Ballard High School (Seattle, Washington)
| Ballard High School | |
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To honor thee we trophies bring
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| Address | |
| 1418 Northwest 65th Street Seattle, Washington, 98117 United States |
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| Information | |
| Established | 1903 |
| Status | Open |
| School district | Seattle Public Schools |
| Principal | Keven Wynkoop |
| Vice principal | Elizabeth Guillory |
| Athletic Director | Carrie Burr |
| Staff | 137 |
| Faculty | 89 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 1,632 (2010-2011) |
| Average class size | 27 |
| Campus | Urban |
| Campus size | 12.71 acres (51,436 m²) |
| Color(s) | Red and Black |
| Fight song | "Cheer Cheer" |
| Athletics | 18 varsity teams |
| Athletics conference | Sea-King: Kingco 4A |
| Mascot | Beavers |
| Rival | Roosevelt High School |
| Newspaper | The Talisman |
| Yearbook | The Shingle |
| Budget | $9,012,087 |
| Communities served | Ballard, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Greenwood, Crown Hill, Phinney Ridge, Fremont, Interbay |
| Feeder schools | Hamilton International Middle School Marcus Whitman Middle School |
| Website | Official Website |
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| School Entrance | |
Ballard High School is a high school in Seattle, Washington, located in the Ballard neighborhood.
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[edit] Mission statement
"Ballard High School is an inclusive, supportive community that cultivates a tradition of excellence for all students." ~adopted May, 2008[1]
[edit] History
Ballard High School got its start in the fall of 1901, when the Ballard School District added grades eleven and twelve to the already existing Central School, creating the first four-year high school in the Ballard area. The very small school, soon to be known as Ballard High School, was located at 5308 Tallman Ave. There were three people on the faculty, including the principal, Harry F. Giles. The first graduating class had four members and held its commencement on June 23, 1902.[2]
By 1905, enrollment had grown to 80 students. Ballard became part of the city of Seattle in 1907 and the high school became part of the Seattle Public School System.[2]
Ballard High School moved to its present location during Christmas vacation 1915. The school could accommodate 1,000 students. Three hundred of them were transferred from Lincoln. The building was remodeled three times, once in 1925, then again in 1941 and for the last time in 1959. At that time, the student body had grown to over 2,000.[2]
That structure was demolished the summer 1997 due to asbestos contamination and was replaced with the current facility. The student body was housed in the old Lincoln High School building during the 1997-98 and 1998-99 school years. Lincoln was undergoing a remodel to become a middle school, the students who attended Ballard at Lincoln High had no bells to mark classes, limited classrooms, and cubically separated classrooms in the library and gymnasium facilities for the 1997-98 school year. This was due to the fact half of the facility at Lincoln was still closed for renovations (the half that held the majority of the divided classrooms). Finally in September 1999, Ballard High School returned to 1418 NW 65th St. to occupy a brand new building with the ability to accommodate evolving technology and more than 1,500 students.[2]
[edit] Clubs and organizations
[edit] Speech and Debate Team
The Ballard High School Speech and Debate Team returned to BHS after nearly 20 years without a forensics program at the school. The team offers all types of debate and speech events recognized by the National Forensics League. The Ballard Debate Team is the only completely paperless high school team in the State of Washington.[citation needed] Students in the program participate in Policy Debate, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, Extemporaneous Speaking, Original Oratory and Dramatic Interpretation.[3]
[edit] Academic Programs
[edit] Music
The award-winning Ballard High School Music Department, the most complete high school music program in the city, is proud of its rich musical history.[citation needed] Under the direction of Mr. Michael James and Ms. Courtney Rowley, the program has gained a reputation throughout the Northwest and beyond for its high level of musical excellence.[citation needed] BHS students have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of music ensembles and experiences, including a full range of offerings in choir, band, orchestra, and jazz. Opportunities include concerts, community performances, parades, festivals, competitions, camps, and group travel. The Music Program fosters an atmosphere which allows all students to grow musically while learning to be team members and develop individual artistry. Over 300 students participate in the music program, and Ballard’s Music Alumni have gone on to attend many of the nation’s most prestigious music schools.[citation needed]
[edit] Academies (School Within a School)
Ballard High maintains three formal academies on campus. These are: Biotechnology Career Academy; Finance Academy; Maritime Academy. Each of these academies comprises an integrated curriculum across content areas. Students enrolled in these academies are part of the Ballard student population but have chosen to participate in a specific content area of focus. The Biotechnology Career Academy is a three year program that links science-language arts-mathematics as the integrated curriculum. This academy enrolls one starting ninth grade cohort and one tenth grade cohort each year and has done so since 1997. The science focus begins with biology in the first year followed by chemistry the second year and concludes with genetics in the third and final year. Each year of the program there is a student project that helps prepare the students for public speaking, project organization and writing skills. There is a greater than 90% acceptance rate for the program graduates into four-year colleges/universities. Achievements by the Finance and Maritime Academies are equally impressive but details will need to be added at a later time.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Grynch - class of 2004 - Hip Hop/Rap artist based out of Seattle, Washington. Real name is John Overlie
- Karsten Solheim - class of 1931 - founder of PING golf club company
- Paul Enquist - class of 1973 - 1984 Men's Double Scull Olympic gold medal winner (double partner Brad Alan Lewis)
- Jean Smart - class of 1969 - Actress
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.ballardbeavers.org/
- ^ a b c d History of Ballard High School
- ^ "Ballard Beavers Speech and Debate". About the Team. http://ballarddebate.org/about/. Retrieved Sept 18, 2011.
[edit] External links
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