John F. Kennedy High School (Richmond, California)

"John F. Kennedy High School (Richmond)" redirects here. For the school in Richmond, Virginia formerly named Kennedy until 2004, see Armstrong High School (Richmond, Virginia).

John F. Kennedy High School (simply referred to as Kennedy High School) is a public high school in Richmond, California, United States. It was established in 1967 and is part of the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Built on the site of Granada Junior High, the school adopted the red and white colors and Eagle mascot from Harry Ells High School, which at that time was slated for closure.^[3]

John F. Kennedy High School
Address
4300 Cutting Boulevard Richmond , California 94804 United States
Coordinates	37°55′29″N 122°19′42″W / 37.92472°N 122.32833°W / 37.92472; -122.32833Coordinates: 37°55′29″N 122°19′42″W / 37.92472°N 122.32833°W / 37.92472; -122.32833
Information
Other name	Kennedy High School
Type	Public high school
Established	1967 (1967)
School district	West Contra Costa Unified School District
NCES School ID	063255005037^[1]
Principal	Jarod Scott^[2]
Teaching staff	42.60 (on an FTE basis)^[1]
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	851 (2018–2019)^[1]
Student to teacher ratio	19.98^[1]
Color(s)	Red and white
Mascot	Eagle
Nickname	Eagles
Website	www.wccusd.net/kennedy

History

First two decades

John F. Kennedy High School first opened its doors in September 1967. In its early years, the school gained acclaim for its innovative academic and vocational programs and was considered one of the top schools in California.^[4] Until the 1980s, it used an experimental program known as flexible modular scheduling based on the model of colleges and universities, with the staff trained to create educational programs customized for each student. As written by Knowles Adkisson of the Berkeley School of Journalism, "The new institution was meant to be a model for California and the country. ... the school served as a unique example of a successful public school in an urban environment."^[4]

Kennedy High School was part of the Richmond Unified School District (RUSD), later renamed the West Contra Costa Unified School District. It opened during a time of national debate over desegregation through forced busing. The efforts of the RUSD to institute a desegregation program met with controversy, and a backlash against the program developed. In response, the RUSD instituted the Richmond Voluntary Integration Plan, where students were bused from a relatively large geographic area. The voluntary nature of the plan meant families could choose whether or not to participate.^[5][6][7] The program met some of its greatest success at John F. Kennedy High. Adkisson writes that the school was "more integrated, both racially and economically, than perhaps any [other] public high school in the U.S. at the time. The sons and daughters of skilled African-American tradesmen walked the halls with students whose parents worked for Bank of America in San Francisco, and oversaw academic departments at the University of California, Berkeley." That environment contributed to what became known as the Camelot era at the school, named after the term used for the administration of President John F. Kennedy.^[4]

The school became known on a national level for its forensics program. Led by coach David Dansky for twenty-five years, Kennedy teams won three state championships in forensics and various state and national individual awards, including second place by Richard Mitchel (via a tie-breaker for first) at the 1969 National Speech Tournament. Mitchel was one of the first black students in the nation to win such a trophy in the Forensics League. In 1973, the school had the largest chapter in the National Forensics League in the nation. It had the second largest chapter twice, and was among the top five schools in the country seven other years. Kennedy succeeded against some of the most elite public and private schools in California.^[4][8][9]

The history of the school's educational model remains of interest on a national level today. Adkisson writes: "Many inner-city public high schools in 2016 face particular challenges with regard to funding, segregation and increasing competition for promising students from charter schools. These trends developed over decades, and can be seen especially in the case of John F. Kennedy High School in Richmond, California." He discusses how Kennedy was considered among the best schools in California, and how it declined after several decades to rank among the worst, offering a valuable case study in the discussion of challenges and potential solutions for education reform.^[4]

Funding

From 1971 to 1977, the California Supreme Court decided the Serrano v. Priest cases, which were intended to equalize revenue for school districts in the state.^[10][11] Prior to Serrano, each district set property taxes to meet its needs. This forced poorer districts to raise taxes more than wealthier districts to fund their schools. The court found the structure unconstitutional and required districts to close the gap. During this time, Richmond claimed a strong manufacturing section. Although property taxes for residential areas were low, the tax income from industry was much higher. This impacted Kennedy; an unintended result of Serrano was to reduce funding at schools in urban areas with high tax assessments, though such schools were exactly the type Serrano was meant to help.^[12]

