Argonaut High School

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Argonaut High School
Location
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
501 Argonaut Lane

Jackson
,
Amador County
,
California
95642

United States
Coordinates38°21′23″N 120°47′32″W / 38.35639°N 120.79222°W / 38.35639; -120.79222Coordinates: 38°21′23″N 120°47′32″W / 38.35639°N 120.79222°W / 38.35639; -120.79222
Information
School type‹See Tfd›Public high school
Founded1912 Jackson High School / 1983 Argonaut High School
School districtAmador County Unified School District
PrincipalTroy Gassaway
Teaching staff22.23 (FTE)[1]
Grades9–12
Gender52% male, 48% Female
Number of students474 (2018–19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio21.23[1]
Colour(s)     
Fight songZacatecas
Athletics conferenceMother Lode League
MascotMustangs
RivalAmador High School
WebsiteArgonaut High School

Argonaut High School is located in Jackson, California and is one of two in Amador County, the other being Amador High School. It has about 475 students in grades 9–12. Previously known as Jackson High School, the school merged with Ione High School in 1983 to become Argonaut High School, named after the Argonaut Mine just 1/2 mile off campus.

Academics[]

Argonaut High received the coveted California Distinguished School award.[2] While participation in AP programs runs about 40%, it is estimated that college readiness of students runs around 26.9%.[3]

Staff[]

As of June 25, 2015, Kelly Hunkins, the former principal of Pine Grove Elementary, replaced Dave Vicari as principal of Argonaut High School. Vicari now serves as Personnel Director for the Amador County Unified School District.[4]

Athletics[]

Argonaut High School is home of the Mustangs, and they participate in the Mother Lode League. They are well known for their exceptional football program under current Head Coach Rick Davis from 2001 to 2020. Argonaut/Jackson began its football program in 1922 and has won fourteen Mother Lode League Championships (41,45,52,53,57,65,66,70,84,03,08,10,11,12) and were the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section-Division 4 Champions in 2004. They share a heated rivalry with the Amador High School Buffaloes. Argonaut and Amador play in a football game for the "Rotary Bell" called the "Big Game,"[5] an event that the county continues to come watch since its inception in 1923. Sutter/Amador High holds the overall series edge with 56 wins to Jackson/Argonaut's 38 with nine ties. Since the inception of Argonaut High in 1983, the Big Game between Argonaut and Amador is tied at 19 wins a piece. Argonaut won 10 straight games in the series from 2003 to 2012. Argonaut currently plays its home games at Dan Barnett Field on the western edge of campus. The first game played at Dan Barnett Field was on Sep 16, 1989 vs Upper Lake High School.

Argonaut (Jackson) High has participated in the Mother Lode League since 1929. Schools in the MLL include current members Amador (Sutter), Bret Harte, Calaveras, Sonora, and Summerville. Other schools that have formerly participated in the MLL are Ione, Linden, Brookside Christian, El Dorado, and Lincoln of Stockton.

Argonaut won its first Sac-Joaquin section title in 1990 in Division Three baseball under the coaching of Dave Gonzales and won the title again in 1992. Since then, the Mustangs have won section titles in Softball ('98,'17), Football ('04), Boys Track ('12) Girls Soccer ('16), Girls Basketball ('17,'19,'20), and Boys Basketball ('18).

Band[]

The Argonaut High School band has performed in many local events, such as parades and fundraisers, and in school activities including rallies and football games. The Argonaut band visits and plays at Disneyland every two years, as well as at the Forum Music Festival in the Bay Area. Every year, the band performs during winter and spring concerts, including in a community concert located at Amador High School formally called the "Amador Music Festival" or informally as "Mega Band," where Argonaut combines with other school bands in the county.

History[]

The current Argonaut High School originally opened as Jackson High School in January of 1912. Jackson High's main school building is the Spanish style building currently occupied by the Amador County Unified School District at 217 Rex Ave. The rest of the school includes the site of current Jackson Junior High to include the gym and football/baseball field. Jackson High School's mascot was the Tigers and the school colors were Green and White. Jackson High was relocated to its current location, opening in September of 1976. In 1983, the ACUSD decided to close Ione High School and merge Jackson and Ione together. The Ione campus would be shut down and its students moved to Jackson. Upon the move, the ACUSD decided to change the schools name to Argonaut, against the wishes of the students who voted to name the school Jackson-Ione High. It was decided that the new Argonaut would maintain the mascot of Ione High, the Mustangs, and the colors of Jackson, Green and White, with the addition of yellow.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Argonaut High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  2. ^ Monk, Bethany. "Students, staff enjoy new building". Ledger-Dispatch. 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2010-08-04. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Argonaut High School". US News.
  4. ^ KVGC Radio: New Argonaut Principal. June 25, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  5. ^ Ledger Dispatch: Argonaut wins Big Game, playoff berth. November 22, 2009.[permanent dead link]

External links[]

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