Schenley High School

Infobox_School
name = Schenley High School


motto =
established = October 2, 1916
type = Public, Magnet school, International Baccalaureate
affiliation =
district = Pittsburgh Public Schools
grades = 9–12
originator = Mary Schenley
president =
principal = Ms. Sophia Facaros
head of school =
dean =
faculty =
staff =
students =
enrollment = 1,122 as of 1-May-2007cite web |url= http://www.pps.k12.pa.us/SchenleyHighSchool.asp|title= Schenley High School Fact Sheet |accessdate=2007-05-12 |work= Pittsburgh Public School Web Site]
athletics =
conference =
colors = White, Red and Black
mascot = Spartan
free_label = Representative
free_text = William Isler
free_label2 =
free_text2 =
location = 4101 Bigelow Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15213coord|40.45028|N|79.95444|W|type:edu|display=title
country = United States
contact number = 412-622-8200
website = [http://www.pps.k12.pa.us/schenley/site/default.asp Schenley High School]

Schenley High School is a public school in Oakland, the cultural and educational center of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. The building is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places (NRHP Reference #86002706).cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2006-03-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]

It is one of four International Baccalaureate high schools in Pennsylvania. Schenley is only a short distance from the campuses of the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Carlow University, and Chatham College. It is also near the Carnegie Museum of Art and Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Music Hall and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, the Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Schenley Park, and many hospitals of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center system.

The school colors are red and black, and the mascot is the Spartans.

Schenley is one of ten high schools in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

History

Schenley High School is named for the Pittsburgh philanthropist Mary Schenley, on whose land the school was erected in 1916. It opened for students on October 2, 1916, to accommodate Pittsburgh's growing population of high school students which were overwhelming the downtown Central High School. It was designed as a triangle and constructed of Indiana Limestone, and was also the first high school in the United States to cost more than one million dollars, making Schenley an immediate showplace of the city. The citizens of Pittsburgh were so proud of the building that by public donations, money was raised to present the school with a three-manual Skinner pipe organ. The first enrollment was 1,800 students with 70 teachers. Through the 1920s and 1930s, the enrollment climbed steadily and reached a peak of 3,012 students in March 1940.

Transition to Teacher Center

In 1983, Schenley High School underwent an innovative change, which placed it in the national limelight and at the forefront of educational development in the United States. The school was rededicated as the Schenley High School Teacher Center and from 1983 to 1989 became a center of revitalization for teachers to incorporate the latest research data on teaching the adolescent as well as an opportunity for teachers to enhance their skills. In 1987 a new wing was added to the building; it houses the new physical education facilities, including a regular sized gymnasium, a new swimming pool, dressing rooms, and an office area.

Controversy Over Right-Sizing Plan

On November 9, 2005, the Pittsburgh Public Schools announced that Schenley High School would be moving in 2007 to the present building of Reizenstein Middle School in Shadyside. The relocation was announced as part of the "Plan to Right-Size the Pittsburgh Public Schools". On February 9, 2006, Schenley was taken off of this plan after a campaign against Schenley's inclusion was undertaken by many supporters of the school. Schenley will remain open in the latest version of the right-sizing plan, which was targeted at low-performing, under-used schools in the city. Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt announced a plan that calls for the closing of Schenley High School at the end of the 2007-2008 school year. Roosevlet said Schenley needs numerous repairs -- including asbestos abatement -- and said the costs would run as high as $60 million. However, this figure has been rising from his original estimate of $20 million in 2006, and has not been backed up by any documents released by Mr. Roosevelt, despite multiple requests. Many argue that some renovations listed aren't actually needed and dangers have been exaggerated in order to get the building emptied to be sold. The total estimated funds for rennovations of local middle schools that the Schenley students are being relocated to, outnumber those it would have taken to simply "fix" Schenley. Mr. Roosevelt is not regarded highly by Pittsburgh Public School District parents and supporters, and continues to be challenged on many aspects of his policies.

Alma Mater

Alma Mater, God preserve thee
Dear Schenley High!
Through the years, we hope to serve thee,
Dear Schenley High!
We revere the spirit taught there,
Rev'rent minds that lived and thought there
Mem'ries of our Alma Mater,
Dear Schenley High!

Notable Alumni

*Derrick Bell-Harvard Law School's first African American professorcite news |first=Sally |last=Kalson |title=Much history will be lost with closing of Schenley |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05314/603870.stm |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=2005-11-10 |accessdate=2006-12-16 ] [cite web |url=http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/biography.asp?bioindex=919&category=lawMakers |title=Derrick Bell |accessdate=2006-12-16 |work=The HistoryMakers Web Site ]
*Larry Brown-Washington Redskins running back [cite web |url=http://www.sportsfanmagazine.com/sfm/articles.html?id=965 |title=Interview: Larry Brown |accessdate=2006-12-16 |date=2004-11-16 |work=Sports Fan Magazine Web Site |last=Janis |first=Robert ]
*Ray Brown-jazz musician
*Darnell Dinkins-Cleveland Browns tight end [cite web |url=http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/player.php?id=490 |title=Players :: Darnell Dinkins (Bio) |accessdate=2006-12-19 |work=Cleveland Browns Web Site]
*Walt Harper-jazz musician
*Maurice Lucas-former NBA all-star
*Bob Prince-sportscaster for the Pittsburgh Pirates [cite web |url=http://www.wqed.org/mag/articles/12_99/100pgh_4.html |title=Pittsburghers of the Century |accessdate=2007-05-06 |work=WQED Pittsburgh Web Site]
*Vivian Reed-singer
*Bruno Sammartino-professional wrestling's "living legend"
*Clifford Shull-Nobel laureate
*Stanley Turrentine-jazz musician
*Andy Warhol-artist
*Shawn Hawkins-professional basketball player
*Keith Meyer-professional baseball player(Seattle Mariners)/>
*George Benson-Jazz/R&B Musician
*Dejuan Blair-Pittsburgh Panther basketball player currently

Today

There are 126 total staff members including

* Sophia Facaros, principal
* Daniel Bernard, assistant principal
* Carol Pachel, assistant principal
* Rae-Ann Green, assistant principal

Enrollment

As of April 30, 2008 Schenley has 1,122 students enrolled, with demographics as follows:
*African American 753 (67.11%)
*White 273 (24.33%)
*Multi-racial 32 (2.85%)
*Asian 40 (3.57%)
*Hispanic 23 (2.05%)
*Native American 1 (0.09%)

*Male 488 (43.49%)
*Female 634 (56.51%)

Recent honors

Schenley's boys' basketball team is the PIAA Class AAAA state champion of 2007. In 2008 (as in the last four years), the Spartans were the Pittsburgh City League Champions.

References

External links

* [http://www.pps.k12.pa.us/schenley/site/default.asp School website]
* [http://www.pghboe.net Pittsburgh Public Schools]
* [http://saveschenley.netfreehost.com/ Save Schenley High School] , an online forum established to organize support to keep Schenley open
* [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06053/658849.stm Historic, asbestos-plagued Schenley deserves reprieve and makeover] , a summary and review of Schenley's history and architecture in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette