Brockton High School

Brockton High School
Location
Coordinates	42°4′5″N 71°2′39″W
Information
School type	Public high school
Principal	Susan Szachowitz
Faculty	998
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	4,419
Color(s)	Black & Red
Mascot	Boxer
Rivals	Durfee, New Bedford, Bridgewater-Raynham, Waltham
Website	http://www.bpsma.org

Brockton High School, established in 1871, is a high school located in Brockton, Massachusetts and is the largest high school in Massachusetts and New England. Although it is smaller by approximately 200 students than Reading High School, Brockton is the 2nd largest high school East of the Mississippi River, and is also one of the largest high schools in the United States. Brockton High School's colors are Black & Red and their mascot is the Boxers, which is a reference to the storied boxing history of the city, and also a tribute to hall-of-fame boxers Rocky Marciano and Marvin Hagler, who are both from Brockton and alumni of Brockton High School.

History

When Brockton High was established, it could house only 125 students. As the population of Brockton grew, there was increasing demand for a larger building. In 1906, a new high school was constructed, consisting of an "A" building and a "B" building. By the 1960s, student numbers exceeded capacity, causing split sessions; upper classmen and sophomores attended school at different times of the day. The sophomores attended in the afternoon while the upperclassman took their classes in the morning. In 1965, the City Council Finance Committee approved an $8 million proposal to construct a new high school to accommodate the swelling student body. In 1965, the ground for the new building was broken and in 1970, the school was complete. The "A" building has since been torn down, and the "B" building currently houses an alternative high school. As of May 2007, there were about 4,265 students in the nine buildings which comprise the current high school. The building is approximately the size of an aircraft carrier (1/3 mile long) and has 13.5 acres (55,000 m²) of floor space, about half the size of the Prudential Center in Boston.[1]

Campus

Brockton High School is set on a small urban campus comprising 9 buildings including 4 student academic buildings divided by colors (Azure, green, red, and yellow). The campus also does feature a gym, football stadium, ice skating rink, Olympic sized swimming pool, 1608 seat capacity auditorium, TV and Radio stations, and a planetarium.

The current Brockton High School campus was state of the art for its time when it first opened in 1970, for it featured a modern greenhouse, planetarium, a modern public address system with a tone (siren) used for class-change signaling (in contrast to standard class-change bells) and telephones, and a high-tech (for 1970) TV studio.

Academics

In 2005, 98% of the senior class (850 students) graduated. In 2008 78% of the graduating senior class planned to pursue a college degree.^{[citation needed]} In 2006, Brockton High School was a recipient of the National School Change Award.^{[citation needed]} Brockton High School was one of 7 schools in the United States to receive this award. Out of the seven schools, there were only two high schools.^{[citation needed]}

Athletics

Brockton High is quite well known for its athletics, especially football, having established themselves as one of the most storied, successful, well-known, and dominant football teams in the country.

• In the past 20 years, the football team has achieved 9 perfect or one-loss seasons.
• Since 1972, the football team has made 17 appearances in the Division 1 Super Bowl, winning it 11 times.
• The football team has made USA Today's Top 25 list a total of 4 times. In 1984 (#7), 1985 (#9), 1987 (#5), and 1988 (#17).
• Over 25 players from Brockton have played in the NFL, including Ken MacAfee and Rudy Harris.
• Brockton is the 14th winningest high school football program in the country.
• Armond Colombo, who coached at Brockton for 34 years (1968–2003), is the winningest coach in Massachusetts. (316-100-5)

[2]

The school's mascot is the Boxer. The actual mascot is a dog, but the name is a pun in reference to Rocky Marciano and Marvin Hagler, two famous boxers from Brockton. The stadium in which the Brockton High School Boxers football, soccer and outdoor track teams play is called Rocky Marciano Stadium. The BHS baseball team plays in the newly constructed Campanelli Stadium, which also plays host to the professional baseball team, the Brockton Rox, of the Can-Am League.

Clubs and activities

There is a club for most of the cultures that are within the student body (cape-verdian club, haitian club.....) There are also a number of programs students can join, (My TURN, H.E.R.O, peer mediation, student council, yearbook commitee)

Music Department

The music department consists of a concert band and advanced concert band, two jazz ensembles, a wind ensemble, marching band, a repertory choir and concert choir, jazz choir, and Harmonics choir.

In 2006, the BHS Wind Ensemble competed in the Music Festival's competition in Virginia. They were awarded first place.^{[citation needed]}

In 2010, both the BHS Wind Ensemble and BHS Advanced Jazz Band competed in the Music Festival's competition in Virginia. Both were awarded first place.

JROTC-Boxer Battalion

The Army JROTC battalion held 2 state champion drill teams. They are the current holder of the Governors Cup and regional champions. On October 14, 2010 the JROTC Boxer Battalion won the 'Honor Unit with Distinction' award for the Second Time.

Notable alumni

• Patrick Murphy - Poker Professional
• Kristian Alfonso - Actress
• Kenneth Feinberg - Special Master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
• Rocky Marciano - Heavyweight boxing champion
• Garfield Bright - Pop singer in R&B group Shai (band)
• Ken MacAfee - Professional football player
• Greg McMurtry - Professional football player
• Rudy Harris - Professional football player
• Robert Skaltsis - Professional musician
• Herbert Warren Wind - Author
• Tyrone Pruitt - Professional football player - Detroit Lyons.
• Pooch Hall - Actor
• Kim Kelleher - National Board Certified School Counselor

References

• History of Brockton Public School