University School

For other uses, see University School (disambiguation).

University School
Responsibility, Loyalty, Consideration
Location
Hunting Valley, Ohio, (Cuyahoga County),  United States
Coordinates	41°29′10″N 81°25′42″W / 41.48611°N 81.42833°W / 41.48611; -81.42833Coordinates: 41°29′10″N 81°25′42″W / 41.48611°N 81.42833°W / 41.48611; -81.42833 (Upper school) and 41°28′56″N 81°31′57″W / 41.48222°N 81.5325°W / 41.48222; -81.5325 (Lower school)
Information
Type	Private, Single-sex education
Established	1890
Founder	Newton M. Anderson
Headmaster	Stephen S. Murray
Faculty	71 (Upper)
Grades	K-12
Enrollment	863 total 413 upper 450 middle/lower
Average class size	17
Student to teacher ratio	8:1
Campus	Suburban
Campus size	297 acres (1.20 km2) upper: 264 acres (1.07 km2) lower: 33 acres (0.13 km2)
Color(s)	Maroon and Black[1]
Song	Hail, University!
Fight song	Anniversary ("Fight") Song
Athletics	13 varsity sports
Athletics conference	Premier Athletic Conference[1]
Team name	Preppers[1]
Accreditation(s)	National Association of Independent Schools[2]
Average SAT scores	618 critical reading 653 math
Athletic Director	Ron Grant[1]
Website	http://www.us.edu

University School, commonly referred to as US, is an all-boys K - 12 school with two campus locations in the Greater Cleveland, Ohio area. The Shaker Heights Campus is kindergarten through grade 8, and the Hunting Valley campus is grades 9 through 12.

University School is a founding member of the International Boys' Schools Coalition and a member of the Center for the Study of Boys' and Girls' Lives and Cleveland Council of Independent Schools.

History and headmasters

• 1890 - 1900 - Headmaster Newton M. Anderson (Founder) - University School was established in 1890 by Anderson. The school's first building was erected on 10 acres (40,000 m²) at the corner of Hough Avenue and East 71st Street in Cleveland.^[3]
• 1900 - 1908 - Headmaster George D. Pettee - Pettee led the entire student body to the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, in 1901. Seeing that the school had begun to outgrow its environs, Pettee was the first to suggest the idea of moving the school to what later became the eastern suburbs of Cleveland.^[3]
• 1908 - 1947 - Headmaster Harry S. Peters - Peters led US through two World Wars, the Great Depression and, in 1926, to the 36-acre (150,000 m²) campus in Shaker Heights. He was the longest-tenured headmaster in University School history.^[3]
• 1947 - 1963 - Headmaster Harold L. Cruikshank - Cruikshank oversaw the building of the Hanna Wing on the Shaker Campus and guided the school through the end of World War II to the beginning of the 1960s.
• 1963 - 1988 - Headmaster Rowland P. McKinley Jr. - Under the leadership of McKinley, the Upper School moved, in 1970, from Shaker Heights to nearly 200 acres (0.81 km²) of meadows and woodland in Hunting Valley.^[3]
• 1988 - 2005 - Headmaster Richard A. Hawley - Hawley, the sixth headmaster of US, had a national reputation as an educator and author.^[4] With the support of the US community, Conway Hall on the Shaker Campus and the William S. Kilroy ’43 Field House in Hunting Valley were built during Dr. Hawley's tenure.^[3]
• 2005 - present - Headmaster Stephen S. Murray

Publications

• The University School Journal is published two times a year for the alumni, parents and friends of the school.
• The US News is published monthly by students. Founded in 1898, the US News is the oldest school newspaper in Ohio.^[3]
• The Record, released annually, is a compilation of the artistic and literary achievement of University School boys including poetry, short stories, photography, and more recently, drawing.
• The Mabian is the Upper School's yearbook published every year since 1919. The first three letters of the name "Mabian" come from the school's colors, Maroon And Black, and "...ian" means "of the" - "of the maroon and black."
• The Tower is the Lower/Middle School counterpart of The Mabian.

House system

Following in the tradition of boys' schools in England and Australia, University School's House System provides an organizational structure that enhances a student's sense of belonging to a community. Every student is assigned to a house, which integrates students from all grades and provides a structure for the boys to connect with each other for companionship and support. Houses participate in community service activities and spirited athletic competitions. Every year, younger and older boys compete in Founders’ Day, a tradition that celebrates the school’s founding in 1890.^[3] Houses are organized to encourage greater interaction between students, especially students at separate campuses and in different grades. As such, the House System is a large part of student life at University School. House meetings occur regularly at the Upper School, in which faculty and students may plan activities and community service projects such as the annual Thanksgiving food drive. Each House elects a prefect from the senior class who acts as the House leader.

Houses are typically named after former Headmasters or notable alumni, and each House has a color to represent it. The numbers, names and colors of Houses have changed over the years.

