Lee High School (Massachusetts)

Last updated
Lee High School
Lee Central School, Lee MA.jpg
Site of Lee High School (1894–1916)
Address
Lee High School (Massachusetts)
300 Greylock Street

Lee, Massachusetts 01238

United States
Coordinates 42°18′24.27″N73°14′23.70″W / 42.3067417°N 73.2399167°W / 42.3067417; -73.2399167
Information
Typepublic secondary school
Established1851;173 years ago (1851)
School districtLee Public School District
PrincipalGregg Brighenti
Staff36.20 (FTE) [1]
Grades7-12
Gendercoeducational
Enrollment325 (2022-23) [1]
Student to teacher ratio8.98 [1]
Campussmall town, rural
Color(s)Black & Orange   
AthleticsBerkshire County League
Nickname Wildcats
Newspaper‘’Wildcat Newsletter’' (online)
YearbookThe Echo
Website Lee High School Website

Lee High School is a public high school in Lee, Massachusetts, United States. The school was founded in 1851 and serves students in grades nine through twelve from Lee and the nearby town of Tyringham. Students from neighboring Otis, Sandisfield and Becket. also have the option to attend Lee High School. Through its history and as the student population has increased, the school has transitioned through different buildings and locations. Today it shares a campus with the town's middle school. The schools are officially known as Lee Middle and High School.

Contents

History

Lee High School was founded in 1851, marking the beginning of public secondary education in the town. [2] Prior to that and like in many New England villages, education beyond fundamental literacy, arithmetic and civics was provided by private academies to the children of families that could afford additional schooling. Through the years the high school occupied buildings at several locations, The impressive Hyde School was built for the high school in 1894 in the Romanesque Revival style. It still stands at 100 High Street as one of Lee's landmark buildings. In 1916 that building became home to Lee Central School, when the high school moved to another site. In 1962 Lee High School's current campus was established at 300 Greylock Street. [3] In the 2002–2003 school year, the Middle School moved to a shared campus with the high school. [4]

Academics

A general secondary curriculum is provided with vocational and college preparatory course offerings. In addition to the general curriculum, several enrichment and recognition programs are offered, including: [5]

Students participate in Mock Trial, sponsored by the Massachusetts Bar Association and in the TV program As Schools Match Wits . In 2016 sixty students were in the graduating class. Eighty-three scholarships, most of which are locally generated, were awarded to graduating seniors. Seventeen members of the Class of 2016 received John and Abigail Adams Scholarships by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. [6]

Student life

In spite of the school's small size, numerous extracurricular activities are offered. [7]

Publications

Activities

  • Student Council
  • National Honor Society
  • Helping Hands
  • Band and Chamber Ensemble
  • Drama Program with Shakespeare & Company
  • Spring Concert
  • Annual Talent Show
  • Quiz Team
  • Career Fair

Athletics

The school's teams are known as the ‘Wildcats’. The school's colors are black and orange. The varsity and junior varsity teams participate in the Berkshire County League. Their traditional rivals include neighboring Lenox Memorial High School, Monument Mountain Regional High School and Pittsfield High School. By season, the varsity sports teams are: [6]

In the fall of 2015 the boys’ football and golf teams won the Western Massachusetts championships. In 2019, the football team won the Western Massachusetts Championship again. The boys’ cross country team won the southern division of the Berkshire County League. The girls’ volleyball team was the undefeated champion of Berkshire County. Also, students participate in cooperative teams from neighboring schools in hockey, skiing, and swimming. During the 2015–2016 school year, 330 students from the Middle and High School participated in team sports. [8]

