O'Farrell Community School
32°42′09.09″N 117°03′55.16″W / 32.7025250°N 117.0653222°W
| The O'Farrell Charter Schools | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
6130 Skyline Drive San Diego , CA 92114 United States | |
| Information | |
| Former names | O'Farrell Junior High School O'Farrell Community School O'Farrell Charter School |
| Type | Public Charter School |
| Motto | Where college isn't just a possibility, it's a priority |
| Opened | 1959 |
| School district | San Diego Unified School District |
| Education system | Charter |
| Hours in school day | 7 |
| Campus type | Urban |
| Color(s) | Gold, royal blue, navy, black |
| Nickname | Falcons |
| Rival | Mountain Empire High School Tubman Charter School Calexico High School |
| Superintendent | Cindy Wagner |
| Website | http://ofarrellschool.org/ http://ingenuitycharter.org/ |
The O'Farrell Charter Schools, or The O'Farrell Charter School, is a system of public charter schools in San Diego, California, United States. The school opened its doors in San Diego Unified School District in 1959 chosen in 1957 as Mabel E. O'Farrell Junior High.[1] It was voted to become a charter school in 1994.
Through the years, the O'Farrell Charter School has received numerous awards and distinctions. It was named one of America's top high schools by U.S. News and World report six years in a row. It has also been named a school of distinction by National Center for Urban School Transformation. O'Farrell is an AVID National Demonstration School.
President Bill Clinton made a visit to San Diego in 1995 to sign the Goals 2000 education bill and to visit O'Farrell because it was a charter.[2]
The school was mentioned in Hillary Clinton's book It Takes a Village.[3]
Schools within a school
[edit]The O'Farrell Charter Schools resembles an elementary, middle, high and all-grade independent study course, all schools falling under 'The O'Farrell Charter School'. The O'Farrell Charter Schools has become its own district of its three different schools after ceasing partnership with San Diego Unified School District, when O'Farrell expanded from being only a junior high school.
All schools operate on the same campus in the Skyline–South Encanto border area. The high school is located rather separate from the middle school and elementary.
Each O'Farrell school has a principal and vice principal, and has a separate program, teachers, and bell schedules.
In 2014, "Ingenuity Charter School, Blended Learning Independent Study Program" was added as an official part of The O'Farrell Charter Schools. Students attend in person at one of the school's resource centers at least twice per week and work independently online on the other days.
Athletics
[edit]The O'Farrell Falcons (also known as the OCS Falcons, O'Farrell Charter Falcons) are the athletic clubs that represent The O'Farrell Charter Schools. The Falcons compete in various leagues all in Division V of the CIF San Diego Section, depending on the sport.
O'Farrell offers basketball, cross country, soccer, track, and volleyball to both genders. They recently have established a girls flag football team to go alongside the football team at O'Farrell.
CIF
[edit]O'Farrell competes in the CIF's San Diego Section within the Division V. O'Farrell Football's last documented win was on September 3, 2021 in a 24-12 victory over the Whittier Christian Heralds, however, they had still placed last in the Pacific League which they were then a part of. O'Farrell boys basketball clinched a Division V playoff spot in the Summit League in the 2023 season.
Rivalries
[edit]Calexico
[edit]The Falcons maintain a strong rivalry with the Calexico High School Bulldogs of Imperial Valley League. This rivalry is notorious around the CIF San Diego Section for re-emerging from a 49-0 Calexico blowout on Valley Sports Network in 2023.
Mountain Empire
[edit]In basketball and football, the Mountain Empire Red Hawks and O'Farrell Falcons have a divisional opposing rivalry. This rivalry has stayed heated in specifically boys basketball. These teams share a four-way opposition also involving Maranatha and Tri-City Christian.
Tubman Village Charter
[edit]O'Farrell has a heated enemy-ship with the Harriet Tubman Village Charter School. The Tigers and Falcons school conflict is a raging rivalry to this day.
Maranatha Christian
[edit]The Maranatha Christian Eagles are another Falcon Football divisional enemy. Maranatha has recently gotten the best of this rivalry.
Morse High School
[edit]Referred to as The Battle of Skyline in volleyball and basketball, the schools aren't completely classified as rivals, although a geographical battle. Most who attended Morse have attended The O'Farrell Charter School for lower grades. One of two different sides can classify Morse and O'Farrell as almost sister schools.
Other
[edit]O'Farrell's main rivalries are with Tubman Charter School and Mountain Empire High School.
Gompers Preparatory Academy Basketball has recently been a light divisional competitiveness within the Summit League alongside the High Tech Chula Vista Bruins, as well as River Valley Leopards Soccer and Horizon Prep in soccer and girls basketball.
Notable alumni
[edit]- Rosalie Hamlin, known for 1960 song "Angel Baby"[4]
- Shirley Horton, California assemblywoman and former mayor of Chula Vista[5]
- Tom Waits, claimed to have attended this school and remembered it as an all-black school in a 1973 interview[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Celebrating 150 Years: The Sixties". San Diego City Schools. Archived from the original on 2008-05-10. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
- ^ John T. Woolley and Gerhard Peters. "William J. Clinton: Remarks at the O'Farrell Community School in San Diego, California". The American Presidency Project. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
- ^ Clinton, Hillary (2006-12-12). It Takes a Village. Simon and Schuster. p. 245. ISBN 1-4165-4064-4. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
o farrell san diego california charter 1994.
- ^ "The Biography of Rosie Hamlin".
- ^ "Biography of Shirley Horton". Archived from the original on 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ "Quotes: Childhood". Tom Waits Library. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
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