Community

Gardendale High School serves students from the communities of Gardendale, Mt. Olive, Brookside, and North Smithfield.  Gardendale High School is located in Gardendale, Alabama, 7 miles north of Birmingham.   GHS is one of thirteen high schools in the Jefferson County School System.  The current student population is 68% White, 31% African American, and 1% Hispanic. 39% of students receive Free and Reduced Lunch. There are 69 faculty members with 3 campus administrators, 3 counselors and 2 media specialists. There are 28 classified staff and a resource officer.

School

GHS is a comprehensive four-year public high school enrolling 1,061 students in grades 9–12.  The school opened in the fall of 1966 and moved to a new facility in March 2010.  GHS is accredited by the Southern Regional Education Board.

Curriculum

GHS’s mission is to create an environment where learning is a priority for all, as we move forward, not only will learning be a priority for all but all students will graduate college and career ready. Currently, GHS offers eleven Advanced Placement (AP) classes including U.S. History I & II, Calculus, Computer Science, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Environmental Science, English Language, English Literature, U.S. Government, and Psychology and as well as other courses available through ACCESS Distance Learning Courses. Honors classes are offered in English 9, English 10, Geometry, Algebra II with Trig, Pre-Calculus, World History, Biology, Anatomy and Chemistry. A variety of career and technical classes are offered in the pathways of Welding, Automotive Services and Collision Repair, Computer Science, Business Management, Food and Nutrition, Sports Medicine, Cosmetology, Advertising Design, and Engineering and Architectural Design.  Students can enroll in dual enrollment classes at various local colleges.  GHS also offers dual enrollment courses taught at GHS by college instructors.

Grading and Ranking

Rank

District policy designates that all students who earn the Advanced Academic Endorsement and a 4.0 GPA and higher receive the rank of #1.  Jefferson County does not recognize salutatorians and valedictorians. 

Grade Point Average (GPA) Calculation

GPA is computed using the above quality points. Beginning with grade nine, all subjects, whether passed or failed, are included in the computation.  The exception being 8th grade courses of Career Preparedness A and students who take Adv Alg I.  A minimum of 24 credits is required for graduation.  Students can earn endorsements (Fine Arts, Career Tech, Advanced Academic) with 30 earned credits and a 3.0 GPA.  Honor Graduates earn the Advanced Academic Endorsement and have at least a 4.0 GPA.  Grades are recorded on the transcript and GPA is computed in January and May.

Class of 2020

There were 274 graduates in the Class of 2020.

• 49 earned a 4.0+

• 73 earned 3.5–3.99

• 72 earned 3.0–3.49

• 38 earned 2.50–2.99

• 26 earned 2.0–2.49

• 16 earned less than a 2.0

GHS offered 11 AP courses with 106 students taking 183 exams. 43% had qualifying scores on the AP Exams of 3 or higher.

Post High School Placement Class of 2020

• 35% matriculated to 4-year colleges

• 28% matriculated to 2-year institutions

• 37% selected work, military service or technical instruction

Colleges Attended by GHS Graduates from the Last Four Years