school, during break, lunch and 30 minutes after school.
''"The Milpitas High School students and staff shall maintain the highest level of integrity and honesty to create an ethical and moral educational environment."''
- 1. A student who plagiarizes the work of another person will be given an automatic “F” on that assignment or test.
- 2. A student caught cheating on an assignment, quiz or test will receive an automatic “F” on that assignment or test.
- 3. A student copying the work of another student, such as homework or a written assignment, will receive an “F” on that assignment. The student whose work has been copied will receive an “F” also.
- 4. A student caught stealing a test, answer sheet, or instructor edition of any MHS textbook will be withdrawn immediately from the class with a “W/F” grade (Withdrawal/Failure). The class must be made up the following semester or through summer school, Adult Education, regular school or a college summer course.
- 5. All instructors and lecturers will report all acts of cheating to the MHS Administration by using the Student Referral forms.
- 6. A second act of dishonesty within the same class will result in automatic “W/F” grade (Withdrawal/Failure) from the class.
The Trojan Lowdown is a TV Video Production that serves as a MHS Daily News Announcement covering items such as upcoming student activities, any changes in schedules, club, class or athletic information, etc. Announcements are meant to help keep students informed. Mr. Champ Wrencher is the faculty advisor for the T.V. Video Production class.
Milpitas High School is one of the most ethnically diverse schools in the
South Bay . About 130 ethnic and national minority groups are represented in the student populace. A total of 1414 students have a primary language other than English at Milpitas High School. More than half of the students are of
Vietnamese and
Filipino American descent. Other Asian Pacific American (APA) groups in order of population include
Chinese American s,
Indian American s,
Korean American s,
Japanese Americans ,
Polynesian American s, and
Hmong American s. Almost 20% of the student body is
Hispanic American , about 30% is
White , and approximately 5% is
African American . As of
2006 , Milpitas High School has an enrollment of 2,800 students.
The word "Yick", used around the Asian Pacific American community in the Silicon Valley area, reportedly derives from the student jargon used at Milpitas High School. "Yick" is a portmanteau of the words "yellow" and "hick", and denotes Americans of Asian descent living in a provincial or small-town setting.
Milpitas High School is often criticized by many students for having no East Asian language classes in the Foreign Language department for a majority Asian Pacific American institution. Currently, both French (Standard Parisian) and Spanish (Castillian and Latin American) are being offered at both introductory and advanced levels. Petitions have been passed around by students demanding classes in ancestral tongues, such as Tagalog, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Japanese, citing that they are offered at other local high schools in the South Bay. Faculty have repeatedly defended the Foreign Language department, saying that not enough money goes into that department. Some students have called for the school administration to drop classes in French while retaining Spanish as "French is not spoken here". However, that is not true, as Milpitas High School has a sizeable European immigrant community, mostly from French or Slavic speaking countries, and sustains a small
Quebecois minority from Canada as well.
- Seniors by tradition lunch in the Senior Glen, and violating Juniors and Underclassmen are usually subjected to being placed atop an overturned trash can then mocked. Instructors who are monitoring the premises typically turn a blind eye to such maltreatment unless brute force is used by the Seniors.
- In the same respect, Juniors by tradition lunch in the Atrium. Violating Seniors stand against the wall and are then pelted with empty Milk cartons.
- Band members by tradition hang out in front of the Theatre or across from the band room. No penalties exist for attempting to hang out with them.
- Never say "Good luck" to a student on the way to take the SAT . Many students at Milpitas High School believe that this will result in poor scores.
- The card game Thirteen is the unofficial game of the campus. You can catch students playing this game all over the campus during lunch and breaks.
- Foreign language instructors are addressed by their respective titles in the foreign language they teach. For example, a French language instructor is adressed as "Madame" or "Monsieur".
- The word "Teacher" is frowned upon. "Instructor" or "Lecturer" is more proper, and is commonly used.
- Formally in the institution, Milpitas High School has a Headmaster and four Deputy Headmasters for each grade following in the tradition of the historic Milpitas Grammar School, one of Milpitas High School's predecessors. However, in the common day to day usage, the Headmaster is addressed as "Principal" and the Deputy Headmasters as "Vice-Principal". The majority of Milpitas High School students go about their secondary education without knowing that their "Principal" is actually a "Headmaster".
- In addition to being Headmaster, the "Principal" is also the Prior of the Lecturers, meaning he or she is the Chief Instructor and Head of all Instructors at MHS.
- On Halloween , many students go to a place in the foothills of the Diablo Range called Marsh Road in an attempt to see the ghost of a young girl murdered by her boyfriend, a former Milpitas High School student.
- The Senior Chant, is a rhyme chanted by the Seniors at all pep rallies. They are typically bawdy and may contain sexual references. One such example was the Senior Chant for the graduating class of 2001 . ''"The sex was great, the sex was fun, we are the class of 2001!"''
- Each year, there is a "Trojan Olympics" which is a friendly competition between all four grades.
- The top student, or "specialist" in each classroom is sent as a delegate to the Student Congress of Milpitas High School.
- Instructors with doctorates or PhDs are known as "Private Docents" by the faculty. They are addressed in reference as "Doctor" by the students, and in conversation as "Sir" or "Ma'am".
- Because the school mascot is the Trojan , all the condoms in the Nurse's office are all of the Trojan brand.
- Senior Cut Day is a day when Milpitas High School Seniors cut on the date due to their graduating year. Example 2001 graduates cut on 1/1/2001. 2002 graduates cut on 2/2/2002
Although Milpitas High School has a relatively low juvenile delinquency rate when compared to many other high schools within
Santa Clara County , it has been the center and site of notorious student pranks by previous graduating senior classes. Students have pushed a car into the swimming pool, released stolen livestock on the campus, hacked into the computer system to upload a virus, chopped down trees, super-glued door locks closed, sprayed the lawn with grasskiller in a very "unique" shape, and stacked lunch tables into a pyramid.
The Milpitas High School Alma Mater song was co-written by former music department instructors Wesley Robbins and Tim Bakken.
"Milpitas Alma Mater Dear,
all your praises now we cheer!
And though the years our pledge will be:
to honor your community.
Cultural diversity —
you bring forth with dignity.
Milpitas with your banner bold,
we will love your blue and gold!"
Students will be who:
- Define and work toward achievement of group goals.
- Use interpersonal skills effectively
- Acknowledge the opinions and contributions of others.
- Perform a variety of roles within a group.
Students will be who:
- Prioritize, evaluate and adjust personal actions affecting well-being.
- Manage time efficiently.
- Manage personal resources; e.g., money and property.
Students will be who:
- Actively and positively contribute to a community (including the classroom).
- Take responsibility for their actions.
- Understand social issues and respect different points of view.
Students will be who:
- Use a variety of resources and techniques to gather information.
- Adapt to new ideas and changing technologies.
- Identify and select the appropriate resources and technologies for given tasks.
Students will be who:
- Speak clearly and correctly to a variety of audiences.
- Read for understanding, listen actively and ask clarifying questions.
- Express thoughts and convey information in correct written form.
- Use the most appropriate medium to present information.
Students will be who:
- Identify and solve problems in a variety of settings.
- Make decisions reasonably, logically, and flexibly.
- Recognize choices in applying ideas and concepts.
