Avon High School (Connecticut)
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| Avon High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
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510 West Avon Road , | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Motto | Avon High teaches its students to use their minds well. |
| Established | 1958 |
| School district | Avon Public Schools |
| Principal | Jason Beaudin |
| Faculty | 67 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Number of students | about 1200 |
| Color(s) | Blue and White |
| Mascot | Falcon |
| Yearbook | NOVA |
| Website | www.avon.k12.ct.us/AvonHigh |
Avon High School is a high school in Avon, Connecticut, United States serving grades 9–12. As one of the 5 schools in the Avon Public School system, its only feeder school is Avon Middle School. The student population is about 1200, but projections see huge increases for future enrollment. Because of this, the school has undergone extensive renovations. Beginning with the 2007–2008 school year, the principal is Jason Beaudin.
Renovation
The school started its new renovation project in 2006 and was completed in the fall of 2008. The school had been renovated once before, an effort that was completed in 1997. The new renovation includes the addition of classrooms, a second gymnasium, a new kitchen and cafeteria, orchestra room, two or more media centers, and several interior cosmetic changes.
The following areas are currently[when?] open: both gyms (new and old), the bathrooms and lobby area around the new gym, the new cafeteria and kitchen, new wing of classrooms on a third floor.
An indoor track was proposed, but due to a lack of funding it was canceled.
Changes in the 2008-09 year
Following Len Fenelon's retirement from his role as assistant principal, Dr. Scott Ratchford will join the AHS faculty as Assistant Principal and will deal most closely with grades 9 and 11. Students of the 2008-09 year will also be the first to use the newly revamped library and academic wing (housing English, Science, Special Education, and Computer Science classes). In addition, due to the increase in student population, the traditional three-cycle lunch wave system has been modified to accommodate four 25-minute lunches. Other minor changes include several new flat-screen announcement screens, new trees and plants, as well as over 250 new computers.
Academics
Academic departments include Math, Social Studies, English, Science, World Languages, Health, Visual Arts, Music, and Physical Education. There are 67 subject area teachers.[1]
In order to graduate, students must earn a minimum of 22.5 credits according to the following distribution:[2]
- English - 4 credits
- Social Studies - 3 credits (1 of United States History, 0.5 of Civics)
- Science - 3 credits (1 of Biology)
- Mathematics - 3 credits
- Physical Education - 1 credit
- Health - 0.5 credit
- Humanities - 0.5 credit
The capstone of the Avon High education is the Senior Mastery Project, a required component of the 12th Grade Humanities curriculum. Students spend one semester researching a topic of their interest with the close guidance of a faculty adviser. The semester culminates with an extended essay explaining the research, a visual presentation to be displayed in the library, and a 30-minute presentation during Senior Mastery Night.
World Languages are not required, but are encouraged. Languages offered include Spanish, French, Greek and Latin. Arts credits are also not required, but most students will elect to take at least one arts unit. Most departments offer electives in addition to the core curriculum. Past offerings have included Law, Genocide, Writing Workshop, Anatomy and Physiology, and Marine Biology.
Arts
Arts offerings include music, visual arts, and theater arts.
The music offerings at Avon High School have expanded in recent years. Ensembles currently include:[3]
Bands
- 9th grade Concert Band
- Symphonic Band
- Wind Ensemble (need to audition)
Choirs
- Girls Concert Choir
- Mixed Concert Choir
- Chamber Choir
- Women's Choir
- Men's Choir
Other musical opportunities include the strings program, jazz band, American School Band Directors Association festivals, American Choral Directors Association festivals, and Connecticut Music Educators Association All-State Festival.
Activities
The Avon High website notes that, "Avon High offers a great variety of extracurricular activities for students to get involved. A wide array of sports teams is well complemented by an eclectic mix of school clubs and groups."[4] Popular extracurricular activities include Student Government, the Avon Volunteers On Newness (A.V.O.N.) Club, Diversity Club, FIRST Robotics Team, Katie's Club, Model United Nations, National Honor Society, Gay-Straight Alliance, debate club, cooking club, Peer Support Club and Yearbook. The Model U.N. club has been successful in local and state level competitions, and the Robotics Team, named the ÜberBots, recently ranked in the top four internationally at the Championships in Atlanta, Georgia.[5]
Traditions
Avon has many unofficial student traditions that have lasted over the years. Some of the most commonly observed traditions include seniors decorating their cars on the first day of school. Senior girls also wear dresses and tiaras on the first day of classes. For the homecoming pep rally, the upperclassmen wear creative outfits reflecting AHS colors. Juniors wear blue and seniors wear any color, sophomores wear white while freshman do not dress up in theme oriented outfits, as they simply wear school colors. Only seniors are permitted to dress up for Halloween, the celebration of which surrounds the senior parade through the hallways of the school for faculty and underclassmen. For graduation, girls wear white and boys wear blue. Most seniors decorate their caps for the graduation ceremony. The school mascot is the falcon and the colors are navy and white. The yearbook is called the NOVA, which is Avon spelled backward.
