Seeing both sides: Transfers assess differences between Saratoga and Los Gatos High

What are the main differences between Los Gatos High School and Saratoga High?

 Besides a big difference in student populations (SHS with 1,353 vs. 2,100 for Los Gatos), those who have been at both schools point to differences in campus culture and stress levels.

Math teacher Mike Navrides spent the first 11 years of his teaching career in the Los Gatos Saratoga High School District at Saratoga High.

After transferring to Los Gatos in 2008, he immediately noticed the emphasis on athletics at his new school. 

“I loved the blend of academics with an outstanding athletic program (at Los Gatos),” Navrides said. “However, in my last several years at Saratoga, I noticed the heavy emphasis on grades that came at the expense of students participating in other extracurricular activities. I saw how draining this academic pressure was on many of my students, and I see that as unhealthy.”

Former Los Gatos health and drivers education teacher Gayle Shank came to Saratoga to teach the same subject in 2016. 

“The minute I stepped on campus, I knew I belonged here. I felt so welcomed by the students, teachers and administration,” Shank said. “It felt like I was joining a tight-knit family.”

After she transferred she noticed a change in students’ stress levels from students at Los Gatos. 

“I have not conducted surveys, but in talking to students and parents, it seems the stress thermostat is turned up higher at Saratoga,” Shank said.

Graduation rates at Los Gatos are 97 percent, according to US News, and graduation rates at Saratoga are 98 percent. According to College Simply, based on the average number of students who are above proficient in math and reading state standardized tests, Los Gatos is ranked 155th among high schools in California while Saratoga is ranked as fifth. 

The transition for Navrides, on the other hand, took some time. Before teaching at Los Gatos, Navrides, whose passion for sports led him to be the Athletic Director at Saratoga High for four years, had a poor opinion of Los Gatos based on Saratoga’s losses to its rival school in sporting events. Navrides now respects Los Gatos for its consistent athletic performance in a myriad of sports, while still having outstanding academic success.   

Once settled into the new school, Navrides noticed many differences from Saratoga, like how Los Gatos students seem to enjoy their high school experience  more whereas many Saratoga students don’t seem to enjoy their time in school.

Los Gatos junior Zach Goguen, who transferred from Saratoga last year, also noted social differences.

“There’s less pressure, and teachers are way less strict,” Goguen said. “Here, I feel like people take classes because they want to, while at Saratoga, students take as many ‘good classes’ as they can to help get into college.”

Navrides also had to change his teaching methods because students at Los Gatos generally do not push themselves as much as those at Saratoga. 

Los Gatos sophomore Andrea Babalis also believes Los Gatos is a more social and athletic school where not all students take their studies as seriously as students at Saratoga.

“There’s a good amount of people that take school very seriously and are academically focused,” Babalis said. “But, there are a handful that are mostly there for social aspects and do the bare minimum.”

Saratoga sophomore Lauren Vadevort also feels that Saratoga students put more of an emphasis on grades than students at Los Gatos, who are often more sports-oriented.

“Los Gatos is better at sports because of more student participation,” Vandevort said. “I think we’re more academically focused than them.”

Navrides believes there should be a balance between academics and athletics.

“I wish some of my Los Gatos students would push themselves more academically, as we have some students who simply enjoy the high school experience too much and frankly, are quite lazy,” Navrides said. “I wish some Saratoga High students would not be so stressed about grades and getting into the best college, so they could push themselves to get involved in school activities for reasons other than building up their resume. The four years of high school are important ones and I always hoped that my students look back at those years fondly.”