Sparrows Point High School
| Sparrows Point High | |
|---|---|
 Aerial view of Sparrows Point High School | |
| Location | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Motto | "Great Expectations and Wonders" "The East Side Dream Team" |
| Established | 1908 |
| School district | Baltimore County Public Schools |
| Principal | E. Caster |
| Staff | 19 |
| Faculty | 60 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Number of students | 795 |
| Color(s) | Blue and gray |
| Mascot | The Pointer |
| Newspaper | The Pointer |
| Students per class | 27.6 - 29.0 |
| Number of AP/IB courses offered | 18 |
| Phone number | (410) 887-7517 |
| Website | http://sparrowspoinths.bcps.org/ |
Sparrows Point High is a comprehensive high school for students in grades 9 - 12 and is one of the 24 high schools in the Baltimore County Public Schools. The current enrollment is 795 with 27.6 - 29.0 students per class. The school was established in 1908 and is located on a 35-acre (140,000 m2) campus in the southeastern corner of Baltimore County on a peninsula, which juts out into the Chesapeake Bay. The staff includes three administrators, 60 teachers, three guidance counselors, one librarian, eight instructional assistants, and four clerical personnel. Sparrows Point High is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and by the Maryland State Department of Education. The school's colors are blue and gray and the mascot is the "Pointer".
The school operates on a four-period A-B schedule in which full credit courses are ninety minutes long every other day throughout the school year. This makes it possible for students to earn eight credits per year. Grading standards are calculated on a traditional scale: A = 90 to 100; B = 80 to 89; C = 70 to 79; D = 60 to 69 Minimum Passing Grade = 60
Each year, approximately 85% of the graduates elect to continue their education.
Special Programs
S.P.E.C.I.E.S.
SPECIES, (Sparrows Point Educational Center in Environmental Studies) is a magnet program for students with particularly intense interest in science. Magnet students are recruited throughout the eastern half of Baltimore County. The program provides in-depth experiences in a wide variety of aquatic and environmentally related sciences. Courses offering college credit are part of the SPECIES Program.
College credit
College credit is earned every year by students who take the Advanced Placement exams. Additionally, seniors may attend classes for half of each day at The Community College of Baltimore County. Students in this program may earn as many as fifteen college credits before they graduate from high school.
Sollers Point Technical High
Approximately 20 percent of the students attend Sollers Point Technical High School for half of each school day to gain technical skills. Various other vocational programs are available, several of which culminate in cooperative work-study experience.
Special Needs
A Maryland’s Tomorrow program is available for at-risk students and a special education program is offered for learning-disabled students.
Extracurricular Programs
Many programs exist for Sparrows Point students beyond the regular curriculum. A complete interscholastic athletic program is offered that includes fall, winter, and spring sports. Students publish a literary magazine, newspaper, and yearbook. Chapters of the National Honor Society, the National Art Honor Society, and the National Music Honor Society are all active at Sparrows Point, as are Future Business Leaders of America, Future Educators of America, and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD). The Student Government gives students opportunities to gain leadership experience. Instrumental and vocal music ensembles are also available. FUSION, an independent Christian-based after school program, has had a presence at Sparrows Point since 2009.
Sports
State championships
Sparrows Point High School has won the following state championships:
- 1961 - Boys basketball, class B[1]
- 1974 - Boys soccer, class B[2]
- 1975 - Boys soccer
- 1976 - Boys soccer
- 1979 - Baseball, class B
- 2006 - Boys soccer
- 2013 - Girls Soccer
- 2014 - Girls Soccer
Notable Alumni
- John A. Olszewski, Jr. (class of 2000) - member of the Maryland House of Delegates (2006- )
- Ron Swoboda (class of 1962) - outfielder for the New York Mets; was the "star" in the 1969 World Series defeat of the Orioles
Hall Of Fame/Alumni Association
Since 2009, Sparrows Point High School has held an annual Hall Of Fame ceremony featuring notable graduates of Sparrows Point.
- 2009 inductees- Ron Swoboda, Ed Hale, and Dr. Rachel Barnes
- 2010 inductees- John Kaull, John Shkor
- 2013 inductees-
Principals
- Joseph Blair (1908–1931)
- Benjamin Willis (1931–1932)
- Austin Wheeler (1932–1940)
- William Sartorius (1940–1942)
- Taylor Johnston (1942–1947)
- William Jones (1947–1948)
- Nelson Hurley (1948–1956)
- Paul Dowling (1956–1963)
- Howard Ritter (1963–1967)
- Anthony Marchione (1967–1970)
- Wayne Burgemeister (1970–1977)
- Dr. Michael Eder (1977–1984)
- Nicholas Spinnato (1984–1990)
- Keith Harmeyer (1991–1994)
- Dr. Margaret Spicer (1994–1998)
- Harold Hatton (1998–1999)
- Wayne Thibeault (1999–2001)
- Robert SantaCroce (2002–2012)
- Samuel Wynkoop (2012-2015)
- Emily Caster (2015-Present)