Dear Lion Pride,

It is with tremendous excitement that we begin a new school year at San Antonio High School! Even though my tenure as principal of SAHS began in February, many more significant changes have occurred over the summer on our campus. The Claremont Unified School District team has worked tirelessly to ensure that our school site meets the standard of excellence that we have committed to live by. With a new parking lot, new exterior paint, new furniture, and new staff members, we have paved the way for a school year full of exemplifying our purpose. “The reason we exist is to ignite curiosity, strengthen resilience, and inspire excellence to empower each student’s academic journey.”

This year, our staff is making a concerted effort to live by our core values that we stand for: Excellence, Equity, Innovation, and Integrity. In order to help all of our students achieve academic success, all of the staff at CUSD has committed to focus on six areas: 

1) Academic Achievement and Instruction

2) The Whole Child

3) Access & Equity

4) Student and Staff Safety and Wellness

5) Engaged Families & COmmunity Partners

6) Optimized Financial & Human Resources

 As a fluent bi-lingual administrator and instructional leader, my pattern of collaborating with all educational partners for continuous school improvement in an alternative setting will be a tremendous asset to the greater SAHS Lion community. As a student-focused leader, I plan to maintain relationships of trust and transparency on campus and in the greater Claremont community. I know that establishing a solid rapport with students, staff, and parents is the fundamental component of a thriving alternative high school and independent study program.

As a life-long learner who has lived and traveled abroad, my understanding of and empathy toward a broad range of backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities, are paramount in implementing relevant instructional practices in the classroom that will lead to increased student achievement. Our faculty embarks on every individual student’s academic journey with the weight of accountability and the belief that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach. We pride ourselves on using a holistic method to create a realistic path to graduation and preparation for life after high school. Through strategic coordination with colleges, trade schools, and Career Technical Education pathways, we help facilitate the acquisition of necessary skills students need to increase their employability in the labor market.

In my short time at SAHS, I have been overwhelmed with the kind way every single person has welcomed me as the newest member of the Lion Pride. This school is special. Every day I learn something new and wonderful that sets this school apart from all others. I look forward to beginning a new era of growth and achievement alongside the staff, students, and parents at San Antonio High School.

GO LIONS!

Mr. Calvin J. McKendrick, Principal