UCHS History
The San Diego Unified School District chose the site for University City High School back in 1962, but saw many layers of difficulty with design plans and funding. Thanks to collaboration with the community of University City and the school district, they were able to overcome those hurdles and in 1980 groundbreaking occurred, followed by a champagne reception attended by hundreds of University City High School supporters.
In September 1981, the school opened and twenty years of effort finally bore fruit. In every phase of UCHS’s development, the crucial factor to success was the willingness of the active and involved University City community who gave time, effort and money to carry the project through to its successful conclusion. A grassroots effort to build a community high school resulted in the beautiful, well-equipped complex.
Today, our school serves one of the largest geographic attendance areas in the San Diego Unified School District and draws students from all over San Diego to its programs and course offerings. We are a diverse student and faculty population that mirrors San Diego and works together to maintain our collegial school community.
Graduates of UCHS go on to successful careers internationally in professional, academic and occupational settings. The University City community members are justifiably proud of their community high school.
We are the heart of the University City community of San Diego. Our student body of close to 2,000 students comes from a wide range of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, and students come from all over the district to take advantage of our great programs.
We have a cutting-edge Bio-Med Program that gives students the opportunity to explore careers in health sciences and biotechnology. Our Engineering, Child Development, Computer Science, Engineering, Media Technology, and MCJROTC programs provide our students with unique and hands-on experiences.
Our Marching Band was a SCSBOA Gold Medalist Finalist in 2019 and the Centurion Theatre program offers technical theater, stage management and performing arts courses. Our athletic teams compete in the top of their bracket and each season bring home trophies, awards and recognition for their skill and sportsmanship.
UCHS offers a wide range of excellent instructional programs. The Advanced Placement Program, Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Program, the seminar program, and the special education program address the needs of identified students.
In addition to our stellar programs, one of our greatest strengths is our staff of experienced, well-trained, and highly qualified professionals who have dedicated themselves to offer one of the best-quality high school programs available Our staff’s efforts have been validated by our standardized test scores, including the Academic Performance Index (API), that have consistently exceeded both district and state averages.
Our unique programs, dedicated staff and passionate community make UCHS the best place to grow and learn. We are fortunate enough to have one of the best PTSA’s in the district and the support of both the Centurion Foundation and EdUCate! All three groups provide scholarships to students, grants to our staff and countless volunteer hours towards making our school community successful. We are nestled in the heart of a passionate and selfless community and their devotion to our prosperity shines through our students and staff.