Capuchino High School


Capuchino High School is a public high school in San Bruno, California, United States. The school is surrounded by the city of Millbrae on all but one corner. It is one of seven high schools in the San Mateo Union High School District, a division of the San Mateo County Office of Education.
Capuchino's rival is Mills High School in Millbrae.

History

The physical campus, which is just over in size, was formerly the Spanish Rancho del Capuchino. The school opened in September 1950. There was initially only one two-story building on the campus; by 1953 most of the campus was completed. A 1,000-seat auditorium was built in 1959, supplementing the school's little theatre. In the 1961–62 academic year, just prior to the completion of Crestmoor High School, student enrollment exceeded 1,800 and almost every available space was utilized for classrooms.
In 1963, KPIX filmed scenes, including a pep rally, at the school for its weekly High School Salute program. Host Dick Stewart also interviewed students and faculty in the KPIX studios during the telecast.
In 1976, student Paula Baxter went missing after leaving the high school following a play rehearsal. Her body, which had been stabbed and sexually assaulted, was found two days later behind a church in Millbrae.
In 1998, students traveled thousands of miles learning about the Civil Rights Movement.
SMUHSD residents approved Measure D in November 2000, which authorized funding for school renovation and modernization. Capuchino has a renovated science wing, a new spirit court and cafeteria building, and several new classrooms adjoining the new administration building.
Measure M funds were approved by SMUHSD voters in 2006 which in part funded the construction of a new humanities, arts, and sciences building and theater remodel. In April 2012 the new HASB was completed and students moved in to finish their school year.

Fine arts

The school has long been known for its music and drama programs.
Randolph Hunt was the school's first music teacher; he joined the faculty in 1950 and wrote the school's hymn, "Hail Green and Gold", and other songs. He left Capuchino in 1960 to earn his doctorate.
Ralph Bredenberg became the band director in 1953 and built an outstanding marching band that performed at numerous competitions, as well as appearing at the Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, California and the nationally televised inaugural parade for John F. Kennedy in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 1961.
Kenneth L. Ton was drama director at Capuchino for many years, and when Otto Mielenz became choral director in 1960, they began plans for producing the school first's musical comedy productions. Randolph Hunt had preferred to present operettas by Gilbert & Sullivan, including a performance of The Mikado in 1959, when the new auditorium was completed. Ton and Mielenz first collaborated on a 1962 production of Brigadoon by Lerner & Loewe. In 1964 Mielenz left Capuchino to teach at San Bernardino Valley College, followed by Chabot College in Hayward, California. Mr. Masonson became the new choral director in 1964. Ton continued to direct plays and collaborated on additional musicals until his retirement in the early 1980s.
In the early 1980s a guiding director at Capuchino was Robert Meadows, who had formerly taught at Crestmoor High School until it closed in 1980. Meadows was the first director for the Capuchino Community Theatre, which drew performers from throughout San Mateo County and whose first productions were The Sound of Music by Rodgers & Hammerstein in 1981 and The Music Man by Meredith Willson in 1982. The 1983 production of Kismet was directed by Jack Brooks and the 1984 production of Of Thee I Sing was directed by Simon Levy. All but one of the productions were staged in Capuchino's auditorium. Within a few years, however, the Capuchino Community Theater was disbanded, due to financial shortfalls.
Capuchino broadcasts a student-run production every week to the entire school, called The Mustang News. It airs informational segments created by students in the Art of Video and IB Film classes.

Sports

Capuchino has long had an outstanding athletic department. It initially competed in the Peninsula Athletic League, which stretched from Jefferson High School in Daly City to Lincoln High School in San Jose. As more high schools were built during the 1950s and early 1960s, the Mid-Peninsula was established to include the seven high schools of the San Mateo Union High School District. Capuchino dominated league competition over the years, especially in football, basketball, swimming, wrestling, track, and tennis. During the late 1950s the school won the league championships in varsity football, basketball, and baseball, a time often referred to as "The Golden Age of Sports." Capuchino baseball players Wally Bunker and Keith Hernandez both went on to careers in Major League Baseball.
In the 1990s, Capuchino's girls' softball team won five consecutive Central Coast Section Championships, and was state ranked on three occasions during this period. Capuchino also has a 32-9 Central Coast Section Playoff record, giving it the second best winning percentage of all schools in the section.

Curriculum

Capuchino is the only school in the San Mateo Union High School District to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
The school also offers ROP classes for free. These include CompTIA A+ Certification, CCNA certification, and an advanced Art of Video lab.

Statistics

Demographics

2017-2018
HispanicWhiteAsianTwo or more racesPacific IslanderAfrican AmericanAmerican Indian
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Approximately 35.6% of the students at Capuchino are served by the free or reduced-price lunch program.

Standardized testing

Notable alumni

Alumni