Cleveland Heights High School

Cleveland Heights High School
Address
13263 Cedar Road Cleveland Heights, Ohio, (Cuyahoga County), 44118  United States
Coordinates	41°30′8″N 81°33′47″W / 41.50222°N 81.56306°W / 41.50222; -81.56306Coordinates: 41°30′8″N 81°33′47″W / 41.50222°N 81.56306°W / 41.50222; -81.56306
Information
Type	Public, Coeducational high school
Established	1901
School district	Cleveland Heights – University Heights City School District
Superintendent	Douglas Heuer[1]
Principal	Darcel Williams[1]
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	1909  (2006-2007)
Color(s)	Black and Gold [1]
Athletics conference	Lake Erie League[1]
Team name	Tigers[1]
Athletic Director	Kristin Hughes[1]
Website	http://www.chuh.org/heights_high.shtml

Cleveland Heights High School (or commonly known as Heights) is the senior high school of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District.

History

Cleveland Heights High School was founded in 1901. The current student population is more than 1800, with 18 students per full-time teacher.

The school is mostly African-American, with 76% identifying themselves as such, and Caucasian (19%), multiracial (4%) and Asian (1%) minorities.

Heights is known for its athletic teams, which play in Division I.

The school is known for its strong music departments, including the Vocal Music Department (VMD) which include A Cappella, Men's and Woman's Barbershop, Singers, and Men and Women's choruses. There is also a Gospel Choir which is an extracurricular group. The Instrumental Music Department (IMD) consists of the well respected Heights High Symphony, Symphonic Winds, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Concert Orchestra, Marching Band, Jazz Lab, and Jazz Band. During the 1960 and 1970s, Heights High's music programs were nationally renowned with the Choir and Orchestra considered amongst the best in the country. For a number of years, world renowned musicians performed with the Orchestra and the Heights Band & Orchestra Parents organization and Heights Choir Parents Organization played a major role in promoting music and making Heights High synonymous with the highest quality music. Recently, the Heights High Symphony, Symphonic Winds and Jazz Ensemble competed in the 2007 Heritage Festival in Chicago, Illinois culminating at an award ceremony at Medieval Times where the Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Jazz Ensemble received Gold (or Superior) ratings.

The school is also known for its student-run newspaper, The Black & Gold, as well as for its former AP Calculus BC program.

The life stories of forty-eight fascinating graduates of Cleveland Heights High School are featured in the book Every Tiger Has a Tale written by Gary Stromberg, a 1968 graduate of the school.

In 1991, the school won the 23rd National High School chess tournament. The team consisted of Andy Gard, Joshua Jex, Ari Singer and Wenning Xing. Wenning Xing also tied for the second place individual spot with a score of 6.0 out of seven; Josh Waitzkin (of "Searching for Bobby Fischer" fame) took first place with 6.5 out of seven.^[2]

Gates Foundation involvement

Heights High School recently became a pilot school for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Small schools movement. Heights has divided itself into what used to be five and now four small schools designed to improve student achievement based on an individual's learning style. The five schools at Heights^[3] are:

• Legacy
• Mosaic Experience
• R.E.A.L.
• Renaissance
• P.R.I.D.E was removed after the 2010-2011 school year

Much controversy among the student population and teachers as well has risen around the implementation of Small Schools at Heights as well as how they have been run.^{[citation needed]}

Former Heights High Instrumental Music Directors:

• 1969–1988: Director Robert Bergantino. While at Heights High his orchestras were recognized as being among the best in the country as evidenced by numerous appearances at Music Education Conferences, a perfect record of receiving unanimous "I" ratings in every competition entered, and 19 touring appearances in many parts of the country.^[4]

• 1974–2001: James W. Bane. While at Heights High School his teaching responsibilities included Symphonic Winds, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Marching Band and Jazz Band. Mr. Bane's was well known for Jazz Nights, featuring the schools talent, as well as consistently directing an 100+ member Marching Band.^[5] Mr Bane and Dr. Mayer are responsible for starting the Chamber Ensemble elective at Heights High School ^[6]

