O'Farrell Community School

32°42′09.09″N 117°03′55.16″W

The O'Farrell Charter Schools
Address
6130 Skyline Drive San Diego , CA 92114 United States
Information
Former names	O'Farrell Junior High School O'Farrell Community School O'Farrell Charter School
Type	Public Charter School
Motto	Where college isn't just a possibility, it's a priority
Opened	1959
School district	San Diego Unified School District
Education system	Charter
Hours in school day	7
Campus type	Urban
Color(s)	Gold, royal blue, navy, black
Nickname	Falcons
Rival	Mountain Empire High School Tubman Charter School Calexico High School
Superintendent	Cindy Wagner
Website	http://ofarrellschool.org/ http://ingenuitycharter.org/

The O'Farrell Charter Schools, or The O'Farrell Charter School, is a system of public charter schools in San Diego, California, United States. The school opened its doors in San Diego Unified School District in 1959 chosen in 1957 as Mabel E. O'Farrell Junior High.^[1] It was voted to become a charter school in 1994.

Through the years, the O'Farrell Charter School has received numerous awards and distinctions. It was named one of America's top high schools by U.S. News and World report six years in a row. It has also been named a school of distinction by National Center for Urban School Transformation. O'Farrell is an AVID National Demonstration School.

President Bill Clinton made a visit to San Diego in 1995 to sign the Goals 2000 education bill and to visit O'Farrell because it was a charter.^[2]

The school was mentioned in Hillary Clinton's book It Takes a Village.^[3]

Schools within a school

The O'Farrell Charter Schools resembles an elementary, middle, high and all-grade independent study course, all schools falling under 'The O'Farrell Charter School'. The O'Farrell Charter Schools has become its own district of its three different schools after ceasing partnership with San Diego Unified School District, when O'Farrell expanded from being only a junior high school.

All schools operate on the same campus in the Skyline–South Encanto border area. The high school is located rather separate from the middle school and elementary.

Each O'Farrell school has a principal and vice principal, and has a separate program, teachers, and bell schedules.

In 2014, "Ingenuity Charter School, Blended Learning Independent Study Program" was added as an official part of The O'Farrell Charter Schools. Students attend in person at one of the school's resource centers at least twice per week and work independently online on the other days.

Athletics

The O'Farrell Falcons (also known as the OCS Falcons, O'Farrell Charter Falcons) are the athletic clubs that represent The O'Farrell Charter Schools. The Falcons compete in various leagues all in Division V of the CIF San Diego Section, depending on the sport.

O'Farrell offers basketball, cross country, soccer, track, and volleyball to both genders. They recently have established a girls flag football team to go alongside the football team at O'Farrell.

Notable alumni

• Rosalie Hamlin, known for 1960 song "Angel Baby"^[4]
• Shirley Horton, California assemblywoman and former mayor of Chula Vista^[5]
• Tom Waits, claimed to have attended this school and remembered it as an all-black school in a 1973 interview^[6]