Needham High School

Needham High School
Location
Needham, Massachusetts, United States
Coordinates	42°17′14″N 71°13′51″W / 42.28722°N 71.23083°W / 42.28722; -71.23083Coordinates: 42°17′14″N 71°13′51″W / 42.28722°N 71.23083°W / 42.28722; -71.23083
Information
Type	Public secondary
Established	1938
Principal	Johnathan Pizzi
Faculty	90
Grades	9–12
Number of students	1404 (09-10) [1]
Color(s)	Blue and gold
Nickname	Rockets
Rivals	Wellesley High School (Wellesley, MA)
Newspaper	'The Hilltopper'
Yearbook	'The Advocate'
Website	Needham High School

Needham High School

Needham High School is a public high school in Needham, Massachusetts, USA, educating grades 9 through 12. Its principal is Dr. Johnathan Pizzi, who was previously the Assistant Academic Superintendent in the Boston Public Schools System. Its two assistant principals are Mr. Jonathan Bourn and Ms. Alison Coubrough Argentieri.

As of 2010, it has over 1400 students and over 90 part-time and full-time instructional staff members, plus support staff employees. Needham High School was awarded a national Silver Medal by US News and World Report for its academic excellence.^[2]

History

Needham High School is situated on a hill overlooking Memorial Park, and is located at approximately the geographical center of town. The original building (now A Building) was dedicated in 1930. As a result of the town's rapid growth following World War II, additions were opened in 1955 (B and C Buildings) and in 1967 (D and E Buildings). These newer additions were demolished in 2008 due to renovation of the school. A new wing was opened in the fall of 2006 and another smaller wing opened in the fall of 2007. The renovated high school offers laboratory facilities, computer equipment, and Smart Boards throughout the school.

Needham High School is an accredited member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The reaccreditation report issued in 1998 states, "Needham High School is an excellent school. Through student achievements and a positive environment for learning, Needham High School has consistently demonstrated outstanding and rigorous achievement. The dedicated highly able, and talented faculty and staff ensure that the needs of students are met in ways that exceed the expectations of the community. Needham High School is a source of pride to the community largely due to its rich history of accomplishment from previous and current students and to its large record of achievement."^[3]

Governing bodies

Each year the four classes hold elections to determine class president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and three class representatives. The collective term for these positions is Student Council, and each class's Student Council is responsible for community and fundraising activities for the class, including bake sales, semi formal dances, and charity donations. Other governing bodies:

• Teachers: Advisory Board
• Legislative: School Council
• District Wide: School Committee

Extracurricular activities

Sports

Students in Needham participate in athletic activities throughout the school year. Needham High School is a member of the Bay State Conference of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association and Needham competes with other towns in the state. The schools colors are gold, navy blue and white.^[4] The Needham High School mascot is a rocket, chosen in the 1950s based on cold war tensions.^[5] Prior to that, the school's mascot was a pansy, based on the town flower^{[citation needed]}.

Fall sports

• Football (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Boys and girls soccer (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Field hockey (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Girls volleyball (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Girls swimming (Varsity)
• Cross country (Varsity, JV)
• Cheerleading (Varsity)
• Golf (Varsity, JV)
• Dance Team (Varsity)

Winter sports

• Hockey (Varsity, JV)
• Boy's swimming (Varsity)
• Winter track
• Downhill skiing (Varsity, JV)
• Basketball (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Cheerleading (Varsity)
• Gymnastics (Varsity, JV)
• Wrestling (Varsity, JV)
• Dance Team (Varsity)

Spring Sports

• Lacrosse (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Baseball (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Softball (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Tennis (Varsity, JV)
• Spring Track
• Boys Volleyball (Varsity, JV)

Club Sports

The Ultimate Team was founded in 2001. It was ranked 9th in the country in 2004, 7th in 2007, and again 7th in 2010. The team beat Amherst Regional High School March 24, 2007, ending ARHS' 4 year long win streak dating back to April 2003. The State Finals of Needham vs. ARHS was named by the Ultimate Players Association as the best State Finals ever played. The team has reached the UPA High School Eastern Championships in 2007(T-3), 2009(T-7), 2010 (2nd) and 2011 (T-7). The team is coached by alumni from the 2004 team (Dan Hourigan and Jim Foster), but throughout the fall and pre-spring seasons it is largely student run and directed. There is also a B-team which plays locally and Girls Team formed in the spring of 2009.

