School History
THE HISTORY OF DIAMOND RANCH HIGH SCHOOL
For 25 years, the burgeoning communities in Phillips Ranch and north Diamond Bar had been hoping for a high school to serve the growing school age population of those areas. Finally, in June 1991, PUSD voters approved $62.5 million dollars in school facilities bonds; of these, $10 million was committed to building Diamond Ranch High School. With this funding in place, the search for a site began. The School District, State, and the City of Industry entered into negotiations which eventually resulted in the City of Industry “selling” the school district 80 acres of undeveloped land for $1.00. Additionally, the City of Industry provided $5.4 million in development money. Thus, Diamond Ranch High School became the first new high school facility in Pomona Unified since 1963.
With a site chosen, the next step was the selection of an architect. In November 1993, the school district hired the Santa Monica firm, Morphosis, to design what was estimated to be a $29 million project. Morphosis later received the 1997 Progressive Architecture Award for its design of the school. In recognizing the structures, Progressive Architecture noted the “complex marriage of landscape design and architecture.”
Design of the school presented several challenges. The highest point, Pomona Peak, rises to an elevation of 1,470 feet. The lowest point, at freeway level, is 950 feet. A total of six million cubic yards of dirt was moved, however no dirt was moved away from the site, nor was any brought to the site. This undertaking alone cost $11.2 million. Approximately 30 acres of the site is unusable and has been left undisturbed with natural grasses and native oak trees.
As construction took place, plans were underway for developing a school climate. A 20-member student committee was formed at Lorbeer Middle School to aid in the selection of school colors and mascot. The committee chose silver, black and blue for school colors, as well as designating the panther as the school mascot.
The school was officially dedicated on September 5, 1997. A group of about 110 civic and school officials participated in the ceremony while work crews raced the clock to prepare the school for the opening day. On Monday, September 8, 1997, under the leadership of inaugural principal Albert Webb, Diamond Ranch opened its doors to 430 freshmen students who attended classes in 18 portable buildings. Classes were conducted as bulldozers, tractors, and cement trucks busily worked on the permanent facilities.
Diamond Ranch faced the 1998 school year with a still partially completed facility. Additional portable buildings, which were moved to the site to accommodate the addition of 400 students, earned the school the nickname “Portable High up on Dirt Hill.”
The 1999-2000 school year was an exciting one, marked by movement into the permanent facility. At the beginning of the year, the classroom buildings (the B, D, E, and F wings) opened to serve a student population of 1200. In May, the opening of the gym was celebrated with the school’s first indoor rally.
The “Portable High” comments faded as the school’s unique architecture attracted the attention of artists, architects and the world-wide community. Los Angeles Times Architecture Critic, Nicolai Ouroussoff described the school as “…a project of such surprising beauty and intelligence that it instantly reaffirms one’s faith in architecture’s ability to address deep social issues.” Ouroussoff interpreted the school’s structures as images of California’s uniqueness: an earthquake ravaged landscape, a rapidly changing ethnic mix, and a booming population.
Summer 2000 films included Diamond Ranch as a backdrop. Imposter, starring Gary Sinese, and Vincent D’Onofrio, and The Cell, starring Jennifer Lopez featured the school. Vogue magazine used the school as a backdrop for one of its fall layouts.
The 2000 – 2001 school year marked another year of growth for Diamond Ranch. For the first time, the school housed four complete classes, as it prepared for its inaugural graduation. David Linzey assumed the role of Principal. Members of the Pomona Unified School District and the City Councils of both Pomona and Diamond Bar gathered with students and family for the official dedication of the school on January 11, 2001. Athletic teams proved they had paid their dues by claiming league championships in eight sports. The Fine Arts Department grew, adding a spring musical to the calendar with the production of Grease.
On June 8, 2001 Diamond Ranch graduated its first class. Four hundred ten students became the school’s first alumni in a ceremony at California Polytechnic University, Pomona. Forty-six members of the class graduated as One Hundred Percent members of the California Scholarship Federation and thirty-two as Lifetime Members. Diamond Ranch’s first alumni pursued their academic careers with scholarships awarded by Azusa Pacific University, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, DeVry University, Johnson and Wales, LaVerne University, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, University of Miami, Xavier University, and Westmont College.
