Thomas McKean High School
| Thomas McKean High School | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1966 |
| Type | Public |
| Students | 1062 students (as of 2007) |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Location | 301 McKennan's Church Rd., Wilmington, Delaware, USA |
| District | Red Clay Consolidated School District |
| Accreditation | Middle States Association’s Commission on Secondary Schools |
| Mascot | Highlander |
| Newspaper | Minstrel |
| Website | http://www.mckeanhs.com |
Thomas McKean High School is a comprehensive public high school located on 301 McKennan's Church Road in Wilmington, Delaware. The school opened in December, 1966, and graduated its first class in June 1967.
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[edit] Traditions
Having selected Thomas McKean, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, as its namesake, the school followed several traditions associated with the Scottish heritage of Thomas McKean. The mascot is a fierce Highlander, wearing a kilt made of the tartan of the Clan MacDonald. Among the dominant colors of the plaid are blue and green, the school's colors. In addition, the names of the school newspaper—Minstrel—and the yearbook—Talisman—reflect the culture of the Scottish Highlands. The Minstrel is headed by Junior Catherine Gillette who is also the Editor of the Minstrel.
[edit] Physical Building
Originally designed as a model school for flexible scheduling, the building has several unique features and has proven adaptable to many situations. The school expanded in 1972, adding ninth grade to the student body and a new wing to the building. Thus, the class of 1976 was the first to spend four years at McKean.[1][dead link] The school is currently going under construction for updating labs as well with safety equipment and slowly upgrading the schools internal computer network. Also a new band room and several other new rooms are being constructed currently as well.
[edit] Problems facing McKean High School
According to the Delaware School Profiles, Thomas McKean High School is currently declining in enrollment. In the year 2001, there were 1,354 students enrolled at Thomas McKean High School. By the year 2007, there were 1,062 students enrolled, which is a 259-student drop.
The dropping enrollment has already caused Thomas McKean High School to move down a flight in the Delaware high school athletic conference, and has sparked concerns.
Dropping enrollment may be due to a mix of changing area demographics, the Delaware school choice system, and increasing enrollment at charter and magnet schools across the state.
[edit] Sports
McKean was known to be one of the top public powerhouse men's swimming teams. They consistently finished in the top three for States. Here is a chart of some of the team's accomplishments.[2]
| Year | Men's Swimming Season Accomplishment |
|---|---|
| 1980 |
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| 1996 |
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| 1997 |
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| 1998 |
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| 1999 |
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| 2000 |
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| 2001 |
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| 2002 |
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| 2003 |
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| 2004 |
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[edit] Points of Pride
- McKean's current Marching Band is led by Drum Major Joey Dice. The Director is Wes Morton.
- The school's most famous alumnus is former Dallas Cowboys great Randy White, who has the football field named in his honor.[citation needed]
- The school also counts Tom Verlaine of Television as a former student.[citation needed]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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