Washington High School (Fremont, California)

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Washington High School
"We focus on empowering our students to become healthy individuals, responsible and ethical citizens, critical thinkers, effective communicators, collaborative workers, and lifelong independent learners."
School type	Public
Established	1892
Principal	Linda Fernandez (acting)
Faculty	85
Students	2012
Colors Mascot	Orange and Black Hank and Hannah Husky
Location	38442 Fremont Blvd. Fremont, CA 94536
Information	(510) 505-7300
Website	http://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/WHS/

Washington High School (WHS) is one of the five Fremont, California public high schools, and was established in 1892. It is a part of the Fremont Unified School District.

1 History
2 Demographics
3 Statistics
4 Athletics
5 Notable alumni and faculty
6 Notes
7 External links

[edit] History

The first high school classes in the Washington Township began January 11, 1892 in the Masonic Hall on Peralta Boulevard with 22 Students. The School was named Union High School District 2 and May Burdick became the first graduate in June, 1892. In March of 1893, the students moved into a new building on Peralta Boulevard that cost $6582.

In 1914 the school name was changed to Washington High School District and in 1916 five bus routes were started to bring students to school in canvas-sided buses. Publication of the school newspaper, the Hatchet, also began that year when the students decided it "could be used to bring untruth and deceit to an end." In 1923, the first volume of the school yearbook, the Washingtonian, was published by the senior class.

In 1923, 20 acres were purchased for $20,000 at the present Fremont Boulevard location. The new classically designed building was dedicated in August, 1924. By 1926, the school enrollment had grown to 300 students and the school was the largest business in Washington Township.

By 1958, the school had grown to over 2,900 students attending a triple staggered schedule. In 1972, earthquake concerns led to the closure of the main building and many students in the northern attendance area began attending the new American High School. Construction of a sports stadium was started in the summer of 1972 and on October 12, 1972 it was dedicated as the Tak Fudenna Memorial Stadium in honor of 1939 WHS graduate, Takeo Fudenna, who gave much to the community and the project and who had died the previous August in an accident.

After the passage of a bond in the early '90s, the main building and gyms were demolished to make way for new construction. Efforts of the Washington High School Alumni Foundation and its many members helped save the original entrance archway of the main building and incorporate into the design of the new building. The new building was dedicated on December 13, 1997 and stands there today. (Accounts of some events taken from Reflections: The Educational History of Fremont, 1983)

[edit] Demographics

Demographics for the 2003-2004 school year: 20% Latino or Hispanic, 6% African American , 26% of these students were of Asian origin, 41% European American (White), 5% Filipino, 1% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1% Pacific Islander and 13% Multiple or No Response.

[edit] Statistics

**Average Class Size (2004 - 2005)**
Grades	School	State Average
Grade 9	25	28
Grade 10	31	30
Grade 11	31	28
Grade 12	30	26

**Teacher Experience (2004 - 2005)**
	School	State Average
Average Years Teaching	12	12
Average Years in District	10	10
Percentage of Teachers in their First Year	7%	6%

**Teacher Credentials (2004 - 2005)**
	School	State Average
Full Credential	92	93
Pre-Interns/ Interns	9	5
Emergency Waivers	0%	4%

[edit] Athletics

The school colors are orange and black, and the school mascots are Hank and Hannah Husky.

Washington High School belongs to the Mission Valley Athletic League (MVAL), comprising of the five high schools in Fremont as well as James Logan High School and Newark Memorial High School, the only high schools in Union City and Newark, respectively. The MVAL is a league in the North Coast Section of the California Interscholastic Federation. Washington typically is ranked among the top 3 of this league in regard to all sport league placement.

[edit] Football

Noted as an MVAL football prowess, WHS held five league titles during the '90s and continues to be a threat in both MVAL and NCS play.

[edit] Swimming

Washington is known to take or challenge the Girls Varsity Swim title while dominating in the JV realm. Varsity/JV boys too are often seen amongst the highest of MVAL placements. WHS has a strong tradition of qualifying a steady group of swimmers for NCS competitions.

