About Us
Welcome to Los Gatos High School! It is a privilege to serve such wonderful students and witness four years of their growth throughout high school. Part of the school’s beauty lies not only in the historical beauty of the campus but more importantly in the incredible opportunities for students to become engaged—including a wide variety of advanced placement, on-level, and elective classes, extracurricular activities, clubs, performing arts, and athletics programs.
Both staff and students genuinely share that there is something for everyone at LGHS. Students are encouraged to become involved in the school community—even exploring something that is offered that they may not have tried before. The staff's passion is in creating meaningful educational experiences for students and in encouraging them to find something positive at school that inspires them, that connects them to the world around them, and that makes them feel purposeful.
History
Los Gatos High School has a long and prestigious history. Originally built in 1894 at a different location in town, the school served a much broader geographic area that was far less populated. In 1908, a new facility was built at the current location on High School Court, and in 1924, a larger building - with the beautiful neoclassical façade people see today - was constructed. As enrollment grew in the 1950s, a second high school was built in Saratoga to alleviate overcrowding, effectively creating the Los Gatos Saratoga Joint Union High School District, which, over the years, became a “basic aid” school district after Proposition 13 was passed in 1978.
Since 1894, our community has continuously reaffirmed its commitment to excellence in education with its support of our schools to promote the development of our facilities to meet evolving curricular and co-curricular needs. Time and again our community has approved local bond measures for new buildings and campus improvements. A previous bond measure, passed in 2002, was completed in 2009 and left no portion of our campus untouched: we gained a new three story building that houses the Math and World Language Departments, a state-of-the-art, two-story Science building, and a complete renovation of every classroom and office, including the theater.
The most recent bond measure, Measure E, passed in 2014, has resulted in a number of special projects that have significantly enhanced and will continue to enhance the quality of our campus for years to come. Already completed are a renovated front lawn area, a new maintenance yard, and new turf fields. Currently underway, projected to be completed in August 2018, are two new academic buildings, a new music facility, and a new classroom building that will be designed for collaborative, project-based learning. Additionally, the building currently used for band and choir will be upgraded within the next two years to house drama and other performing arts classes and programs.
CommunityLos Gatos High School currently serves students who live in the towns of Los Gatos and Monte Sereno, as well as students living in the Santa Cruz Mountains. With a focus on welcoming all incoming students into the student body, Los Gatos High School is not just the center of high-quality education and innovative learning in town: we pride ourselves on being integral members of the community with strong ties to many community-based organizations. Over the years, our staff members have partnered with a wide range of community organizations such as the Parenting Continuum, Community Against Substance Abuse (CASA), Los Gatos Athletic Association, Safe Routes To School, Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation Department, service clubs such as the Los Gatos Lions, Kiwanis, and Rotary; and the Town governments of Los Gatos and Monte Sereno, as well as the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department. Our local community organizations sponsor camps, competitions, scholarships, and job opportunities that deeply enrich the lives of our students and provide them with experiences they might not otherwise have if not for the incredible local support. For example, our swimming pool was constructed using joint funds from the Valley Foundation, the Town of Los Gatos, and private donors, and is used year- round by both the school and community, as are many of our classrooms through the LG-Saratoga Recreation Department.