Diamond Ranch has established an outstanding commitment to educational excellence. During the 2002 – 2003 academic year, Diamond Ranch underwent its first accreditation, earning a clear six-year WASC accreditation. In awarding the school its accreditation, the Visiting Committee acknowledged “a dynamic and committed administration, faculty and staff,” “the use of multiple measures and assessment data,” a strong academic program with high expectations for all students,” “the use of a wide variety of instructional practices,” and “a strong staff commitment to addressing student needs both personal and academic.”
The State of California Department of Education named Diamond Ranch a “California Distinguished School.” The school was also AVID certified that year. In August 2003, the State of California released the Academic Performance Index (API), revealing that Diamond Ranch had raised its score by 65 points, earning an index of 7 compared to schools statewide and 10 compared to similar schools. The publication of the August 2004 API again reflected an increase; the school raised the score by 34 points, earning a ranking of 8 and 10, the only school in the Inland Empire to achieve these rankings.
Meanwhile, accolades for the school’s design continued to collect. In 2002, it earned the Los Angeles AIA Honor Award, and in 2001, the Los Angeles Business Council’s Kaufman & Broad Award and the CC AIA Award. In 2001, an American Architecture award was added to the list. In 2002, the New York Times proclaimed DRHS, the “Coolest School in America.” In 2003, it earned the National AIA Honor award. This, of course, led to continued use of the school by media. The school was transformed into Vista Del Mar High School in Orange County, starring Colin Hanks, Chevy Chase, Jack Black and Lily Tomlin. Companies as diverse as McDonald’s, Hewlett Packard and Honda began using the school as a backdrop for their advertising campaigns. The Graduating Class of 2005 saw the first students accepted to Harvard, Princeton, and the University of Pennsylvania. The Dance Company represented the school at the UCA National Dance Championships.
In August 2005, Monica Tourville-Principe assumed the role of Principal of Diamond Ranch. For the first time, Diamond Ranch saw graduates signed to Division 1 Athletic Scholarships at USC, Stanford, Oregon State, and Boston University. Leslie Mercado earned the school’s first Individual C.I.F. State Championship when she placed first in the 100 High Hurdles.
The 2005-2006 school year witnessed several notable accomplishments. Jocelyn Hu was named the school’s first National Merit Scholar. The Dance Company earned a charter from the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. Terry Prentice, a Junior, was named State Champion in two track and field events.
The 2006 – 2007 school year marked another remarkable one for Diamond Ranch. When the API was announced, Diamond Ranch demonstrated another leap – this time 23 points for a total gain of 187 points during the previous four years. The school was named a California Distinguished School for the second consecutive Per. Graduates of the Class of 2007 earned over two and a half million dollars in scholarships and awards. The Silvers Scholars Baccalaureate Diploma program was instituted. DRHS hit the summer big screen again, this time as the National Security Administration in Die Hard or Live Free.
The 2007 – 2008 academic year was another history–making year. Members of the Class of 2008 were awarded nearly $6.9 million in scholarship funds. Seventy-one graduates earned the State of California’s Golden State Diploma Seal. William Santos became the first National Merit Scholarship Winner. The Baseball Team earned a berth in the CIF-SS Championship game and played at Dodger Stadium.
During the 2008 – 2009 school year, DR underwent its second WASC visit and earned a six-year accreditation term. Thirteen student-athletes left Diamond Ranch to continue their academic and athletic careers in college. Over $14 million in scholarships were awarded to members of the Class of ’09.
The release of the 2009 API in August revealed that for the seventh time in eight years, Diamond Ranch had raised its index, this time earning an 808, scoring 9 compared to schools statewide and 10 compared to similar schools. DR had its first major league baseball draftee in Derek Goodwin. For the second consecutive year, DR’s Dance Program was home to the LA County Student Choreographer of the Year, Jasmine “Chip” Pringle. The most memorable moments came courtesy of a brush fire on November 3, which charred the natural vegetation bordering DR and surrounded the school with smoke, but left the school untouched.
