Archie Williams High School
Archie Williams High School is a public four-year comprehensive high school in San Anselmo, Marin County, California, serving approximately 1,140 students in grades 9 through 12 as part of the Tamalpais Union High School District.[1] Originally opened in 1951 as Sir Francis Drake High School on a 21-acre campus, it was renamed on May 11, 2021, following a nine-month community review process that acknowledged the controversial legacy of the English explorer Sir Francis Drake, particularly his involvement in the slave trade, and sought to honor local figures aligned with the district's values.[2] The new name commemorates Archie Williams, an African American Olympian who won gold in the 400 meters and silver in the 4x400-meter relay at the 1936 Berlin Olympics despite racial barriers, served as a Tuskegee Airman in World War II, worked as an aeronautical engineer, and later taught mathematics and coached track at the school while contributing to its special education programs.[2] The school maintains a college-preparatory curriculum with advanced placement and honors courses, small learning communities for freshmen and sophomores, and career-focused academies for upperclassmen, achieving 84% eligibility for University of California and California State University admissions among its graduates.[1] Academically, it earned designation as a California Distinguished School in 1999 and a Gold Ribbon School, with 77.5% of AP exam takers scoring 3 or higher in 2024 and middle 50% SAT scores ranging from 1200 to 1410.[1][2] In 2003, it became the first high school certified as a Bay Area Green Business for campus environmental enhancements.[2] Athletically, the Peregrine Falcons compete in over 30 sports, securing multiple league pennants.[3] The renaming process sparked debate within the community, with supporters emphasizing rectification of historical associations with exploitation and opponents decrying the erasure of longstanding school identity and the selective application of historical scrutiny.[2] Despite such contention, the change was approved unanimously by the district board, reflecting broader post-2020 cultural shifts toward reevaluating public commemorations of figures tied to colonialism and slavery.[4]History
Founding as Sir Francis Drake High School
![Sir Francis Drake High School campus][float-right] Sir Francis Drake High School was founded in 1951 as the second comprehensive high school in the Tamalpais Union High School District, located in San Anselmo, Marin County, California.[2] The school opened on July 1, 1951, to accommodate growing enrollment by splitting the attendance area of the existing Tamalpais High School, directing students from areas north of Mill Valley, including Corte Madera, to the new institution.[5][6] It served students in grades 9 through 12 and became the fourth public high school in Marin County upon opening.[7] The campus was constructed on farmland previously owned by the Cordone family, at 1327 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard—a roadway named for the 16th-century English explorer and privateer Sir Francis Drake, whose purported landing on the California coast in 1579 inspired local nomenclature despite limited historical evidence for the event.[8] The school's naming reflected this regional tradition, adopting the Pirates as its mascot to evoke Drake's seafaring legacy. Initial facilities included standard classrooms, administrative buildings, and athletic fields designed to support a comprehensive secondary education curriculum amid post-World War II population growth in suburban Marin.[9]Operations under original name (1952–2020)
Sir Francis Drake High School commenced operations in September 1951 in San Anselmo, California, as the second comprehensive high school in the Tamalpais Union High School District, enrolling 917 students initially on a 21-acre campus formerly occupied by Cordone Gardens.[2] Until 1958, it served the entirety of West Marin County, after which the opening of Redwood High School in Larkspur redistributed attendance boundaries.[7] Early expansions addressed rapid growth, including the addition of an auditorium, drama building, applied arts classrooms, and physiology lab in 1956, followed by six classrooms in 1963.[2] Enrollment expanded significantly during the postwar boom, reaching a peak of 1,739 students in 1968 before stabilizing around 1,300 by the late 2010s, with 1,342 students recorded in the 2019–2020 school year.[2][9] Further facility developments in 1966 included a gym foyer, conference rooms, library expansion, portable classrooms, a covered eating area, and upgrades to the student center and canteen; the football field was dedicated to coach George Corson in 1984, and the gym named after coach Carl "Red" Brown in 1999.[2] A $68 million modernization bond, approved by voters in 2001, funded subsequent infrastructure improvements to address aging buildings and seismic concerns.[2] Academically, the school earned designation as a Next Century School in 1990, received California Specialized Secondary Program grants in 1996–1997 and 2002 for innovative curricula, and was honored as a California Distinguished School in 1999 and a New American High School.[2] In 2006–2007, approximately 83% of graduates pursued higher education, with 62% entering four-year universities.[10] The institution maintained a focus on comprehensive secondary education, including advanced placement courses and specialized academies in areas such as biotechnology and performing arts.[2] Extracurricular activities thrived, particularly in athletics; the boys' and girls' varsity basketball teams captured California State Division II championships in 1982 under coach Pete Hayward, marking the program's pinnacle achievements.[2][11] The boys' basketball team advanced to the state championship game again in 2014, while the mountain bike team secured multiple state titles over the decades.[2] Leadership transitioned through principals including Harold Allison (1952–1971) and Liz Seabury (2012–2020), overseeing steady operational growth without major disruptions.[2]
