| Montgomery High School | |
| Motto: | "We Are Aztecs” |
| Established: | 1970 |
| Superintendent: | Moisés G. Aguirre |
| Principal: | Louie Zumstein |
| Ratio: | 24.51 |
| Teaching Staff: | 95.53 |
| Enrollment: | 2,341 (2022–23)[1] |
| Streetaddress: | 3250 Palm Avenue |
| State: | California |
| Zipcode: | 92154 |
| Country: | United States |
| Student Union Label: | ASB |
| Colors: | White Blue Red |
| Fight Song: | 'Up on the Hill of Glory' |
| Conference: | Metropolitan - Mesa League |
| Mascot: | Monty the Aztec |
| Nickname: | Aztecs |
| Newspaper: | La Voz Azteca (Spanish), Moctezuma (English) |
| Free Label 2: | TV Channel |
| Free 2: | KMMI [2] |
| Free Label 3: | Social Media |
| Free 3: | ASB [3] |
| Website: | http://moh.sweetwaterschools.org/ |
Montgomery High School (MOH) is a four-year (grade levels 9–12) public high school in the city of San Diego, California, United States. It opened in 1970 in the Otay Mesa neighborhood.[4] Montgomery High School serves more than 2,500 students. It is named after pioneer aviator John J. Montgomery, who made the first manned glider flight in U.S. history from a hill in the area where the school is located. [5]
Before the school even opened it could be noted that there was a meeting in the district that revealed Mexican-American parents' concerns about discrimination and educational resources in the district.[6] As such this affected the school deployment. Furthermore, in1968, the Sweetwater High School District got $1.6 million for school projects, that was in part used for the school (Chula Vista Star-News, Mar 17, 1968)''
In 1975, Tagalog class was first offered as a foreign language in California at Montgomery.[7] [8]
Montgomery High underwent extensive renovations, with classrooms being gutted and renovated in 2006 by Turner Construction. In 2009-2010 more construction work began.[9] As such, the creation of a new synthetic field turf was installed at the school's stadium, along with new concrete work. On August 31, 2012, a formal ceremony was held to dedicate Montgomery High School's stadium in honor of Al Prazak, a former employee in the Athletics department.[10] On the original gym there is a plaque that reads the following: "In Honor Al Prazak, for his Loyalty and Dedication. 1970-1986." of In 2011, a new office, classrooms, and library were constructed all in one two-story building in front of campus. Other work was performed in 2011 into early 2012 under Prop-O.[11] The new library, named for founding principal Joseph C Torres, was opened on February, 10th 2012,[12] and a new landscaping and quad area in front of the library and other buildings were added for the adult school on the same campus.[13] In 2014 an approximately 15,800 sq. ft. custom gym floor was installed.[14]
Montgomery High School has a student-led Spotify podcast titled "MOHCAST" which seeks to talk about anything related to the school and its student culture.[15]
In 2009, Montgomery High School in San Diego faced challenges with low test scores, prompting concern from the Sweetwater Union High School District. The District replaced the principal, implemented new schedules, and increased accountability measures. The new principal, Lee Romero, took significant action to improve student performance as part of the state system; that "parallels No Child Left Behind, which pushes school to raise test scores." However, this did spark debate among teachers and the union, who were concerned about the process.[16]
In 2018, San Diego law enforcement proposed to conduct an active school shooter drill and use it as cover for the arrests of four students. On Halloween, officials at Montgomery High School carried out this plan. This tactic, seen as a new and untested law enforcement strategy, was defended by Sweetwater Union High School District officials as a measure to ensure safety. However, juvenile justice advocates criticized it as a violation of students' rights and a misleading use of the drill.[17]
In 2019, an incident occurred in which a student, dressed in a gorilla costume, was injured by a golf cart after throwing an egg at a staff member. The student claimed he was "run over" by the staff golf cart while the staff member said he was "tapped by the golf cart". The event was covered by the local news.[18]
In March 2019, a Montgomery High School student was involved in an incident at the Living Coast Discovery Center in Chula Vista, California during a school field trip. The student, a junior at the time, jumped into a shark tank. He claimed that "he did it as a dare in exchange for cash and a designer belt."[19]
In November 2022, county health officials reported potential tuberculosis (TB) exposure at several schools in San Diego County, including Mission Bay High School, Montgomery High School, and Frederick H. Rohr Elementary in Chula Vista.[20]
Montgomery High School offers specialized programs, including a range of AP courses, elective offerings, and honors courses.[21]
Available programs under Advanced Placement (AP) include: AP Spanish Language, AP Spanish Literature, AP Language, AP Literature, AP Physics, AP Physics C:Mechanics, AP Biology, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Human Geography, AP World History: AP US History: AP United States Government and Politics, AP Statistics, AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Computer Science A.
The school's honors courses include Physics Honors, Chemistry Honors, and US History Honors.Career Technical Education (CTE) courses are a blend of academics with hands-on training to prepare students for careers by learning practical skills. At Montgomery, students can pursue classes in Sports Medicine, Engineering, Robotics, Computer Art, Digital Art, and Television/Film production.[22]
The Administration of Justice Program is a specialized curriculum available to Montgomery High School students who aspire to careers in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. This program spans from the sophomore year to the senior year, offering students a comprehensive education in justice administration.[25]
Operation GRIT (Growth, Resilience, Integrity, and Tenacity) is a program that junior and senior students. The program pairs upperclassmen with underclassmen to provide academic support and peer mentoring. The class emphasizes the development of academic skills and "resilience," encouraging students to adopt a growth mindset through structured mentorship.[26]
Montgomery High School partners with Southwestern College, allowing students to take an American Sign Language (ASL) class taught by a college professor at the high school.
Monty's Market provides essentials such as clothes, toiletries, and school supplies. The market is located in the school's old drama room and also serves as a practical learning environment where students in the transition program can develop job skills and gain work experience.[27] The market operates as a thrift store on campus, allowing students to select up to three items once per week.[28]
The athletics department at (MOH) offers a range of sports throughout the academic year, divided into fall, winter, and spring seasons.
| Grad Class | Category | Best Known For | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Athlete | Professional baseball player | ||
| 1978 | Other | Firefighter | ||
| 1990 | Politician | American politician[29] | ||
| 1991 | Musician | Drummer for P.O.D.[30] | ||
| 1991 | Musician | Singer for P.O.D. | ||
| 1993 | Athlete | Professional wrestler[31] | ||
| 1994 | Athlete | Professional baseball player[32] | ||
| 1999 | Athlete | Professional baseball player[33] | ||
| 2006 | Athlete | Professional wrestler | ||
| 2015 | Athlete | Professional football player[34] |