William Penn High School (Delaware)
- For other educational establishments with a similar name please see William Penn School
| William Penn High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Motto | "Where Access Meets Opportunity" |
| Established | 1921 |
| Principal | Brian Erskine |
| Grades | 9 to 12 |
| Enrollment | 2,084 (2016-17)[1] |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Cherry and black |
| Athletics conference | Blue Hen Conference - Flight A |
| Mascot | Colonial |
| Nickname | William Penn, Penn |
| Website | http://www.colonialschooldistrict.org/williampenn/ |
William Penn High School, also known as William Penn or simply Penn, is a four-year comprehensive, coeducational public high school located in New Castle, Delaware, United States. The school is a member of the Colonial School District, and is the largest high school in the state of Delaware. The school mascot is the Colonial.
History
William Penn High School was established in 1849 and named after William Penn, who landed in the city of New Castle and founded the Province of Pennsylvania, which would later go on to become the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Student demographics
Students
| Ethnicity | 2012-2013 for William Penn High School | 2013-2014 for William Penn High School |
|---|---|---|
| White, not Hispanic | 27.9% | 27.6% |
| Black, not Hispanic | 49.3% | 49.2% |
| Hispanic | 19.0% | 18.2% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Native American/Alaskan Native | .3% | .3% |
- As of the 2006–2007 school year the student to teacher ratio was 17.5 to 1.
- As of the 2006–2007 school year the percentage of students listed as "limited English proficient" was 5.0% (up from 4.2% the year before).
- As of the 2006–2007 school year 39% of the student population was listed as "low income" (down from 40% the year before).
- As of the 2006–2007 school year 13.0% of the student population was listed as "special education" (down from 13.9% the previous year).
Faculty
| Ethnicity | Percentage of staff | Years of teaching experience | Percentage of staff |
|---|---|---|---|
| White, not Hispanic | 78.8% | Less than 3 years | 21.2% |
| Black, not Hispanic | 19.2% | 3 to 9 years | 37.2% |
| Hispanic | 1.3% | 10 to 19 years | 17.3% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 20 to 29 years | 16.7% |
| Native American/Alaskan Native | 0.6% | 30 or more years | 7.7% |
- As of the 2006–2007 school year 133 teachers were allocated for WPHS.
- As of the 2006–2007 school year 45.5% of the Instructional Staff held a master's degree or higher.
- As of the 2006–2007 school year five members of the Instructional Staff held NBPTS (National Board for Professional Teaching Standards) certification.
Departments
The school has a large selection of departments, including those with classes mandatory for graduation as well as various elective courses. They are:
School areas
William Penn has two gyms, two cafeterias, and an auditorium that can seat approximately 500.
Athletics
The William Penn Colonials participate in the Blue Hen Flight A Conference in Delaware. Active sports include (with state titles noted) :
- Baseball (1977, 1978, 1991)
- Basketball – boys' (1996, 1999, 2001, 2009)
- Basketball – girls' (1976, 1993, 1998)
- Cheerleading
- Cross country
- Field hockey (1988, 1994)
- Football (1982, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 2002, 2014)
- Golf
- Indoor track & field – boys' (2001)
- Lacrosse – boys'
- Soccer – boys'
- Soccer – girls'
- Softball (1986, 1988, 1989)
- Swimming – boys'
- Swimming – girls'
- Tennis – boys'
- Tennis – girls'
- Track & Field – boys' (1996, 2002)
- Track & Field – girls'
- Volleyball – girls'
- Wrestling (1983, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2000)
(state title information not complete at this time)
Notable alumni
- Cliff Brumbaugh, baseball player
- Brett Oberholtzer, baseball player[2]
- Brian Oliver, professional basketball player
- Jeff Otah, professional football player, Carolina Panthers
- Kyle Carter, professional football player, Minnesota Vikings
- Devin Smith, professional basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv
- Richard B. Weldon, Jr., former Frederick County (MD) Commissioner and member of the Maryland House of Delegates
See also
References
- ^ "Penn (William) High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ Ireland, Jack (May 24, 2010). "Oberholtzer writing a success story". The News Journal. Retrieved August 2, 2013. (subscription required)
