Palm Beach Gardens Community High School

Palm Beach Gardens Community High School
Location
4245 Holly Drive
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
United States
Coordinates 26°49′30″N 80°06′04″W / 26.82494°N 80.10099°W / 26.82494; -80.10099Coordinates: 26°49′30″N 80°06′04″W / 26.82494°N 80.10099°W / 26.82494; -80.10099
Information
Type Public Magnet
Motto Gpack
Established 1969
Principal Larry Clawson
Faculty 192
Enrollment 2,737 (2016-17)[1]
Color(s) Orange and blue         
Mascot Gators
Athletics 8A
Website PBGHS web site

Palm Beach Gardens Community High School is a public magnet high school for grades 9–12 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The school mascot is the Gator. It is well known for its athletics and medical magnet program. It was built in 1969 as a public high school. The original school was demolished and a new school opened in August 2009–2010.[2]

Academics

Palm Beach Gardens' academic program is based on local School District of Palm Beach County policy, standards of the State of Florida. In addition, students are given the opportunity to join magnet programs such as global business and entrepreneurship, pre-med, sports management, tourism, and TV and film production. The magnet programs are supplemented by two career-building organizations: Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and Health Occupations Students of America. Palm Beach Gardens Community High School is known for notoriously attaining the largest FBLA-chapter in Florida, more than 400 members strong.

Athletics

In 1973, the Gator football team went 10–0 during the regular season, its first and only undefeated season beating perennial power, Fort Pierce Central High School|Fort Pierce Central H. S. Cobras. Due to a tie-breaking rule, the team could not participate in the state football championship, even though they were ranked the No. 1 team in the state. Atlantic H.S of Delray Beach won the tie-breaker and participated in the state football championship because neither school had played each other during the regular season. Instead, the 1973 team was invited to the Apollo Bowl in Titusville. Their opponent, the New Smyrna Beach Barracudas had a single loss at the end of the season, eliminating them from state tournament contention. The much anticipated bowl game was a blowout, as the Barracudas, with Reggie Beverly and Wes Chandler leading the way on this Bud Asher coached team won 26–6 over the Gators coached by Tom Mullins. In 2005, the Gators won the Florida class 6A state championship in football.

The softball team won back-to-back class 6A state championship titles in 2005 and 2006 and again won back-to-back championships in 2010 and 2011. In 2012 the softball team ranked No. 1 in the ESPN National Softball Fab50 ranking.

The Gator lacrosse team won the 2008 1A Florida State championship, finishing their season 20–0.

The girls' varsity golf team won the State title four consecutive years, 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974. Two seniors, Sue Fogelman and Terry Farino, from the 1974 team had participated on all 4 championship teams, something no other girl in the State of FL had ever done before or since. Sue Fogelman was honored with induction into the PBGHS Sports Hall of Fame on March 5, 2017. During the 2008 season, the girls' varsity golf team became the County's Conference Champion, District Champions, and Regional Champions. The Lady Gators went to States and placed 9th out of 16.

CHAMPIONSHIPS
YearTeam
20116A Softball
20106A Softball
20081A Lacrosse
20066A Softball
20056A Football
20056A Softball
1974Girls' Golf
1973Girls' Golf
1972Girls' Golf
1971Girls' Golf

School specifics

Academic statistics

  • Students per teacher: 25+
  • Enrollment: 2,500 +
  • Schoolwide reading proficiency: 31.5%
  • Schoolwide math proficiency: 60.7%
  • Graduation rate: 94.3%[3]

School demographics

  • African American/ Black: 47%
  • White: 28%
  • Hispanic: 16%
  • Asian: 3%
  • Two or more races: 3%
  • Other race: 0%[4]

Controversies

In February 2009, during a routine check of school spending by the Palm Beach County School District it was found that Principal Jonathan Prince was improperly spending school funds. Some of these charges include gas for a personal vehicle, room service at a convention, restaurant bills for his family, a tuxedo rental, flowers for school secretaries on Valentines Day, and an end-of-year dinner for the assistant principals and guidance counselors. In response, Prince was forced to pay back thousands of dollars, serve 20 hours of community service, and was demoted to Assistant Principal to avoid criminal charges. School Board Members and the Superintendent expressed support for Dr. Prince, and Dr. Prince apologized to the School Board and the Palm Beach Gardens Community and assisted in improving academic achievement in a number of high schools he was assigned to. Dr. Prince became a Principal in Orange County, Florida and was hired as the Deputy Superintendent of St. Lucie County, Florida under former Palm Beach County Superintendent E. Wayne Gent.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ FHSAA Student Population Report
  2. ↑ Laura Green (August 13, 2009). "Gardens High welcomes new state-of-the art facilities". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
  3. ↑ schoolmatters.com
  4. ↑
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