Branham High School
1570 Branham Ln., San Jose, CA, 95118 - Map Map

School Overview:
Definition of Terms
Branham High School
School Level High school
Grades Offered Grades 9 - 12
County Santa Clara County, CA
Students & Faculty
Total Students 1445 students
% Male / % Female 46%  /  54%
Total Classroom Teachers 62 teachers
Students by Grade
Grade 9 - 384 students
Grade 10 - 412 students
Grade 11 - 365 students
Grade 12 - 284 students
This School
(CA) School Average
Teacher : Student Ratio 1:23 1:23
Students by Ethnicity
This School
(CA) School Average
% American Indian n/a 3%
% Asian 7% 8%
% Hispanic 16% 39%
% Black 3% 9%
% White 63% 36%
% Unknown 11 % 5%
Additional Student Information
This School
(CA) School Average
% Eligible for Free Lunch 6% 30%
% Eligible for Reduced Lunch 2% 7%
% Migrant Students Enrolled n/a 3%
School Performance:
(CA) Statewide Testing Performance
School Statewide Performance View Education Department Test Scores
School District:
School District Name Campbell Union High School District
This School's Agency
(CA) District Average
Number of Schools Managed 7 7
Number of Students Managed 7,721 students 3,960 students
District Total Revenue $68,678,000 $37,604,000
District Expenditure $82,578,000 $39,520,000
District Revenue / Student $8,895 $9,496
District Expenditure / Student $10,695 $9,980
District Graduation Rates n/a n/a
In the News:
View all past news stories
School Notes:
  • Branham High School is a secondary school located in San Jose, California. It first opened in 1967. From 1991 to 1999, Branham had been leased out to Valley Christian Schools. In 1999, the school was reopened as part of the Campbell Union High School District due to increased enrollment within the district and graduated its first senior class in over a decade in 2002. Branham, as well as Branham Lane, is named after Isaac Branham, an early pioneer of California who became a successful farmer and lumber mill owner. The Branham colors are blue and white and the official mascot is the Bruin. Branham is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
  • Academics
  • Branham was awarded the title of California Distinguished School during the 2006-2007 school year. During the 2005-2006 school year, Branham's API score increased by 47 points, enabling the school to apply to become distinguished. Branham also participates in the College Board's Advanced Placement program and offers seven AP courses for students.
  • Athletics
  • Branham High School participates as a member of the Blossom Valley Athletic League (BVAL). Branham fields teams in numerous sports, including football, basketball, baseball, swimming and diving, cheerleading,tennis, badminton, soccer, softball, track and field, cross country, golf, field hockey, and wrestling. Although the athletics program is relatively new, Branham teams have won a number of awards and annually sends representation to the Central Coast Sectionals (CCS).
  • The traditional "rivals" for Bruin athletes are the Leigh High School Longhorns, mostly due to the close proximity between the two schools. The Bruins baseball team also consider the Westmont High School Warriors to be a division rival.
  • The Branham High School Cheerleading Team also received top honors in their 2008-2009 season. They were undefeated through the year, leading up to their first place victory at the USA Nationals in Anaheim, California. They continue to be the only sports team at Branham High to be Nationally Ranked.
  • The 1984-85 Bruin boys varsity soccer team made it to the Central Coast Section finals losing to Menlo Atherton 4-3 in a thrilling double overtime game. The team finished the season with a record of 17-2-2. The team was lead by CCS First Team selection and "Senior of the Year" Eric Mestressat (forward/defender), Cliff McCready (midfielder) CCS First Team selection and Scott Coutts CCS Second Team selection (goalkeeper).
  • The 1989 Bruin varsity baseball team started the season with a 2 - 3 record only to rattle off 19 consecutive wins to end the season. The Bruins won the West Valley Athletic League title outright and went on to win the Central Coast Section championship by sweeping through the 4 game playoff, ultimately finishing off Carmel in the championship game by a score of 4 - 2.
  • Theater Department
  • Kicking off the inaugural season in 1999-2000 with Euripides' classic Medea, the department quickly grew to stage seasons of up to seven plays including original works like "Hollywoodn't" (2002) and a modern adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" (2003) alongside major musical and non-musical productions including Jason Robert Brown's Songs for a New World (2003), Durrenmatt's The Visit (2001), Li'l Abner (2004), Eugene Ionesco's Killing Game (2004), and Michael Bennet's A Chorus Line (2005). The group showcased both faculty and student-directed works, developed relationships and internship programs with local theater companies, and produced touring productions. After piloting the first multi-level, multi-faceted curriculum in the district, the department earned the 2001 Glenn Hoffman Award for "Outstanding Fine Arts Curriculum", the 2003 Penwomen of America Award for "Outstanding Theater Teacher (E. Dale Smith)", and the 2003 High School Musical Honors Award for "Outstanding Ensemble". The department currently offers a full theater curriculum including a musical theater course taught by Sharon Salazar, a drama club, and a full season of outstanding productions.
  • 2003 Code Red alert
  • On October 29, 2003, Branham High School was the location of an emergency situation when the campus was locked down for about two hours after a potentially dangerous situation unfolded. San Jose police officers chasing a suspect close to the high school alerted school administrators after the suspect dropped a bag that was found to contain a sawed-off shotgun. Just a few minutes after school had been let out, school officials broadcast a "Code Red Alert" over the PA system and students were hustled into classrooms in order to wait for the all-clear signal. The irony of this is that the Branham students had practiced a "Red Alert" drill earlier in the day. Police eventually arrested the suspect close to the BHS parking lot without incident, but the campus remained locked down until about 3:15 PM.
  • Branham High School was praised for its quick and effective response to the situation by San Jose mayor Ron Gonzales on November 5, 2003 in which Gonzales stated, "We are safe because of successful completion of training," and that "Branham did everything it was supposed to do." Branham's administrators and office staff received praise for their quick handling of the situation.
  • 2009 Swine Flu Shut-down
  • Branham High school closed its doors on April 29, 2009 because a student tested positive for swine flu. It reopened on May 6, 2009.
  • Notable alumni
  • Jenelle Gomez: Class of 2004, went on to play golf for San Jose State University. Was named the 2006 WAC individual champion.
  • Louis Sakoda: Class of 2005, went on to play football for the University of Utah as a kicker. Considered to be one of the most consistent and accurate kickers in NCAA football, proved to be a key player in the 2006 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl against Tulsa which resulted in a 25-13 Utah win and earned him the game MVP award.
  • Gary Radnich: sports anchor, KRON-TV, San Francisco
  • Pat Hughes '73, the Voice of the Chicago Cubs
  • Troy Benson: Class of 1988, attorney, Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, prosecutor for the "Leo the Dog" case;[1]
  • Kelly Shenefiel: Class of 1986, former professional cheerleader, Laker Girl - Los Angeles Lakers
  • Cynthia LaHerran: Class of 1985, former professional cheerleader, Gold Rush Girl - San Francisco 49er's
  • Michelle LaHerran: Class of 1988, former professional cheerleader, Gold RushGirl - San Francisco 49er's
  • Karen Robinson: Class of 1981, Superior Court Judge of Orange county
  • Marty DeJarnette: Class of 1976, guitarist, singer, songwriter, North Carolina
  • See also
  • Santa Clara County high schools
  • External links
  • Branham High School Website
  • Branham High School Athletics
  • Notes
  • Source: Wikipedia; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.
  • Add/edit information about this school (e.g., awards, news stories, notable alumni, fun facts)
 
