Welcome to Foothill High School

Students Come First, Foothill High School’s guiding principle, inspires our educational environment. Nestled in the foothills of Pleasanton, our school provides each of our students with a nurturing and innovative learning environment, stimulating their intellectual, emotional and physical growth. As a 2004 California Distinguished School and 2006 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, Foothill provides a comfortable atmosphere in which all newcomers feel welcome. A visitor to the campus immediately notices the organized, focused, academic environment where all students are motivated to succeed. From the engaging lessons in all classrooms to the bustling quad at lunchtime, teachers encourage students to showcase their talents in a variety of ways.  

High achievement and continuous improvement are hallmarks of Foothill High School. Our Academic Performance Index (API), California’s measure of school academic and performance growth, stands at 878. We hold a state ranking of 10 , along with a 9 against similar schools. These results truly indicate that we have much to celebrate as we continue to make significant and sustained growth in all areas of student achievement.

Foothill High School opened its doors in 1973. In the past10 years, our school has grown by more than 1,000 students to more than 2,300 students today.  With such growth, Foothill has implemented many innovative programs: Latin, Japanese, reading improvement, technical English, video production and numerous advanced placement (AP) courses. In addition, Foothill has created several academies, such as our Health & Bioscience and Art, Technology & Communication academies, which provide small, more personal learning communities in the large school setting.  

Teachers consistently demonstrate academic commitment by employing teaching strategies that encourage every student to succeed. Foothill instructors are concerned, caring individuals who truly want optimal achievement for their students. The staff works together creating a pleasant atmosphere and a smooth working environment for all. Counselors, career center specialists and a dynamic library staff consistently support academic programs through individualized work with students. Our commitment to students is evidenced by the fact that 95 percent of students believe the educational program offered at Foothill prepares them for the pursuit of their goals.  

Though our school continues to expand, it remains a student-centered environment with strong co-curricular and athletic programs. An active peer-tutoring program and homework club offer educational assistance for all students, while students in marching band, choir and programs like We the People compete at the highest levels. Students and their leaders actively shape a positive and involved school climate where all students have the opportunity to engage in activities that interest them. More than 35 clubs are active on campus, and more than 80 percent of our students are involved in extracurricular activities.  

We provide our students with an extremely comprehensive athletic program that includes 22 competitive athletic sports per year. Our success and recognition in each of these arenas is testament to the dedication of our athletes and the support of their coaches. We strive at all times to develop in our athletes, our coaching staff and our spirited supporters the essence of competitiveness with character. A commitment to the competition with honor in victory and dignity in defeat, together with positive cheering and support for our teams, are hallmarks of Foothill athletic contests.

We are proud of our level of parental involvement. Parents volunteer in a variety of capacities and work alongside teachers and staff to enhance the learning environment. Families and staff remain committed to the youth who attend Foothill High School -- a working example of a community coming together to raise its children. The community-at-large perceives the school to be academically rigorous, yet concerned for the character and well-being of all students. Integrity, honesty, responsibility, respect, compassion and self-discipline describe our community of character and are emphasized throughout the school year. Overwhelmingly, students agree that character education principles are supported at school.  

Staff and community realize that Foothill’s mission is to educate the whole person. Test scores improve each year, students earn accolades for their extracurricular accomplishments and staff reflects on ways to improve the educational environment for all students. We are proud to say that at Foothill High School, students truly do come first.

Kia Ora! (Be Well)

John Dwyer
Principal