- Newtown High School (Connecticut)
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Newtown High School Type Public Principal Charles Dumais Students 1,733 (2010-2011) [1] Grades High school (9-12) Location Sandy Hook, CT, USA Accreditation New England Association of Schools and Colleges Colors Blue and Gold Mascot Nighthawk Newspaper 'The Hawkeye' Website Newtown High School [1] Newtown High School is a public school in Newtown, Connecticut. As of 2010, the school serves 1,733 9-12 grade students and employs 145 full time staff members. Newtown High is accredited, and was awarded the Blue Ribbon Award for Schools of Excellence in 2000.[2][3]
Contents
Academics
NHS offers numerous AP-level courses and language studies in French, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin, and Latin. Electives are offered in band, orchestra, chorus, theater, art, business, sciences, history, and technology.
Major department areas:
- English
- Fine and Applied Arts
- Mathematics
- Music
- Science
- Social Studies
- World Languages
Newtown High School also operates an alternative learning program called TAP (The Afternoon Program) that operates from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Students who attend this program work at a paying job or perform community service for credits.
Sports
The school offers a wide range of sports, including cross country, marching band, guard, football, soccer, basketball, baseball, softball, track & field, field hockey,ice hockey, lacrosse, cheerleading, tennis, swimming & diving, golf, volleyball, wrestling, and indoor track. They are part of the South West Conference.
The Boys and Girls Soccer teams both won state titles in 2004. The Boys cross country team were the 2005 State Open champions. The Girls cross country team has been league Champions for 7 consecutive seasons (2002 through 2008). The Girls Swim team had three undefeated seasons from 2003 until 2005, and also were SWC Champions in 2003, 2004, 2005, and Class L State Champions in 2005. The Girl's Outdoor Track team has also had success, winning SWC Championships in 2004 & 2005. The Newtown High School Girl's Lacrosse team were also Southwest Conference champions for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. The Girl's Field Hockey team won the South West Conference in 2008. The Baseball team won the South West Conference Championship in 2009. The Softball team also won the South West Conference in 2010.
The school marching band, the Newtown High School Marching Nighthawks, went undefeated in their 2005, 2006, and 2007 seasons under their director Kurt Eckhardt. The band earned 3 straight Musical Arts Conference Class IV championships, the USSBA 2006 CT State Class IV championship, and placed in the top 10 in the USSBA 2007 Group IV Nationional Championships,[4] where the color guard was ranked #1 overall. The NHS Marching Band looks to continue its campaign for expressivity in music. The NHS varsity winterguard has been undefeated for seven consecutive years in the MAC Winter Color Guard season.
Until 1996, the school's teams were called "The Indians"; they featured an Indian mascot. This was changed among controversy of the mascot being racist in nature, despite the local Native American community stating it didn't bother them. They were re-named the Newtown Nighthawks.
Notable alumni
Wake Forest University soccer star Marcus Tracy graduated from Newtown High School in 2005. After being one of the most versatile sports performers Newtown has ever seen, he ventured south for college attending Wake Forest University in North Carolina. Marcus helped lead the Wake Forest Demon Deacons to the NCAA soccer championships in 2007. He scored twice in the semi-final game and also scored one of the Demon Deacons goals in the final game against Ohio State to give Wake Forest the win. He was awarded the college cup Offensive MVP and in 2008-2009 NCAA Division I soccer player of the year. [2] After graduating from Wake Forest in December 2008, Tracy was signed to a two year deal with Danish Soccer club Aalborg BK. [3]
Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner graduated from Newtown High School; the school's football stadium was originally named after him. In 2004, the stadium was re-named "Blue and Gold Stadium".
Actress Jenna von Oÿ also attended the school
Renovations
In 1990 the school went under a major reconstruction, including the addition of a 88,000-square-foot (8,200 m2) addition to the eastern side of the school. A new track and football field were also constructed, and extra seating was installed in the stadium. The reconstruction was complete by January 1998 and the school fully re-opened. In 2004, the athletic fields behind the school underwent major reconstruction. The entire area was leveled, and new baseball, softball, soccer and football fields were built.
The school also boasts the largest auditorium of any school in the state, with a seating capacity of over 1200 persons.[citation needed]
Renovations were begun in the fall of 2009 to add an additional 77,000-square-foot (7,200 m2) to the building. The expansion was scheduled to be open in the fall of 2010, and the final modifications to the existing structure completed by early 2011. When the expansion is completed, the school will have a total of 376,000-square-foot (34,900 m2).
MRSA Scare
On October 17, 2007, 2 cases of MRSA strain staph infections were reported at Newtown High School. The school put precautions in place to protect students from this potentially fatal bacterial infection.[citation needed]
Notes
- ^ "Newtown High School 2010-2011 Yearly Profile" (webpage). http://dumais.us/newtown/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Profile_2011.pdf. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
- ^ "Riley Names 198 Blue Ribbon Schools" (Press release). United States Department of Education. 2000-05-22. http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/05-2000/0522.html. Retrieved 2006-12-27.
- ^ "Blue Ribbon Schools Program, Schools Recognized 1982-1983 Through 1999-2002". http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-1982.pdf. Retrieved 2006-12-27.
- ^ "USSBA 2007 National Championship Scoresheet" (webpage). ????. http://www.yea.org/site/PageServer?pagename=1117nats. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
External links
- [4] Newtown High School Web site
- [5] Newtown High School "Strategic School Profile 2005-2006" from the state Department of Education
- [6] School's Web page at Great Schools Web site
- [7] Nighthawk Nation, Newtown High School's Sports Page
South West Conference Bethel High School • Brookfield High School • Bunnell High School • Immaculate High School • Joel Barlow High School • Kolbe Cathedral High School • Lauralton Hall • Masuk High School • New Fairfield High School • New Milford High School • Newtown High School • Notre Dame High School • Oxford High School • Pomperaug High School • Stratford High School • Weston High SchoolCategories:- Newtown, Connecticut
- Schools in Fairfield County, Connecticut
- Blue Ribbon schools in Connecticut
- Public high schools in Connecticut
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