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Grossmont High School
Established	1922
Type	Public comprehensive secondary
Principal	Theresa Kemper
Students	Approximately 2,400
Grades	9-12
Location	1100 Murray Drive El Cajon, California USA
District	Grossmont Union High School District
Campus	Urban
Colors	Blue and Gold
Mascot	Gus the Foothiller
Yearbook	La Migra
Newspaper	Foothill Echoes
Nickname	Foothillers
Website	Grossmont High School

Grossmont High School is the oldest high school in San Diego’s East County. Its mascot is the Foothiller, so chosen because, at the time of the school’s construction, East County was much more isolated from the rest of San Diego than it is today and was often referred to as “the boondocks” or “the foothills.” Grossmont is one of ten regular high schools in the Grossmont Union High School District, which also oversees a charter high school and a continuation high school. The school has an approximate enrollment of 2,400 students.

Grossmont High School has been accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) since 1962. The current accreditation is valid through 2008.

Grossmont is listed as being in El Cajon but is actually right on the border of La Mesa and El Cajon. The majority of the student body is from the La Mesa area. Grossmont High School's rival is Helix High School.

Contents 1 Campus 2 Extracurricular activities 3 Traditions 4 Notable alumni 5 See also 6 References 7 External link

Campus

The school’s “Old Main” building was constructed in 1922 and was used for decades as a teaching space before being converted to district offices. The campus has slowly expanded over the past 80+ years to include thirteen additional permanent instructional, athletic, and administrative buildings. Notable among these is the “Old Gym” which was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Recent plans to demolish this gymnasium were tabled after considerable negative community response.

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

Grossmont's athletic teams, the Foothillers, compete in the North League of the Grossmont Conference and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) San Diego Section.

The school fields teams in the following sports: baseball, boys basketball, girls basketball, boys cross country, girls cross country, football, boys golf, girls golf, gymnastics, boys lacrosse, girls lacrosse, boys soccer, girls soccer, softball, boys swimming & diving, girls swimming & diving, boys tennis, girls tennis, boys track & field, girls track & field, boys volleyball, girls volleyball, boys water polo, girls water polo, and wrestling.

Grossmont's varsity baseball team recently captured the division II CIF title in back-to-back seasons ('05, '06) and ranks amongst the most competitive high schools in California.

Traditions

Commencement

Commencement at Grossmont used to take place atop nearby Mt. Helix in an amphitheater constructed in the early part of the twentieth century for Easter sunrise services. Graduation ceremonies were later moved to San Diego State University, and then to Grossmont’s own Jack Mashin Stadium. Awards granted each year at commencement include the Circle G Award, the Boy and Girl of the Year Award, and the Norman Freeman Award.

Fight Song

Last Strain of "Glory to the Trumpets" by JO Brockenshire

Alma Mater

"Hail to thee, dear Grossmont!

Hail blue and gold!

Thy praise, thy faith, thy honor

Shall in our lives be told.

In thee our hearts shall ever

Find inspiration's mold.

To thee our highest striving,

All hail blue and gold!"

Mission statement

"To ensure that our students achieve their academic and personal potential, Grossmont High School’s mission is to create a community that fosters academic success and personal responsibility, provides diverse opportunities, and develops students’ interests and abilities."

Notable alumni

• William Anders, astronaut, Apollo 8
• Kevin Correia, Major League Baseball pitcher, San Francisco Giants
• John F. Duffy, 1948, former Sheriff of San Diego County
• Geoff Geary, 1994, Major League Baseball pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies
• Jack Hamann, 1972, CNN documentary producer and author, On American Soil
• Andrea Lake, entrepreneur and contestant during the fifth season of the reality-TV show The Apprentice
• David Leisure, actor, Empty Nest and fictional spokesman Joe Isuzu (Isuzu commercials)
• Ellen Ochoa, 1975, astronaut
• Grant Roberts, Major League Baseball pitcher, New York Mets
• Brian Sipe, former National Football League (NFL) MVP quarterback, Cleveland Browns and United States Football League (USFL) New Jersey Generals and Jacksonville Bulls
• Frederick W. Sturckow, 1978, astronaut
• Barry Zito, Major League Baseball pitcher, Oakland Athletics, 2002 Cy Young Award winner, attended Grossmont and University of San Diego High School

See also

• List of high schools in San Diego County, California

References

• Grossmont High School - School Accountability Report Card 2004-2005 (PDF)
• Grossmont High School Student Handbook 2006-2007 (PDF)
• Grossmont Union High School District - school mascots and colors
• History of the Schools of El Cajon Valley
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges Directory of Accredited Schools 2005-2006 (PDF)

External link

• Grossmont High School

Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD)
Regular: El Cajon Valley • El Capitan • Granite Hills • Grossmont • Monte Vista • Mount Miguel • Santana • Steele Canyon • Valhalla • West Hills Charter: Helix Continuation: Chaparral Middle College: Grossmont Middle College