Brookline High School
| Brookline High School | |
|---|---|
| File:Brookline high school.jpg | |
| Location | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1843 |
| Headmaster | Robert J. Weintraub |
| Staff | 314 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Number of students | 1891 |
| Color(s) | Red and blue |
| Mascot | Warriors |
| Website | bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us |
Brookline High School is a public high school in the town of Brookline, Massachusetts, in the United States.
Mission statement
"The Mission of Brookline High School is to develop capable, confident life-long learners who contribute to their community, participate thoughtfully in democracy, and succeed in a diverse and evolving global society."[1]
Values
BHS highly values the principles of freedom and responsibility. Freedom is exemplified in an "open campus" policy. Every student has the right to open campus, but it can be taken away if the student does not demonstrate responsibility in relation to it.
In 2006, Headmaster Dr. Robert Weintraub listed the following goals students should pursue to make BHS a truly great school:[2]
The BHS Parameters of Greatness
Academic Development:
1. All students take ownership of their learning
2. All students find, develop, and express their academic, intellectual, artistic, athletic, and career interests and passions
3. The achievement profile of the school reflects our diversity
4. The collective academic profile of the school shows continuous improvement
5. The dropout rate approaches zero percent
6. All students achieve success after high school and maintain a commitment to life-long learning
Social and Civic Development:
1. All students contribute to their community through respectful, responsible citizenship and service
2. All students establish a meaningful relationship with at least one adult at school
3. Relationships at our school reflect our diversity
4. All students peacefully resolve conflicts
Members of Fred Phelps' notoriously anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church protested at the 2005 graduation against Brookline High's strong tolerance of homosexuality. They were met by dozens of counter-protesters.[3]
Education
Almost every senior in the Class of 2005 at Brookline High took the SAT I. The average score on the Verbal test was 598 and the average score on the Mathematics test was 620. The combined score — 1218 — is the highest in the history of the school.
The Advanced Placement (AP) program has grown dramatically over the past 10 years. In 1995, 161 students took 264 AP exams. In 2005, 364 students took 648 AP exams. In 1995, 90% of the students scored “3” or above on these exams. In 2005, with 203 more students participating, Brookline High School has maintained 90% of the students scoring “3” or above on these exams.[4]
Athletics
Brookline High School features the largest interscholastic athletics program in New England, with 71 teams in 40 sports.[5] Some of the atypical sports include golf, crew, sailing and rugby.
Since 1894, the Brookline High football team plays rival Newton North High School in the traditional Thanksgiving Day game. This is one of the oldest high school football rivalries in Massachusetts.
In 2007, Brookline's cross country team made history by winning the first ever Nike Team Nationals northeast regional meet by just one point over Danbury High School at Bowdin Park, NY.[6] They went on to place 7th at Nike Team Nationals in Portland, OR. [7] Brookline High has also traditionally seen success in its basketball, track, indoor track, soccer, and rugby programs.
Notable alumni
- Hugh B. Cave '27, Short story writer
- Johnny Contardo '69, singer from the group Sha Na Na.
- Michael Dukakis '51, 1988 Democratic presidential nominee and former Governor of Massachusetts.[8]
- Theo Epstein '91, general manager of the Boston Red Sox.[9]
- Harry Gittes '54, Hollywood producer of About Schmidt, Girl Next Door, and Last Flag Flying
- Richard Goodwin '49, author, columnist, speechwriter for presidents Kennedy and Johnson.
- John Hodgman '89, humorist and author, best known for Apple's Get a Mac advertising campaign.[10]
- Robert C. Kingston '47, U.S. Army General of the Korean and Vietnam wars.
- Robert Kraft '59, owner of the New England Patriots
- Albert Maysles '44 & David Maysles '49, documentary filmmakers of Salesman, Gimme Shelter, and Grey Gardens.
- Conan O'Brien '81, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, graduated as the valedictorian.[9]
- Francis Ouimet '11, professional golfer and winner of the 1913 U.S Open.[11]
- Paul Pender '49, World middleweight boxing champion.
- Alan L. Rachins '60, actor, Dharma and Greg, L.A. Law
- Joseph D. Reitman '86, actor, ex-husband of Shannon Elizabeth
- Dan Rosenthal '84, member of the White House Senior Staff under Bill Clinton
- Gabe Sapolsky '90, pro wrestling promoter of ECW and Ring of Honor
- Lew Schneider '79, Hollywood producer of Everybody Loves Raymond and American Dad.[9]
- Mike Wallace '35, journalist, 60 Minutes.[12]
- Rick Weitzman '63, professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics.[11]
References
- ^ Brookline High School website URL accessed on May 26,2006
- ^ Letter to BHS family URL accessed on December 24,2006
- ^ News & Features | NOT IN KANSAS
- ^ Brookline Schools website URL accessed on June 2,2006
- ^ Brookline Schools website URL accessed on June 2,2006
- ^ "Webcast: Nike Team Nationals 2007", DyeStat. Accessed February 16, 2008.
- ^ "Oregon Runners: Nike Team Nationals", Nike Team Nationals. Accessed February 22, 2008.
- ^ "Fanfares for Michael Dukakis", The New York Times, July 23, 1988. Accessed February 5, 2008. "And then the candidate, once a trumpeter in the Brookline High School band, took the podium and performed his own Fanfare for the Common Man."
- ^ a b c Beggy, Carol; and Shanahan, Mark. "Monet goes to Vegas; Kerry goes out on the town", The Boston Globe, November 6, 2003. Accessed February 17, 2008.
- ^ Chase, Katie Johnston. "True to his nerd: John Hodgman finds a niche as 'Daily Show' resident expert, mendacious author, and dorky PC", The Boston Globe, September 24, 2006. Accessed December 3, 2007. "Fletcher graduated from Brookline High School a year before he did, and the two have been together since Hodgman was 17."
- ^ a b Athletic Hall of Fame, Brookline High School. Accessed February 21, 2008.
- ^ Brozan, Nadine. "Chronicle", The New York Times, March 16, 1993. Accessed February 5, 2008. "MIKE WALLACE is lending a hand to his old school, Brookline High School, at a benefit -- unusual for a Massachusetts public school -- in New York tomorrow evening. Mr. Wallace, class of '35, will interview the school's acting headmaster, Dr. ROBERT J. WEINTRAUB, at a cocktail party that is expected to draw 60 or so Brookline graduates to the University Club on West 54th Street."