• Rugby (boys and girls). The girls rugby squad has dwindled due to lack of participation, but the Boys Squad has had some success, and in 2010 they competed in Division 1 of the NERFU Tournament, and finished in second place at the Massachusetts Youth Rugby Organization Tournament. The Head Coaches are Physical Education teachers Diana Parkhurst and Peter Arsenault.

Football and Thanksgiving Rivalry

The football team is known as the Rockets. The school continues to participate in the oldest public high school rivalry in the nation, between Needham, Massachusetts and Wellesley. The game is played every Thanksgiving and began its tradition in 1882 when Wellesley player Arthur Judson Oldman challenged the Needham team. The game was played at Wellesley's Morton Field and had little in common with modern football. The rivalry has continued uninterrupted since the event, with Wellesley maintaining the slight edge, 59-55-9. The last meeting in Thanksgiving of 2010 resulted in the Rockets winning against the Raiders in a 20–17 game.

Performing arts

The Needham High School's Performing Arts department was run by director J. Scott Brumit until his retirement after the 2007 musical. In 2006 the musical West Side Story was sold out in the week before the show.^{[citation needed]}

Another performing arts group at Needham High School is the Dance Team. The Dance Team is in its sixth year, and was only recently recognized as a Varsity Sport as opposed to a Club team. The team performs at football and basketball home games during halftime. In 2003 they came in first place at a National Competition in Orlando, Florida, and got to perform their routine before the Outback Bowl in front of 17,000 people. In 2009, the Dance Team won the state title, beating out fellow Bay State Conference rival Braintree.^[6] The Dance Team recently took home 1st place in both the 2011 Bay State conference as well as the 2011 State competition, once again beating out fellow rival Braintree. (Led by captains Jacqueline Santamaria, Kendra O'Connor, and Savanna Simpson).

Other clubs and teams

The school has over thirty extracurricular clubs and activities including a marching band, a Latin club, a speech and debate team, a math team, a mock trial team, an academic bowl team, a model congress team, a Spanish club, a robotics team, and a gay-straight alliance. The speech and debate team has produced winners at local and national tournaments and competition. Needham High School's extracurricular organizations are coordinated by faculty advisors although they have student-elected officials and are largely run by students.

Curricular offerings

Foreign languages

Classes are offered in French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Latin.^[7] The foreign language program offers beginning courses in all the languages as well as logical continuation sequences from the middle school language programs. French, Spanish, and Mandarin courses extend from introductory levels to Advanced Placement courses. A program called INDEX, short for independent exploration, allows high-ability and highly motivated students to pursue languages or levels which are not offered.

Science

The science department offers a laboratory-based science curriculum. The departmental sequence in science consists of biology in ninth grade, physics in tenth grade, chemistry in eleventh grade, and Advanced Placement and elective courses in the twelfth grade. AP courses are offered in chemistry, biology, and physics. Science elective courses offered at Needham High School include Environmental Science, 20th Century Physics, Marine Biology, Introduction to Astronomy, and Anatomy and Physiology.^[7]

Social studies

The social studies department requires students to complete a three year sequence including World History (9th grade), World and American History (10th grade), and an American History course (11th grade). The social studies department also offers a several elective majors, available for junior and senior students. These include Psychology and Sociology, Economics, the World Since 1945, American Legal System, and Chinese Traditions. The department offers two advanced placement courses: AP United States History and AP United States Government.^[7]

Mathematics

Standard mathematics classes are offered through AP Calculus BC and AP Statistics. Previously, there was an Interactive Mathematics Program (IMP) program offered through junior year. In addition, Computer Science courses are offered at the introductory and AP levels.^[7]