Controversy
Avon High School has been noted for its high funding requirement. A district wide budget plan was voted in on April , 2 2010 to increase the towns funding towards it schools by 6.9%.
Sports
Avon High School has an extensive and successful athletics program that frequently earns recognition in the North Central Connecticut Conference and the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference. Several athletes have earned All-America status and many athletes go on to have successful collegiate athletic careers. Offerings include cheerleading (co-ed), cross country (boys and girls), field hockey, football, soccer (boys and girls), volleyball, crew, basketball (boys and girls), ice hockey (joint program with St. Paul's Catholic High School), Swimming, Wrestling (co-ed), Baseball, Golf (boys and girls), lacrosse (boys and girls), softball, tennis (boys and girls), track (boys and girls).[6]
Facilities for field hockey, football (Ross McDonald), cheerleading, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, track, and girls lacrosse are located at the high school. Boys lacrosse and girls tennis play at the middle school. Soccer, softball, and cross country have home bases at the Fisher's Meadow recreational facility. Strong sports rivals include Canton High School, Farmington High School, Simsbury High School, and Suffield High School.
Recent notable accomplishments by Avon High athletic teams include several CIAC state championships. Teams that have not recently won state championship that are known for their strong performances include field hockey, girls lacrosse, volleyball, and wrestling.
CIAC state championships
| Year | Team | Class | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Girls Basketball | M | Morgan High School |
| 2005 | Boys Basketball | Div. III | Fairfield Ludlowe High School |
| 2003 | Girls Soccer | M | Joel Barlow High School |
| 2002 | Girls Soccer | M | Waterford High School |
| 2001 | Girls Soccer | M | Lauralton Hall |
| 1995 | Wrestling | S | |
| 1994 | Wrestling | S | |
| 1993 | Wrestling | S | |
| 1993 | Boys Soccer | M | Lewis Mills High School |
| 1990 | Wrestling | S | |
| 1989 | Boys Soccer | M | Joel Barlow High School |
| 1989 | Wrestling | S | |
| 1988 | Boys Basketball | S | Windsor Locks High School |
| 1988 | Boys Soccer | M | Stonington High School |
| 1987 | Boys Soccer | M | Waterford High School |
| 1987 | Girls Cross Country | M | |
| 1987 | Wrestling | S | |
| 1985 | Boys Soccer | M | Brookfield High School |
| 1985 | Girls Cross Country | M | |
| 1985 | Girls Cross Country | Open | |
| 1985 | Boys Golf | Div. II | |
| 1984 | Boys Soccer | M | Joel Barlow High School |
| 1984 | Field Hockey | S | Weston High School |
| 1984 | Girls Cross Country | M | |
| 1984 | Girls Cross Country | Open | |
| 1983 | Field Hockey | S | Old Saybrook high school |
| 1983 | Wrestling | S | |
| 1982 | Wrestling | S | |
| 1976 | Boys Soccer | M | Middletown High School |
| 1968 | Baseball | S | Cromwell High School |
| 1962 | Baseball | S | Coventry High School |
Notable alumni
- Will Friedle, who played Eric Matthews on Boy Meets World.
- June Shin, who was voted Best Looking and Most Cuddly
- Jessica Lundy, who played Kate Hartounian in Caddyshack II, and also made appearances on Seinfeld and Northern Exposure.
- David Yoo, distinguished author of Girls For Breakfast and Stop Me If You Heard This One Before
- An episode of My Super Sweet Sixteen (an MTV show) featured Bjorn, a student at AHS.
- Matt Cashman, who is believed to be the source of the HIV/AIDS epidemic after eloping with a herd of rabid monkeys in Chad, Africa.
References
External links
- Avon Public Schools website
- Avon Football Online
- http://www.avon.k12.ct.us/info/Staff/default.asp?BID=1
- http://mail.avon.k12.ct.us/~cboland/?OpenItemURL=S00A45377
- http://www.avon.k12.ct.us/arts/apsarts/performarts/index.htm#ahsmusic
- http://www.avon.k12.ct.us/avonhigh/activities/
- http://www.avon.k12.ct.us/avonhigh/activities/athletics/