Madison West High School
| Madison West High School[1] | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Madison, Wisconsin, USA | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public secondary |
| Established | 1930 |
| Oversight | Madison Metropolitan School District |
| Principal | Ed Holmes |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Number of students | approx. 2,300 (2006-2007) |
| Color(s) | Maize and Blue |
| Mascot | Reggie the Regent (A lion) |
| Newspaper | 'The Newspaper' |
| Yearbook | Westward Ho |
| Website | http://westweb.madison.k12.wi.us/ |
Madison West High School is one of four comprehensive four-year high schools in Madison, Wisconsin. It was established in 1930. Its mascot is the "Reggie the Regent," a lion, and its school colors are maize and blue. Athletics compete in the WIAA Big Eight Conference.
West is unique among Madison schools as it serves students from 4 different municipalities, being Madison, the town of Madison, Shorewood Hills and Fitchburg.
Contents |
[edit] Administration
- Principal: Ed Holmes
- Assistant Principals: Melanie Thiel, Theresa Calderon, Beth Tompson, Mitch McGrath.
[edit] Academics
[edit] Advanced Placement
Madison West features Advanced Placement classes such as:
- World Languages: French Language, Spanish Language
- History: American Government & Politics, European History
- Mathematics: Statistics, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Computer Science A, (Computer Science AB until removed from CollegeBoard in 2009)
- Science: Physics 2, Environmental Science
- Music: Music Theory
- English: While not technically AP courses, substantial information is taught in the English Literature and European Literature courses to prepare students for the AP tests in those subjects.
[edit] Academic Clubs
[edit] Rocket Club
Since its inception in 2003, Madison West Rocket Club has consistently been one of the top 20 finalists in the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC). In 2009, team 7141 of the Madison West Rocket Club placed first in the TARC national finals with a score of 20.54.[2] TARC 2009 had over 650 teams competing for the national prize. The top 20 finalists in the TARC finals are all offered an invitation to participate in a NASA sponsored program called Student Launch Initiative (SLI). SLI involves launching an experimental payload in a rocket to an altitude of one mile.[3]
[edit] Science Olympiad
Since its inception in 1985, the Madison West Science Olympiad team has placed no worse than second in the Wisconsin State Science Olympiad Tournament (Division C).[citation needed] The West team has also had success at the national tournament by placing in the top 10 in 3 consecutive years from 1989 to 1991 including 2nd in 1989.[4]
[edit] Sheepshead Club
Since its inception in 2009, Sheepshead Club has been a popular lunchtime attraction for many students at West.[5] Largely populated by a consistent and devoted member base, Sheepshead Club's meetings are frequently punctuated by the arrival of a new member. The club meets every day, however many of the members have developed patterns of attendance based around other academic clubs at West. Each day, a detailed score sheet is kept with the tally of the day's games, leading to fierce competition. Leadership of the club is managed by the students, with co-presidents elected based on proficiency at the game of Sheepshead among other factors. Although West Sheepshead Club has thus far declined to enter any large inter-school or inter-state competitions, plans have been drawn up to form similar clubs at other local schools and compete in a city-wide sheepshead event.
[edit] Sports Conversation Club
Since its birth in 2010, Sports Conversation Club has been the most controversial[weasel words] club of all West High Clubs. The club meets every Tuesday in the Business and Marketing room immediately after fourth hour is adjourned. The club is meditated by various West High gym teachers who also offer input. Many hot sports topics are talked about for example whether collegiate athletes should be compensated and Tim Tebow.[citation needed]
[edit] Students
Madison West High School's students come from various social, economic, and cultural backgrounds; however, the majority are from business and professional families. West's student population is 39% non-white, compared to 10% for Madison as a whole. Students at West come from Cherokee, Hamilton, and Wright Middle Schools, in addition to various other schools across the district.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Jim Bakken - Former NFL place kicker (St. Louis Cardinals); 4 time Pro Bowler and Professional Football Hall of Famer
- Tammy Baldwin - U.S. Representative (D-WI)[6]
- Carol A. Buettner - Wisconsin State Senator
- Jeff Conrad - drummer for the band Phantom Planet
- Jim Doyle, 1963 - 44th Governor of Wisconsin (2003-2011)[7]
- Reece Gaines - Orlando Magic (2003-2004), Houston Rockets (2004-2005), Milwaukee Bucks (2004-2006)[8]
- Beth Heiden - Olympian, Winter Olympic Games, and professional cyclist
- Eric Heiden - Olympic Five-Time Gold Medal Speed Skater at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games, and professional cyclist, 1986 Tour de France
- Phil Hellmuth - professional poker player[9]
- Dan Immerfall - Olympic Speed Skater 1976, 1980
- Locksley[10]
- Barbara Lorman - Wisconsin State Senator
- David Maraniss - Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author
- Cyrus Nowrasteh - filmmaker
- Sarayu Rao - actress
- Britton Rice - musician, record producer
- Leo Sidran - musician
- Charles P. Smith - Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Insttruction
- John Stamstad - ultra-endurance mountain bike racer and trail runner, member of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
- Scott Stantis-editorial cartoonist for The Chicago Tribune and creator of the comic strips The Buckets and Prickly City
- Tim Stracka--former NFL tight end, Cleveland Browns(1983-1984)
- Chris Tallman - actor
- Donnel Thompson - Pittsburgh Steelers (2000), Indianapolis Colts (2002)
- Stu Voigt - former NFL tight end, Minnesota Vikings (1970-1980)
- Marc Webb - film director (500 days of summer)
[edit] References
- ^ http://westweb.madison.k12.wi.us/ Infobox data validation. Archived 12 February 2011 at WebCite
- ^ 2009 Contest Standings TARC Official Homepage Archived 12 February 2011 at WebCite
- ^ NASA SLI Homepage
- ^ "Science Olympiad national results". http://soinc.org/past_tournament_results.
- ^ West High School Clubs and Activities Page [1]
- ^ "Tammy Baldwin's personal website". http://tammybaldwin.house.gov/aboutTammy.html. Retrieved 2006-12-06.
- ^ "Milwaukee Journal Sentinal Jim Doyle article including West attendance" (ASPX). http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=510656. Retrieved 2006-12-06.
- ^ "Basketball-Reference.com entry for Reece Gaines". http://basketball-reference.com/players/g/gainere01.html. Retrieved 2006-12-06.
- ^ Moe, Doug (2006-07-22). "A Poker Story, A Madison Story". The Capital Times, Madison.com. http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/2006/07/22/0607220138.php. Retrieved 2006-12-07.
- ^ Midday show. WIXX. 2011-03-30. Event occurs at 10:05am.