• 2001-Present: Brett Baker

• 1992–2004: Director Dr. Frederick R Mayer. His teaching responsibilities included Heights High Symphony, Concert Orchestra, Chamber Ensembles, Marching Band, African-American music, music theory and music technology. During the summer months Dr. Mayer was the director of the Cleveland Music School Settlement Summer Music & Fine Arts Camp.^[7]

• 2004-2007: Director Donna Dehn. Was responsible for teaching and directing the Symphony Orchestra, Concert Orchestra, AP Music Theory and the Chamber program, which consists of approximately 20 student chamber groups. These groups compete at OMEA Solo and Ensemble contest, perform recitals at Heights High, and provide live music at community functions.

• 2007–2009: Scott Astey.

• 2009-Present: Daniel Heim.

Heights High Vocal Music Department

Heights High Vocal music director Craig L. McGaughey was first employed at Heights during the 2000–2001 school year to teach Heights Singers, Heights A Cappella Choir, and Men's and Women's Choruses which consist of over 150 students per year. These groups compete at national competitions and at O.M.E.A Solo and Ensemble contest, perform concerts at Heights High, and perform at many community venues. The Heights Singers and A Cappella Choir have won many national competitions and go on a yearly tour.

Facts

• Name commonly shortened to “Heights”
• Team Names: Tigers, Lady Tigers, Tigersharks (Swimming)
• Colors: Black and Gold
• Location: Cleveland Heights, Ohio, a suburb on the east side of Cleveland, at the corner of Cedar and Lee roads.
• Had 1,909 students for the 2006-07 school year.
• Had a well recognized AP Calculus BC program under the instruction of teacher Jim Voytas. This program was recognized by the Siemens Foundation [2] which acknowledged Voytas with an Advanced Placement award for his work. Voytas retired at the end of the 2008-2009 school year.
• Was featured in the 2006 movie The OH in Ohio that included Mischa Barton and Danny DeVito. The cafeteria and pool are easily recognizable, along with other spots frequented by Heights High students such as Coventry Village.
• Has a well-respected Technical Theatre program, currently led by Keith Newman.

Ohio High School Athletic Association state championships

Further information: Ohio High School Athletic Association

• Baseball — 1947 ^[8]
• Basketball — 1997 ^[9]
• Hockey — 1973, 1977, 1987
• Swimming — 1932, 1933, 1934, 1965
• Wrestling — 1976 ^[10]
• Track and Field — 1941, 1982, 2008
• Girls Track and Field — 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995

Other non-OHSAA state titles

• Girls Lacrosse — 2006

External links

• Cleveland Heights High School website
• Cleveland Heights High School Alumni website (unofficial)
• Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District website
• The Alvin Gray Archives of the Cleveland Heights - University Heights School District
• Heights High History
• Heights High Hall of Fame
• GreatSchools.net overview
• Small Schools Main Page
• Ice Hockey Team's website

Notes and references

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} OHSAA. "Ohio High School Athletic Association member directory". http://www.cdab.org/members.asp?SCHOOL_ID=385. Retrieved 2010-02-17. 
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District
4. ^ CHHS: Dr. Frederick R. Mayer
5. ^ Untitled Document
6. ^ http://resources.chuh.org/CHHS/IMD/chamber/cos.html
7. ^ CHHS: Dr. Frederick R. Mayer
8. ^ Yappi. "Yappi Sports Baseball". http://www.yappi.com/baseball/StateChamps.html. Retrieved 2007-02-12. 
9. ^ Yappi. "Yappi Sports Basketball D1". http://www.yappi.com/boysbasketball/D1.html. Retrieved 2007-02-12. 
10. ^ Yappi. "Yappi Sports Wrestling". http://www.yappi.com/statechamps/wrestling.html. Retrieved 2007-02-12.