SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL (OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA)

'Skyline High School' is a public high school in Oakland, California, USA. Newly-appointed acting principal Heidi Green has taken over after Amy Hansen, principal for four years, resigned in August 2006 to become the principal of Lowell High School in San Francisco. Skyline is locally known for its prestigious performing arts and sports departments, and nationally known for its notable alumni, faculty, and diversity.

Contents

Background

Illegal activities

Campus safety and security

School administration

Academics

Food Service

Athletics

Performing arts

Famous alumni

External links

References

Background

Skyline was built in the late 1950s by Bay Area construction company Branagh Inc. At that time, the student body was made up of predominantly white residents of the Oakland Hills. The first class graduating in 1962. In the 1970s, the Oakland Unified School District adopted a policy of open enrollment, which has made Skyline more ethnically diverse. As of 2006, Skyline had over 2000 students; 50 percent African-American, 20 percent Asian American, 13 percent non-Hispanic white and 17 percent Latino. Fifty-two percent of students are accepted to four-year colleges or universities (many attending the University of California), and 38 percent attend community colleges.^[1]

Illegal activities

During the 2005-2006 school year, Skyline High School experienced one of the worst years on record for the Oakland Unified School District. The school has in recent years had problems with race-related violence, believed to stem from the shooting of an Asian student by a black student in 2001. Drugs, alcohol, and gambling, especially in the restrooms during classes, continue to be a major issue.
On the last day of classes in 2006, members of the Oakland Police Department's SWAT team were summoned to the campus to quell massive fights that had grown out of hand. Students engaged in fighting and assaulting of other students. The school was placed on lockdown for the remainder of the day.
Fights have become more prevalent at Skyline during the last three years. On average, the school has experienced 17 to 20 fights per year. However, the school had over 100 fights last year, resulting in numerous suspensions and several expulsions. A total school lockdown was initiated on December 14, 2006, one day after an Omarion appearance, due to race riots between a group of African American and Latino students. Students originally uninvolved in the fights joined in, creating a situation so dangerous that lunch was canceled halfway through, and students were told to remain in their 5th period classes until school ended.

Campus safety and security

''Main Article: OUSD Police (Skyline High)''
Skyline maintains a full-time force of school police officers whose aim is to secure the campus. The officers use cameras and foot patrols to monitor activities; however, due to the volume of illegal activity at Skyline, they are only able to catch a small number of those involved in such activities. Parking lot misdeeds are increasingly common, ranging from vandalism to total car theft. Many complain that there are not nearly enough Officers placed in locations that need it the most, and others worry that the current Officers are simply ineffective in their duties, befriending students rather than remaining vigilant against malevolent actions.
The officers can be dispatched when needed by the Oakland Police Communications Center or from the main office.

School administration

★ Heidi Green, principal

★ Mary Scott, assistant principal

★ Sharon Bowles, head counselor

★ Jason Whiteman, assistant principal

★ Julin Chen, assistant principal

Academics

Skyline offers an accelerated career skill-building system beginning in the sophomore year, called "Academies". ^[2] These various departments around the school attract students who are curious about a future career choice, or those who are already contemplating majoring in that industry in college.
At the beginning of a Skyline student's sophomore year, the student may choose to enroll to one of several academies including:

★ Architecture and Graphic Technology

★ Computer Science and Digital Film

★ Education

★ Health and Bioscience

★ Performing Arts
In addition to honors courses, the school offers Advanced Placement classes, including AB Calculus BC, Chemistry, World History, Economics, French, Spanish , English language, English literature, Statistics, Environmental science, US History, and US Government.

Food Service

Skyline High School Head Chef Ann Davis prepares meals for all tastes, including daily vegetarian options. The cafeteria offers a soup and salad line, where students can choose from one of three soups of the day, freshly prepared sandwiches, or fresh garden salads, as well as cold beverages and smoothies.
The outside snack bar area offers fresh (on-site) baked cookies, nachos with cheese, burritos, sandwiches, and burgers, as well as an array of cold beverages and fresh pizza.
Recently, an announcement was made school-wide informing both students and faculty members that ordering food to be delivered to school is against OUSD regulations. Before then, students could be seen regularly with boxes of ordered pizza. This ban on ordering-in is also helping to get kids to eat more healthily, as was the ban on selling candy and soda in 2006.

Athletics

Skyline is highly notable in the Oakland Athletic League. It currently offers 18 sports programs and is the defending OAL champion in bowling, tennis, volleyball, baseball, cross-country, track and field, swimming and soccer. Many of these teams have remained undefeated for several years running, including a three-year streak in both volleyball and baseball.
Skyline has been traditionally dominant in other sports as well, most notably in football, where it has appeared in almost every OAL Championship game (Silver Bowl) and won the majority of them, under former coach John Beam who is now head of the Laney College football program. Alumni of Skyline football include Georgia Tech standout Gerris Wilkinson, Cal Bear Harrison Smith, Michael Norris of UCLA,William Sneed of UCLA, Cameron Island of San Jose State and Marvel Smith of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and former Steeler Will Blackwell. Nine-time NBA All-Star Gary Payton is also a Skyline alumnus.

Performing arts

The Rawley T. Farnsworth Theater, named after Skyline's long-time drama teacher and located in the northern wing at Skyline, was recently renovated with the help of funding from alumnus Tom Hanks. It boasts a professional, state-of-the-art lighting and sound stage, and can seat approximately 1000 people.
The Oakland Film office lists Skyline as a potential filming location in Oakland.^[3]
Skyline writes and publishes a monthly student newspaper called ''The Skyline Oracle''.^[4]

Famous alumni

★ Gary Payton - NBA player for the Miami Heat

★ Tom Hanks - Hollywood actor and a two-time academy award winner Best Actor in ''Philadelphia'' and ''Forrest Gump''

★ LaToya London - American Idol semifinalist

★ Marvel Smith - Offensive linesman for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League

★ Bip Roberts - Former Major League Baseball All-Star Second Baseman

★ Brian Johnson (baseball player) - Former Major League Baseball Catcher

★ Greg Foster (basketball) - Former NBA player

★ Casual - Rapper, and member of Bay Area based rap group Hieroglyphics (band)

External links

★ Official site

★ Current Faculty and Staff

★ Standardized Test Scores Report

References

1. Info
2. Skyline High School
3. Skyline High School
4. Skyline High School Oracle 2005-2006