K-12 Schools

Elementary Schools
The Goleta Union School District serves approximately 3,550 students, kindergarten through sixth grade, on nine attractive campuses throughout the Goleta area. In November, 1996, the Goleta community passed a $26 million school construction bond measure with support from more than 74% of the voters. These funds are being used to repair and modernize all district schools, build new classrooms and libraries and replace the district's oldest school, Isla Vista, with a new "state-of-the-art" facility for the 700 students.

District personnel provide a firm foundation in reading, writing and mathematics, help students use these skills to solve problems and develop individual student potential in the arts and sciences. For students identified as gifted and talented, special programs are offered in grades 4, 5 and 6.

Goleta Union School District's reputation as a high-achieving school is substantiated by the results of current standardized achievement tests which indicate that Goleta students continue to score above state and national norms on tests of reading, language and mathematics.

The central office of the Goleta Union School District is located at 401 N. Fairview Avenue. The district superintendent, Dr. Kathleen Boomer, can be reached at (805) 681-1200, extension 201.

Brandon Elementary School
http://www.brandon.goleta.k12.ca.us

Ellwood Elementary School
http://www.ellwood.goleta.k12.ca.us

El Camino School
http://www.elcamino.goleta.k12.ca.us

Foothill Elementary School
http://www.foothill.goleta.k12.ca.us

Hollister Elementary School
http://www.hollister.goleta.k12.ca.us

Isla Vista Elementary School
http://www.islavista.goleta.k12.ca.us

Kellogg Elementary School
http://www.kellogg.goleta.k12.ca.us

La Patera Elementary School
http://www.lapatera.goleta.k12.ca.us

Mountain View Elementary School
http://www.mtnview.goleta.k12.ca.us

Junior High Schools

Goleta Valley Junior High School, home of the Mariners, opened its doors in 1964, making it the first secondary school in the burgeoning Goleta Valley. GVJHS presently offers instruction for seventh and eighth graders. Its student body primarily originates from six of the Goleta Union School District's elementary schools. GVJHS students excel in academics. In mathematics, students placed highest in the county on both the Golden State and American Junior High School Mathematics Examinations. In science, students participate in a comprehensive two year program that includes partnerships with local science and technology firms as well as the School Partnership for Science Innovation (a project involving the National Science Foundation and UCSB). In performing arts, students in music and theater have received numerous awards for productions and performances.

Goleta Valley has made a tremendous commitment to technology as an important instructional tool. Having been awarded several grants, the school is networked with access to the Internet. In addition, a comprehensive program is in place for instruction in software, programming and video production. GVJHS has made these changes without sacrificing time and energy in the important areas of mathematics, science, language arts, social studies, physical education, health and industrial technology.

Business participation in the educational programs at GVJHS is through the Adopt-A-School program. Our business partners are: Santa Barbara Association of Realtors, McDonald's of Santa Barbara, Fairview Merchant's Association, Inline Sports Center and the LaBelle Outreach Foundation.

Anyone with a question or wishing to visit Goleta Valley Junior High School, located at 6100 Stow Canyon Road, may contact Veronica Rogers, Principal, at 967-3486.
6100 Stow Canyon Road
Goleta, CA 93117
805-967-3486

Dos Pueblos High School
Dos Pueblos High School, the home of the "Chargers", is located at 7266 Alameda Avenue and Cathedral Oaks in Goleta. Dos Pueblos is an excellent public high school and was designated as a "Distinguished School" in 1989. It has the reputation of a traditional, academic, comprehensive high school which is student-oriented and where students achieve and experience success. The dropout rate is 2% compared with the state average of around 18%. The school received full six year accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Academically, Dos Pueblos ranks as the highest achieving public school in Santa Barbara County. It has maintained the highest combination SAT scores in the county for the last five years, the highest percentage of students taking SAT tests which means students considering four year colleges, an 63% passage rate on Advanced Placement (AP) tests, high scores on the Iowa Achievement Test, eighth place out of 171 Southern California high schools on the American High School Math Exam and a large number of National Merit finalists. Dos Pueblos has also won the county-wide Mock Trial competition fourteen times, placing second state-wide three times and winning the state championship twice. As recently as reported in the Santa Barbara News Press, Dos Pueblos is sending the greatest percentage of students to college in the county and sends more students to college than 97% of the schools in the state.