Renaming to Archie Williams High School
In June 2020, amid national protests following George Floyd's death, the Tamalpais Union High School District began reviewing Sir Francis Drake High School's name, citing Sir Francis Drake's historical role in England's early slave trade expeditions during the 1560s, where he helped capture approximately 400 to 600 Africans off the West African coast and sell them into Spanish colonies.[12][13][14] The district formed the Drake Leadership Council, including students, staff, alumni, and community members, to solicit public input and propose alternatives over nine months of meetings and surveys. On May 6, 2021, the council voted overwhelmingly—15-1 with one abstention—to recommend Archie Williams as the new namesake, prioritizing his ties to the school and broader accomplishments over other candidates.[15][16] Archie Williams (1915–1993), an African American sprinter who earned Olympic gold in the 400-meter event at the 1936 Berlin Games, later flew as a Tuskegee Airman in World War II, and instructed mathematics and computer science at Sir Francis Drake High School from 1971 until retiring at age 72 in 1987, was chosen for embodying resilience against racial barriers and direct institutional legacy.[17][18][19] The district board unanimously approved the renaming to Archie Williams High School on May 12, 2021, effective for the 2021–2022 school year, with provisions allowing 2021 graduates to list the original name on diplomas if preferred.[4][20][21] While some alumni opposed the change, arguing it disregarded the school's 68-year history under the prior name and that Drake's exploits included anti-Spanish privateering rather than defining slave trading, the process concluded without reversal, emphasizing Williams' verifiable local impact over retained historical associations.[22][23][24]Academic Programs and Performance
Curriculum and offerings
Archie Williams High School's curriculum aligns with California state standards, including the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for laboratory sciences, and fulfills University of California A-G admission requirements through approved courses. The school requires students to earn 220 credits for graduation, comprising 170 required credits and 50 elective credits, with a minimum passing grade of D.[25] Specific subject mandates include four years of English (40 credits, covering English 1 through 4), three years of mathematics (30 credits, including Algebra 1-2), three years of science (30 credits, featuring NGSS-aligned courses such as Physics in the Universe, The Living Earth, and Chemistry in the Earth System), four years of social studies (40 credits, encompassing World History, U.S. History, American Government, and Economics), two years of physical education (20 credits), and one year of visual or performing arts (10 credits).[26][25]| Subject Area | Years Required | Credits | Key Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 4 | 40 | English 1-4 |
| Mathematics | 3 | 30 | Including Algebra 1-2 |
| Science | 3 | 30 | NGSS sequence: Physics in the Universe, The Living Earth, Chemistry in the Earth System |
| Social Studies | 4 | 40 | World History, U.S. History, Government, Economics |
| Physical Education | 2 | 20 | PE Years 1-2 |
| Visual/Performing Arts | 1 | 10 | Art Explorations prerequisite for electives |
| Electives | Varies | 50 | Flexible |
Enrollment and demographic trends
As of the 2023–2024 school year, Archie Williams High School enrolled 1,181 students in grades 9 through 12, with a distribution of 261 ninth graders, 306 tenth graders, 302 eleventh graders, and 312 twelfth graders.[31] Enrollment slightly declined to 1,143 students for the 2024–2025 school year, comprising 286 ninth graders, 259 tenth graders, 309 eleventh graders, and 289 twelfth graders.[1] The student body is predominantly White, reflecting the demographics of Marin County, with a minority enrollment of approximately 25%. Specific racial and ethnic breakdowns for 2023–2024 include:| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White | 74.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.5% |
| Two or More Races | 7.0% |
| Asian | 2.1% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% |
| Other (including Native American, Pacific Islander) | <1% |
Standardized test results and outcomes
Archie Williams High School administers the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), which includes Smarter Balanced assessments in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics for eleventh-grade students. In the 2023–24 school year, 62.6% of tested students met or exceeded standards in ELA, comprising 30.71% at standard met and 31.89% at standard exceeded, while 37.4% were below standard (19.29% not met and 18.11% nearly met).[35] This represented a decline from 76% proficient in 2022–23, aligning with district-wide trends noted by Tamalpais Union High School District trustees amid post-pandemic recovery challenges.[36] [35] Mathematics proficiency followed a similar pattern, with 42.6% of students meeting or exceeding standards in 2023–24, down from 53% in 2022–23.[35] School results in both subjects consistently exceed California state averages—for instance, 63% ELA and 43% math in 2023–24 compared to state figures of 47% and 35%—but trail district peers like Redwood High School.[37] Disparities appear across subgroups; in 2023–24, socioeconomically disadvantaged students achieved 37.9% proficiency in ELA and 25% in math, lower than the all-students rate.[35]| School Year | ELA Proficient (%) | Math Proficient (%) | ELA State Avg. (%) | Math State Avg. (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | 69 | 54 | 47 | 33 |
| 2022–23 | 76 | 53 | 46 | 34 |
| 2023–24 | 63 | 43 | 47 | 35 |