Central Bucks High School West
| Central Bucks High School West | |
|---|---|
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| Address | |
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325 West Court Street , Pennsylvania 18901 United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private Co-Ed Secondary |
| Established | 1950s |
| Principal | J. Kevin Munnelly |
| Grades | 10-12 |
| Enrollment | 1200 |
| Color(s) | Black and Gold |
| Mascot | The Buck |
| Information | 267.893.2500 |
| Website | http://www.cbsd.org/cb-west |
Central Bucks West High School is the oldest of the three high schools in Central Bucks School District. It is located in the town of Doylestown, Pennsylvania in Bucks County. It was constructed as the successor to Doylestown High School, which had burned down. Its sister schools are Central Bucks East High School and the newer Central Bucks South High School.
Facilities
Renovations
A wing was added along the W. Court Street face in 1996. At the same time the cafeteria and library were significantly modified and expanded. CB West has been in a continuous state of renovation since early 2005. For the 2006-2007 school year, the school will once again go under renovations to replace the science wing.
Clocktower
The clocktower of Central Bucks West is the single architectural landmark that distinguishes it from other facilities within the district. Access to the clocktower is limited with the only entrance locked a majority of the time. Classes were once held in the clocktower, but are no longer because it is a potential trap in event of a fire or emergency.
Athletic field
Central Buck's West War Memorial Field was resurfaced with an astroturf material over the summer, replacing the grass previously covering the field. War Memorial field and stadium are part of War Memorial Park, owned by the Borough of Doylestown, and are leased to the Central Bucks School district. It also serves as the home field for Central Bucks East High School.
Student activities
Choir
The Central Bucks West High School choir is widely accepted as one of the best high school choir programs in the country. The choir has sung in front of major world leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Former President Bill Clinton[1]. The choirs have sang across the United States as well as in Canada and Europe. The choir, with the help of its famed director Dr. Joseph Ohrt, plans a Spring trip every year to a major city. They perform in major venues of that city and finish the four day trip with a major concert. In 2005, the choir traveled to Chicago. They performed in some of the major cathedrals and performing spaces in the city of Chicago including Theodore Thomas Orchestra Hall. At the end of the trip, the choir performed a concert at Fourth Presbyterian Church in the heart of Chicago and premiered fifteen new pieces of modern choral music created by major Chicago composers. In 2006, the choir went to Toronto, where they hosted a summit for some of the major composers from across the country of Canada. Premiers included new music from Stephen Hatfield, Eleanor Daley, Stephen Chapmen, John Burrage, and other Canadian composers as well as some Central Bucks West graduates.
On September 20, 2006, the Central Bucks West Chamber Choir sung the National Anthem at a baseball game in Philadelphia between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs.
In 2007, the choir plans to travel to Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC for their yearly trip where they will most likely be joined by famed composers Morten Lauridsen of California and Jaakko Mäntyjärvi of Finland.
Band
The Central Bucks Marching Bucks is an award winning marching band. They have traveled across the United States to compete in many competitions and have been very successful. Other award winning school bands at West include Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz West, the Indoor Drumline along with the indoor guard.
West Model Congress
The CB West perenneal Model Congress is a district wide event held at CB West each December. Hosted by the World Affairs Club at West, Model Congress is a day-long event where the students are assigned a representative and bills are put through the legislative process. It is a very successful event each year.
Football
For many years Central Bucks West was regarded as one of the nation's top high school football programs.[citation needed] Under coach Mike Pettine, now retired, the Bucks won the Pennsylvania state championship four times in the 90's (1991, 1997, 1998, 1999), and hold a Pennsylvania record of 59 straight wins. The streak was broken with an overtime loss to Erie Cathedral Prep in the 2000 state title game. CB West's 1999 championship win was forever immortalized in the documentary "The Last Game." The title of the documentary is remarkably apt, as soon afterward, the team began its current slump.
Student Government Organization
One of the schools clubs is the Student Government Organization, or simply SGO. The Organization is comprised of a general assembly, which is headed by a board of five officers. Meetings, which encompass the whole assembly, are held twice a month. SGO is responsible for many events at the school, including the annual Variety Show, talent show, and the Red and White Affair, a Valentine's Day Dance. SGO also does the Washington Project, a trip to the George Washington School located in Philadelphia. SGO is also having its annual officer elections. A second political body is set to rise next year to counter the one-party dominance of SGO. However, this may never happen, as SGO believes that this is unjust and could threaten their hold upon school activities.
Notable events
Bomb Threats
Between January to March of 2006, three different bomb threats were found in various bathrooms at CB West. Central Bucks School District brought in bomb-sniffing dogs, at an expense of over $20,000 total. On March 15, 2006, the school iniated a lock-down on the school during school hours, preventing students from going anywhere without a pass, otherwise facing immediate suspension. Though it was evident that some drastic action had to be taken to ensure the safety of students and staff and to facilitate the apprehension of the perpetrator, these measures were viewed as harsh and unjustified by many students. These regulations have since been rescinded.
A 15 year old girl was arrested March 17th, 2006 in connection with the bomb threats at CB West[2]. Her punishment is to pay nearly $6,000 for the cost of the threats.
Distinguished Alumni
Graduates of Doylestown High School
- Margaret Mead, Anthropologist
- James A. Michener, Novelist
Graduates of Central Bucks West
- P!nk, Born Alecia Beth Moore September 8, 1979, Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter who first gained prominence in early January of 2000.
- Timothy Stack, Actor, (TV) Night Stand, Son of the Beach, (Film) Cast Away, Brave Little Toaster Series, Scary Movie 3.
- Jarl Mohn, aka Lee Masters, founding President and Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Digital from January 1999 to April 2002. Prior to Liberty Digital, Mr. Mohn created E! Entertainment Television, serving as President and Chief Executive Officer for E! from January 1990 to December 1998. Before founding E!, Mr. Mohn was Executive Vice President and General Manager of MTV.