Diamond Ranch’s 4th principal, Suzanne Steinseifer-Ripley assumed the helm in August 2010. The Diamond Ranch Solar Boat Club made history by placing in two events at the 2011 Solar Cup. The Class of 2011 earned $6.5 million dollars in scholarships, and 11 athletes continued their playing careers on college teams. At the end of the year, the Washington Post Challenge Index ranked DRHS as 1,074 amongst the over 24,000 high schools nationwide, 166th in the state of California. The Challenge Index “…indicates the level of a high school’s commitment to preparing average students for college.”
In 2012, DRHS was again named to the Washington Post’s Challenge Index, rising to a ranking of 814 nation-wide and 103rd in the state.
In 2013, as part of our preparation for the shift to the Common Core State Standards, Diamond Ranch accepted an invitation to participate in the administration of the Smarter Balanced Pilot Test. For the third consecutive year, DR was named to the Washington Post’s Challenge Index. Silver Scholars produced dissertations on the relationship between teenage depression and aggression, the impact of childhood cancer on sibling relationships, generational perceptual differences in relation to Bollywood, and the appropriateness of dress styles on social media. The first seniors graduated from the Law and Government Academy, as well as the Visual and Performing Arts Pathway. The AVID and Bright Prospect programs came to Diamond Ranch. In the summer of 2013, PUSD embarked on over $10 million in improvements, thanks to the approval of Measure PS by PUSD voters. These improvements included Phase 1 of a school site football field – track facility, gym renovations, and gating to complement the exterior of the school, as well as enhanced lighting. The graduating Class of 2014 brought forth our second National Merit Scholar, Mina Phengdara, and our first national Achievement Finalist, Cayla Freeman.
During the 2014-15 academic year, DR was once again, named to the Wall Street Journal’s Challenge Index and Newsweek’s Top Schools. The newly formed Robotics Club and Science Olympiad Club competed in their first competitions. Our third WASC accreditation resulted in another six-year term.
The 2015-2016 school year saw the addition of solar panels to the parking lot. The Wall Street Journal and Newsweek again honored DR. The winter sports season saw all five sports qualified for CIF play. Boys’ Basketball captured the CIF SS title. Nineteen athletes from the senior class continued their athletic careers at four-year colleges or universities. The Math Club participated in the VITA program; students were trained and certified in income tax preparation and offered no cost tax preparation to our community.
During the 2016-2017 school year, DR initiated its 20th Anniversary celebration, with the Distinguished Alumni Speakers Bureau. Alumni spanning the school’s 20 years returned to DR to offer advice and mentorship to current panthers. The Class of 2017 became the first graduating class to graduate at DR in the stadium. DR was again named as a top high school by U.S. News and World Report and the Niche.
In spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit Pomona. As a result, like schools through the nation, Diamond Ranch shut down physical schooling and switched to online education through the Zoom application. Throughout the Pandemic’s Safer-at-Home Orders, DR conducted online instruction, rallies, and events such as Dancing with the Staff and Culture Appreciation Week. It was not until March of 2021 that physical schooling resumed in an environment marked by a variety of safety measure including social distancing, masks, and physical barriers.
The 20-21 was the most unique year for all schools across the nation. School began with distance learning due to COVID, and did not reopen until the spring of 2021. DR hosted all three seasons of play for 11 different sports in a truncated 12 weeks for the 20-21 school year. Despite that, we experienced continued success, including back-to-back league titles in Football. Graduation was a two-ceremony event hosted with spacing in the school stadium.
Mark Gomez assumed the principalship in the 21-22 school year. The academic year found the nation and DR still dealing with the COVID pandemic; students were given a choice of online or in-person instruction. 90+% students returned to school. Instruction, athletics and activities were re-instituted amidst an array of COVID Safety measures. Safety protocols, such as testing, social distancing, vaccinations, safety-at-home protocols marked the ebb and flow of student presence on the campus. The DRHS Robotics Team progressed to the Regional Finals of competition. In April 2022, DR was honored again by US News and World Report as one of Best High Schools in California.
The 22-23 school year brought a sense of normalcy to the school year, post-pandemic. More and more athletic and activities events became prevalent on campus, including the reintroduction of drama productions and our first musical since 2018. DR experienced continued success on the playing field, including back-to-back league championships in Boys Cross Country, Boys Volleyball, and Softball. The DRHS Robotics Team had a banner year, earning a regional championship and subsequent berth in the Robotics World Championships that were held in Houston TX.