Carmel High School (Carmel, Indiana)

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Carmel High School
Motto Veritas Scientia Mores
(Truth Knowledge Character)
Established 1887
Type Public high school
Students 4,050
Location Carmel, Indiana, USA
Mascot Greyhound
Website CHS

Carmel High School is a public high school in Carmel, Indiana whose name is commonly abbreviated to CHS. It is part of the Carmel Clay School District and has an enrollment of over four thousand students,[1] making it one of the largest high schools in the state of Indiana by number of students. [2]

Contents

[edit] History

Carmel High School has a long history dating back to 1887 when the cornerstone for the first CHS was laid on a building located on the south side of the town of Carmel. A second building was opened in 1923 on the present school site and housed students K through 12 until 1958. Only sophomores, juniors, and seniors attended the school from 1964 to 1995. The current high school building dates from 1958. Since that opening there have been five additional construction projects that have expanded and renovated the building. The 2005-2006 school year marked the opening of the newest addition, the Freshman Center.

The school mascot is the Greyhound, and the school colors are blue and gold.

[edit] Facilities

(For a Google SketchUp 3D model, see http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=f43cdf04a859b7d9971bb9862391d221)

The Carmel High School campus sits on 55 acres situated less than a mile from downtown Carmel. At least 22 of these acres are devoted to the actual school building itself. The indoor complex is divided into a number of buildings:

  • A -- Math (3rd Floor), Foreign Language (2nd Floor), Family and Consumer Sciences (1st Floor)
  • B -- Science (2nd Floor)
  • C -- Communications (1st Floor), Art (1st Floor), Industrial Technologies (1st Floor)
  • D -- One room, likely a conference room, on the second floor in between the E and B wings
  • E -- Social Studies (2nd Floor), Physics (2nd Floor), English (1st Floor), Freshman Performing Arts(1st Floor)
  • F -- Business (1st Floor), Computer Science (1st Floor)
  • G -- Gym / Aquatic Areas (Below 1st Floor)
  • P -- Dr. William H. Duke Center for the Performing Arts (1st Floor)
  • H -- Freshman Center (see below)

The recently added Freshman Center features three similar floors, each one featuring a number of English, Social Studies, Biology (the mandatory Freshman science course) and Math classrooms.

Today the school has two libraries: the main library and the Freshman library, which are connected. There are also three cafeterias: The Main Cafeteria, Greyhound Station, and the Freshman Cafeteria.

The Dale E. Graham Auditorium, located in the performing arts center, can only fit under 2,000 people, so the school's varsity gym is used during pep sessions, when all students are in attendance.

A studio theater exists for smaller presentations and performances.

[edit] A Traditional School Day

The school operates on a block eight schedule with each class around 90 minutes long and meeting every other day. The days are named after the school's colors: Blue Days consist of periods 1, 2, 3, & 4, and Gold Days consist of periods 5, 6 (SRT), 7, & 8. SRT (Student Resource Time) is the school's prep period. The teacher who supervises the students during SRT is considered the homeroom teacher of the students. Most school assemblies are held during the SRT period. Lunch period takes place during period 3 and 7 of each day and are based on what department the student has class in during that time. Due to the student traffic and the large campus, passing periods between classes are 10 minutes long.

[edit] Extracurricular

[edit] Athletics

The greyhound has been the school's mascot since the early 1920s, and athletics have been a source of community activity and pride throughout the years. CHS offers 20 sports in interscholastic competition. Students are also offered many extracurricular and intramural opportunities through an extensive activities program. CHS has won the most Indiana state championships, coming in at 99 total with the last title being the 07-08 girls swimming state championship. Also, the Women's Swimming and Diving team is tied for the record of the most consecutive state championships of any high school girls sport. The team has won 22 straight titles from 1986 to 2008. The Women's Swimming and Diving team has won 23 state titles altogether. Other notable streaks include Women’s Cross Country (1984-85 through 1988-89), Men’s Swimming and Diving (1989-90 through 1993-94), and Women’s Soccer (2000-01 through 2004-05) with five consecutive runs; Men’s Cross Country (1976-77 through 1979-80) and Men’s Swimming and Diving (2000-01 through 2003-04) with four consecutive runs. Most recently, the Carmel High School Men's Soccer team won the 2006 state championship and a national championship as well. They have won 5 state tennis championships. Carmel won its 6th (1978, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1989, 2007) state football championship on November 24, 2007, the Carmel Football team defeated Pike High School to win the Indiana AAAAA State Championship. On March 1st, the Carmel High School Girl's Basketball team defeated South Bend Washington to win the AAAA State Championship, increasing Carmel High School's total of state championships to 100.

[edit] Former athletes

[edit] Recent Championships

On Saturday, October 28, 2006, they were home to the state champion soccer team that beat out Elkhart Central 4-1. Carmel had an undefeated season of 23-0.