Built in 1966, the campus covers over 40 acres. Dos Pueblos is a neighborhood school with a population of 1500 students of which 58% are White, 10% Asian, 28% Hispanic and 3% African American. The students are taught by a faculty of 64 highly experienced and talented teachers, most of whom have MA degrees. The curriculum meets all state and district requirement and includes GATE, honors and Advanced Placement programs. The curriculum is supplemented by the ROP vocational program which provides students with classes in computer applications, printing, restaurant training and auto mechanics.

Parental involvement is actively encouraged through an active PTSA, the SITE Council, the Charger Associates, the Band Boosters, the Theatre Arts Boosters and the Beautify Dos Pueblos Committee.
Dos Pueblos works with the business community in many ways including its Adopt-A-School partners which are Santa Barbara Research Center, Santa Barbara Remote Sensing, ABC-Clio/Intellimation and the International Association of Financial Planning. Anyone with a question or wishing to visit Dos Pueblos should call Principal Mark Swanitz at 805-968-2541.
7266 Alameda Avenue
Goleta, CA 93117
805-968-2541
http://www.sbceo.k12.ca.us/~neala1

San Marcos High School
San Marcos High School, the home of the "Royals," is located at 4750 Hollister Ave. Established in 1958, San Marcos is midway between Santa Barbara and Goleta at the corner of Hollister and Turnpike. The excellent academic and athletic reputation earned by the school is a direct reflection of an outstanding student body that is supported and served by a professional staff working in partnership with parents and community members. San Marcos High School received a full six-year accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges in 1997. It was selected as a "Distinguished High School" in 1994. Redook Magazine named San Marcos as one of the top 65 high schools in the nation (April 1996). Eighty-five percent of San Marcos graduates go on to higher education. Over the past sixteen years, San Marcos High School has continually maintained the first or second highest SAT/AP test scores in the county.

Through utilization of an SB1274 California Restructuring/Demonstration Grant, San Marcos High School has distinguished itself by moving from a traditional six-period day to a block schedule. In the block schedule classes are ninety minutes in length and each class in completed in a nine-week term. There are two terms in a semester and four terms in a school year. In the block schedule, all freshmen are enrolled in four ninety-minute classes each term and, when scheduling permits, sophomores, juniors and seniors may enroll in a fourth class. This allows students to complete up to 16 courses in a school year where a student in a traditional six-period day may complete 12 courses in the school year. This allows for more electives and interdisciplinary seminars such as 10th grade Humanities, teaming Social Studies and English classes, the 11th grade American Experience, an emphasis on literature, history, ethics, and cultural diversity.

San Marcos has invested $600,000 in technology over the past four years. It is a model technology school with both IBM and MAC labs. San Marcos is one of the few schools in the state to be completely networked with all classrooms having access to the Internet and CD-Roms. The school has a Wellness-Resource Center where wellness education and community health programs are coordinated.

The curriculum meets all state and district requirements and includes GATE, Honors and Advanced Placement courses and is supplemented by the ROP vocational programs. Parental involvement is actively encouraged through PTSA, the SITE Council, various school committees and booster organizations. For more information or to schedule a visit to San Marcos High School, please call Principal Craig Morgan at (805) 967-4581.
4750 Hollister Avenue
Santa Barbara, CA 93013
805-967-4581
http://www.sbceo.k12.ca.us/~gillsmhs

Both High Schools provide their students with excellent educational programs. The schools offer a comprehensive curriculum which meets all state and district standards. Gifted and Advanced Placement (AP) classes are readily available. Besides their fine academic programs, a full range of athletic and extra-curricular activities are available to students as part of a well-balanced education.