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Jamestown High School (Virginia)

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Jamestown High School
Address
Map
3751 John Tyler Highway

Williamsburg
,
Virginia
23185

United States
Information
School typePublic high school
Founded1997
School districtWilliamsburg-James City County Public Schools
SuperintendentDr. Gary E. Matthews
PrincipalDr. Chuck Wagner
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,590 (2006-07)
LanguageEnglish
CampusSuburban
Color(s)      Green, Black, White
Athletics conferenceVirginia High School League
Bay Rivers District
Region I
MascotEagles
RivalLafayette High School
Bruton High SchoolWarhill High School
WebsiteOfficial Site

Jamestown High School is a public secondary school located in James City County, Virginia, just outside Williamsburg, Virginia. The school was opened in 1997, becoming the second of three high schools in the county. It is part of Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools and is located on 3751 John Tyler Highway. As of 2006, there are 1,524 students enrolled at Jamestown.

History

Jamestown opened in 1997, with its entire student body coming from Lafayette High School and the local middle schools. Though the high school is located in a Williamsburg mailing address, it is named after the Jamestown Settlement, located only a few miles away. In 2007, some students from Jamestown, as well as Lafayette High School, were moved to the newly constructed Warhill High School in the western part of the county, in order to correct the over-crowding in the district.

Curriculum

The Jamestown curriculum is set by the James City County and Virginia Board of Education standards. It has an AVID program to encourage students to become college bound.

Graduation Requirements

In order to receive a standard diploma, students are generally expected to complete three credits of mathematics and science and four credits of English and history. They must also complete one credit of a foreign language (Spanish, German, French, Latin or American Sign Language). Finally, the students must complete at least one credit of a technology course and a fine arts course. This standard is uniform for all three WJCC high schools.

Diplomas

Instead of the basic, minimum requirement diploma, students may also receive an advanced diploma in which the student has to complete extra courses. Among these is having either three credits of one foreign language, or two credits each, from two different classes.

Courses

Jamestown has several unique courses to choose from. They vary from English 9 to AP English 12. This same basis is used in almost every other core subject. There are also many other courses including art, photography, foreign languages (Spanish, French, German), etc.

Culture

In Jamestown's early history in 1999, the school received various bomb threats in response to the Columbine High School events. This has not occurred in recent years. In 2007, a student was apprehended with a small hand-gun, apparently in an attempt to scare another student into returning a PSP that was stolen from him.

There have been some incidents related to drug and alcohol usage resulting in disciplinary action, often occurring during the prom and homecoming weeks. However, a program called "Every 30 Minutes", which simulates a car accident that occurs after drinking alcohol, has attempted to deter students from drinking.

In 2007, Jamestown High School hosted its first Spring Carnival which was paid for by funds from the Student Council Association and was held during the third and fourth blocks of the school day. There were displays by various military branches including a Black Hawk and Huey helicopter which landed in the school bus parking area. Inflatable attractions such as an obstacle course, bouncy castle, and giant slide, Dance Dance Revolution, job fair, water balloon fight etc. Although most of the entertainment was free, students could purchase tickets (25¢ each) for drinks, (free food was provided) and some attractions such as Dunk-a-Teacher.

Campus

As one enters the building they will find the security and main offices to their immediate right and the gym to their immediate left; the guidance and the principal's office can be found farther down on the right and the cafeteria and then the auditorium farther down on the left. The first floor contains classrooms for teaching fine arts, technology (split into engineering, graphics and Cooperative Business Education), math and science. The special education classrooms are also on this level. The second floor the library (or media center as it is usually referred to as) and classrooms for teaching math, social studies, English and foreign languages (along with English as a Second Language (ESL)).

To the west of the main building, there were five trailers which acted as 10 classrooms and could hold around a total of 250 students and were brought in to solve the overcrowding problem. In spite of the reduction in enrollment due to the construction of Warhill High School, two of the trailers have become a permanent part of the campus, as opposed to being removed. However, this leaves a large space of dead grass where the trailers once were. The school is surrounded by wooded and swamp areas.

Enrollment

  • 1997-1998- 820
  • 1998-1999- 1101
  • 1999-2000- 1169
  • 2000-2001- 1162
  • 2001-2002- 1256
  • 2002-2003- 1256
  • 2003-2004- 1331
  • 2004-2005- 1451
  • 2005-2006- 1524

Teacher Statistics

  • Fulltime- 112
  • Student/Teacher Ratio= 13.6[1]

Demographics

Jamestown High School's student body is 70% (1067) White; 23% (344) Black; 4% (54) Hispanic; 3% (38) Asian; and 1% (8) Native American.

Athletics

The mascot is an Eagle and the sports teams currently play in the AA Bay Rivers District and Region I. Jamestown has won 19 state titles, which include six AA girls tennis Dynasty state titles from 2000-2002,2004-2005,and 2006; three AA girls swimming titles from 2000 to 2002; one AA girls soccer title in 1999; one AA golf title in 1999; another Dynasty in boy's swimming winning state titles in 2001, 2006, 2007, and most recently 2008; one girls field hockey in 2001 one AA boys soccer title in 2001; and one AA boys cross country title in 2001. The boys soccer team was beaten by Blacksburg in the 1999 state final 5-1. Jamestown was also defeated by Cave Spring High School in the state semifinals 2-0 in 2007. Jamestown won the 2008 state championship by upsetting Blacksburg in the semifinals and Grafton in the finals, 3-0.