In 1978, Proposition 13 passed in California, cutting the tax rate. The year after it passed, revenue generated by property taxes dropped almost 60 percent.^[13][a] As a result of Serrano and Proposition 13, funding for Kennedy plummeted. In the following years, the school lost many programs, including the Pre-tech, Aerospace, Bio-Medical, and Electronics programs, and the free busing for the voluntary integration. Attendance dropped, and many faculty lost their jobs or chose to go elsewhere. The school discontinued flexible scheduling after the 1981–1982 school year.^[3]

Effects of the lowered funding were gradual through the 1980s. The school continued to send students to top colleges, including the ivy leagues, and athletic programs remained strong.^[4] However, the financial troubles of the district continued to deepen. In 1991, the RUSD became the first district in California to file for bankruptcy. As written in The Washington Post, "A debt-ridden school district once praised as a leader in education reform filed for bankruptcy protection today, illustrating the dilemma schools face in trying to balance high ideals with recessionary times."^[15] The loss in funds, resources, and teachers at Kennedy accelerated.

Changes in demographics also affected the school. Richmond was losing businesses and hence jobs, leaving families from previously middle-class areas in poverty. Increasing drug and gang activity spilled into the school. Adkisson writes, "The storm of dark events that enshrouded the city of Richmond and its unified school district from 1988 to 1993 is almost unbelievable, in retrospect. Economic and social epidemics struck locally, just as the school district was about to undergo its greatest crisis since the city quintupled in population during World War II....Richmond was emblematic of trends occurring in urban communities across the country, as the manufacturing sector collapsed and crack cocaine worked insidiously through the inner cities. The result would be a Kennedy High School that was unrecognizable to previous graduates and teachers."^[4]

Violence and murders in the city, along with an inconsistent economy and high unemployment, intensified the problems. Test scores dropped and crime rose. By the turn of the century, the situation had become so severe that the initials of the school, JFK, were said to stand for Jail For Kids.^[3] In 2010, Kennedy nearly closed due to budget cuts, but the city of Richmond kept it open with an allocation of $1.5 million.^[16]

Renewal

In recent years, new programs have been added, funding has increased, and faculty turnover has decreased. The school has shown improvement in test scores, attendance, safety, suspension rate, incident reports, requests for transfers, senior class size, and the number of students attending college. Julio Franco, who served as principal from 2001 to 2008, is credited with playing a major role in the turn-around.^[3][17] Retired teacher Mike Peritz became one of the founders of the Eagle Foundation, which through 2018 provided support to the school with scholarships to students and grants to teachers.^[18]

In 2011, the school joined 'The Mock Trial' program, which is designed to create a collegiate culture and help students develop a working knowledge of the judicial system.^[19] In 2013, with the help of Peritz and the Eagle Foundation, the school reinstated its abandoned music program.^[20] In 2014, a $100,000 grant from Sprint Corporation allowed the school to participate in 'Project Connection', which provides computers and Internet access to students without the economic means to access such technology.^[21] During the same year, the school instituted the 'WriterCoach Connection', a program built on personalized instruction that pairs teachers to work one-on-one with students, with the goal of helping them think critically and write with confidence.^[22] In 2019, grants from WCCUSD Educational Fund and the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation made possible the continued development of special education and vocational programs.^[23]

A $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2015 made it possible to open a health clinic, which serves students at the school and South Richmond residents.^[24]

Athletics

Kennedy's mascot is the Eagles.^[3] The school competes in the Tri-County Athletic League of the Bay Shore Conference in California's North Coast Section.^[25]

Boys' sports

The school fields boys' sports teams in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, soccer, and track and field.

In football, the Kennedy Eagles won the North Coast Section championship in both 1984 and 1988.^[26] The 1984 team included two players, Terry Obee and Rod Moore, who would later play in the NFL, and a total of five players who received Division One college football scholarships. For the rest of the decade and through at least 1992, Kennedy sent one or more players each year to a Division One college football program on scholarship.^[4] In 2016, the Kennedy football team achieved their first winning season since 1988.^[27]

In track and field, the Kennedy boys won both the Meet of Champions and the Bay Championships Meet in 1974.^[28]

Girls' sports

The school fields girls' sports teams in basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, track and field, and volleyball.

