Schenley High School

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Schenley High School
Location
4101 Bigelow Boulevard
Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Coordinates: 40.45028° N 79.95444° W
United States
Information
School district Pittsburgh Public Schools
Principal Ms. Sophia Facaros
Enrollment

1,122 as of 1-May-2007[1]
Type Public, Magnet school, International Baccalaureate
Grades 9–12
Mascot Spartan
Color(s) White, Red and Black
Established October 2, 1916
Representative William Isler
Homepage Schenley High School

Schenley High School is a public school in Oakland, the cultural and educational center of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. The building is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places (NRHP Reference #86002706).[2]

It is one of four International Baccalaureate high schools in Pennsylvania. Schenley is only a short distance from the campuses of the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Carlow University, and Chatham College. It is also near the Carnegie Museum of Art and Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Music Hall and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, the Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Schenley Park, and many hospitals of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center system.

The school colors are red and black, and the mascot is the Spartans.

Schenley is one of ten high schools in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

Contents

[edit] History

Schenley High School is named for the Pittsburgh philanthropist Mary Schenley, on whose land the school was erected in 1916. It opened for students on October 2, 1916, to accommodate Pittsburgh's growing population of high school students which were overwhelming the downtown Central High School. It was designed as a triangle and constructed of Indiana Limestone, and was also the first high school in the United States to cost more than one million dollars, making Schenley an immediate showplace of the city. The citizens of Pittsburgh were so proud of the building that by public donations, money was raised to present the school with a three-manual Skinner pipe organ. The first enrollment was 1,800 students with 70 teachers. Through the 1920s and 1930s, the enrollment climbed steadily and reached a peak of 3,012 students in March 1940.

Aerial view of Schenley
Aerial view of Schenley

[edit] Transition to Teacher Center

In 1983, Schenley High School underwent an innovative change, which placed it in the national limelight and at the forefront of educational development in the United States. The school was rededicated as the Schenley High School Teacher Center and from 1983 to 1989 became a center of revitalization for teachers to incorporate the latest research data on teaching the adolescent as well as an opportunity for teachers to enhance their skills. In 1987 a new wing was added to the building; it houses the new physical education facilities, including a regular sized gymnasium, a new swimming pool, dressing rooms, and an office area.

[edit] Controversy Over Right-Sizing Plan

 This section does not cite any references or sources. (May 2008)
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On November 9, 2005, the Pittsburgh Public Schools announced that Schenley High School would be moving in 2007 to the present building of Reizenstein Middle School in Shadyside. The relocation was announced as part of the Plan to Right-Size the Pittsburgh Public Schools. On February 9, 2006, Schenley was taken off of this plan after a campaign against Schenley's inclusion was undertaken by many supporters of the school. Schenley will remain open in the latest version of the right-sizing plan, which was targeted at low-performing, under-used schools in the city. Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt announced a plan on Wednesday that calls for the closing of Schenley High School at the end of the current school year. Roosevlet said Schenley needs numerous repairs -- including asbestos abatement -- and said the costs would run as high as $60 million. Many argue that some renovations listed aren't actually needed and dangers have been exaggerated in order to get the building emptied to be sold. Which has recently been found to be true.

[edit] Alma Mater

 This section does not cite any references or sources. (December 2006)
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Alma Mater, God preserve thee
Dear Schenley High!
Through the years, we hope to serve thee,
Dear Schenley High!
We revere the spirit taught there,
Rev'rent minds that lived and thought there
Mem'ries of our Alma Mater,
Dear Schenley High!

[edit] Notable Alumni

[edit] Today

There are 126 total staff members including

  • Sophia Facaros, principal
  • Daniel Bernard, assistant principal
  • Carol Pachel, assistant principal
  • Rae-Ann Green, assistant principal

[edit] Enrollment

As of April 30th, 2008 Schenley has 1,500 students enrolled, with demographics as follows:[1]

  • Male 488 (43.49%)
  • Female 634 (56.51%)

[edit] Recent honors

Schenley's boys' basketball team is the PIAA Class AAAA state champion of 2007. In 2008 (as in the last four years), the Spartans were the Pittsburgh City League Champions.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Schenley High School Fact Sheet. Pittsburgh Public School Web Site. Retrieved on 2007-05-12.
  2. ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2006-03-15).
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Kalson, Sally. "Much history will be lost with closing of Schenley", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2005-11-10. Retrieved on 2006-12-16. 
  4. ^ Derrick Bell. The HistoryMakers Web Site. Retrieved on 2006-12-16.
  5. ^ Janis, Robert (2004-11-16). Interview: Larry Brown. Sports Fan Magazine Web Site. Retrieved on 2006-12-16.
  6. ^ Players :: Darnell Dinkins (Bio). Cleveland Browns Web Site. Retrieved on 2006-12-19.
  7. ^ Pittsburghers of the Century. WQED Pittsburgh Web Site. Retrieved on 2007-05-06.

[edit] External links

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