The Eagles defeated Maryland Signee Emery Wallace and the Hidden Valley team to claim the AA Girls Basketball title in 2006.

Theatre

Main article: Jamestown Theatre

Jamestown performs two major productions every school year; a fall play and a spring musical. The first fall play ever performed was Our Town performed on November 25 and 26 of 1997. Jamestown's first musical was Brigadoon on March 25, 26, and 27, 1998. Jamestown's latest productions include November 2006's fall play Museum, March 2007's A Chorus Line and November 2007's The Good Doctor. April 2008's spring production was William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, which moved away from the tradition of having a musical during the spring.

Directors

William Snyder (1997-2006)

William Snyder directed 18 productions at Jamestown (not including competition plays), and spent nearly a decade before at Lafayette High School. "At the age of 72, I feel like it's my time," Snyder told The Eagle Eye student newspaper. Snyder had a tendency to announce a definite and sometimes possible retirement after past spring musicals, such as The Sound of Music in 2005. In the fall of 2005, Snyder announced he would stay for another semester, and possibly another school year. He then confirmed his retirement in early 2006, Guys and Dolls being his final production.

Beth Wigley (2006-2008)

Beth Wigley was confirmed to succeed Snyder in Spring 2006 as Jamestown's near Director of Theatre. Wigley, before transferring to Jamestown, worked 13 years as Director of the York County School of the Arts at Bruton High School. Wigley's first production at Jamestown was 2006's fall production of Museum. Wigley is known to differ from Snyder in some aspects, by choosing fall production with larger casts to encourage students to audition, and by choosing to direct productions that do not contain the typical glitz and glamour.

Marcia DiMattia (2008-Present)

Mrs. DiMattia brings a background of dance and choreography as well as an enthusiasm for the theatre and students to Jamestown High School. Her first production at Jamestown was Found a Peanut. Previously, she was the Theatre Director at Berkeley Middle School where she directed You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Into the Woods, Jr., and Godspell, Jr. She also directs for 'StageLights, Inc., Williamsburg's Theatre for Children.'

Music

Jamestown has several musical groups, including a symphonic band and wind ensemble, a marching band and mixed, jazz and chamber choirs.

Every once in a while, the different departments cross over in order to make a group effort. The most classic example is the yearly musical. The drama department would host the event, but it would include kids from choir who would sing, students from art making various props or backdrops and the band and orchestra, who would provide the music for the singers and dancers. However, 2008 will not be the same as any of the previous years, due to Mrs. Wigley's odd choice of musicals, A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The choir, orchestra and band recently had a joint concert with other high schools performing Carmina Burana.

Choir

The choir director since 2006 has been Mrs. Felicia Kaine. Before that it was Mrs. Johnson.

Band

The band director is Steve Turner. The band has won a superior rating every year after its founding year and has traveled to numerous destinations across the US for competition.

There have been several different assistant band directors over the years.. Chris Smith was an assistant for the 2006-2007 year, but he also left the following year to teach at Lafayette High School.

Marching Band

The marching band is by far the largest musical group at Jamestown. The instrumentation consists of woodwinds, brass, a drum line and a pit (usually keyboard instruments and axillary instruments). There is also a color guard that twirls colorful flags, dance, and use other visuals as the school board does not allow the use of rifles or sabers in performances. The band uses a technique very similar to modern style drum and bugle corps. The marching band just recently received new uniforms in 2007.

Shows:
1997: "Vocal Jazz" - "Baroque Samba", "Dream of the Return" and "Birdland"
1998: "Jekyll & Hyde"
1999: "Tower of Power"
2000: "The Phantom of the Opera"
2001: "Hot Jazz" - "Now or Never", "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square", "Birdland"
2002: "West Side Story"
2003: "Tommy"
2004: "Pirates of the Caribbean"
2005: "The Incredibles"
2006: "Songs for Planet Earth"
2007: "Earth, Wind & Fire"

Clubs and Extracurricular Activities

Jamestown has several different clubs and groups. In order for the group to be part of the school, it must first have at least one sponsor and it must have approval by the principal.
Here is a list of all of the clubs and organizations, as listed on the school's website:

Ascent

Ascent is the Literature and Art Magazine at Jamestown. When Jamestown first opened, the group was run by Mrs. Throckmorton and Mrs. Hite, who published the first edition of Labyrinth, the original name of the magazine. Then, in 2004-2005, Mrs. Glennon sponsored the group. Under Mrs. Glennon, the magazine staff focused on creative writing. In 2006-2007, Mrs. Throckmorton once again sponsored the staff. In 2007, Mrs. Reiley and Mrs. Hobbs took over as sponsors for the magazine. The new staff decided to change the name to Ascent.

References

  1. ^ Jamestown High School on Schooldigger.com

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