Edina High School

Infobox_School2 | name = Edina High School


motto =
established = 1949
type = Public
head_name = Principal
head = Dr. Bruce Locklear (aka Doc Loc)
students = 1,768
mascot = Hornet
free_label = Colors
free = Green, White, and Gold
city = Edina
state = Minnesota
country = United States of America
website = [http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/edinahigh/ www.edina.k12.mn.us/edinahigh]

Edina High School is a three-year public high school located in Edina, Minnesota, a first-tier suburb of Minneapolis. The school was founded in 1949 and has a current enrollment of approximately 2,000 students.

Edina High School is identified as a "Five Star School" by the Minnesota Department of Education and a "National School of Excellence" by the U. S. Department of Education. "Newsweek" ranked the school #89 in their "List of the 1200 Top High Schools in America", [cite web| title =The Top of the Class| work =The complete list of the 1,200 top U.S. schools| publisher = MSNBC| date =2007| url =http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12532678/site/newsweek/| accessdate =2007-05-23] and the Grammy Foundation selected it as one of forty-two "Signature Schools" recognizing Edina's contributions to music education. Ninety-six percent of seniors go onto college and eighty-six percent finish in five years. A recent survey conducted 10 years after graduation showed that 45% of Edina graduates completed graduate school degrees or were pursuing graduate degrees. [Graduation Percents, [http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/district/fastfacts.htm Edina High School website] ]

Following a review of over 30,000 U.S. High Schools, Sports Illustrated ranked the Edina High School athletic program 8th in the U.S for 2005. (Sports Illustrated, May, 2005). History teacher Lonni Skrentner was selected Minnesota History Teacher of the Year in 2004 by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. 72% of Edina High School teachers hold advanced, specialist, or doctoral degrees.

A second high school, Edina West High School, opened in 1973 adjacent to Valley View Junior High. At that time, what was known as Edina High School was renamed Edina East High School. However, due to declining enrollment Edina East was closed in 1981 and became the Edina Community Center while Edina West became Edina High School.

In November 2003, city of Edina residents passed an $85.8 million bond referendum [$85.8 million bond referendum, [http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/edinahigh/ourschool/principal.htm Edina High School website] ] to renovate all school facilities in the district, with the high school undergoing major renovations. Construction began on the high school in May 2004 and was completed in 2007.

History

Before a high school opened in Edina, students looking to extend their education past eighth grade had to find their way down to the old Central High School at 4th Avenue and South 11th Street in Minneapolis.Sullivan, Joe. (Spring 2003) "144-year-old Edina Public School System has a Proud Heritage". "About Town." (Official Magazine of the City of Edina) [http://www.ci.edina.mn.us/PDFs/AboutTown/L4-91_AboutTown_2003Spring.pdf PDF] . p. 8-16] By the 1940s some Edina students in grades 10 through 12 attended private high schools. Of those who could not afford to attend a private high school, some were enrolled at St. Louis Park High School while many others were being "farmed out" to West and Southwest High Schools in Minneapolis. In 1941, Minneapolis schools raised their tuition for out-of-city students, and despite the increase, Edina residents voted to pay the increased tuition rather than build their own high school.

During the mid-1940s, support for an Edina-Morningside junior and senior high school was increasing. However, World War II and the resulting shortage of building materials delayed construction of the Edina-Morningside junior and senior high. But after the war, support for the new school began to resurface. Two sites for the new school had the most support. One was on the property that is currently occupied by the Edina Country Club near 50th Street and Wooddale Avenue and the other was at West 56th Street and Normandale Road. Although the 50th and Wooddale site was the center of the village's population at the time, the 56th and Normandale site was nearer to the school district's geographic center and was the eventual site chosen to build the new school. The first high school to open in Edina, later known as Edina East, is now the site of the Edina Community Center and Normandale Elementary School. It was built as a combination high school/junior high. A $1.25 million school bond issue was passed in 1946 by the residents of Edina and ground was broken in October 1947. A year later the school was dedicated. It was not until the fall of 1949 that classes began and it was at that time that the student body chose the school colors (green and white) and the school mascot, the Hornet. The school had 28 classrooms, 11 special rooms and laboratories, a library and a special radio room. In 1952, one year after the first class graduated, a gymnasium and auditorium were added to the building. In the 1960s, the high school was becoming overcrowded. As a result, on October 20, 1970, a $9.255 million bond issue was approved by voters to construct a new high school attached to Valley View Junior High School. Construction of the new high school began on May 24, 1971 and the school was opened in the fall of 1972. The Edina East High School retained the "Hornets" and Edina West High School became the "Cougars."