In the 2007-2008 School Year, Carmel was home to the state champion football, girls' swimming, girls' basketball teams, and Symphony Orchestra.

[edit] Band

The Carmel High School Band Program is one of the most prestigious programs in the country. In 1999, the Wind Symphony I was named the ISSMA Concert Band State Champion. The Carmel High School Marching Greyhounds were ISSMA State Champions in 1991, 2001, and 2002. The band was named BOA National Class AAA Champion in 2001. The band has been a BOA National Finalist 13 times, and was named BOA Grand National Champion in 2005. The Marching Band has won regionals in Toledo, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Oxford, Atlanta and Louisville. The Carmel High School Marching Greyhounds were invited to perform in the 2004 London New Year's Parade in London, England. In 2007 the Carmel Marching Band was invited to play on the USS Missouri, and also with the Hawaii's Royal Band. The top concert band, Wind Symphony I, was invited to perform at the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival two times and also performed at the prestigious 2005 Midwest Clinic in Chicago. Carmel High School Marching Band was named Bands of America's Southeast Regional Champions at the 2007 Bands of America Regionals in Atlanta, GA. Carmel was also named Band of America's Indianapolis Regional Champions at the 2007 BOA Indy Regionals in Indianapolis, Indiana. The current department head of the program is Richard Saucedo.

[edit] Orchestra

The Carmel High School Orchestral program currently consists of five orchestras. The Camerata Orchestra is the top group that primarily performs large ensemble string literature. The Symphony Orchestra combines with members of the Camerata Orchestra and performs full orchestra repertoire. Other ensembles include the Philharmonic, Sinfonia, and Concert (Freshmen) Orchestras. The Symphony Orchestra was named the ISSMA State Concert Orchestra Champion in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2008. The orchestras are currently under the direction of Mr. Soo Han and Ms. Rachel Tookolo.

[edit] Broadcasting

Carmel High School currently operates a local television station, broadcast on Bright House channel 21. The station's name is CHTV, which stands for Carmel High Television. The radio station, WHJE 91.3 ("the edge") is run by the students in three different levels of classes. The first level is radio lab, then radio staff, and finally radio management. WHJE is has a live web stream at whje.com. Both the TV station and the radio station broadcast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

[edit] Newspaper

The school newspaper, the "HiLite", has received national recognition including a Superior rating from Quill & Scroll, general awards from the Indiana High School Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, and several individual awards for "HiLite" staff members. The newspaper has two regular sections, a pullout (called the "Acumen") every other issue, and additional bonus sections for Homecoming, prom, and Graduation. It is distributed to all students and staff, as well as at several public places in Carmel, such as the public library. The HiLite is generally regarded as one of the best high school newspapers in the state.

[edit] Other Competitive Teams

Carmel High School has a large number of non-athletic competitive teams. Many of these are successful in regional, state, and national competitions. The band, orchestra, the Ambassadors & the Accents (the school's "show choirs"), the debate team, FIRST robotics team, Brain Game, Academic Super Bowl, American Mathematics Contest (AMC, AIME, USAMO, Science Olympiad, and Economics Challenge teams have all won state and national awards. The school newspaper, the HiLite, and the yearbook, the Pinnacle, have likewise received state and national awards for excellence.

[edit] Traditions

[edit] Senior skip day

CHS previously held the honor of holding a senior skip day. Recently, this policy has been removed. Instead, all seniors who meet requirements such as not having an unexcused absence are exempt from second semester finals (given that their teacher allows it). Therefore, they are not required to be in attendance the last 2 1/2 days of school.

[edit] Clubs

Due in part to its large size, Carmel High School has many varied clubs. There are over 120 clubs and organizations in the high school. These range in type, with academic clubs such as Academic Superbowl, Science Olympiad, and Model Rocketry and Aviation Club; entertainment clubs such as Equestrian Club(Horseback Riding), Gilmore Girls Club, 24 Club (renamed the Square Root of 576 Club due to a change in faculty sponsor), Video Game Club, and the Chess Club; and activism clubs such as The Healthy Environment Club, Gay-Straight Alliance Club, Young Republicans and Young Democrats, and Student Advocates of Gender Equality. Many other clubs are available, and students can form clubs by finding a faculty member to sponsor them. [1]

[edit] PLC System

The 2006-07 school year implemented a new PLC system called late start in which for every Gold Day Wednesday (usually every other week), school does not start until 8:30 AM. However, the students that travel to school by bus must arrive at the normal time around 7:30 AM. As a result, there are no professional half days (half days are only on final exam days).

The top 25 system has been cancelled and has been replaced by a Certificate of Excellence program in which students earn points not only for good grades but also through participation in extracurricular activities such as sports and music. The Certificate of Excellence program begun in the 2007-2008 school year.

[edit] Alumni


[edit] References

  1. ^ Enrollment by Grade, Carmel High School
  2. ^ Indiana Department of Education, Schools list

[edit] External links