Morse High School (California)
Samuel F. B. Morse High School is an urban public high school located in southeastern San Diego in the neighborhood of Skyline Hills serving grades 9-12 in the American K-12 education system. Named after inventor Samuel Finley Breese Morse, it first opened its doors in 1962. Morse has produced several notable athletes among its alumni and has sent its graduates to numerous colleges and universities throughout the United States.
Morse High School, the most populous of all high schools in the San Diego Unified School District, serves the communities of Alta Vista, Bay Terraces, Encanto, Jamacha-Lomita, Paradise Hills, and Skyline in Southeast San Diego. As of 2006-2007, demographics from the California Department of Education show that 35% of the students are Filipino, followed by Hispanic-Latino, Black, and non-Hispanic White. Nearly 70% of the student body is eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
Academic Performance Index place the school in schoolwide API of 640 in 2007 from 648 in 2006 where 800 is the targeted California state goal. As of 2006, Morse High School has an API Statewide Rank of 3 out of 10, and an API Similar Schools Rank of 6 out of 10.
Amid criticism of the school's declining performance after its administrative shake-up in 2002, then-superintendent Carl Cohn brought in Todd Irving, a Co-Principal from East Palo Alto High School, as Co-Principal to assist Principal Rocio Weiss for the 2006-2007 school year. Following Rocio Weiss's departure as Co-Principal in 2008, Todd Irving retained his role as Principal of Morse High School. The current principal is Cynthia Larkin.
When Gompers High School was converted to a grade 6-12 charter school in 2007, Morse High School and the rebuilt Lincoln High School are the only remaining public senior high schools in Southeast San Diego.
Programs
Athletics
Morse offers a full range of athletic teams. These teams compete against other schools in the district and in the surrounding area. Tryouts for the teams usually take place the previous semester. Morse High School is one of very few high schools to have produced two Olympic Gold Medalists.| Fall & Winter Sports | Spring Sports | Military & Pep Squads |
Fall Football Field Hockey Girls & Boys Cross Country Girls Volleyball Soccer Girls Golf Girls Tennis Boys Water Polo Winter Girls & Boys Basketball Girls Water Polo Girls & Boys Soccer Wrestling | Academic League Boys Tennis Football Boys Volleyball Girls & Boys Swimming Boys Golf Boys Baseball Girls Softball Track & Field Badminton | Cheer Letterettes Twirl Flags Drill Team Tigerettes Step Team Tall Flags All-Male All-Female Co-Ed Dance/Drill APOP JROTC Color Guard Drum Corps Armed Drill Team Unarmed Drill Team |
Notable alumni
- Archie Amerson, football, c/o 1993
- Tommy Bennett, football, c/o 1991
- Quintin Berry, baseball, c/o 2003
- Marcus Brady, football c/o 1997
- Rashard Cook, football c/o 1995
- Terrell Davis, football, attended Morse but later transferred to Lincoln High School.
- David Dunn, football c/o 1990
- Rome dela Rosa, PBA c/o 2009
- Lonnie Ford, football c/o 1997
- Monique Henderson, track and field, Olympic gold medalist, c/o 2001
- Sam Horn, baseball c/o 1982
- Adam Jones, baseball c/o 2003
- Faizon Love, actor and comedian, c/o 1986
- Lincoln Kennedy, football, c/o 1988
- Cliff Levingston, basketball, c/o 1979
- Charles Lewis, c/o 1984, San Diego City Council member
- Pat Loika, podcaster
- Samuel Madden, professor of computer science at MIT, c/o 1994
- Mark McLemore, baseball c/o 1982
- Rafael Peralta, Sergeant, USMC; Navy Cross recipient; casualty Iraq War c/o 1997
- Arnie Robinson, Olympic medalist in track and field
- Marcus Smith, football c/o 2003
Notable faculty
- Bob Mendoza, Breitbard Hall of Fame Coaching Legend, coached football, baseball and golf