Henry M. Gunn High School
780 Arastradero Rd.
Palo Alto, CA 94306
Gunn High School offers a curriculum focused on the knowledge and skills students require to succeed in college, the workplace, and the community. The curriculum is largely college preparatory, with advanced placement courses in 14 subjects - English, U.S. History, Psychology, French, German, Spanish Language, Spanish Literature, Calculus, Statistics, Computer Science, Biology, Physics, Music Theory, and Art History.
Gunn Students select classes from over 120 offered courses. The schedule is built on seven 60 minute teaching periods offered in a rotating schedule, where each class meets four times each week. Students enroll in an average of 6.3 classes each year, which results in graduating seniors earning an average of 250 credits, significantly higher than the 210 credits the district requires for graduation. The student/teacher ratio is 28.5:1
Gunn High School strives to provide quality learning experiences for all students. The school includes the district's high school English Language Development program, the Orthopedically Handicapped program, and extensive Resource Specialist Program, in addition to Special Day Classes, and programs for Language-Speech, Acoustically/Communicatively Handicapped, and Visually Impaired students.
Academic Excellence:
Henry M. Gunn Senior High School has long had a national reputation for academic excellence. Gunn students score high on local, state, and national tests and have a distinguished record over the years in various contests, scholarships, and other recognitions. Gunn teachers have also been honored and recognized for their skills and achievements.
The proximity of Stanford University, the Silicon Valley business community, and San Francisco have created a socially diverse community with high academic expectations and a strong commitment to quality public education.
Despite recent declining national and state norms, SAT and Subject Test scores at Gunn have remained consistently high over the past ten years. Gunn was recognized as a Distinguished School in the California School Recognition Program in 1988 and 1992. College Prep, a publication of The College Board, recently named the top 23 distinguished public secondary schools in the nation according to a survey of 33 highly selective colleges. The survey identified Gunn and Palo Alto High School as two of the top five high schools in California "perceived to provide outstanding preparation for highly selective college admission."
Gunn High vs. State and National Averages
| Gunn High School | State Average | National Average | |
| Average SAT Math | 641 | 504 | 504 |
| Average SAT Verbal | 598 | 487 | 496 |
| Average ACT Math | 26 | 21 | 21 |
| Average ACT Verbal | 24 | 20 | 20 |
| Percent of Students attending 4-year colleges | 76% | 28% | 41% |
| Percent of Students attending junior colleges | 16% | 43% | 24% |
| National Merit Finalists | 30 |
Scores and statistics are from Realtor.com
Gunn High School also generates exceptionally high scores on standardized state tests.
Gunn High's Scores on California Standardized Tests
| Reading | Math | Language | Science | Social Science | |
| 9th Grade | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
| 10th Grade | 99 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 99 |
| 11 Grade | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
Scores range from 1-99. A score of 99 indicates that the school scored higher than 99 percent of the other public schools in California. Scores are from "McCormack's Guides '99."
School Facilities:
Gunn High School is located on an open site set among mature oak trees. The campus consists of clusters of attractive buildings that bound an open center quadrangle. The present configuration of buildings includes 63 regular classrooms. Additional facilities include a resource center, lecture center, academic center, auditorium, computer labs, studio theater, portables, language lab, library, gymnasium, fitness center, swimming pool, tennis courts, and several athletic fields.
Learning Environment:
Through the active collaboration of staff, students, parents, and our community Gunn high works to maintain a school environment committed to excellence for all students. The WASC visiting committee confirmed that Gunn is a safe, secure school where all these groups' work enhances an atmosphere that fosters success. District and school behavior policies, published in the Student Handbook and discussed in opening assemblies and through the year as appropriate, establish student behavior standards.
Other Programs which foster a positive school climate include multi-cultural events, human relations activities, freshman orientation and upper class mentoring activities, as well as the Academic Center, and active sports program with more than 800 student athletes, and a culture of inclusion in all school activities.
Copies of the school's disaster plan, which includes earthquake preparedness, are on file in the Main Office. Fire/earthquake drills are held periodically in accordance with Education Code requirements. Several staff members are First Aid and CPR certified.
Henry M. Gunn High School's Mission Statement:
"Our Mission is that all Gunn students will acquire the knowledge, skill, and values necessary to:
be able to reach their full potential as confident, competent and creative thinkers who strive for excellence and value learning as a lifelong pursuit;
be socially and ethically responsible, respectful of self and others, and adaptable to a changing world."