It opened in September 1987. At one time its enrollment reached 1,064, and Dandrea Hamilton of
Magnetic Media wrote that underfunding and overpopulation contributed to "gang-type" violent incidents. Hamilton stated that conditions improved by 2017. In that period Clement Howell and Long Bay students attended classes together, although the latter already began wearing their own uniforms. There were miscommunications stating that Clement Howell had too many students and was turning some prospective students away when this was not the case. ==References==