The current House names are: Anderson (maroon); Cruikshank (white); Goodwillie (navy blue); Hawley (purple); McCarraher (orange); McKinley (light blue); Peters (red); Pettee (black); Pickands (green); and Sanders (gold).

Clubs and activities

The special programs and activities offered by University School reflect student interests. If sufficient peer interest is present, a student may initiate a club or activity by gaining the support of a faculty sponsor.

Hunting Valley Campus (grades 9 - 12)

• Academic Challenge. Interscholastic competitions in academic subjects ranging from history, science, and math to arts and literature.
• Anderson Scholars Program. Enables students to pursue a passion with structure, rigor, and depth. Students concentrate in science or entrepreneurship.
• Anime Club. A club for students interested in Japanese anime; meets Fridays after school.
• Aurelian Society. Promotes community service at agencies and organizations outside US.
• Cadmean Society. Students help at events such as athletic contests, plays, and open houses and often provide leadership for school-wide service projects.
• Davey Fellowships in Creative Writing. Enables boys of special literary promise to undertake extensive projects in fiction, drama, and poetry writing.
• Entrepreneur Club. Students discover and explore their passion for business while they develop entrepreneurial skills.
• Investment Committee I Stock Market Challenge. Students learn about publicly-traded companies and investment strategies through weekly meetings with an experienced stock market analyst and participate in a stock market competition.
• Latin Club. The school's Latin Club functions as a local chapter of both the Ohio Junior Classical League (OJCL)^[5] and National Junior Classical League (NJCL).^[6]
• LoPresti Board. Students engage in community service, learn the institutional skills necessary for philanthropy, raise funds to support their philanthropic goals, and solicit and make grants to help those in need.
• Mabian Yearbook. The school yearbook derives its name from the school colors (maroon and black) and has been published every year since 1919.
• Mock Trial. Students practice for and participate in this statewide organization that helps them learn about the United States' trial system.
• Model UN. Students step into the shoes of ambassadors from UN member states to debate current issues on the organization's agenda.
• Outdoor Projects. Students can elect to work in the school's acclaimed Outdoor Projects Program, which operates a nature trail, a full-fledged fish hatchery, a trout farm, a maple-syrup industry, and several foresting and erosion control projects.
• Record. Presents the best literary work of the school's Writing Forum.
• Science Olympiad. Promotes interest in science through participation in local and statewide competition.
• Speech and Debate. Members learn Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum and Student Congress debate and compete with other schools throughout northern Ohio.
• Strnad Fellowships. Involves projects of significant original research beginning at the end of the junior year that are presented to the student body at the end of the next school year.
• US News. Founded in 1898, the US News is the oldest school newspaper in Ohio and is published once a month.

Shaker Heights Campus (grades K - 8)

• Center for Excellence. The Center for Excellence serves the needs and interests of students by providing support and enrichment opportunities to be their best.
• Junior Research Fellows Program. Through the Junior Research Fellows Program, middle school boys pursue high-level research on topics of particular interest. Younger boys at US can also participate in Junior Model United Nations, Mock Trial, National Geographic Bee, Math Olympiad, Junior Great Books, and Kids’ Philosophy Slam, to name a few.
• Clubs. US offers a variety of clubs such as the Civil War Club, Chess Club, Cribbage Club, Entrepreneur Club, Maple Sugaring Club, Rocketry Club and Balsa Tower Construction Club. Fifth and sixth graders can enroll in the Intramural Basketball League, which is coached and refereed by eighth grade boys.
• Community Service. Students are involved in community service throughout the year to learn the importance of making a difference in others’ lives. Boys raise funds for Harvest for Hunger, participate in a school wide Thanksgiving food drive, and collect clothing and toys for needy families and for an orphanage in Honduras. Middle School boys prepare and deliver soup to a Cleveland soup kitchen and provide help.
• Space Shuttle Simulations. The virtual space science facility allows boys to experience what it's like to live and work in space. The facility features a space shuttle simulator, a mission control area, a module of the International Space Station, and a flight simulator.

Athletics

US fields varsity teams in thirteen sports, five in the winter season and four in each the fall and the spring seasons: football, soccer, cross country and golf in the fall, ice hockey, wrestling, swimming, squash, and basketball in the winter, and in the spring, lacrosse, tennis, track and field, and baseball.

University School competes in the Premier Athletic Conference (PAC), 8-team conference. The cross country, wrestling, basketball, track and field and baseball teams began competing in this conference in 2009. Football began its PAC schedule in the fall of 2011.^[7]

The 81,000-square-foot (7,500 m²) Kilroy Field House at the Hunting Valley Campus is a multi-purpose indoor practice facility featuring two basketball courts, three squash courts, a 200-meter cantilevered indoor track, and practice areas for track events. The complex also includes a fitness center equipped with the latest in weight training and aerobic equipment.

Wrestling rooms, a gymnasium and an Olympic-sized indoor swimming pool with a separate diving well complete the indoor facilities at the Hunting Valley Campus. Outdoors, there is a football stadium and a new turf football field, an all-weather track, four soccer and other practice fields, two baseball diamonds, and seven tennis courts.

