Reading Memorial High School

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims.
Please improve the article by adding references. See the talk page for details. (September 2007)

Reading Memorial High School
Established	1954
Type	Public
Principal	Joseph Finigan
Students	1,294 (2005-06)
Grades	High school (9-12)
Location	Reading, MA, USA
Accreditation	New England Association of Schools and Colleges Massachusetts State Department of Education
Colors	Red and Black
Mascot	Rockets
Newspaper	Orbit
Website	reading.k12.ma.us/rmhs/

Reading Memorial High School (RMHS) is a four year public high school located in Reading, Massachusetts. The school has a student body of over 1,294 (2005-06) drawn from Parker Middle School and Coolidge Middle School. A new building for RMHS has just recently been completed.

1 General Information
2 Academics
3 Athletics
4 Extracurricular
5 Notable Facts
6 Notable Alumni
7 References
8 External links

[edit] General Information

Reading Memorial High School is located at 62 Oakland Road in Reading, Massachusetts. This single public high school serves all of Reading. The school is known for strong academics and athletics. RMHS has many athletic facilities, including a field house (with an indoor track), turf field, an outdoor track, practice fields, and tennis courts. As of 2007, RMHS received extensive renovations to all of its facilities. The $60 milion renovation was completed in the fall of 2007.

[edit] Academics

RMHS offers a wide variety of Practical and Performing Arts, English, Foreign Language, Health, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Special Education courses.

                      MCAS Scores
                 [MA State Avg] [RMHS]

Math

         Advanced      42         57
         Proficient    27         30
         Needs Imp.    22         11
         Warning        9          2

English

         Advanced      22         34
         Proficient    49         50
         Needs Imp.    24         14
         Warning        6          2

[edit] Athletics

In 2008, the Reading Memorial High School boys ice hockey team became the first public high school to win the Super 8 tournament since it's inception and the first public team to win the Division 1A title since RMHS won in 1978. They did this by defeating Malden Catholic High School 3-0 in the championship game at the TD Banknorth Garden. "Jeff Wyer was a key player in this victory." said Coach Dohrety. The Reading Memorial High School boys basketball team won the Division II North Championship on Saturday March 8,2008. The key players on this team included Seniors Phill O'Brien, Nick Edson, Keith Hdsuon and Kellen Scarpitto along with Juniors Ted Notis, Matt Crampton, and Evan Smotrycz and Sophomore Josh Gosselin. This was the first time the high school has ever won DII North. RMHS competes in the Middlesex League. Its most notable sport is boys outdoor track, which, as of 2001, holds the national record for most consecutive seasons without a defeat (29 years unbeaten, 263 dual meets without a loss, and 248 consecutive wins). See National High School Sports Record Book; Jeff Sullivan, Woburn Sends Croft's Reading Track Team to First Loss in 30 Years, Boston Globe, April 25, 2001, at F1.

[edit] Extracurricular

RMHS has an award-winning Marching Band, that consists of ~100 students from Band and Color Guard. Both Jazz Bands (Jazz Ensemble and Stage Band) are also award-winning bands, that are highly competitive and often receive gold medals. The Jazz Ensemble has performed at the Hatch Shell in Boston, along with other gold medal-winning bands.

RMHS has an award winning Drama Club which sells out many of its performances. In 1998, the Drama Club won the Massachusetts High School Drama Guild's Drama Festival with "Dogg's Hamlet." Since then, the Drama Club has often earned the recognition of having one of the top 15 plays in state-wide MHSDG final round.

Other Extracurricular activities include:

Amnesty International
Anime Club
Art Club
Badminton Club
Chess Club
Community Service Club
Contemporary Film and Arts Society
Gay Straight Alliance
Ictheo-Botany Socialist Club
Impressions Literary Magazine
International Club
Math Team
National Honor Society
The Orbit Newspaper
The Right Club
SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving)
Science Team
Student Council
Vernal Pool Club
Web Team
Yearbook

[edit] Notable Facts

Jeffrey R. Ryan, Ph.D., of RMHS's History department, was 2003 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year^[1]

[edit] Notable Alumni

Notable alumni include:

Brad Whitford (RMHS '70), guitarist for Aerosmith
LCDR Kevin J. Davis, 1992 Graduate, was an Opposing Soloist with the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels. Died April 21, 2007 in a crash during a demonstration show.
Mark Erelli, folk musician.