Cape Elizabeth High School

Cape Elizabeth High School
Address
345 Ocean House Road Cape Elizabeth , Maine 04107 United States
Coordinates	43°35′31″N70°13′44″W / 43.591822329871036°N 70.22875621080856°W / 43.591822329871036; -70.22875621080856
Information
School type	Public, high school
School board	Cape Elizabeth School Board
NCES District ID	2303930 [1]
Superintendent	Christopher Record [2] [3]
CEEB code	200955 [4]
NCES School ID	230393000108 [5]
Principal	John Springer [6]
Staff	77 [7]
Teaching staff	41.25 (FTE) [8]
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	540 [9]  (March 2022)
•  Grade 9	123
•  Grade 10	150
•  Grade 11	122
•  Grade 12	145
Average class size	16.7 [8]
Student to teacher ratio	13.4 [8]
Language	English
Hours in school day	6+5⁄12 [10]
Classrooms	43 [11] : 12–13
Campus size	Large
Campus type	Suburban
Color(s)	Maroon   Gold
Accreditation	NEASC [12]
National ranking	No. 5,251 [13]
Publication	Bartleby [14]
Yearbook	Nautilus
Alumni	Joan Benoit [ citation needed ] Clare Egan Eleanor Espling
Website	cehs.cape.k12.me.us
Last updated: 8 April 2022

Cape Elizabeth High School (CEHS) is a public high school in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, United States. It is one of six schools in Maine to have been named a National Blue Ribbon School multiple times by the U.S. Department of Education. ^[15]

Academics

The graduation rate for the Cape Elizabeth High School class of 2019 was 99 percent. ^{[11] : 3} Almost 60 percent of CEHS students took and passed an Advanced Placement exam during the 2018–19 academic year.

The school offers high-level education through courses like CP Chemical Science and CP Biological Sciences (which may have been renamed to just CP Biological Science in 2021), ^[16] both of which mysteriously cannot be found in any other public high school in the United States.

Curriculum

Cape Elizabeth High School students undertake a college preparatory curriculum that requires least eight semesters of English, six semesters each of mathematics and science courses, five semesters of history courses, two semesters of fine arts courses, two semesters of physical education courses, one semester of government courses, one semester of technology courses, one semester of health education, and one additional semester of either a fine arts or technology course. Students are required to take at least six courses every semester and may take as many as eight.

The school offers Advanced Placement courses to earn college credit. Foreign languages offered include French and Spanish. CEHS is well known for its substantial music department supporting a wind symphony, symphonic band, concert choir, and select choirs. A broad selection of elective courses are also offered, ranging from the more unusual, such as motion picture production, boat building, metal working, drafting, and digital design, to more standard fare like art fundamentals, ceramics, photography, painting and drawing, illustration and design, art studio, and typing.

Facilities

Cape Elizabeth High School was built in 1969 directly adjacent to the middle school and elementary schools, allowing for a large campus. The high school has about 40 classrooms, a theater, auditorium, 10,000 volume library, a computer lab, and cafeteria. The building was renovated in 2005–06.^{[ citation needed ]}

Athletic facilities at the high school include a gymnasium, the Don Richards 25-yard swimming pool and weight lifting facility, a multi-purpose lighted turf field, six tennis courts, a baseball field, softball field, recently resurfaced six-lane track, and two other multi-purpose fields. In 2003, the Gull Crest Fields were built to support the football program, and in 2006 five kilometers of 12-to-15-foot-wide (3.7 to 4.6 m) multi-purpose trails were added for running and Nordic skiing.

Extracurricular activities

About 90 percent of students were active in an extracurricular activity during the 2018–19 academic year. ^{[11] : 3}

Athletics

There are 36 teams at CEHS, 23 of which are varsity. Sports include soccer, football, field hockey, volleyball, golf, cross country, basketball, swimming and diving, indoor track, outdoor track, ice hockey, Nordic skiing, alpine skiing, baseball, softball, lacrosse, outdoor track, tennis, and sailing. ^{[11] : 32} Unlike most other high schools, Cape Elizabeth has no mascot; sports teams are simply called the Cape Elizabeth "Capers".

About 80 percent of students were active on an athletic team during the 2018–19 academic year. ^{[11] : 3}

Arts

CEHS Music has one large Jazz Ensemble, multiple Jazz Combos, Concert Choir, and select choirs that participate in District, State and National competitions and festivals. CEHS has won first place in the Berklee College Jazz Festival for Small American High Schools five of the past six years.

