James Wood High School

Infobox High School
name= James Wood High School

principal= Joseph Salyer
enrollment= 1,344
established= 1950
type= Public
grades= 9-12
location= 616 Apple Pie Ridge Road
campus= Suburban
colors= Blue & Gold
schedtyp= Block, 4 periods
conference= AA Northwestern District
mascot= Colonel
website= [http://www.frederick.k12.va.us/education/school/school.php?sectionid=13] |

James Wood High School is located at the northern tip of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, Virginia and is a part of the Frederick County Public School system. It is located at 161 Apple Pie Ridge Road.

James Wood High School was established in 1950 on Amherst Street as the high school for Frederick County, Virginia. It combined the students of five other high schools in the county: Gainesboro, Gore, Stonewall, Stephens City, and Middletown.

James Wood High School is rich in history and tradition. It owes its name to a famous Revolutionary War colonel, James Wood, who was also governor of Virginia from 1796 to 1799. As Frederick County grew, the need for a larger school became evident. In 1981, the "Ridge Campus", on Apple Pie Ridge Road, was opened. Between 1981 and 1993, James Wood High School operated two campuses serving 9th and 10th grade students at the "Amherst Campus" and 11th and 12th grade students at the "Ridge Campus", offering busing for students between the two campuses for some classes (band, choir, upper level science classes, etc). In the fall of 1993, with the opening of a new Frederick County high school (Sherando High School), all grades of James Wood High School were consolidated to the Ridge Campus and the Amherst Campus became James Wood Middle School.

Today, James Wood High School offers a wide range of programs formulated on the concept of teaching the total individual. Academics, athletics and activities play integral parts in the development of skills and knowledge. The current principal is Joe Salyer. There are also three additional assistant principals who divide the student authority between them.

Athletics

James Wood plays in the AA Northwestern District. Its mascot is the Colonel, and traditional rivals are John Handley High School, Sherando High School and Millbrook High School. The first is the Winchester City High School, and the last two are Frederick County High Schools. The school colors are blue and gold. Since the opening of the school in 1955, the Colonels have earned two state championships to their name; football (1970) and boys' cross country (2002), as well as numerous regional championships in various sports. In the 2006 season, James Wood's football team completed its first winning season since 1981. The football team had suffered horribly since then, posting three wins in five years around the turn of the century, finishing with a record of 7-3. James Wood has produced one notable athlete, D.C. United defender Devon McTavish

References

See also

*James Wood
*Frederick County, VA

External links

* [http://www.frederick.k12.va.us/education/school/school.php?sectionid=13 James Wood High School homepage]
* [http://www.frederick.k12.va.us/education/district/district.php?sectionid=1 Frederick County Public Schools]
* [http://www.winchesterstar.com/TheWinchesterStar/061101/Area_wood.asp Local newspaper story about the 2006 football season]