College Park High School Concord

College Park High School, adjacent to Valley View Middle School and Diablo Valley College, is a public high school located in Pleasant Hill, California, USA. It is part of the Unified School District of Mount Diablo (MDUSD). The California Department of Education has honored CPHS as a 2013 California Distinguished School.

 

The school is located on a large 33-acre plot of land, with sports facilities including a swimming pool, tennis courts, outdoor basketball courts, softball and baseball fields, soccer fields, and a football field with synthetic turf. The school mainly serves a residential community with students living in the town of Pleasant Hill, as well as the southern part of Martinez, the town of Pacheco, and small parts of Lafayette, Concord and Walnut Creek.

 

Mission Statement

The mission at CPHS is to prepare our students for their futures. Student-centered learning is fostered in an environment which encourages personal achievement, self-reliance, independent thinking, and good decision making. We expect appropriate behavior and the acceptance of individual and cultural differences.

 

Vision Statement

The vision of CPHS is the belief that all students can learn. All students will realize academic success, think creatively, make responsible choices, resolve differences peacefully, and be reflective and involved members of our global community.

 

History

To alleviate population pressure from nearby Pleasant Hill High, College Park High School was founded in 1960. A falcon for its mascot was chosen by the new institution. The school was built on land adjacent to Diablo Valley College, giving rise to the name of College Park. Until the latter closed, a fierce rivalry developed between College Park and Pleasant Hill High. Both Alhambra and Northgate High Schools would later be transferred to this rivalry.

 

Controversies

• In June 2004, a website containing stolen test answers and student-posted homework answers was found to have been created by members of the student body. It was found that a large part of the junior class had knowledge of the site, which had existed almost all year long. As a result of the incident, two students as well as a teacher went on to appear on the Dr. Phil show, gaining College Park national attention for the scandal.

 

• In January 2005, when United States Army recruiters turned the school's quad into a lunchtime shooting range, CPHS also received national media coverage. The event was approved by the principal of the school, but he said, after much criticism, that he had imagined a different form of event than what occurred.