In 2013, the Kennedy girls sprinters team finished first in both the 3rd Annual Tiger Invite at South Pasadena High School, and the 46th Annual Arcadia Invitational at Arcadia High School, a track and field event that involved more than six hundred schools from over thirty states. Kennedy student Takkarist McKinley won first place at Arcadia in the boy's 200-meter dash.^[29]

Also in 2013, the girls basketball team advanced to its first state basketball game at the NorCal Division III playoffs.^[30]

Demographics

As of the 2018–2019 school year, the school enrolled 851 students, with a student/teacher ratio of 20. Of those students, 55.8% were male and 44.2% female, and they represented the following ethnicities:^[1]

• Hispanic — 64.5%
• Black — 25.3%
• Asian — 6.2%
• White — 2.0%
• Native Hawaiian/Pacific islanders — 1.3%
• Multiracial — 0.6%
• Native American/Alaskan — 0%

88.0% of the students were eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch, and it qualified as a Title I school.

Facilities

The school is the location of the renovated Richmond Swim Center, which provides facilities for the school and the community.^[31][32]

In 2015, the Fab Foundation chose the West Contra Costa Unified School District as the first public school district on the West Coast to develop a fab lab, or fabrication laboratory. Kennedy High School is home to the facility, known as 'Fab Lab Richmond', which includes 3D printers, laser cutters, an electronics workbench, and other stations in the school's former auto body shop.^[33][34] It serves both the school and the community, providing a laboratory where participants can perform personal digital fabrication and teachers can employ project-based learning techniques. The lab offers "class study trips, evening and weekend classes, technical training, and open labs, further developing the ability of Kennedy High School to function as a full service community school."^[35] Chevron Corporation provided a $1 million grant to help fund the program as part of a ten million commitment to the Fab Foundation.^[36][37]

Principals

The following is a list of former principals:^[3]

• Richard Lovette (1967–1968)^[38][39]
• Harry Reynolds (1968–1971)^[40]
• Thomas (Tom) Anton (1971–1976)^[41]
• Lawrence Chapman (1976–1979)
• Patricia (Pat) Rupley (1979–1982)^[42]
• Charles Dorton (1982–1984)
• Sylvester Greenwood (1984–1988)^[43]
• Lavonya DeJean (1988–1991)^[44][45]
• Ted Abreau (1991–1997)
• Rosalyn Morgan Upshaw (1997–2000)
• Gwen Huntington-Lumb (2000–2001)
• Julio Franco (2001–2008)
• Latoya Williams (2008–2009)^[46][47]
• Roxanne Brown-Garcia (2009–2012)^[48][49]
• Phillip (Phil) Johnson (2012–2017)^[50][51]
• Felicia Phillips (2018–2020)^[52]
• Jarod Scott (2020--present)^[2]

Notable alumni

• Lincoln Adler, saxophone player, composer, producer^[53][54][55]
• Salim Akil, movie producer, screenwriter, and film director^[56][57]
• Catherine Asaro, writer, singer, and physicist
• Benny Barnes, NFL player^[58]
• Jason Becker, musician, songwriter and composer
• Rodney Alamo Brown, community advocate, rapper, author^[59][60][61]
• Norton Buffalo, singer-songwriter, country and blues harmonica player, record producer, bandleader and recording artist^[62]
• Christopher Darden, lawyer, author, actor, and lecturer
• D'Marco Farr, NFL player^[63]
• Richard Gonzales, National Desk Correspondent, National Public Radio^[4][64]
• Takkarist McKinley, NFL player^[65]
• Richard Mitchell, city planning director ^[66]
• Junior Moore, MLB player^[67]
• Terry Obee, NFL player
• Ray Obiedo, contemporary jazz guitarist
• Randy Oda, rock and roll composer, guitarist
• Fred Ruby, senior assistant attorney general, Oregon Department of Justice^[68][69][70]
• Judy Tyrus, ballet dancer, curator, archivist^[71][72][73]

References

Notes

1. In 1997, the Little Hoover Commission wrote about the effects of Serrano and Proposition 13: "Property tax rates were instantly equalized...overnight, the State went from having diverse tax rates set and collected locally to essentially a single statewide system...many believe the shift from local to state control has eroded financial resources for schools, public support for the education system and meaningful accountability."^[14]

