Northside High School (Roanoke, Virginia)
Northside High School
| Established | 1960 |
|---|---|
| School type | Public school |
| Principal | Frank Dent |
| Location | Roanoke, Virginia |
| Enrollment | 1030 |
| Athletic Conference | Blue Ridge District Region III |
| Colors | Green, White |
| Nickname | Vikings |
| Rival Schools | Lord Botetourt High School, William Byrd High School |
| Homepage | Official Site |
Northside High School is one of five high schools in Roanoke County, Virginia.
Administration
- Principal: Frank Dent
- Assistant Principals: Corie Franklin, Tracey Lange
- Athletic Director: Ed Deeds
- Guidance Counselors: Sheila Rust, Tom Bennett, Tiffany Williams (Coordinator), Katherine Tate
Location and History
Northside High School (NHS), located in the northern section of Roanoke County, Virginia, first opened in December, 1960. Although still somewhat rural in some areas, this section of the county has seen both residential and commercial development since the school opened.
Initially, the original student body consisted of grades seven through ten with students coming from William Byrd High School in Vinton and the former Andrew Lewis High School in Salem (which was replaced with Salem High School in 1977). In 1962, the student body was composed of grades eight through twelve. The Class of 1963 was the first graduating class of NHS. When Northside Intermediate School opened in 1970, the eighth grade remained at the intermediate school, leaving the high school with grades nine through twelve. In 1973, the ninth grade remained at the intermediate school, which then became a junior high, and NHS became a senior high school. In 1977, Roanoke City annexed a portion of north county, reducing NHS’s enrollment, which has remained fairly stable at each grade level in recent years with a graduating classes of around 240 to 270. In 1994, the junior high became a middle school with NHS once again having grades nine through twelve. Today students from Glen Cove, Burlington, Mountain View, and Mason’s Cove Elementary Schools attend Northside Middle School prior to coming to NHS.
As the population has changed, the building has aged, and the educational needs of the student body have increased, NHS has undergone several expansions. Because of the initial rapid growth in the school population, the back wing was added in 1965-66. The auxiliary gym was completed during the 1985-86 school year, and E-Hall was added in 1994 to accommodate the conversion of the junior high into a middle school and to provide facilities for the students with special needs. Although school bus transportation is available for all students, many drive, making the addition of the senior parking lot in 1994 much needed. A gym facility for the use of both the middle and high schools was built in 1997. Most recently four multi-classroom trailers have Peeyton Wilson been added behind the back wing in 1999.
2007 Renovations
In 2007 Northside started going under a major 28 million dollar renovation. The renovation includes air conditoning the gym and locker rooms. New classrooms, lockers, library, and science labs. As of September 2007 10 mobile classrooms had been added to house the students, A hall had been closed off, and all asbestos except for the caferteria and audiotorium had been removed.
Health Issues
In September 07, it was reported that several NHS students had been infected with the MRSA disease. But it was reported later that there was only one known case in the school.
Athletics and Extracurriculars
Northside High School is a member of the Virginia High School League and competes in the AA Blue Ridge District, a district in Region III of Group AA. Northside formerly competed in the Group AAA Roanoke Valley District but dropped down to the Group AA Blue Ridge District in 1988. Northside's 1995 title in golf is its sole team Group AA state championship. However, the Vikings have been state runners-up three times in mens basketball and twice in women's basketball and wrestling. The Vikings also won three "unclassified" state titles in wrestling between 1967 and 1970. The school's track team has produced many outstanding athletes including many nationally ranked runners.
Northside High School is also home to the Northside Vocal Music Department and the Pride of Northside Marching Band.
References
- "Northside High School: About NHS". Northside High School. October 19, 2006.