School Zip Code:
About This Zip Code (95118)
School Zip (95118)
(CA) State Average
Population (Approximate) 31,916 people 33,115,272 people
% (age 25+) w/College Degree 42% 32%
Population Average Age 35 years old 32 years old
Average Household size 2.8 persons 2.9 persons
Median Household Income $73,134 $48,909
Avg. # of Rooms in Household 5.6 rooms 4.8 rooms
Median Age of Housing Structure 42 years old 39 years old
View Current Housing Listings View current housing listings in this area
Median Value of Housing Unit
Zipcode (95118)


Zillow Median Value of Housing Unit
What's a Zindex?
Subject to Zillow Terms of Use
Zillow Median Value of Housing Unit
% Owning / % Renting 66% / 34% 58% / 42%
School Map:
1. Pioneer Plus Continuation School - 39 students - 0.6 mi. away - view location
2. Pioneer High School - 1507 students - 0.6 mi. away - view location
3. Broadway High Continuation School - 191 students - 1.3 mi. away - view location
4. Leigh High School - 1776 students - 1.9 mi. away - view location
5. Camden Community Day School - 35 students - 2.3 mi. away - view location
View all schools in: San Jose, Santa Clara County, Zip 95118 
Tip: Zoom in/out using the slider below. View aerial photos using the Satellite or Hybrid buttons.
Note: Data has been gathered from several government and commercial data sources. School data reflects 2006 statistics (most recent year available).

Featured Partner


Add School Reviews Review school: Add School Reviews - Recommended Add School Reviews - Not Recommended
Public School Articles
Branham High School Unisex Pullover Hooded Sweatshirt
Branham High School Unisex Pullover Hooded Sweatshirt
$43.99 $39.99

Branham High School Essential T-Shirt
Branham High School Essential T-Shirt
$19.99

Branham High School Men's Dri Mesh T-Shirt
Branham High School Men's Dri Mesh T-Shirt
$41.99 $36.99

Branham High School Champion Men's Ringer T-Shirt
Branham High School Champion Men's Ringer T-Shirt
$23.99

Branham High School Champion Men's Double Dry Shorts with Piping
Branham High School Champion Men's Double Dry Shorts with Piping
$32.99

Branham High School Embroidered Colorblock Sport Duffel
Branham High School Embroidered Colorblock Sport Duffel
$39.99 $35.99

Branham High School Embroidered Low Profile Cap
Branham High School Embroidered Low Profile Cap
$21.99 $19.99
Update mascot and colors