About Our District

Mission Statement

The mission of San Benito High School District is to educate all students to their highest potential so they will have the greatest range of personal options upon graduation.

Shawn Tennenbaum

SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE

Our District's motto is "A GREAT PLACE TO LEARN!"  It has been our high school's motto for over a hundred years. For all those years, people have come to Hollister to make a new life full of possibilities in a city with a temeerate climate and pastoral charm. Hollister is located less than one hour from met­ropolitan San Jose' the heart of Silicon Valley" and the beautiful Pacific coastal cities of Carmel, Monte­rey and Santa Cruz. The City of Hollister and the County of San Benito still possess beautiful property at affordable prices. The quality of life in San Benito County is rated among the highest in the State. Hollister is close to larger cities, recreation areas and our beautiful and affordable housing gives you every reason to want to be a part of this wonderful community of learners and practitioners. New teachers find strength in our District's New Teacher Academy, ongoing professional development opportunities, time to collaborate with colleagues, and an almost instant connection to our Community. unities, time to collaborate with colleagues, and an almost instant connection to our Community. You can find a place  to grow and flourish here. San Benito High School District offers a  compensation package that is the highest in the area and second to none.

As your Superintendent, I believe "Academics, Instruction and Support are essential for success of staff and students" and always make sure this belief is at the forefront of my thinking in leading our amazing district. The District's Multi-year Strategic Plan provides clarity, focus and direction in supporting staff and students. Stakeholders such as, the Academic Task Force, continue to provide input and feedback for our action plans. We are looking for edu­cators who believe that ALL students can succeed at high levels and who are innovative in guiding our future generations.

"It's always a great day to be a Baler."

About San Benito High School District

Founded in 1875, San Benito High School District (SBHSD) serves nearly 3,000 students in Hollister, California, 40 miles south of the Silicon Valley. The only high school in the district, Hollister High School, is committed to helping all students discover a passion for learning and reach their potential.

All stakeholders on campus work together to encourage, support, and guide student growth. As volunteers, committee members, decision-makers, and advocates for their children and the school, community members also play an active role in the success of our students.

In order to help students prepare for the demands of college, early careers, military or trade school, SBHSD provides a rigorous and relevant curriculum. The school fosters a system of inclusion classes to support English language learners and students with special educational needs, as they transition into mainstream classes.

In addition, the school supports the utilization of technology that builds relevant skills for a global economy. Beginning in the fall of 2017, the district will utilize flexible and innovative classrooms providing staff and students the opportunity to enhance the teaching and learning processes.

We Believe:

  • In ensuring that ALL students are capable of high levels of academic and social success.
  • In providing academic and social support for all students.
  • In establishing a safe and respectful school community by building trusting, collaborative relationships with strong communication.
  • In emphasizing the ideas of rigor, relevance, and inclusion in our school community.
SBHS Auto Class

Our Three Strategic Goals:

SBHS District's Strategic Plan establishes a new mindset focused on Academics and the needs of the school community. These goals along with strategies, developmental ideas, action plan items, and indicators, define how we will achieve this new mind­set at Hollister High School.

#1 Rigor, Relevance, Inclusion

To create an environment focused on rigor, relevance, and inclusion, and to provide the necessary support mechanisms, so ALL students continue to grow successfully.

Rigor involves using inquiry-based, collaborative strategies to challenge and engage students in context, resulting in increasingly complex levels of understanding.

Relevance refers to learning experiences that are connected in some way to real-world issues, problems, and contexts.

Inclusion allows students to be integrated in a school community that places value on diversity and ensures a high quality of education for each student.

#2 Strong Culture

To create and maintain a trusting, collaborative, and communicative relationship that includes ALL stakeholders, in order to establish a safe, respectful, and responsible school community based on the culture of STRONG (Scholarship, Teamwork, Reflection, Opportunity, Nurturing, and Growth).

#3 Resource Allocation

To develop a financial and facilities plan, allocating resources in an equitable, transparent, and purposeful way.

Whole System Collaboration

The Whole System Collaboration model develops synergy and coherence in our organization. The system brings together practices, procedures, and resources to focus on our 'why.' At the core of our model is our 'why' -- student learning and achievement. Shared leadership empowers and guides staff members through the planning process, implementation, analysis, next steps, and reflection of each developmental idea. Mutual accountability and dependency creates and drives our actions moving forward. The barometer of our progress are the Indicators of Success.

Whole System Collaboration Model

Our profile of a graduate...

...seeks to capture what we want for our students as learners
and citizens; it truly reflects the mission statement of Hollister High School. The competencies and attributes described below are the nucleus of our work and drive our teaching and learning experiences, community partnerships, and the key components of our strategic plan. We seek to ensure that at the conclusion of their high school career, our students will model these STRONG traits:

Scholarship

Knowledgeable
Detail-oriented
Innately curious

Teamwork

Collaborators
Great leaders
Problem solvers

Reflective

Challenge assumptions
Be inquisitive
Make sense of experiences

Opportunity

Resourceful
Informed
Risk-takers

Nurturing

Trustworthy
Patient
Empathetic

Growth

Cultured
Changed/Improved
Mindful

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

RIGOR, RELEVANCE & INCLUSION

As a long standing member of the community and a veteran employee of San Benito High School District, I am very excited to bring high quality teachers into our community. We are a large comprehensive high school with a focus on preparing our students for college and supporting them in discovering their career paths. As the Principal, I am looking for teachers who believe in creating meaningful connections with students and value the belief that "all" students can learn. With the re­cent adoption of graduation requirements that are aligned with the "a-g" UC/CSU entrance require­ments, my role is to find teachers who can provide both the rigor and support needed for our students, regardless of the learning gaps they may show up with.

Being a "Baler" is more than what is experienced inside the classroom. The culture on our campus is one of inclusion, and consistently providing teachers with opportunities to get involved in other areas of our school. Our school has an extensive athletic program, an exemplary associated student body (ASB), and a wide-ranging offering of clubs. We also have many proud and lon2-standing traditions such as FFA Week, Downtown Homecoming Parade and Baler Lunch Time (BLT s) that all embrace teacher participation. The "Baler" family extends beyond the campus, as our larger community consistently shows their support through attendance and participation at our evening parent events, extra-curricular activities and supporting our local scholarship program.

Our students deserve to be surrounded by adults that are solution-based, reflective and have a growth mindset. I am honored to serve as the Principal of San Benito High School, and invite you to join us in continuing to make this a great place to learn.

Adrian Ramirez

Our Community

Hollister, the county seat of San Benito County, has a population of approximately 37,833. Hollister is situated 42 miles southeast of San Jose, 46 miles northeast of Monterey, 91 miles south of San Francisco and 313 miles north of Los Angeles. Nestled between the Santa Cruz and Diablo Mountain Ranges, the average annual temperatures range from 44 to 72 degrees with 13 inch­es of rainfall. Although primarily an agricultural communi­ty, a large and increasing proportion of Hollister residents commute to the San Jose / Silicon Valley area.

Within easy travel distance to major metropolitan areas and to the California coast, San Benito County offers a variety of recreational opportunities. Pinnacles National Monument, Fremont Peak State Park, San Justo Reser­voir, and the historic mission city of San Juan Bautista are just a few of the many places to visit in San Benito County. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy golfing, hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, and horseback riding.