Hazelwood Central High School

Infobox Secondary school
name = Hazelwood Central High School

motto = Home of the Hawks
established =1965
type =Public high school
principal = Mr. Darrell Strong
city =Florissant
state =Missouri
country =USA
students = 2,882 (fall 2007)
faculty = 200+
athletics =
school_colors = Black, Gold
mascot = Hawks
free_label =
free =
website = [http://www.hazelwoodschools.org/high_schools/central/hazelwood_central.php Hazelwood Central High School]

Hazelwood Central High School is located at 15875 New Halls Ferry Road in unincorporated St. Louis County, just north of Florissant, MO. The school is one of three high schools in the district, the others being Hazelwood West High School and Hazelwood East High School. The school population is the largest in the state of Missouri with an enrollment of 2,882, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. [cite web|url=http://dese.mo.gov/directory/096088.html|title=Missouri School District Directory|publisher=|accessdate=2008-02-18]

History

Hazelwood Central High School (originally called Hazelwood High School) was established in 1965 to deal with the rapid growth of the Hazelwood School District during that time. Central was the only high school in the district and it quickly became overcrowded as the "baby boomers" reached high school age. [cite web|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=qTuiFxwEgS4C&pg=PT39&lpg=PT39&dq=hazelwood+central+split+shifts&source=web&ots=33bAhS2uIk&sig=hCsUVzQIgJqCxNDwEigC9tkPpZg#PPT41,M1>|title=So, Where Did You Go To High School? Vol. 2|publisher=|accessdate=2008-02-17] The rapid growth of the district proved to much even for a building of Central's size, however, and in the 1970s the school was forced to split the student body into two shifts, with one shift attending from 6:30 am to 12:30 pm, and one from 12:30 pm to 6:30 pm. In 1974, with the opening of Hazelwood East and Hazelwood West, the school returned to a more conventional day schedule.

By the 2000–2001 school year, Hazelwood Central's population was once again growing, this time in response to increasing subdivision development of the land surrounding the school, land that had for decades been open farmland. By 2005 the student body population was once again approaching 3,000 students and overcrowding was becoming a problem.

During the 2006–2007 school year, the district announced that it was redrawing the boundaries of the three high schools, effective fall 2008. The net effect of this change on Central is expected to be a reduction in enrollment from nearly 3,000 to approximately 2,500 while increasing the population at Hazelwood West.

Notable Alumni

*Randy Orton, professional wrestler [cite web|url=http://204.184.47.9/~sboerner/central/alumni/1998.html|title=Hazelwood Central Alumni - Class of 1998|publisher=Hazelwood Central Alumni|accessdate=2007-09-05]
*Kate Capshaw, actress and wife of Steven Spielberg
*Patti McGuire, wife of former tennis player Jimmy Connors and Playboy Playmate of the year 1977

References

External links

* [http://www.hazelwoodschools.org/high_schools/central/hazelwood_central.php Hazelwood Central High School website]
* [http://www.hazelwoodschools.org/ Hazelwood School District website]
* [http://www.hazelwood.k12.mo.us/~sboerner/central/alumni/alumnimenu.html Hazelwood Central High School Alumni]
* [http://www.hazelwoodschools.org/district_information/pages/district_map.php Hazelwood School District Map]
* [http://www.hazelwoodschools.org/pta/pages/new_index.php Hazelwood School District Parent Teacher Association Council]