West Potomac High School: Difference between revisions
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* [[Stephen Shenker]], 1970 - American theoretical physicist. ''(Groveton High School graduate)'' |
* [[Stephen Shenker]], 1970 - American theoretical physicist. ''(Groveton High School graduate)'' |
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* [http://www.american.edu/soc/faculty/shiverjr.cfm Jube Shiver, Jr.] 1971 - Journalist / Entrepreneur ''(Groveton High School graduate)'' |
* [http://www.american.edu/soc/faculty/shiverjr.cfm Jube Shiver, Jr.] 1971 - Journalist / Entrepreneur ''(Groveton High School graduate)'' |
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* [[Captain James T. Kirk]], 1960 - Captain of the Starship Enterprise |
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* [[Joe Quinn]], 2009 - Winner of the "Next Burke Solo Competition" |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 15:18, 10 November 2011
 | This article about school may require cleanup. (July 2011) |  |
38°46′29.87″N 77°4′20.55″W / 38.7749639°N 77.0723750°W
| West Potomac High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
6500 Quander Road Alexandria , 22307 | |
| Information | |
| School type | Public, high school |
| Motto | Excellence is a Tradition[1] |
| Gegründet | 1985 |
| School district | Fairfax County Public Schools |
| Direktorin | Cliff Hardison (as of July 1, 2009) |
| Staff | 234 (2009) |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 2,064 (2009) |
| Sprache | Englisch |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Royal and silver ██ |
| Mascot | Wolverines |
| Feeder schools | Sandburg Middle School |
| Rival schools | Mount Vernon High School |
| Athletic conferences | Patriot District Northern Region |
| Website | http://www.fcps.edu/WestPotomacHS |
West Potomac High School is a public high school in Fairfax County, Virginia. It is located on 6500 Quander Road and is part of Fairfax County Public Schools.
History
West Potomac High School was formed by combining the student bodies and staff of Groveton and Fort Hunt High Schools in 1985. The Fairfax County School Board, citing costs and declining enrollment as causes, decided to close Fort Hunt and combine the schools on Groveton's site under a new name.
The school's facilities have been expanded significantly since the merger, with two wings added to the main building over the intervening years. The old Groveton High School on Popkins Lan houses the Bryant Alternative High School; the site of Fort Hunt High school became Carl Sandburg Middle School. The new Groveton High School was built on the site of the former Bryant Intermediate School in 1975.
In its inaugural year, the school adopted the motto "the Tradition Begins Now". After several years, however, it was modified to "Excellence is a Tradition". There is a rivalry with neighboring Mount Vernon High School because of its close proximity. The two schools' annual football scrimmage brings much local attention.
Demographics
In 2009-2010, West Potomac's student body was 41.42% White; 23.87% Black; 21.73% Hispanic; 8.17% Asian; 4.81% Other.[2]
Sports
In recent years, the school's track and field program and cross country have been very successful. The Men's Crew Team has been moderately successful. In the 2004-05 season, the boys track team won the regional title. In the 2008-09 season, the boys track team remained the AAA Patriot District champions for the 8th year in a row, while the girls track team moved up to the second place standing, behind Lake Braddock Secondary School.
West Potomac won Virginia AAA football championships in 1989 and 1990.[3] The Wolverines also won state championships in girls cross country in 1989 and 1990.[3] The West Potomac It's Academic team won first place in the Patriot District and fourth in the region in January 2008.
Academic Honors
The West Potomac Science Olympiad team placed 9th at the 2010 Virginia State Tournament with individual event-teams winning 3rd Place in Mission Possible and a 5th Place in Disease Detectives.[4] And since the school's founding in 1985, West Potomac has fielded 3 state championship debate teams.[5] In 2009 a student was 2nd in the AIAA/NCS Aerospace(Science Fair) awards[6] and a West Potomac sophomore won a top award at the 2010 Fairfax County Regional Science and Engineering Fair.[7] At the 2009-2010 VHSL State Debate Tournament a duo-team were named Semi-Finalists in the Virginia State Debate Tournament/Classic(AAA) Division.[8] Coach Antonio Gilkey took over for the 10-11 boys shot put and discus team, taking it to new heights but resigned at the end of the school year.
Music
In recent years West Potomac has been a recipient of the Virginia Honor Band award from the Virginia Band and Orchestra Director's Association for superior ratings in concert band and marching band. Also the West Potomac Symphonic Winds, directed by Steve Rice, attended the Bands of America event in Indianapolis in March 2010, accompanied by the West Potomac Percussion Ensemble directed by Adam Foreman.
West Potomac's choir department has also blossomed since choir directer ernest johnson was hired. He has created the two elite ensombles bella voce and colonial singers (now chamber singers as of fall 2011) and shaped a wonderful mixed choir filled with junior and senior boys and girls. He has also created two brand new freshmen and sophmore choirs for the 2011-2012 school year. The choirs are fetured many times throughout the year including fall and winter concerts as well as both paid and volunteer performeces by select groups. Every year West Potomac choirs participate in choral festival and receive all superior and some good ratings. The "Spring Show" is the major choir event where everything goes from classical to glee in a feel good song and dance show featuring popular music.
Theater Arts and Drama
In recent years West Potomac's Theater Arts program has blossomed and flourished. The current Theater Teacher and Director, Phillip Clark, entered in 2011, and is directing 2 shows for the 2011-2012 school year.
Mr. O'grady, who is a noted Shakespeare buff, has directed the fall play before, and is directing "Richard The Third" This year.
Notable alumni
- Diedrich Bader — actor, The Drew Carey Show, Office Space. (attended Groveton High School, graduated from T. C. Williams High School)
- Donna Dixon — Actress, Miss Virginia USA, 1976, and wife of Dan Aykroyd. (Groveton High School graduate)
- Tiombe Hurd, 1991 — 2004 Olympian who holds the American record in the triple jump[9]
- Micah Johnson — American football player, University of Kentucky. (Transferred to Fort Campbell High School in Fort Campbell, KY in 2004, graduated in 2006.)
- Michelle Madison, 1989 — Model, television personality, TV Guide Network.[citation needed]
- Willie Pile, 1998 — Professional American football player (Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys)[10]
- Ashley Wagner — Figure skater
- Scott Surovell - Member of Virginia House of Delegates
- Scott Shenker, 1974 - Professor of Computer Science at UC Berkeley, Vice President of the International Computer Science Institute in Berkeley, California. (Groveton High School graduate)
- Stephen Shenker, 1970 - American theoretical physicist. (Groveton High School graduate)
- Jube Shiver, Jr. 1971 - Journalist / Entrepreneur (Groveton High School graduate)
- Captain James T. Kirk, 1960 - Captain of the Starship Enterprise
- Joe Quinn, 2009 - Winner of the "Next Burke Solo Competition"
References
- ^ About our school... WPHS Website
- ^ FCPS > School Profiles > West Potomac HS > Demographics Fairfax County Public Schools August 2011
- ^ a b "Virginia High School League Book of Records, Eleventh Edition" (PDF). Virginia High School League. 2007-06.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Virginia State Olympiad results
- ^ West Potomac Honors Resolution
- ^ AIAA NCS Selects Area’s Top Aerospace Science Fair Projects
- ^ Science Fair Results
- ^ Virginia VHSL Tournament Results
- ^ Former Wolverine star made U.S. Olympic squad on third try in 2004., Rich Sanders, The Connection, July 20, 2006
- ^ Late arrival to the sport, Pile has excelled on gridiron at West Potomac, Virginia Tech, and in the NFL, Rich Sanders, The Connection, August 3, 2006.