Palos Verdes High School (PVHS) is one of three public high schools on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles County, Southern California, United States (the others being Palos Verdes Peninsula High School (formerly Rolling Hills High School) and Rancho Del Mar High School). Located by the ocean in Palos Verdes Estates (in the Lunada Bay neighborhood), the school is part of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District.
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History
It originally opened in 1961.
The school had a Parent Teacher Association; in 1969 the association began allowing students to participate, and so it became the "Parent Teacher Student Association."
Originally opened in 1961, the school earned many awards for academic and athletic excellence before declining enrollments led the district to close PVHS in 1991, combining three existing high schools into Palos Verdes Peninsula High School (PVPHS). The campus remained in use as Palos Verdes Intermediate School, with the former intermediate schools having been closed as part of the reorganization. In 2002, climbing enrollments and overcrowding at Peninsula High School led the district to reopen Palos Verdes High School. By the first year, enrollment reached 470 students.
Demographics
In the 2023–24 year, there were 1,419 students enrolled in Palos Verdes High School. Enrollment by race/ethnicity was 55.88% White, 16.77% Asian, 16.49% Hispanic, 1.76% Black, and 8.95% other. Enrollment by gender was 52.57% male and 47.50% female.
Athletics
The athletic teams (known as the Sea Kings) are represented by the colors red, black, and white. The nickname comes from the Greek god Poseidon, the school's official mascot. Palos Verdes competes in the Southern Section, Northern Division of the California Interscholastic Federation. In 2024, Palos Verdes won the CIF Division 2-AA state championship in football.
Notable alumni
Mark Acres, pro basketball; Boston Celtics 1987–1989, Orlando Magic 1989–1992, Houston Rockets 1992, Washington Bullets 1993; Class of 1981
George Felix Allen (R-VA), former senator, Class of 1970
Heather Burge, WNBA player, Class of 1989
Heidi Burge, WNBA player, Class of 1989
Blair Bush, former center in the NFL, Class of 1974
Ellie Darcey-Alden (born 1999), English actress, dancer and model
Toulouse Engelhardt, guitarist, recording artist and composer, Class of 69
Matt Grace, MLB pitcher for the Washington Nationals
Craig Hogan, director of Fermilab Center for Particle Astrophysics, Class of 1972
Carin Jennings, member of the USWNT, Class of 1983
Bill Laimbeer, Detroit Pistons star and former WNBA coach and leader of the 1975 CIF championship basketball team, Class of 1975
Daniel Levitin, neuroscientist, musician and author, Class of 1975
Billy Martin, tennis pro, long-time UCLA tennis head coach, Class of 1974
Rebecca Mehra (born 1994), middle-distance runner
Sheila Rogers, television producer for David Letterman and James Corden's Carpool Karaoke, 7 Emmys, Class of 1978
Notable faculty
Jovan Vavic, former water polo coach