About Us
About Us
Welcome to Sweetwater High School, home of the mighty Red Devils! Sweetwater High School is located in National City, County of San Diego, California.
Led by Principal Joe Lara, the student body, parents, administration, staff, including teachers, counselors, and office staff, and the larger community, established numerous innovative programs that include among others: after school specialized and discipline-specific tutoring, Professional Learning Communities to develop and implement rigorous standards-based instruction, and increased parental involvement.
Administration
Our Mission:
The mission of Sweetwater High School, the distinguished educational cornerstone of National City, is to ensure that our students possess the skills necessary for success through a rigorous and relevant culture of learning with high expectations, supported by a caring Red Devil community.
Our Vision:
Sweetwater High School is a community that prepares students for an innovative and culturally diverse society by developing a high level of intellectual, social, and personal growth.
Our Core Values:
S: Self-Aware
U: Unstoppable
H: Honorable
I: Innovative
School Profile
Sweetwater High School currently serves 2,185 students in grades 9 -12. The school operates on an alternating block schedule with a rotating Success Period to allow students during the school day to meet with their teachers for follow-up questions, retake exams, and to provide a space for school-wide initiatives. The student body includes 78 % Hispanic or Latino, 14% Asian, 1.6% African-American, 5% White, and 1.1% identify as two or more races. 27% of the student body is identified as English Learners, 13.6% as students with disabilities, and 90.3% qualify for free or reduced lunch.
The 180-member school staff consists of 100 certificated teachers, administrators, student support staff, and classified staff, all dedicated to providing their students with the best possible learning environment and educational experience. Fifteen percent of the staff are Sweetwater High alumni and not only have a particular understanding of the unique challenges that students from National City face, but are also daily reminders to every child in their classroom that they are living a history of success from working hard in school.
One of Sweetwater High’s strengths is the availability of many programs we offer our students, such as the Health Academy, Welding and Engineering Academy, and the Advanced Placement programs in Math, Science, Social Studies, English, and World Language. Sweetwater supports students’ academic needs through various programs such as Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) and a flourishing after-school program, offering students new experiences such as hiking, college trips, and other programs. Various enrichment programs are available, such as MCJROTC, Visual and Performing Arts courses in Music, Dance, Art, Drama, Band, and Choir, and unique courses such as Baile Folklorico, Mariachi, and Quiz Bowl. Other popular classes are the Cross-Age Tutoring and Peer Counseling classes, where students can assist other students as needed. Sweetwater has an active student organization (ASB), over 40 clubs, and 22 separate sports programs for boys and girls. Sweetwater High continues to refine its focus and approach in developing support to ensure the academic success of all students, especially in those sub-groups experiencing low attainment of proficiency.
Sweetwater High School currently houses two California Partnership Academies. The Health Science Academy and the Welding Academy programs provide learning experiences beyond the classroom setting, connecting schools to career industries and increasing college readiness within the program. Partial funding for the academies is supplied through a California Partnership Academy Grant. These programs offer students many career-related opportunities, including internships, mentorships, work-based learning, educational field trips, mentoring, and extensive exposure to the business and educational communities. The academy curriculum is focused on career themes and coordinated with related academic classes. A voluntary student selection process identifies interested ninth graders through surveys, feeder school recruitment activities, and tenth graders on campus. Each academy has a dedicated teaching team that works together to plan and implement the program’s goals.
The integration of a standards-based academic and career-technical curriculum is a crucial ingredient. Sweetwater Academy graduates will be prepared to pursue any number of pathways. They will have completed their career-technical program of study within their given Business and Industry Sector. Many will have completed hours of internship or apprenticeship and/or are prepared to gain certifications that make them employment-ready and better prepared than their peers who only travel the traditional academic path. Also, students in the Health Academy have been engaged in a rigorous academic program that prepares them to meet their A-G requirements and can begin college immediately if desired. Welding Academy students are enrolled in A-G core coursework; however, site and district staff are still working to build the CTE curriculum in the Welding courses so students can earn elective Area G credit. All CPA academy students have the advantage of completing an enriched curriculum that includes workplace communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking that employers look for in new hires. Both CPA Academies have built-in college pathway opportunities through the 2+2 Program articulation and participation with Southwestern and San Diego Community Colleges. Academy students leave Sweetwater knowing the available career options and can demonstrate their workplace skills to prospective employers.