Sir Francis Drake High School


Sir Francis Drake High School is a secondary school located in San Anselmo, California. It is named after the English privateer, slave trader, and naval officer Sir Francis Drake, who purportedly landed in the area in 1579. The school's mascot is a pirate named Petey.
The school was established in 1951 as the second high school in the Tamalpais Union High School District. It is located at 1327 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, situated on a 21-acre campus bordered by two creeks. The site was formerly known as Cordone Gardens.
Approximately 99% of Drake's 2015 students graduated.

History

Sir Francis Drake high school was founded in 1951 in San Anselmo, California, providing schooling for students from Fairfax, Forest Knolls, Lagunitas, San Geronimo, Woodacre, San Anselmo, and Nicasio grades 9–12. This was the second high school to be introduced into the Tamalpais Union High School District, the first being Tamalpais High School. Until 1958, Sir Francis Drake High School served other towns of Marin that are now served by Redwood High School, including Corte Madera, Ross, Larkspur, Greenbrae, and Kentfield.
Between 1992 and 1995, Drake High School started a new program of small learning communities due to the poor performance of students, which was affecting the perception of the school. Drake has received two state grants for these programs; one in 1996–1997 and the other being in 2000. Since then, there have been four Freshman–Sophomore Academies and two Junior–Senior Academies.

School awards

In 1990 the school was designated as a Next Century School by RJR Nabisco Foundation for its "entrepreneurship in education." Drake was one of thirty schools to receive this award.
In 1999 Drake High School was designated as a California Distinguished School.
In 2003 Drake was the first high school to be recognized has a Bay Area Green Business School for its environmental awareness around campus.

Extracurricular activities

Basketball

In 1982 both the boys and girls basketball teams took the state division II title. The boys basketball team returned to the states championship in 2014 but lost.

''Jolly Roger''

The school newspaper, the Jolly Roger is published almost every month. The 1986-87 edition was a winner of Columbia University’s Silver Crown Award for high school newspapers in 1988. The Jolly Roger has been a regular recipient of the Medalist rating, given to the top 5% among high school newspapers in its class in United States.

Mountain Biking Club

The school's NICA NorCal League mountain bike team is notable for being one of the first in the nation and has won numerous regional and statewide competitions. The team is nine time NorCal League champions and five time California State champions, being beaten by Redwood High School in 2013 and 2014

Notable alumni