[edit] Water Polo

The boys team has always had a strong hold over the other MVAL teams, lead by outstanding coaches Bryan Accurso and Lloyd Cardone. Both the boys and girls teams have had many exciting wins--and also league championships. The girls have also kept the title almost every year, except one, since being a sport in the MVALs. Neither team has yet won NCS, but both have made huge progress during the '02-'05 seasons.

[edit] Basketball

Boys basketball is usually up there with the cream of the crop, but in the past two years they have not lived up to normal expectations. Losing key players in back to back years (2004, 2005), brought the Huskies down amongst the ranks of the other teams in the MVAL. Led by Anthony Oliver, Safi Mojadiddi, and Steve Ahn in the 2003 and 2004 campaigns, the team played exciting ball and twice made NCS being seeded, and reached the third round. Coach: Mike Tripp, who is also coach of the Washington Badminton team.

Girls basketball consistently ranks amongst the best, with Kelly Fisher, Chelsea Price, and Ashley Marshall leading the way for the Lady Huskies, all the way to the NCS Semifinals in the 2005-2006 campaign, under Coach Keller.

[edit] Gymnastics

WHS is home to a powerhouse gymnastics team. Coach Freitas has esatblished a legacy of gymnastics that began in the 1980s, and continues today.

[edit] Tennis

Much different from the powerhouse teams in the 1990s and later under Coach James Macleod, Huskies tennis remained solid, finishing third consistently of the seven teams in MVAL play. Upon Macleod's step down, new coach Richard Bristow took the reign in 2003, compiling a 7-5 record in his first year, and a 10-2 first place JV team. After key players were lost following 2003, young players Anish Kumar and Saami Siddiqui filled the void, especially in the final match of the season, in which 5 of the 7 matches were determined in three sets, including the Huskies' Anish Kumar, defeating Irvington's Randy Zhang, 7-6(4) 1-6 6-1. In doing so it was a repeat 7-5 record, and earned Anish Kumar the 7th seed in the MVAL Tournament. Teammate Saami Siddiqui went onto the quartefinals before falling to #1 seed Mitch Del Rosario, the eventual champion. 2005 marked a low year, with the team having a 5-7 record. With only two returning varsity players in 2006, the team ended the shortened season with a 4-6 record under first year coach Maria Ramos.

Statistics provided by *** *****

[edit] Notable alumni and faculty

Jack Acosta a figure on the Board of Directors of several San Francisco Bay Area companies
John Doyle (soccer) (1966- ) Amateur and professional soccer player and coach--USF, 1988 Seoul Olympics, 1990 World Cup, San Jose Clash and Earthquakes^[1]
Dennis Eckersley (1954- ), Class of 1972, Baseball Hall of Famer who played for the Oakland Athletics, and other teams; six-time MLB American League All-Star^[2]
Takeo Fudenna (c.1921-72), Class of 1939, WWII veteran in one of the Nisei units and recipient of the Bronze Star;^[3] co-founder of Fudenna Bros., a Fremont development company;^[4] namesake of Tak Fudenna Stadium
Stebler Loze (c.1916-2000) A science and math teacher and adult school and summer school principal at Washington High School^[5]
Natasha Paremski (1987- ), pianist and musical prodigy, graduated by exam in 2002 at age 15;^[6] winner of the 2006 Gilmore Young Artist Award^[7]
Dr. Michael Ricupito, a Fremont Orthodontist, who still holds MVAL football passing records, played football at San Jose State, and served as President of the California Association of Orthodontists
Bill Walsh (football coach) (1931- ) Washington High School football coach, 1957-59^[8]
Robin Williams, award-winning author of dozens of books on Macs, PCs, and graphic design and of Sweet Swan of Avon: Did a Woman Write Shakespeare?, Wilton Circle Press, 2006; she is also the founder of the Santa Fe Mac Users Group.^[9]
John Woodcock (1954-98) an NFL defensive lineman who played with the Lions, and later with the San Diego Chargers.