Valparaiso High School

Last updated
Valparaiso High School
Valparaiso High School front.jpg
Address
Valparaiso High School
2727 North Campbell Street

Valparaiso
,
Porter County
,
Indiana
46385

United States
Coordinates 41°29′35″N87°04′03″W / 41.4931°N 87.0674°W / 41.4931; -87.0674
Information
Type Public high school
Motto"A Tradition of Excellence"
Established1871
School districtValparaiso Community Schools
PrincipalVeronica Tobon
Faculty101.17 (FTE) [1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment2,098 (2022-23) [1]
Student to teacher ratio20.73 [1]
Color(s)  
Athletics conference Duneland Athletic Conference
Team name Vikings
NewspaperThe Viking Press
Website Valparaiso High School

Valparaiso High School is a public high school in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Contents

History

Previous home of Valparaiso High School from 1927 to 1972. It now serves as Benjamin Franklin Middle School Benjamin Franklin Middle School 1.jpg
Previous home of Valparaiso High School from 1927 to 1972. It now serves as Benjamin Franklin Middle School

Valparaiso High School opened in 1871 as Valparaiso City Public Graded School in a facility that had been built in 1861 by the local Presbyterian members as the Valparaiso Collegiate Institute on the site of the current Central Elementary School. The Institute closed by 1869 and the building was purchased that year by the city of Valparaiso for $10,069. A third story was added to the original building and an addition which doubled the available classroom space. In the first year, there were 400 students and 10 teachers. Three years later in 1874, the first graduation ceremonies were held for Valparaiso High School. As the community continued to grow in population, overcrowding became a common problem. In 1903, the building was condemned and demolished and replaced with a new building on the same site. During the period before the new facility was completed, classes were held at other locations in town, including the Armory. The new building cost around $80,000 and was designed by Charles Lembke, a local architect. The school faced towards the east and to allow for more attic space, was constructed with a Mansard roof, and also featured large chimneys and a tiered fountain. Although some sources report that the school included all grades, it was most likely used only as a high school. [2] [3]

Enrollment continued to rise so that by the 1920s, a construction of a new school was necessary. A new high school opened in 1927 at 605 North Campbell Street, with a gymnasium finished the following year. This building served as the high school until 1972, and continues to be used as Benjamin Franklin Middle School. The current high school building at 2727 North Campbell Street opened in 1972. In 1988 a field house was added to the west of the original building. A major renovation came in 1993, with a $19 million project adding classrooms to the north section of the building, a new and expanded kitchen and student cafeteria, and renovated administrative and guidance areas. In 1997 a roof was added and in 2004 work began on renovating the football stadium. [2] In 2016, a major renovation was announced, with work to the exterior, classrooms, the auditorium, as well as a new engineering wing and natatorium. [4]

On Wednesday, November 24, 2004, at approximately 7:50 a.m., five students were attacked in a classroom by a 15-year-old student who was armed with a machete and a tree saw. None of the students involved suffered major injuries, and all but one were treated and released from the hospital the same day. [5] [6] [7]

In 2006 and again in 2014, Valparaiso Community Schools signed memoranda of understanding with the Department of Justice to improve race relations in the school. [8] [9]

Academics

In 2004, Valparaiso High School was one of 30 schools chosen nationwide as a model school by an initiative of the Council of Chief State School Officers, the International Center for Leadership in Education and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The initiative recognizes schools that are successful at providing quality education to all students. The high school's history of continuous improvement on benchmarks, service learning initiative commitments, as well as having offered diverse extracurricular programs were all cited in its achievement. The school also promotes leadership, a model of civility, and a connection to the greater Valparaiso community. [10]

Valparaiso High School has offered the IB Diploma Program since August 1995. Students at VHS usually take IB exams in May. In the last session, students completed the following exams: Biology, Chemistry, Economics, English, French, German, History, Information Technology in Global Society, Mathematics, Music, Physics, Spanish, Theory of Knowledge and Visual Arts. [11]

Athletics

Athletic teams at Valparaiso High School play under the nickname "Vikings" and compete in the Duneland Athletic Conference. The Vikings have won 30 Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Championships, the 7th most of any Indiana high school. [12]

SportState titlesYear(s)
Boys cross country
6
1966, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1997, 2000
Girls cross country
5
1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004
Football
2
1975, 2022
Girls gymnastics
14
1981, 1991, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021, 2023
Boys soccer
1
2004
Unified track and field
2
2019, 2021

Notable alumni

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Valparaiso High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "City's Modern School System Dates From 1871". The Vidette-Messenger. August 18, 1936. p. 14.
  3. ↑ Shook, Steven (2008). "High School". Historical Images of Porter County.
  4. ↑ Russell, Joyce (29 April 2017). "Valparaiso school construction projects moving forward". nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  5. ↑ Indiana Daily Student - 5 students injured in Valparaiso slashing, 29 November 2004
  6. ↑ Kasarda, Bob (2011-11-19). "Valpo High School slasher out of treatment seven years after attack : Valparaiso News". Nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  7. ↑ "5 students slashed at Ind. high school - US news - Crime & courts". NBC News. 2004-11-24. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  8. ↑ "DOJ: CRS: Annual Report FY2006". www.justice.gov. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  9. ↑ Lavalley, Amy (21 September 2020). "Valparaiso High School had a 5-year agreement to address racism. Some community members say little was accomplished". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  10. ↑ NWI.com - , March 10, 2004
  11. ↑ International Baccalaureate Organization - , May 23, 2008
  12. ↑ "State Championship History". IHSAA. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  13. ↑ "IMDB Bio – Beulah Bondi". IMDB.com. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  14. ↑ "NASA Bio – Mark Brown". NASA.gov. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  15. ↑ Elliott, Len; Kelly, Barbara (1976). Who's Who in Golf . New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House. p.  13. ISBN   0-87000-225-2.
  16. ↑ "Baseball Reference – Jim Crowell". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  17. ↑ "NFL Bio – Fred Doelling". NFL.com. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  18. ↑ "NBA Bio – Bryce Drew". NBA.com. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Basketball Reference – Robbie Hummel". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  20. ↑ Kuersten, Ashlyn K., ed. (2003). Women and the law : leaders, cases, and documents. Santa Barbara, California [u.a.]: ABC-Clio. p. 48. ISBN   9780874368789.
  21. ↑ "Samuel McClure biography". spartacus-educational.com. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Baseball Reference – Jeff Samardzija". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Notre Dame Football Bio – Jeff Samardzija". Und.collegesports.com. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
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