Jim Fletcher

My name is Fletch and I will be your teacher for Honors US History/Government and Economics. Welcome to the 2021-22 school year! I’m very excited to get back into the classroom and meet all of our students.

In order that you might get to know me a bit, a short, odd biography is in order. I consider myself a native San Diegan as we moved here when I was four. I spent all my school years in San Diego, I attended Marston and Clairemont in the 1970’s. I attended USCD, where I earned a BA in Political Science, PLNU for my teaching credential, UoP for my Master’s, and post grad study in History and Literature at USD. I taught my first class at Clairemont in 1978 while I was a sophomore at UCSD. I thought I wanted to be a doctor for a minute, so I worked in clinical medicine for two years, but I maintained my position as a teaching assistant the whole time. I fully committed to teaching in 1987 and I have never regretted it a single day. Zoom was fine for crisis teaching, hybrid classes were ridiculous and summer school was unsatisfying. I am very excited about getting back to real teaching and learning this year.

Teaching is the BEST job. I love being in the classroom every day. I would rather start at 6:00am that 8:45, which I consider to be early afternoon. I love that we seem to have put Zoom behind us for teaching and learning. Being able to ditch the masks will be a great day.

I direct the Museum of the American Presidency at Clairemont. We have more than 40,000 authentic presidential items from Washington to Biden. We are planning to use the Museum as the basis for a student club this year. I have, for the past six years, been “in charge” of the CHS Garden and any student interested can join the Garden Gang. Clairemont is the best place to be and I will be here until I have been dead for three days.

We will do our level best to make sure that you all (students and parents) feel that you belong at Clairemont. Any time that you as a parent would like to spend the day learning with us, you are welcome in Room 103.