Fine and performing arts

Along with elective fine arts courses in architectural design, graphic design, ceramics, photography, production printing, the school offers a four year art sequence. Additionally, the school offers several courses in the performing arts, such as Orchestra and Chorus. Certain music courses at Needham High Schools, such as Concert Chorale and Jazz Ensemble require an audition and have practices and rehearsals after school; additionally, there is an after-school chorus course for students who are not able to take chorus during the day. The Fine and Performing Arts department offers two Advanced Placement courses: AP Music Theory and AP Studio Art. Certain courses (particularly the second, third, and fourth-year courses) in the art sequence, as well as the AP Music Theory course, are weighted into a student's GPA. As a graduation requirement, Needham High School requires that students complete the equivalent of two full year art courses.^[7]

Community classroom

As a graduation requirement, students must earn two community classroom credits. Students may earn one credit by either completing thirty hours of community service or alternatively by at least twelve hours of work per week for one semester during the school year. Community service opportunities include volunteer service as well as internships. Only one credit may be earned through work experience.

Associated Programs

METCO Program

Needham is a member of the METCO Program, which allows inner-city Boston students to attend the school.

Notable alumni and teachers

• James S. Gracey, Commandant of the Coast Guard^[8]
• Eric Johnson, NFL tight end who is a free agent.^[9]
• Mike Tannenbaum, NFL New York Jets General Manager
• Bert and John Jacobs, founders of the 'Life is Good' t-shirt company
• Robbie Ftorek, NHL coach, born and raised in Needham(Class of 1970)
• Karl Ravech, ESPN Baseball Tonight anchor, born and raised in Needham
• Sarah Saltzberg, actress/singer, star of Broadway's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
• Jeff Taylor, founder of Monster.com
• Sunita Williams graduated from Needham High School in 1983, U.S. Naval Academy graduate, currently a NASA astronaut
• Lee Eisenberg, film and television writer (Year One, The Office)
• Charles D. Baker, Republican candidate in the 2010 Massachusetts gubernatorial election.
• Alexandra Raisman, gymnast

References

1. ^ "Member Details – NEASC: Commission on Public Secondary Schools". New England Association of Schools and Colleges. http://cpss.neasc.org/cpss_directory_of_schools/details/1710. Retrieved June 1, 2010. 
2. ^ "Needham High: Best High Schools". U.S. News & World Report, L.P. 2008. http://www.usnews.com/listings/high-schools/massachusetts/needham_high. Retrieved June 30, 2008. 
3. ^ "Our School". Needham Public Schools. http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/core/OurSchool. Retrieved June 1, 2010. 
4. ^ "Pay to Play – Globe West Updates". The New York Times Company. July 14, 2006. http://www.boston.com/news/globe/west/2006/07/pay_to_play.html. Retrieved May 24, 2007. 
5. ^ "Needham High School has a new mascot – Wicked Local Needham". November 10, 2010. http://www.wickedlocal.com/needham/news/x412543242/Needham-High-School-has-a-new-mascot-Rocky-the-Rocketl. 
6. ^ "Needham High School Dance Team wins state title – Needham, Massachusetts – Needham Times". Wicked Local. http://www.wickedlocal.com/needham/fun/entertainment/arts/x599195945/Needham-High-School-Dance-Team-wins-state-title. Retrieved June 1, 2010. 
7. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Needham High School Program of Studies". Needham Public Schools. 2007. Archived from the original on April 2, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070402193026/http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/pos/POS-07-08/index.html. Retrieved May 24, 2007. 
8. ^ http://www.uscg.mil/history/WEBORALHISTORY/Gracey_Interview_1_12.pdf
9. ^ Hazlett, Alexandra (July 6, 2010). "Jessica Simpson dating former San Francisco 49ers tight end Eric Johnson". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/07/05/2010-07-05_jessican_simpson_has_a_new_man_ex49ers_tight_end_eric_johnson__tmz_reports.html. 

External links

• Needham Public Schools website
• Official Needham High School website