Farmington High School (Connecticut)
| Farmington High School | |
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| Type | Public |
| Principal | Dr. Timothy Breslin |
| Faculty | 80 |
| Students | 1,400 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Location | 10 Monteith Drive, Farmington, Connecticut, USA |
| District | Farmington Public Schools |
| Colors | Maroon and White |
| Mascot | Indians |
| Yearbook | The Exodus |
| Newspaper | The Voice |
| Website | Farmington High School |
Farmington High School is a public high school in Farmington, Connecticut serving grades 9-12. In Newsweek's 2005 poll, FHS ranked #1 Connecticut and #271 in the nation, scoring high on both the challenge index and the equity and excellence index.
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[edit] Academics
To graduate, a student at FHS must earn 22.0 credits, pass the state CAPT exam, and demonstrate proficiency in French or Spanish. Following the "physics first" philosophy, FHS requires all freshmen to take physics. Students' post-graduate plans reflect the school's academic excellence. Of the 308 graduates in 2008, 83% went on to four-year colleges, 12% to two-year colleges or tech schools, 3% to employment, and 0.5% to military service. FHS seniors apply competitively to the most selective schools in the nation.
FHS has a rigorous AP program. During the 2007-2008 school year, 390 students took 936 exams, and 76% scored a 3 or better. By graduation, 62% of the Class of 2008 had taken an AP course. Currently, FHS offers 20 AP courses:
| English Literature | Government & Politics | Statistics | Physics B | French |
| English Language | Macroeconomics | Computer Science | Physics C | Spanish |
| US History | Calculus AB | Biology | Studio Art | Music Theory |
| European History | Calculus BC | Chemistry | Drawing and Painting | Environmental Science |
95% of students take the SAT. In 2008, the mean scores were 553 in critical reading, 548 in math, and 545 in writing.
[edit] Music
Farmington High School's music department is one of Connecticut's largest and most active. FHS has a large presence at the CMEA Northern Regional Music Festival, and is usually second only to Greenwich High School in the number of musicians it sends to the CMEA All-State Festival. Farmington has sent students to the MENC All-Eastern Music Festival as well. In 2008, more students qualified for the Northern Regional Music Festival (77), the CT All-State Music Festival (26), and the All-Eastern Music Festival (6) than ever before.
The music department hosts a variety of ensembles:
- Three wind ensembles
- A jazz band and improv combo
- "Saxophonosaurus", the Farmington High School Saxophone Quartet
- A percussion ensemble
- Two women's ensembles, a men's ensemble, a mixed choir
- Two select a cappella choirs, including the Madrigals, a mixed group, and the Oriana singers, a women's select group
- Four orchestras, including a symphony orchestra and a chamber orchestra
Farmington is a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society and is an active participant in the American Choral Directors Association.
The Farmington High School Music Department has toured, performed, and competed in cities and countries around the world, including San Antonio (2004), Boston, Mexico, England, Ireland (2006), Washington D.C., and New York (2008). Its orchestra performed at Carnegie Hall in 2007 and both the orchestra and the band competed in 2008. Most recently, the department performed in the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida as a part of Disney Magic Music Days in 2010.
[edit] Drama
Each year the Drama department produces a play, usually performed in March. Beginning in the 2010-2011 year, the Drama department produced two shows -- a play and a musical -- for the first time, with the musical taking the March slot and the play being moved to the fall. 2012 will see three productions, a play in the fall and two musicals in the spring.
| Year | Productions |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Brigadoon |
| 2011 | The Dining Room |
| 2011 | Oliver! |
| 2010 | Afternoon of the Elves |
| 2010 | The Heidi Chronicles |
| 2009 | The Diary of Anne Frank |
| 2008 | Daisy Pulls It Off, Amahl and The Night Visitors |
| 2007 | The Learned Ladies |
| 2006 | The Laramie Project, Anything Goes |
| 2005 | The Man Who Came to Dinner |
| 2004 | The Crucible |
| 2003 | A Midsummer Night's Dream |
[edit] Athletics
70% of students compete in the 32 interscholastic sports. The athletics department also offers over 20 intramural sports. School teams have won state championships in:
- Men's Soccer ('74,'79,'82,'86,'92,'96,'03,'08,'10)
- Women's Soccer ('86,'03,'05)
- Ice Hockey ('05, '09)
- Field Hockey ('79,'82,'95,'99)
- Swimming ('08)
- Girl's Golf ('10)
In addition to its championship seasons, Farmington Men's soccer has been nationally ranked from 1996–2008, finishing 9th in the U.S. in '08. The men's crew team has also excelled in recent years, ranking 3rd in the state in 2003 and 2nd in 2007. In 2007, 2008, and 2009, the crew team also earned coveted invitations to the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Massachusetts.
In 2006, the men's volleyball team had a perfect regular season of 18-0, and the baseball team won the school's first Northwest Conference championship since 1981.
[edit] Extracurriculars
FHS has over 40 faculty-sponsored clubs in addition to various honor societies and service groups. Publications include the Fine Line (an annual literary magazine), the Voice (the school newspaper), and the Exodus (the award-winning yearbook). The Fine Line and the Exodus are run as clubs, but the Voice is published mainly through Journalism classes. There is also a student radio program that airs between 6:50 and 7:32 AM, and a television broadcast (the 9:05 News) that airs in homeroom every Friday. Other popular clubs include the Model UN team, the Military History Club, and Friends, a club that works with special-needs students. 80% of students are involved in extracurriculars, and an annual activities fair in October encourages student participation.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Nick Bonino professional hockey player
- Steve Addazio Temple University Head Football Coach
- Michael Gladis actor (Mad Men)
- Dick McAuliffe professional baseball player
- Erin Pac Olympic bobsledder[1]
- Pawel Szajda actor[2]
- Terry Wooden former linebacker in the NFL[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Riley, Lori (December 6, 2009). "Bobsled Driver Pursues Dream To Compete In Olympics". Hartford Courant. http://www.courant.com/sports/other/hc-loricol1206.artdec06,0,782015.column. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
- ^ Pawel Szajda at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Terry Wooden Past Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards
[edit] External links
- Official Website - Farmington High School official website
- Public School Review - Data about the school, map
- Music Department - the FHS music department
Coordinates: 41°45′03″N 72°52′03″W / 41.7509°N 72.8676°W
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