Hinsdale South High School
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| Hinsdale South High School |
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| Established | 1965 |
| Type | Public secondary |
| Principal | Dr. Claudia Geocaris |
| Faculty | 185 |
| Students | 1,913 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Location | 7401 Clarendon Hills Rd. Darien, Illinois USA |
| Campus | Suburban, 42-acres |
| Colors | Black, Gold |
| Mascot | Hornets |
| Yearbook | Vespa |
| Newspaper | Stinger |
| Website | south.hinsdale86.org/ |
Hinsdale South High School, or HSHS, and locally referred to as "South," is a public four-year high school located at the corner of 75th Street and Clarendon Hills Road in Darien, Illinois, a southwestern suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. Hinsdale South also serves residents from the nearby towns of Burr Ridge, Willowbrook, and Westmont. It is part of Hinsdale Township High School District 86, which also includes Hinsdale Central High School. Hinsdale South is the regional feeder school for deaf and hard of hearing students in the Chicago area.
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[edit] History
In 1962, a referendum for a second high school was passed, and Hinsdale South opened its doors in the fall of 1965 to 418 freshmen and sophomores.[1] A new wing of school, solely designated for the Science department, was opened to students at the beginning of the 2003-2004 school year. The wing includes eight new classrooms, preparatory rooms, a new science department office, and a greenhouse. The school's library, contains four computer areas/laboratories. There are currently plans to build a new library over a newly renovated cafeteria.
[edit] Academics
According to Newsweek's 2006 Complete List of 1,000 Top High Schools, Hinsdale South ranks within the top twelve high schools in the state of Illinois.[2]
The class of 2006 included 498 graduates, 95% of whom were college bound, with 70% of students attending a four-year college or university. Three were National Merit Finalists, six were National Merit Commended Students, and 49 were Illinois State Scholars. The average SAT score was a 1210 and the average ACT score was a 22.5. In 2006, 392 students took 795 Advanced placement examinations with 83% of reported scores a 3 or higher.[3] The average class size at South is 19.8.
Hinsdale South has made Adequate Yearly Progress on the Prairie State Achievements Examination, a state test part of the No Child Left Behind Act.[4] The staff is comprised of 185 teachers, 78% of whom hold an advanced degree. Fifty percent of the faculty have more than sixteen years of teaching experience. The College Board Advanced placement Program is heavily encouraged with 24 courses offered.
[edit] Technology
The school currently provides all teachers with Tablet PCs, and the school is fully equipped with wireless internet technologies. Tablet PC carts and stations are also available to students. Also, students at Hinsdale South are allowed the option of bringing a computer laptop or personal digital assistant for note taking and word processing.
[edit] Athletics
Hinsdale South competes in the West Suburban Conference. Its mascot is the Hornets. Its main sports rivals are its sister school, Hinsdale Central High School, and also Downers Grove South High School.
In recent years, the Hinsdale South Hornet Football Program has been performing increasingly well in their division. The football team has not made the IHSA playoffs five years in a row, and recently made it to the State Quarter-Finals in Fall 2005. The annual Hinsdale Central vs. Hinsdale South football game almost always has sellout crowds and is annually one of the most popular high school football games (based upon attendance) in the Chicago area.
Hinsdale South is traditionally a strong state competitor in both Girls Tennis and Badminton. They have won numerous state championships and accolades for both sports including a recent IHSA State Championship title in Badminton in 2005 and 2006.
There are seven gyms, including a multipurpose gym used for Physical Education, assemblies, and volleyball and basketball games. There is also a pool, wrestling gym, gymnastics gym, field house, a fitness center/gym, and a general use gym. Outdoor facilities include a new track, a stadium, 4 baseball/softball diamonds, soccer fields and nine tennis courts.
[edit] Activities
Activities and clubs are also heavily stressed at Hinsdale South. Over 90% of graduates have taken part in the more than sixty organizations available to all students.[5] The HSHS drama department is considered to be one of the best in the state. Several of Hinsdale South’s competitive organizations, such as Math Team, Speech Team, marching band, scholastic bowl, and science olympiad consistently do well in IHSA competitions. The Chess team has been conference champions for the past three years.
The newspaper is The Stinger, and the yearbook is VESPA, which is Latin for hornet. Hinsdale South is also the home of WHSD 88.5 FM, the local radio station.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Kevin Kasper, 1996, professional football player, member of the 2005 Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.
