History
Arcadia was originally a part of the Spanish Empire and part of a 21-square-mile (54 km2) area called Rancho Santa Anita. In 1845, Hugo Reid, a pioneer from Scotland, bought Rancho Santa Anita from Governor Pio Pico. Through the years, several early settlers occupied Rancho Santa Anita. In 1875, Elias Jackson "Lucky" Baldwin bought the land. The city of Arcadia's destiny was entwined with the fortunes of Baldwin, who expanded his property holdings to 63,000 acres (255 km2) acres in the San Gabriel Valley. Baldwin went on to oversee Arcadia's incorporation in 1903 and became the city's first mayor. The Arcadia School District came to be at the same time as the incorporation of Arcadia in 1903.
In 1950, the high school students of Arcadia, Duarte, and Monrovia all attended the same high school, "Monrovia Arcadia Duarte High School", more often called "MAD High". In 1951, with a fast growing population, a bond measure that called for the construction on a new high school in Arcadia was proposed. After its passage, workers began construction and Arcadia High welcomed its first freshman and sophomore classes in September 1952. However, many students had to attend their first year of high school at First Avenue, the oldest school in Arcadia, erected in 1903. The new buildings were built in the next two years and by the 1954 school year, all high school students in Arcadia were together at Arcadia High.
About 1975, the closed-campus policy and the dress code were discontinued. Much of the change was brought about by the U.S. Supreme Court decision that stated, “A student doesn’t shed his rights at the school house door.” That year the student population of Arcadia High reached it highest population at about 3,300 students. For the first time, students also were granted representation on the School Board. They had the right to elect a representative to attend School Board meetings and speak for the student body. The Student Council presided over most of the student body budget.
In the 1980s, enrollment had decreased considerably to about 2,200 students, largely due to the aging demographic in Arcadia. Since then, enrollment has rapidly increased. In the 1990s, the demographics of the school dramatically changed.
Notably, curriculum has also changed. Many subjects now taken in high school were formerly college level work. Junior high students are now accomplishing what was high school level work. Students are generally more mature and more knowledgeable of the world around them than they were decades earlier. By 1975, calculators and computers entered the classroom and were there to stay. Due to this and the widespread invasion of the media, the methods of presenting information to students has completely changed.
Arcadia High has enjoyed its share of awards and recognition through the years. The Apache Marching Band has won more than 30 major championships and has marched in the Tournament of Roses Parade fourteen times. AHS athletics are among the best in Southern California in all sports for boys and girls on all levels. Most importantly, Arcadia High ranks, scholastically, in the 99th percentile of all California high schools.
Arcadia United School District has compiled comprehensive discipline procedures clearly covering all areas of high school student behaviors.
Read more about this topic: Arcadia High School (Arcadia, California)
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