Citations

1. "Search for Public Schools - John F. Kennedy High (063255005037)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
2. "Introducing Principal Jarod Scott". Retrieved January 4, 2021.
3. Peritz, Mike (2008). (PDF). West Contra Costa Unified School District. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2009. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
4. Adkisson, William Knowles (February 12, 2018). "Kennedy High School: Fall of an Educational Camelot". UC Berkeley: Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism – via eScholarship - Open Access Publications from the University of California.
5. Kirp, David L.; Fine, Doris; Angelides, Sotirios (1979). "Desegregation, Politics, and the Courts: Race and Schooling Policy in Richmond, California". American Journal of Education. 88 (1): 32–82. doi:10.1086/443502. ISSN 0195-6744. JSTOR 1085276. S2CID 145754079.
6. Rubin, Lillian B. (1973). Busing and Backlash - White Against White in a California School District. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0520022577.
7. Kirp, David L. (1982). Just Schools: The Idea of Racial Equality in American Education. California: Barnes & Noble. ISBN 9780520045750.
8. "Hall of Fame: 1991 Inductees". National Speech and Debate Association. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
9. "David Dansky: CHSSA Hall of Fame 1990" (PDF). California High School Speech Association. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
10. "Separate And Unequal: Serrano Played an Important Role in Development of School-District Policy". FindLaw. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
11. Goldstein, Stephen R. (1972). "Interdistrict Inequalities in School Financing: A Critical Analysis of Serrano v. Priest and Its Progeny". University of Pennsylvania Law Review. 120 (3): 504–544. doi:10.2307/3311362. JSTOR 3311362. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
12. Sonstelie, Jon; Brunner, Eric; Ardon, Kenneth (2000). "For Better or For Worse? School Finance Reform in California" (PDF). Public Policy Institute of California. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
13. Rancaño, Vanessa (October 25, 2018). "How Proposition 13 Transformed Neighborhood Public Schools Throughout California". The California Report. KQED News. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
14. "Dollars and Sense: A Simple Approach to School Finance" (PDF). Little Hoover Commission. July 1997. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
15. "California School District Files Bankruptcy". The Washington Post. April 19, 1991. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
16. Meron, Shelly (September 8, 2010). "City pays to keep three Richmond schools open". East Bay Times. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
17. "Recent School Accountability reports for John F. Kennedy High School". West Contra Costa Unified School District. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
18. Sanchez, Camryn (August 2019). "Champion of Richmond Education: Mike Peritz". East Bay Express. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
19. Whitney, Spencer (October 21, 2011). "Mock Trial now in session at Kennedy High". Richmond Confidential. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
20. Milano, Michael (November 22, 2013). "Music is back at Kennedy High School". Richmond Confidential. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
21. Lawson, Hannah (September 19, 2014). "Kennedy High School narrows the digital divide". Richmond Confidential. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
22. Charles, Candese (September 29, 2015). "At Kennedy High, awakening the next James Baldwin or Maya Angelou". Richmond Confidential. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
23. "Kennedy High special ed students finish another beautification phase". The Richmond Standard. May 17, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
24. Chan, Bonnie (March 16, 2015). "New health clinic opens for Kennedy High students and South Richmond residents". Richmond Confidential. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
25. "NCS Conference Alignment for 2020-2024" (PDF). North Coast Section. NCS-CIF. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
26. "FOOTBALL: NCS Team Champions". CIF North Coast Section. California Interscholastic Federation - North Coast Section. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
27. Stevens, Mitch (November 18, 2016). "An American comeback story: Bay Area's Kennedy High School overcomes history of violence, losing". MaxPreps. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
28. "TRACK & FIELD: North Coast Section Track and Field Results". California Interscholastic Federation - North Coast Section. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
29. Orsburn, Tyler (September 29, 2015). "Kennedy High sprinters bring home LA gold". Richmond Confidential. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
30. Orsburn, Tyler (March 7, 2013). "Still on the bus, Lady Eagles defeat Branham High 69-54". Richmond Confidential. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
31. "Richmond Swim Center". City of Richmond California. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
32. "Welcome to Future Aquatic Swim Team". Future Aquatic Swim Team. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
33. "Think Globally, Fabricate Locally". West Contra Costa Unified School District. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
34. "Bridging the Digital Divide". fabfoundation. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
35. Bay Area News Group (November 9, 2014). "Richmond: Fab lab a tinkerer's paradise". East Bay Times. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
36. Pyles, Sean (September 29, 2015). "New Fab Lab at Kennedy High Offers Opportunity to Students, Community". Radio Free Richmond. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