CEHS Theatre is a leader in State One-Act Festival plays and is often commended for its technical merits and inventive design. Over a hundred students participate in theater each year.

Clubs and activities

Student Advisory Council is the high school's student government and provides a student representative to the Cape Elizabeth School Board.

Cape Elizabeth Mock Trial has competed in State Finals seven times since 2002. In 2002, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2021 the team represented Maine at the National High School Mock Trial Championships. The 2016 team finished number 20 in the national competition, while the 2017 team finished number 8.

Other extracurricular activities include the National Honor Society, Boys'/Girls' State, Robotics Team, Math Team, Yearbook Committee, Prom Committee, Graduation Committee, Student Rescue, Amnesty International, Siddartha School Project, Gay/Straight Alliance, Ultimate Frisbee, and the BBQ Team. ^{[11] : 32}

Budget and funding

The budget of Cape Elizabeth High School is part of the $29,857,097 annual budget of the Cape Elizabeth School Department. ^{[17] [18]}

The Cape Elizabeth Educational Foundation (CEEF) is a private not-for-profit charitable corporation that lends additional support to programming in all of the Cape Elizabeth Schools. Their mission statement reads (in part): "CEEF is committed to fostering innovation and excellence in the Cape Elizabeth school district by 1. Funding initiatives that fall outside the school budget; 2. Partnering with the school district to help achieve its vision; and 3. Building community-wide support for the benefit of our schools." ^[19]

Controversy

Response to student claim of rapist

In September 2019, a Cape Elizabeth High School student named Aela Mansmann left a sticky note reading "There's a rapist in our school and you know who it is" in one of the school's bathrooms, sparking panic among students. The school suspended her for bullying shortly after, provoking controversy among the community. ^{[20] [21] [22] [23]}

Notable alumni

• Phyllis Pray Bober, art historian and professor
• Ben Brewster, professional soccer player
• Eleanor Espling, politician
• Role Model, singer

Notable staff

• Allan Dorans, politician and former substitute teacher
• Kevin St. Jarre, author, soldier, and teacher

References

1. "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Cape Elizabeth Public Schools". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences . Retrieved 2021-08-28.
2. "School Board Hires New Superintendent". Town of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
3. Catherine, Bart (2021-05-08). "Cape Elizabeth has new school superintendent". South Portland Sentry. Portland Press Herald . Retrieved 2021-08-28.
4. "High School CEEB Code Search". State University of New York . Retrieved 2021-08-28.
5. "Search for Public Schools - Cape Elizabeth High School (230393000108)". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences . Retrieved 2021-08-28.
6. "School Board confirms hire of new high school Principal". Town of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. 2021-03-18. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
7. "Staff". Cape Elizabeth High School. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
8. "Cost Center Review" (PDF). Cape Elizabeth School Department. 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
9. "Enrollment Numbers March 2022" (PDF). Cape Elizabeth School Department. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
10. "Cape Elizabeth High School". Town of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
11. "The Beacon: Our Student and Family Handbook" (PDF). Cape Elizabeth School Department. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
12. "Cape Elizabeth High School". New England Association of Schools and Colleges . Retrieved 2021-08-28.
13. "Cape Elizabeth High School". U.S. News & World Report . Retrieved 2021-08-28.
14. Farmer, Tom (2021-06-17). "Bartleby Literary Magazine 2020-2021". Cape Elizabeth School Department. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
15. "NBRS Awardee Database". National Blue Ribbon Schools Program . Retrieved 2021-03-05.
16. "Programs of Studies". Cape Elizabeth High School. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
17. "School Budget Passes". Town of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. 2021-06-08. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
18. Murphy, Sean (2021-06-09). "Voters pass $29 million school budget in Cape Elizabeth". Southern Forecaster. Portland Press Herald . Retrieved 2021-08-28.
19. "About CEEF". Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
20. Ohm, Rachel (2019-10-04). "Cape Elizabeth students fault school system's handling of sexual assault allegations". Portland Press Herald . Retrieved 2021-09-05.
21. Farzan, Antonia (2019-10-08). "A teenager said there was a rapist at her school. She was suspended for bullying". The Washington Post . Retrieved 2021-09-05.
22. Barnett, Errol (2019-10-16). "Teen says rape-awareness note was a criticism of her school's culture". CBS News . Retrieved 2021-09-05.
23. DeGeurin, Mack (2019-10-16). "A 15-year-old tried to raise awareness about sexual assault at her school. The school responded by suspending her for 'bullying'". Business Insider . Retrieved 2021-09-05.