The physical education facilities at the Shaker Campus include a football field, 400-meter track, three baseball fields, two soccer fields, eight tennis courts, a double-size gymnasium, wrestling room, a four-lane, 25-meter indoor swimming pool, and a rock climbing wall.

Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) state championships

• Golf: 1990, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008^[7] University School currently holds the record for DII Lowest Score (Hunting Valley University School 289-275) - 564 set in 2003 on the OSU Gray.^[8]
• Hockey: 2003, 2009^[7] Cleveland Baron Cup Champion 2010-2011, 2009–2010, 2008–2009, 2006–2007, 2005–2006, 1983-1984
• Wrestling: Individual State Champions^[7] Harrison Hightower 09-10 (152), 08-09 (140), 07-08 (130), Brad Wukie 2009-2010 (160), Dennis Roche 2005-2006 (112), Adam Kriwinsky 2004-2005 (112), Chris Tripp 2003–2004 (145)
• Swimming: 2009, 2010, 2011^[7] Note: Boys Division II Swimming and Diving was added in the 2008-2009 school year.

Boys division II Swimming - records

Records at the OHSAA.^[7]

Event	Time	Name	Location	Year
200 Yard Medley Relay	1:34.85	Kevin Stang, Russell Stack, Andrew Malone, Korey Schneider	Canton	2010
200 Yard Freestyle	1.38.64	Ian Stewart-Bates	Canton	2009
100 Yard Freestyle	0:45.44	Tyler Bailey	Canton	2009
500 Yard Freestyle	4:31.02	Ian Stewart-Bates	Canton	2009
100 Yard Breaststroke	0:56.83	Andrew Malone	Canton	2010
400 Yard Freestyle Relay	3:06.70	Tyler Bailey, Ben Stewart-Bates, Nicholas Crane, Ian Stewart-Bates	Canton	2009

Other state championships

• Tennis: 1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, 2002, 2005^[9]
• Lacrosse (OHSLA): 1999, 2008, 2009
• Swimming: 2009, 2010, 2011

Notable alumni

• Austin Pendleton, actor, class of 1956
• Chuck Seelbach, former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, class of 1966
• Tom Griswold, radio host, class of 1971
• John Bell, lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the southern rock band Widespread Panic, class of 1980
• Bob Harris, author, TV writer (Bones, CSI:), eight-time Jeopardy! winner, class of 1980
• Michael Ruhlman, author, class of 1981
• John Garrett (American football coach), former NFL wide receiver, and tight end coach for the Dallas Cowboys, class of 1983.
• Jason Garrett, former NFL quarterback and Offensive Coordinator and assistant head coach for the Dallas Cowboys, and current Head Coach of the Cowboys, class of 1984
• Judd Garrett, former NFL running back, and the current Director of Pro Scouting for the Dallas Cowboys, class of 1985.
• Chris Rose, host of the popular sports program The Best Damn Sports Show Period, Class of 1989
• Warren Brown, founder of CakeLove, entrepreneur and former host of the Food Network show Sugar Rush', class of 1989.
• Joshua Radin, musical artist, class of 1992
• Nick Caserio, New England Patriots Director of Player Personnel, class of 1994
• Jeff Terrell, professional football quarterback, class of 2003
• Chris Korb, Major League Soccer Major League Soccer, professional soccer player for DC United, class of 2006

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} OHSAA. "Ohio High School Athletic Association member directory". http://www.cdab.org/members.asp?SCHOOL_ID=1571. Retrieved 2010-02-17. 
2. ^ "NAIS". http://www.nais.org/. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Hawley, Richard (1990). Hail, University. ISBN 0-929940-01-6. 
4. ^ Hawley, Richard (1990). Hail, University. pp. 29. ISBN 0-929940-01-6. 
5. ^ "Executive Board Pre-File Application". OhioJCL.org - June 2007. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. 2010. Archived from the original on June 17, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070617024347/http://ohiojcl.org/prefile.shtml. Retrieved August 16, 2010. 
6. ^ "OJCL Constitution". OhioJCL.org - July 2002. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. 2010. Archived from the original on July 21, 2002. http://web.archive.org/web/20020721140258/http://www.ohiojcl.org/resources/constitution.html#c31. Retrieved August 16, 2010. "... by paying both OJCL annual chapter dues and any annual chapter membership dues required by NJCL." 
7. ^ ^{a b c d e f} OHSAA. "Ohio High School Athletic Association Fall Release Oct 6, 2003". http://www.ohsaa.org/. Retrieved 2006-12-31. 
8. ^ OHSAA. "Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site". http://www.ohsaa.org/. Retrieved 2006-12-31. 
9. ^ OTCA. "Ohio Tennis Coaches' Association Web site". http://www.otca.us/. Retrieved 2007-03-08. 

External links

• Official website