37. "Fab Lab Richmond, California". fablabs.io. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
38. "Negro New Principal of School". Oakland Tribune. May 15, 1968. p. 8. Retrieved January 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
39. "Integration Rally Held in Richmond". Oakland Tribune. April 24, 1968. p. 31. Retrieved January 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
40. Mitchell, Bev (December 16, 1970). "Schools Adopt Regional System". Oakland Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved January 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
41. "Kennedy High School forensics team number one in state (photo caption)". Oakland Tribune. December 16, 1972. p. 15. Retrieved January 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
42. "Salute to Patricia Rupley" (PDF). Congressional Record: 11273. June 7, 1989. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
43. Folkmanis, Jason (December 22, 1984). "The Handwriting on the Wall". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 19. Retrieved January 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
44. "Richmond Egg Throwing Incident". The San Francisco Examiner. September 22, 1988. p. 25. Retrieved January 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
45. Merl, Jean (March 12, 1991). "Schools: Drastic Cuts Now Proposed". The Los Angeles Times. p. 390. Retrieved January 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
46. "Minutes of the Board of Education Meeting" (PDF). West Contra Costa Unified School District. West Contra Costa Unified School District. August 20, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
47. Wetzel, Kimberly S.; Fischer, Karl. "Second Kennedy High student death stuns". East Bay Times. No. January 27, 2009. MediaNews Group, Inc. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
48. "2009-2010 High School Course Catalog" (PDF). West Contra Council Unified School District. West Contra Council Unified School District. p. 3. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
49. "Kennedy High School Graduation Program" (PDF). West Contra Costa Unified School District. West Contra Costa Unified School District. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
50. Harrington, Theresa (October 26, 2012). "New principal, new rules to improve Kennedy High in Richmond". The Mercury News. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
51. "Hallowed JFK connections remain intact though hard to define at Bay Area schools". Los Angeles Daily News. November 21, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
52. "Meet Felicia Phillips, Principal of Kennedy High School". The Richmond Standard. October 30, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
53. Maginnis-Honey, Amy (January 3, 2020). "Vallejo Jazz Society hosts Kurt Ribak Quartet for 58th concert". Daily Republic. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
54. Silvers, Emma (January 5, 2016). "The Gold Standard: Jeff Goldblum Talks Fatherhood, Jazz and Aliens (Of Course)". KQED PBS Newshour. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
55. Kensington man with a horn jazzes it up internationally with 19 other musicians, by Arlene Eagan, Berkeley Gazette, October 14, 1981, page 15
56. Andreeva, Nellie (August 5, 2015). "Mara Brock Akil & Salim Akil Ink Overall Deal With Warner Bros TV". Deadline. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
57. Barney, Chuck (January 12, 2018). "'Black Lightning': Richmond native brings new-look superhero to The CW". East Bay Times. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
58. "2018 John F. Kennedy High School Hall Of Fame Dinner and Reunion". Post News Group. June 2, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
59. "Tireless Rodney Alamo Brown twice recognized for his community service". The Richmond Standard. November 11, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
60. "Yearly Archives: Rodney "Alamo" Brown and the talent of Richmond". Rotary International, Richmond, California. December 20, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
61. Rogers, Robert (July 21, 2016). "Rodney Brown, with help of Facebook, compiles book of famous Richmond natives". East Bay Times. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
62. "Those Amazing Humans, #310, Norton Buffalo | Mongrel4u's Blog". mongrel4u.wordpress.com. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
63. "D'Marco Farr". StatsCrew. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
64. "Richard Gonzales, Correspondent, San Francisco, National Desk". National Public Radio. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
65. "Takkarist McKinley's draft by the Atlanta Falcons lifts Richmond acquaintances". KTVU FOX 2. April 28, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
66. "Richmond Planning Director Richard Mitchell to retire". MaxPreps. December 12, 2018. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
67. "Junior Moore Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
68. "Oregon State Bar Bulletin". Oregon State Bar. November 2002. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
69. "Oregon State Bar Bulletin". Oregon State Bar. November 2004. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
70. "Oregon Department of Justice Announces Civil Rights Settlement With Salem Fire Department and City of Salem". Oregon Department of Justice. March 21, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
71. "Local girl makes good". November 9, 1978. p. 27. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
72. Tomalonis, Alex; Tomalonis, ra (April 5, 1993). "Dance". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
73. Thomas, Kevin (March 6, 2019). "Meet 9 DTH Alumni Who Continue to Spread Arthur Mitchell's Legacy". Dance Magazine. Retrieved January 13, 2020.

External links

• Official website