Walbrook High School

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Walbrook High School
Address
2000 Edgewood Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21216
Information
School number 434(Liberal Arts Academy), 435(Institute of Business & Entreprenuership), 436(Homeland Security High)
School board BCPSS
School district Baltimore City Public School System
Superintendent Nancy Grasmick
Enrollment

1,920 (2006)
School type Public
Grades 9-12
Language English
Area Urban
Motto Where success is expected and failure is not an option.
Mascot Warriors
Team name Warriors
Color(s) Red, White, Gray
Founded 1971

Walbrook High School formerly Walbrook Senior High School (1971-1996) Walbrook Uniform Services Academy (1996-2005), is a public high school located in Baltimore, Maryland.


Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Establishment

Walbrook was founded in 1971 as Walbrook Senior High School, and has undergone numerous changes in its name and status over the past decade. Recent scandal has caused several structural changes to the school's administration and academic curriculum, including the separation of the school into different academies. In the early 90's the school was marred by reports of high dropout rates, low test scores, gang violence, shootings, fires, and fights. The school board organized a plan to revamp the school into a new learning environment. Which included:

  • Metal Detectors
  • Uniforms
  • Academies (Homeland Security, Business & Entrepreneurship, Liberal Arts)
  • The renaming of the school to Walbrook High School Uniform Services Academy, to reflect the new uniform policy.

[edit] Bundley era

In 1996, several news outlets in Baltimore were reporting the decline of the school, and the system was opting for a new principal. It approached Andrey Bundley, due to his success at Greenspring Middle School. Under Bundley's direction, the school reported record numbers of attendance (95%) and an increase in state test scores. The school also saw the addition of several successful extracurricular activities and sports, including their nationally recognized debate team and basketball team.

In Summer 2004, accusations arose that Bundley had graduated almost 1/3 of Walbrook seniors in 2003, who did not meet Maryland state requirements.[1] In the preceding school year, violence had increased and attendance and school performance had decreased. This led to Bundley's transfer to another school, and an unsuccessful run for Mayor of Baltimore against Martin O'Malley. His transfer was to the dismay of teachers and students, who unsuccessfully petitioned for his return. In October 2004, Shirley Cathorne became principal, and oversaw the restructuring of Walbrook into smaller learning environments. However, Cathorne did not stay long due to family issues, and was replaced by Lamarge Wyatt.

The new administration phased out the school's old academies and curriculum and introduced new ones—the Homeland Security Academy, the Entrepreneurial High School, the Maritime Academy, and the Liberal Arts Academy—that were spread on different floors of the building, each with a different principal, uniform and teachers. The overall school and building is referred to as the "Walbrook Campus", since all of the schools share the same gym and cafeteria, but still refer to it as Walbrook High School.

[edit] Debate team

In 2003, Walbrook's debate team was featured in a 60 Minutes segment to talk about the team and how their coach, Angelo Brooks, had inspired them to go to college. Along with the students at Walbrook, it helped the Baltimore Urban Debate League gain national attention as well for the progress it had made in the Baltimore area.

In September 2006, Sgt. Angelo Brooks and Officer Eugene Fields Jr, teachers in the Criminal Justice Academy, sued the school system and the Police Department, saying they were victims of retaliation resulting in their removal and the disbanding of the debate team. The suit accused Maisha Washington, who was principal of the Homeland Security Academy, of "conspiracy ... to destroy the debate program." The text of the lawsuit also says Washington and Major Mary S. Young, who oversaw the officers, knowingly relayed to their supervisors false information about the job performance of the officers who sued. The defendants in the lawsuit include former Mayor Martin O'Malley, Police Commissioner Leonard D. Hamm and former schools Chief Executive Officer Bonnie S. Copeland. In late 2006, Fields pulled out of the lawsuit, but the case in still pending in District Court with Brooks.[2]


[edit] Academies

#434 Liberal Arts Academy is an academy located on the Walbrook High School campus. Established in 2006 it exclusively host students of zoned to Walbrook High School whos age is 16 and over. It is an alternative academy to seperate them into one academy and focus directly on thier specific educational needs. Their uniform colors are Yellow and Khaki or Maroon and Khaki. This school is located in the lower level of the Walbrook campus.


ATTENDANCE RATES

2007 50.4%

2006 50.6%

GRADUATION RATES

2007 71.59%

2006 94.87%

ENROLLMENT

Year Enrollment African-American White Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander American Indian/ Native Alaskan
2007 221 220 1 0 0 0
2006 388 387 1 0 0 0

#435 Institute of Business & Entreprenuership is an academy located on the second floor of the Walbrook High School campus. Its uniform colors are Green and Khaki. This school focuses on teaching its students the basics of business and entreprenuership. Out of all three academies this one had the highest population of students. This academy was established in 2006 and is apart of the small school intiatives of baltimore city.

ATTENDANCE RATES

2007 72.2% 2006 79.5%

GRADUATION RATES

2007 83.95%

2006 93.90%

ENROLLMENT

Year Enrollment African American White Hispanic Asian/ Pacific Islander American Indian/ Alaskan Native
2007 513 511 2 0 0 0
2006 381 375 6 0 0 0

#436 Homeland Security High School is an academy located on the third floor of the Walbrook High School campus. Its school is focused on Law and Public Policy. The uniform colors are Blue and Khaki. This school was established in 2006 as long with the other academies that make up Walbrook High School.

ATTENDANCE RATES

2007 69.3%

2006 88.3%

GRADUATION RATES

2007 93.88% 2006 94.94%

ENROLLMENT

Year Enrollment African American White Hispanic Asian/ Pacific Islander American Indian/ Native Alaskan
2007 493 484 5 1 2 1
2006 363 358 2 0 2 1




Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (January 2007)

[edit] References

  1. ^ 125 Graduations at West Baltimore School Called Into Question by Audit
  2. ^ Officers sue department, schools

[edit] External links