District consolidation reconsidered

Lee High School could be impacted by renewed discussions of school district consolidation. Beginning in the early 1950s, Massachusetts began to encourage and financially incentivize small school districts to consider consolidating with neighboring districts to ensure fiscal sustainability and to strengthen curricular offerings through economies of scale. [9] Nearby Berkshire County communities like Stockbridge, Great Barrington and Dalton choose consolidation, which led to the closure of their local high schools, which were replaced with larger regional high schools. Lee and nearby Lenox considered consolidation but resisted such a move. Short of consolidation, Lee and Lenox eventually partnered to share several non-academic support systems. Over the decades student enrollment figures have continued to decline in most Berkshire County school districts, including in Lee. Once again Lee is engaged in considering full consolidation with Lenox. [10] Beyond the needs of these two towns, there have been calls for broader regionalization of school districts in the southern portion of the county or even for county-wide district consolidation. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berkshire County, Massachusetts</span> County in Massachusetts, United States

Berkshire County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,026. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield. The county was founded in 1761. The Berkshire Hills are centered on Berkshire County. Residents are known as Berkshirites. It exists today only as a historical geographic region, and has no county government, with the exception of the retirement board for former county workers, and certain offices such as the sheriff and registry of deeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond, Massachusetts</span> Town in Massachusetts, United States

Richmond is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,407 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stockbridge, Massachusetts</span> Town in Massachusetts, United States

Stockbridge is a town in Berkshire County in Western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,018 at the 2020 census. A year-round resort area, Stockbridge is home to the Norman Rockwell Museum, Naumkeag, a public garden and historic house, the Austen Riggs Center, and Chesterwood, home and studio of sculptor Daniel Chester French.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norwell, Massachusetts</span> Town in Massachusetts, United States

Norwell is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,351 at the 2020 United States census. The town's southeastern border runs along the North River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lenox, Massachusetts</span> Town in Massachusetts, United States

Lenox is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is in Western Massachusetts and part of the Pittsfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,095 at the 2020 census. Lenox is the site of Shakespeare & Company and Tanglewood, summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Lenox includes the villages of New Lenox and Lenoxdale, and is a tourist destination during the summer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Springbrook High School</span> Public secondary school in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States

Springbrook High School is an American public high school, located in Montgomery County, Maryland, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. It is located within the White Oak census-designated place, and has a Silver Spring mailing address. It is between the Colesville and White Oak communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Algonquin Regional High School</span> Public secondary school in Northborough, Massachusetts, United States

Algonquin Regional High School is a public high school located in Northborough, Massachusetts, United States. The school serves the students of the Northborough-Southborough Regional School District (NSRSD) comprising both Northborough and neighboring Southborough.

Lexington High School (LHS) is a public high school located in Lexington, Massachusetts, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade. It is one of two high schools in Lexington, and is part of the Lexington Public Schools system. Its sports teams compete in division 1 of Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA)'s 4th district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westford Academy</span> Public school in the United States

Westford Academy is the public high school for the town of Westford, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1792 and is one of the oldest public high schools in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoosac Valley High School</span> Public school in the United States

Hoosac Valley High School is a public institution of secondary education located in Cheshire, Massachusetts, United States. It primarily serves students residing in the towns of Adams, Cheshire, and Savoy. Hoosac Valley, abbreviated HVHS, hosts grades 4 through 12. It, along with Hoosac Valley Elementary School comprise the Hoosac Valley Regional School District. The 7th and 8th graders of the HVRSD attend classes at Hoosac Valley High School, though they may not take part in many high school sports unless there is a shortage of players, and their section of the school is known as Hoosac Valley Middle School and the younger children stay, for the most part, separated from the older ones throughout the duration of the school day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles H. McCann Technical School</span> School in the United States

Charles H. McCann Technical School is a technical school located in North Adams, Massachusetts, United States that serves grades 9-12. It serves the Northern Berkshire Vocational Regional School District made up of the City of North Adams, and the towns of Adams, Williamstown, Cheshire, Lanesborough, Clarksburg, Florida, Savoy, and Monroe, with tuition-based students coming from various other towns. In the high school, during the 2014-2015 school year, McCann had an enrollment of 500 students. McCann also provides a Post Secondary program.

