Miramonte High School
| Miramonte High School | |
|---|---|
| File:Matadorblk.jpg
Matador Insignia
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| Address | |
| 750 Moraga Way Orinda, California United States |
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| Information | |
| Type | Public high school |
| Established | 1955 |
| CEEB Code | 052282 |
| Principal | Julie Parks Staff Information |
| Enrollment | 1,183[1] (2011-12) |
| Color(s) | Green, White, and black |
| Mascot | Matador |
| Newspaper | The Mirador |
| Yearbook | La Mirada |
| Information | (925) 280-3930 |
| Website | Miramonte High School |
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Miramonte High School is a public high school located in Orinda, California. It is part of the Acalanes Union High School District, which has a college preparatory program, with 15 Advanced Placement courses offered. Over 98% of its graduates go on to college.[citation needed] 320 students graduated in 2005, with 75% attending a four-year college. 35% are attending out-of-state colleges. Miramonte High School ranks 89th of all high schools in the nation as of Autumn 2009, according to Newsweek's Challenge Index.[2] As of 2013, this ranking has dropped to 173rd,[3] On September 4, 2008, Miramonte High School was ranked first in the 2008 Academic Performance Index (API) released by the California Department of Education (CDE). Miramonte no longer holds this ranking.
Miramonte High School once participated in the Virtual High School Consortium, a response to the problems of distance education which allowed courses to be taught over the internet. The high school students could participate in these virtual classes from on-site internet access, or from a home connection. No classes are currently being provided as virtual classes. Miramonte High School offers its seniors the choice of a WISE project their senior year. WISE replaces the senior's second semester of English with an independent inquiry into a topic of the student's choice. The choices of subject matter are varied; although photography and theatre work are consistently popular, project subjects have included astrophysics, choral conducting, and interning at Chez Panisse.
Miramonte is well known around the country for its water polo program, which has produced numerous all Americans and Olympic athletes. The Men's Water Polo Team has been name North Coast Section Fall Team Champions 12 times in the last 17 years.[4] Miramonte continues a "high school rivalry" with nearby Lamorinda high schools (notably Campolindo High School). Miramonte's school mascot is a matador. Students often wear shirts that say "Beat Campo".
Demographics
- Total students: 1352
- Students by Gender:
- 55% Female
- 45% Male
- Students by Ethnicity
- Less than 1% Black/African American
- 1% Hispanic
- 8% Asian
- 91% White/Caucasian
- Student to Teacher ratio: 21:1
- Miramonte was listed as the 89th best high school in the United States, but NOT on the Newsweek Challenge Index as stated earlier in this article. U.S. News & World Report posted "America's Best High Schools: Gold Medal List" to their website on December 12, 2009 and Miramonte is 89th on that list.[2]
History
Miramonte was founded in 1955.
Miramonte football recorded their first NCS CIF championship in 1981, defeating San Lorenzo 23-7 in the Oakland Coliseum.
Miramonte High School and the 1984 murder of cheerleader Kirsten Costas by less popular classmate Bernadette Protti were the basis for an article in Rolling Stone magazine entitled "Death of a Cheerleader" and the TV movie A Friend to Die For starring Tori Spelling. The television show Deadly Women aired an episode titled "Deadly Delinquents" which featured the Bernadette Protti and Kirsten Costas murder case.
In 1983 the Miramonte Matadors, known as the Mats, were voted CIF State Champions in all divisions after defeating Cardinal Newman High School on December 3, 1983 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in the NCS 2A Championship game. The Mats were also NCS 2A South Champions and FAL Champions.
In 1997 the Mats again won the NCS 2A Championship after defeating Granada High School in the championship game at the Oakland Coliseum. The Mats also won NCS 2A titles in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2003 in their victory over San Lorenzo in a rematch of their 1981 championship game.
In 2013, after finishing 2nd in the DFAL, the Mats defeated Tennyson, Northgate and #2 seeded Clayton Valley Charter to reach the championship at Rancho Cotate High School against 13-0 Casa Grande. In an exciting game, Miramonte scored two touchdowns in the last two minutes to win their 8th NCS football championship, 42-28 to finish 12-2 on the season.
In 2008-2009 Miramonte's Water Polo team was named "2008-09 ESPN RISE Magazine Boys' Team of the Year" (includes all sports). Since 1967 Miramonte's Water Polo team has won 15 NOR CAL championships and 26 League Championships. It also featured bio's on several of the players.
In 2012, U.S. News & World Report ranked Miramonte High School as #21 in California and #126 in the United States.[5]
As of March 2014, Miramonte ranks 11th on the Los Angeles Times California Schools Guide Top Average SAT Scores list http://schools.latimes.com/sat-scores/ranking/page/1/
Notable alumni
- Bryan Barker, NFL player, Class of 1982.
- Chris Bauer, film, TV and stage actor, Class of 1984.
- Drew Bennett, NFL player
- Nicole Branagh, Beach Volleyball Olympian
- David Callaham, screenwriter
- Karen Moe, Olympic Gold Medal, Swimming, Class of 1971
- Tina Cole, Actress
- Kirsten Costas, famous murder victim and subject of 1994 TV film Death of a Cheerleader
- Nicolle Wallace (née Devenish), political spokesperson
- Brian Dunning, Science writer and producer of the podcast "Skeptoid." Class of 1983.
- Ken Dorsey, Quarterback, University of Miami, Maxwell Award winner, NFL quarterback
- Brett Jackson, Major League baseball player
- Sanjay Lal, college and NFL football coach
- Mike MacDonald, rugby player[6]
- Derek Santos Olson, TV Writer
- Heather Petri, Olympic water polo medalist
- Bernadette Protti, murderess of Kirsten Costas
- Luke Sassano, soccer player
- Carolyn Schuler, Gold Medalist of 1960 Olympic Games
- Rawson Marshall Thurber, Writer and Director
References
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- ↑ North Coast Section California Interscholastic Federation
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ [1]
