The High School in Guthrie Center was established in the late 1800's and a member of North Central Association of Colleges and Schools since 1924, GCHS received the Transitions Endorsement, Exemplary Capacity for School Improvement in April of 2002. Our school was voted #1in Iowa by Business Week magazine. 

Students (grades 9-12) attend classes in a facility completed in 1975. The school year consists of four nine-week semesters with students attending five 80-minute classes daily.

Programs of note include...

Advisor/Advisee Program
All certified staff, including the principal and superintendent, are assigned student advisees. Advisor/Advisee meetings are held bi-weekly with discussion topics including academic progress, scheduling, relationship building, test taking strategies, and topics of interest. Advisor goals include advisees being academically successful, demonstrating educational growth, and becoming proficient in all areas.

Credentialing Conference
Each spring, all students participate in a credentialing conference. Conference participants are the student, parent(s), and faculty advisor. Topics of the conference include the student's goals, reflections on the past year, academic performance for the year, next year's class schedule and questions and concerns from all participants.

1:1 Laptop Initiative
All students in grades 9 through 12 are entrusted with an Apple laptop computer.  We feel that this program will increase our students'  learning, achievement, and will better prepare them to face the challenges of the digital work force they will be entering into.

Work Experience Program
Juniors and seniors may elect to participate in our Work Experience Program. Students are placed at a job site in career areas for which they have expressed an interest. For 80 minutes a day, the student is, in effect, an employee of the participating site. Students are provided an opportunity to experience many facets of a career. The goals of this program are to improve employability skills and provide a basis for career choices.