Seekonk High School is a public high school operated by Seekonk Public Schools in Seekonk, Massachusetts, United States. It serves the district's grade 9–12 student population. The school's mission statement is "All students will achieve their maximum potential by becoming responsible, productive citizens and life-long learners."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gateway Regional High School (Massachusetts)</span> Public high school in Huntington, MA, United States

Gateway Regional High School (GRHS), commonly referred to as "Gateway" or "Gateway Regional," is a public high school located in Huntington, Massachusetts, United States. It is the only high school in the Gateway Regional School District, serving students from Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Russell, and Worthington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manchester Essex Regional Middle/High School</span> Public school in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, United States

Manchester Essex Regional High School is the public middle and high school for the towns of Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, United States, with an approximate enrollment of 490 students in 6th to 12th grades and a total of 65 faculty members. The average SAT score for the Class of 2012 was 584 in math, 569 for critical reading, and 562 for writing.

Innovation Academy Charter School (IACS) is a small charter school in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, United States. The school was founded in 1996, under the name Chelmsford Public Charter School by a small group of parents from Chelmsford, Massachusetts. While initially a middle school serving only the town of Chelmsford, IACS has since expanded, establishing a high school and serving multiple towns within Massachusetts.

Pittsfield High School is a four year comprehensive public high school in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, United States. It serves the city of Pittsfield. The school dates its founding to 1844. It is administered by the Pittsfield Public Schools district and is the oldest of the district's two high schools. Enrollment for the 2014-2015 school year included 916 students. 51% of the student population was female and 49% were male. Students of African American, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic ethnicity and heritage comprised 21.8% percent of the student population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tahanto Regional High School</span> Public school in the United States

Tahanto Regional Middle/High School is a public middle school and high school located in Boylston, Massachusetts, United States named after George Tahanto. In the 2012 rankings of U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools, it ranked as number 45 within Massachusetts. The school serves grades 6–12 with a student to teacher ratio of 12.21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Williams High School (Stockbridge, Massachusetts)</span> Public secondary school in Stockbridge, Massachusetts , U.S.

Williams High School was a public high school located in the town of Stockbridge in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. Its history evolved from the town's earliest schools founded before and shortly after the American Revolutionary War. Students from Stockbridge, its small villages of Interlaken, Glendale and Larrywaug, and from the nearby town of West Stockbridge attended Williams High School. In April 1968 the school closed, when its students transferred to a new regional high school located in the town of Great Barrington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Searles High School (Great Barrington, Massachusetts)</span> Public secondary school in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, United States

Searles High School was a public high school located in Great Barrington in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. Students attended the school from Great Barrington, the villages of Housatonic, Van Deusenville and other communities in the southern Berkshire region. Searles High School was founded in 1898 and closed in 1968, when its students transferred to a new regional high school. In 1968, it was converted into Searles Middle School, which was closed in 2005. There are plans to make the school into a hotel, which may be stalled indefinitely. In 2004, Monument Valley Middle School was built which replaced Searles Middle School. In 2020, MVMS’s name was changed to DuBois Middle School

Lenox Memorial High School is a public high school located in Lenox, Massachusetts, United States, founded in 1803. Since 1966 it has shared a campus with the town's middle school. The schools are officially known as Lenox Memorial Middle and High School.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Lee Middle/High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Early Lee School Houses" (PDF). p. 74. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Early Lee School Houses" (PDF). p. 78. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Town of Lee, Massachusetts, Fiscal Year 2002 Annual Report of the Town Officers" (PDF). Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  5. ↑ "The Town of Lee Massachusetts, Annual Report of the Town Officers, Fiscal Year 2016" (PDF). Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association" . Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  7. ↑ "The Town of Lee Massachusetts, Annual Report of the Town Officers, Fiscal Year 2016" (PDF). Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Town of Lee, Massachusetts, Annual Report of the Town Officers, Fiscal Year 2016, Lee Middle and High School Report, 2015-2016" (PDF). Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  9. ↑ "A Guide for Sharing Public Services in Massachusetts, Regional School Districts" . Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Lee School Committee OKs shared services pact with Lenox" . Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Lenoc school leaders see costly outcome for all-county district" . Retrieved November 14, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.