Avon High School (Connecticut)

Avon High School is a high school in Avon, Connecticut, United States serving grades 9–12. As one of the 5 schools in the Avon Public School system, its only feeder school is Avon Middle School. The student population is about 1200, but projections see huge increases for future enrollment. Because of this, the school has undergone extensive renovations. Beginning with the 2007–2008 school year, the principal is Jason Beaudin.

Renovation

The school started its new renovation project in 2006 and was completed in the fall of 2008. The school had been renovated once before, an effort that was completed in 1997. The new renovation includes the addition of classrooms, a second gymnasium, a new kitchen and cafeteria, orchestra room, two or more media centers, and several interior cosmetic changes.

The following areas are currently open: both gyms (new and old), the bathrooms and lobby area around the new gym, the new cafeteria and kitchen, new wing of classrooms on a third floor.

An indoor track was proposed, but due to a lack of funding it was canceled.

Changes in the 2008-09 year

Following Len Fenelon's retirement from his role as assistant principal, Dr. Scott Ratchford will join the AHS faculty as Assistant Principal and will deal most closely with grades 9 and 11. Students of the 2008-09 year will also be the first to use the newly revamped library and academic wing (housing English, Science, Special Education, and Computer Science classes). In addition, due to the increase in student population, the traditional three-cycle lunch wave system has been modified to accommodate four 25-minute lunches. Other minor changes include several new flat-screen announcement screens, new trees and plants, as well as over 250 new computers.

Academics

Academic departments include Math, Social Studies, English, Science, World Languages, Health, Visual Arts, Music, and Physical Education. There are 67 subject area teachers.^[1]

In order to graduate, students must earn a minimum of 22.5 credits according to the following distribution:^[2]

• English - 4 credits
• Social Studies - 3 credits (1 of United States History, 0.5 of Civics)
• Science - 3 credits (1 of Biology)
• Mathematics - 3 credits
• Physical Education - 1 credit
• Health - 0.5 credit
• Humanities - 0.5 credit

Avon High School is notable for its AP Science program, encouraging top scholars of the school to take AP Science classes in their first year of the particular discipline of science, somewhat uncommon of AP Sciences, due to their rigor. Avon High School is notorious for receiving a high 5 rate in the AP Sciences, particularly AP Chemistry. However, due to the first year nature of these AP Science classes, they take up 2 periods of the day, uncommon to any other course offered at the high school. Many of the top scholars of the school are rather irked by the lack of accreditation awarded by these classes though, as they only receive 1.25 credits as opposed to the 1 credit given to single period non-AP science courses. This extra .25 credit is seen by the student population as a mere meaningless token for their doubled time commitment both in school and out of school, and is insufficient to allow for even the slightest reduction in number of classes necessary.

The capstone of the Avon High education is the Senior Mastery Project, a required component of the 12th Grade Humanities curriculum. Students spend one semester researching a topic of their interest with the close guidance of a faculty adviser. The semester culminates with an extended essay explaining the research, a visual presentation to be displayed in the library, and a 30-minute presentation during Senior Mastery Night.

World Languages are not required, but are encouraged. Languages offered include Spanish, French, Greek and Latin. Arts credits are also not required, but most students will elect to take at least one arts unit. Most departments offer electives in addition to the core curriculum. Past offerings have included Law, Genocide, Writing Workshop, Anatomy and Physiology, and Marine Biology.

Arts

Arts offerings include music, visual arts, and theater arts.

The music offerings at Avon High School have expanded in recent years. Ensembles currently include:^[3]

Bands

• 9th grade Concert Band
• Symphonic Band
• Wind Ensemble (need to audition)

Choirs

• Girls Concert Choir
• Mixed Concert Choir
• Chamber Choir
• Women's Choir
• Men's Choir

Other musical opportunities include the strings program, jazz band, American School Band Directors Association festivals, American Choral Directors Association festivals, and Connecticut Music Educators Association All-State Festival.

Controversies

In 2005, several Avon High School seniors made a Pep-Rally T-Shirt that made a reference to Beer Pong. While the shirt was initially approved by the school, the students purchased many of the shirts. However, under further review, the administration reversed their decision, banning the shirts from pep rally. Nonetheless, several students remained steadfast and decided to wear the previously-approved shirts that they had paid for. Currently, Avon High School now employs a strict Pep-Rally T-Shirt policy, forbidding shirts with even the slightest connotation of offense. Many students are surprised to find the potential questionable undertones of their shirts.

Activities

The Avon High website notes that, "Avon High offers a great variety of extracurricular activities for students to get involved. A wide array of sports teams is well complemented by an eclectic mix of school clubs and groups."^[4] Popular extracurricular activities include Student Government, the Avon Volunteers On Newness (A.V.O.N.) Club, Diversity Club, FIRST Robotics Team, Katie's Club, Model United Nations, National Honor Society, Gay-Straight Alliance, debate club, cooking club, Peer Support Club and Yearbook. The Model U.N. club has been successful in local and state level competitions, and the Robotics Team, named the ÜberBots, recently ranked in the top four internationally at the Championships in Atlanta, Georgia.^[5]

Traditions

Avon has many unofficial student traditions that have lasted over the years. Some of the most commonly observed traditions include seniors decorating their cars on the first day of school. Senior girls also wear dresses and tiaras on the first day of classes. For the homecoming pep rally, the upperclassmen wear creative outfits reflecting AHS colors. Juniors wear blue and seniors wear any color, sophomores wear white while freshman do not dress up in theme oriented outfits, as they simply wear school colors. Only seniors are permitted to dress up for Halloween, the celebration of which surrounds the senior parade through the hallways of the school for faculty and underclassmen. For graduation, girls wear white and boys wear blue. Most seniors decorate their caps for the graduation ceremony. The school mascot is the falcon and the colors are blue and white. The yearbook is called the NOVA, which is Avon spelled backward.

Sports

Avon High School has an extensive and successful athletics program that frequently earns recognition in the North Central Connecticut Conference and the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference. Several athletes have earned All-America status and many athletes go on to have successful collegiate athletic careers. Offerings include cheerleading (co-ed), cross country (boys and girls), field hockey, football, soccer (boys and girls), volleyball, crew, basketball (boys and girls), ice hockey (joint program with Farmington and Windsor), swimming, wrestling (co-ed), baseball, golf (boys and girls), lacrosse (boys and girls), softball, tennis (boys and girls), track (boys and girls).^[6]

Facilities for field hockey, football, cheerleading, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, track, and girls lacrosse are located at the high school. Boys lacrosse and girls tennis play at the middle school. Soccer, softball, and cross country have home bases at the Fisher's Meadow recreational facility. Strong sports rivals include Canton High School, Farmington High School, Simsbury High School, and Suffield High School.

Recent notable accomplishments by Avon High athletic teams include several CIAC state championships. Teams that have not won a state championship that are known for their strong performances include boys lacrosse, girls lacrosse, and volleyball.

CIAC state championships

^[7]

Notable alumni

• Will Friedle, actor.
• Jessica Lundy, actor.
• David Yoo, author.

References

External links

• Avon Public Schools website
• Avon Football Online
• Collinsville Press
• http://www.avon.k12.ct.us/info/Staff/default.asp?BID=1
• http://mail.avon.k12.ct.us/~cboland/?OpenItemURL=S00A45377
• http://www.avon.k12.ct.us/arts/apsarts/performarts/index.htm#ahsmusic
• http://www.avon.k12.ct.us/avonhigh/activities/
• http://www.avon.k12.ct.us/avonhigh/activities/athletics/