Fountain Valley High School


Fountain Valley High School is a public high school in Fountain Valley, California. It was established in 1966 and is a part of the Huntington Beach Union High School District. It is notable for its rivalry with Edison High School, particularly during football season, in which both schools compete in the "Battle of the Bell."
The athletic teams are known as the Barons, and the school colors are blue and gold. The school had to renovate some of its buildings, which were sinking, starting in 2002. These renovations yielded new portable buildings in an area which was previously a parking lot. As of 2006, these semi-permanent portable buildings have been removed and replaced with permanent facilities. In March 2011, the track and football field were renovated. The dirt track has been replaced by a synthetic track and the field has been replaced with new natural grass. Years later, however, the field had been replaced by imitation grass and turf.
For the first few years after opening, Fountain Valley High School had a larger student population than any other high school West of the Mississippi. A scene from the 1997 film Wag the Dog during a basketball game was filmed at FVHS during fall 1996 and utilized the 1997 graduating class as extras.
In March 2005, the Fountain Valley High School drumline and band was filmed in Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" music video.
In April 2007, Fountain Valley High School was recognized as a California Distinguished School for the second consecutive time.
Fountain Valley High School is also renowned for its vocal music program and the advanced choir called the “Troubadours” who have performed at various conferences and conventions.

Leadership

List of principals since 1966:
Paul Berger - 1966-1979
Larry Lucas - 1979-1980
David Hagen - 1980-1985
Mike Kasler - 1985-1991
Gary Ernst - 1991-2000
Connie Mayhugh - 2000-2004
Chris Herzfeld - 2004-2014
Kirk Kennedy - 2014-2015
Morgan Smith - 2015–present

Academics

Advanced placement

Fountain Valley High School has an advanced placement program which allows high school students to study college level course work. Nearly every AP course available is offered at FVHS. Newsweek Magazine has annually ranked United States public high schools according to AP scores.

Athletics

The school currently competes in the Sunset League and is a part of the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section. Prior to 1974 the school competed in the Irvine League. Fountain Valley High School fields all of the following sports; boys baseball, basketball, cross country running, football, golf, soccer, Swim, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo and wrestling. On the girls side Fountain Valley fields the sports of basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and water polo. In the past Fountain Valley fielded gymnastics and badminton teams.
Fountain Valley High School has won 16 CIF Team Championships
1973 Girls Swimming Susan Jenner
1977 Wrestling Wayne Mickaelian
1978 Football Bruce Pickford
1978 Gymnastics Les Armstrong
1980 Girls Gymnastics Martha Bartlett
1981 Girls Gymnastics Martha Barlett
1981 Gymnastics Les Armstrong
1985 Baseball Tom De Kraai
1985 Wrestling John Rosales
1988 Football Mike Milner
1994 Baseball Ron LaRuffa
1995 Baseball Ron LaRuffa
1996 Girls Volleyball Lori Biller
2005 Girls Cross Country Barry Migliorini
2015 Wrestling Brad Woodbury
2018 Tennis
Harshul Patel
2019 Wrestling Daniel Woiwor/Dennis Piramo
Fountain Valley has had two coaches and one athlete enshrined in the CIF hall of fame; Carol Strausberg-basketball coach, Ron LaRuffa-Baseball coach, Shirley Babashoff-swimmer.
Fountain Valley High School also holds Five Counties Wrestling Championships, which is one of the biggest tournaments in the nation. The Fountain Valley wrestling team has won 24 League Champion Titles .
Fountain Valley's football game against rival Edison high school on December 11, 1980 was the fourth highest attended game in State history with 28,968 fans in attendance.

Notable alumni