Georgiana Bruce Kirby Preparatory School
 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
| Georgiana Bruce Kirby Preparatory School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
| , United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private |
| Established | 1994 |
| CEEB code | 053290 |
| Head of School | Christy Hutton |
| Grades | 6-12 |
| Enrollment | approximately 150 |
| Average class size | 12 |
| Color(s) | Blue & White |
| Mascot | Griffin |
| Website | kirby.org |
Georgiana Bruce Kirby Preparatory School, referred to as Kirby School, is a co-educational, non-sectarian independent school located in Santa Cruz, California. The school educates students in grades 6–12.
History and general information
[edit]Established in 1994, Kirby School is named after Georgiana Bruce Kirby, an early suffragist, educator, and public speaker who settled in California in the mid-1800s.
In August 2006, the school moved to the Tarantella building, formerly a high-technology complex in the Harvey West area of Santa Cruz.
Academic achievements and recognition
[edit]In 2006, the College Board Advanced Placement Report to the Nation recognized Kirby students as the "Best in the World" in Art History performance by a school with 300 or fewer students.[1] In the spring of 2009, Kirby students took 99 AP exams. 94% scored 3 or higher (college credit), and 47% achieved the maximum score of 5.
From 1999 through 2009, Kirby graduated 250 students, of which thirty-six (15%) earned National Merit recognition. Twenty-five percent of the graduating class of 2014 earned National Merit recognition.
Under the leadership of its most recent Head of School, a significant shift has occurred in the school's academic priorities. The focus on achievement has been deemphasized in favor of serving students with learning differences. Since the late 2010s, enrollment has declined by approximately 55%. This, along with substantial growth in the school's administrative staff and large salary increases for its Head of School, have necessitated sharp increases in tuition, which is now nearly double what it had been under the previous school Head.
Affiliations
[edit]Kirby is a member of and is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools, the National Association of Independent Schools, and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.