Vernon Hills High School

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Vernon Hills High School
Motto Excellence is our Standard.
Established 1999 (freshmen only)
2000 (all grades)
Type Public secondary
Principal Dr. Ellen Cwick
Faculty 108
Students 1,208
Grades 9–12
Location 145 Lakeview Parkway
Vernon Hills, Illinois USA
Campus Suburban
Colors Royal blue and silver
Mascot Cougars
Yearbook Continuum
Newspaper The Scratching Post
Website www.vhhscougars.org

Vernon Hills High School, or VHHS, is a public four-year high school located in Vernon Hills, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Community High School District 128, which also includes Libertyville High School.

Contents

[edit] History

Following the successful passage of a $48.5 million bond referendum in 1997, construction on the school began. The doors opened on September 7, 1999 for all freshmen in District 128. Construction continued for the next year, upon which the school opened for all grades in August 2000. The school was formally dedicated on April 9, 2000. The first graduating class was that of 2002. The Cougar mascot was chosen following a poll of the freshmen and sophomore students attending the new school in August 2000.

[edit] Academics

In 2005, Vernon Hills had an average composite ACT score of 23.5, and graduated 94.4% of its senior class. The average class size is 300. Vernon Hills has made Adequate Yearly Progress on the Prairie State Achievements Examination, a state test part of the No Child Left Behind Act.[1]

The staff is comprised of 108 teachers, of which 84% hold an advanced degree.[2]

In 2006, Newsweek released a list of the best high schools in America. Vernon Hills High School was ranked 571 nation-wide and 12 state-wide.[3]

[edit] Athletics

Vernon Hills competes in the North Suburban Conference. Its mascot is the Cougars.

[edit] Activities

Vernon Hills High School offers more than thirty student organizations, including[4]:

  • A.C.E.
  • Academic Bowl
  • Anime
  • Art Club
  • Backlight Theatre
  • Best Buddies
  • Cougar Lifeguard
  • Cougar-T.V.
  • DECA
  • F.B.L.A.
  • F.C.A.
  • First Class
  • G.S.A.
  • Interact
  • International Club
  • Jr National Association For The Death
  • Literary Magazine
  • Math Team
  • Model United Nations
  • National Honor Society
  • Orchesis
  • Outdoor Adventure Club
  • Robotics
  • Skills USA- VICA
  • S.P.A.R.K.
  • Special Olympics
  • Speech
  • Spotlight
  • Strategy Club
  • VH20
  • V.I.P.
  • WYSE

[edit] Music

VHHS has always had a strong music program, placing 4th in the state in its first year of existence. The complete record of music department state finishes, according to IHSA, is as follows[5]:

  • 2001: 4th
  • 2002: 4th
  • 2003: 2nd
  • 2004: 3rd
  • 2005: 3rd
  • 2006: 2nd

In 2006, the VHHS Wind Ensemble placed 1st in their class at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign-sponsored SuperState band competition, effectively making the VHHS Wind Ensemble one of the best bands in Illinois[6].

[edit] References

  1. ^ Illinois School Report Card
  2. ^ School Profile
  3. ^ The Complete List: 1,200 Top U.S. Schools
  4. ^ Student Organizations - Vernon Hills High School. Retrieved on July 13, 2006.
  5. ^ IHSA Music Records Menu. Retrieved on July 13, 2006.
  6. ^ Music Department - Band - Vernon Hills High School. Retrieved on July 13, 2006.

[edit] External links


North Suburban Conference
Lake Division: Lake Forest • Lake Zurich • Libertyville • Mundelein • Stevenson • Warren • Zion-Benton

Prairie Division: Antioch • Grant • Lakes • North Chicago • Round Lake • Vernon Hills • Wauconda
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