In 1981, due to declining enrollment, Edina East was closed and Edina West was renamed Edina High School. Part of the old high school building was converted to the Edina kindergarten center in 1987 and the Edina Senior Center. Today the building is used as a community center, housing the French Immersion K-5 elementary school and the school district's main offices.

Extracurricular

* The school newspaper is Zephyrus, and is a member of the High School National Ad Network.
* The school has a student-published literary magazine entitled "Images."
* The school yearbook is titled Windigo.

Athletics

In the May 16, 2005 issue of "Sports Illustrated", Edina High School's athletic program was ranked #8 among all United States high schools [Menez, Gene, Andrea Woo and Doug Huff. Best High School Athletic Programs. "Sports Illustrated". May 16, 2005. [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/magazine/05/11/top.high.school0516/] ] .

Edina High School is a member of the Classic Lake Conference in the Minnesota State High School League. Edina claims 125 high school state championships, most of them earned in tennis, girls swimming, and boys hockey. In 2000, the school was recognized as the first school in the state of Minnesota to win more than 100 state championships. The boys' hockey team has won a state-record nine championships, eight under Willard Ikola alone. Edina holds the record for most consecutive state championships in girls tennis with fifteen from 1978 to 1992 [ Girls Tennis Consecutive State Championship Victories, [http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/records.asp?actnum=420 Minnesota State High School League website] ] .

Key: E = Edina East, W = Edina West

#- Denotes state record
#The 1999 state championship was a tie between Eden Prairie High School and Edina High School; this was the first tie at a state championship in Minnesota
* 1969 Before playoffs existed, 1969 undefeated Edina Hornets were ranked #1 in the state. Team was mentioned in Sports Illustrated.

Notable alumni

*Ric Flair (1967), Former pro wrestler of the WWE and AWA.
* Paris Bennett (through 11th grade), contestant on the television show American Idol. She finished 5th in the 5th season [ [http://www.tv.com/paris-bennett/person/423329/biography.html Paris Bennett reference] ]
* David Bloom (1981), reporter Edina Education Fund, [http://www.edinaedfund.com/alumni_hall_fame.htm Alumni Hall of Fame] ]
* Roy J. Bostock (1958), business executive
* Robert Bruss (1958), lawyer, real estate broker, author, and newspaper columnist
* Brian Burke (1973), General Manager and executive VP, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim [ [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030429/SMAKI/Columnists/Idx Toronto Globe and Mail, April 29, 2003: It's the true Hockeytown USA and has the history to prove it] ]
* Barbara Peterson Burwell 1972), Miss USA 1976
* Joseph Cavanaugh (1977) Founder of Youth Frontiers [ [http://www.youthfrontiers.org/news_letters/edinamag.html Youth Frontiers | Youth Frontiers - Teaching Values. Building Character ] ]
* Stan Freese (1962), tuba player, band director, and talent booking & casting director with The Walt Disney Company
* Sam Gill (2001), Edina's first Rhodes Scholar recipient, 2006
* Adam Goldberg (1998), NFL player [Minnesota Vikings, [http://www.vikings.com/player_detail_objectname_adam_goldberg.html Vikings player profile of Adam Goldberg] ]
* Gord Hampson (1977), retired National Hockey League player. [ [http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12835 Legends of Hockey - NHL Player Search - Player - Gord Hampson ] ]
* Karl Mecklenburg (1978), NFL Pro-Bowl linebacker with the Denver Broncos
* Bill Nyrop (1970), a professional hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens. Member of 2 Stanley Cup winning teams.
* Greg Olson (1979), former catcher for the Atlanta Braves.
* Mary Anderson Pawlenty (1979) Wife of Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty [ [http://www.firstlady.state.mn.us/biography.html The First Lady of Minnesota - Mary Pawlenty :: Biography ] ]
* Paul Ranheim (1984), professional hockey player who played for Calgary, Hartford, Carolina, Philadelphia, and Phoenix from 1988 to 2003.
* Kaylin Richardson (2003), 2006 Olympic skier
* Scott Wexler (1998) Managing Partner Lazerious Investments - $16 billion dollar event driven hedge fund located in New York City. Was also featured in New York Magazine's "30 most eligible bachelors under 30"
* Jeff Wright (1967), former defensive back with the Minnesota Vikings.
* Jonathan Yuhas (1988) Television Meteorologist for NBC Affiliate KARE 11 TV Minneapolis/St.Paul [ [http://www.kare11.com/company/bios/talent_article.aspx?storyid=127627&GID=JQPR8zl2ERLcYx35mS4q7iFinw9U5VJgbx5msHU76Jw%3D New Header ] ]

ee also

* Valley View Middle School

References

External links

* [http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/edinahigh/ Edina High School website]
* [http://www.edina.k12.mn.us Edina School District 273]
* [http://www.edinahigh70.org Edina High Class of 1970]