| Bellevue High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Bellevue, Washington, USA | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public secondary school |
| Principal | Scott Powers |
| Enrollment | 1,338 |
| Average class size | 28 |
| Color(s) | Blue and Gold |
| Mascot | Wolverine |
| Website | www.bsd405.org/bhs |
Bellevue High School is a public secondary school located in Bellevue, Washington. In the 2010–2011 school year, Bellevue had 1338 students enrolled in grades 9 through 12.
The school principal is Scott Powers, and the Assistant Principals are Steve Coryelle and Russell White. The mascot is the wolverine.
Bellevue High School generally serves students in Bellevue School District's West Zone, which includes the towns of Medina, Yarrow Point, Clyde Hill, Hunts Point and Beaux Arts, and the neighborhoods of Enatai, Woodridge, Wilburton and Downtown Bellevue.
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Bellevue High School's history can be traced back to 1923, when it first became an accredited four-year high school. Classes were held in a two-room school built in 1892 at the southeast corner of 100th Avenue and Main Street. It was at this location that The Beacon (the school annual) and The Barque (the student newspaper) began publication in 1925 and 1926, respectively.[1]
From 1930 until 1949, the school was located on 102nd Avenue Northeast between Northeast 1st and 4th Streets, a site which is now part of Bellevue Downtown Park. The school was known as Overlake High School during part of this era. Bellevue's award-winning chapter of the Future Farmers of America formed an important part of student and community life until the area's rapid urbanization led to the chapter disbanding in 1950.[1]
The high school moved once again in January 1949 to its current hilltop campus on Kilmarnock Street (renamed "Wolverine Way" as the result of a campaign led by the Class of 2000). The Bellevue Memorial Athletic Field opened on September 15 of the following year, dedicated to "the men and women of the Overlake area, living and dead, who faithfully served their country at home and abroad during World War II." The building underwent four major additions and renovations between 1952 and 1978.[1] By the late 2000s, school officials felt that the heating and lighting systems, the Performing Arts Center, and the building in general were outdated;[2] in June 2010, Bellevue High began a major construction project to address these concerns. By November 2012, the 1949 structure will be almost entirely demolished and replaced by a brand new building. The main gymnasium will remain standing, but will receive a significant upgrade.[3]
Newsweek magazine has ranked Bellevue High School among the best public and private high schools in the nation since it initiated its ranking of U.S. high schools in 2003 as measured by the number of AP tests taken divided by the number of seniors.[4] The subsequent publicity resulted in the school reaching its building population limit and closing the formerly open enrollment policy. For the 2007–2008 school year, only students living within its zones may newly enroll.[5]
Bellevue High School also has a number of special vocational programs in areas such as automotive technology and culinary arts, as well as a class that is responsible for the KASB radio station.[6]
Bellevue has 20 varsity teams and 45 other teams that provide a range of team and individual sports. The school has won state titles in multiple individual and team sports including boys and girls cross country, tennis, soccer, swimming, track, wrestling, and football,[7] as well as several team academic championships. Of particular note is Bellevue's Girls swim and dive team whose 2007 3A Championship represents its sixth in seven years, and seventh in nine years.[8]
Bellevue's football team has gained significant attention, winning the Washington State 3A championship 9 times between 2001 and 2011. Under the coaching of Butch Goncharoff, the team has become nationally recognized according to USAToday for its precision use of the Wing T offense.[9] Bellevue has beaten many notable and nationally ranked teams including Long Beach Poly of Long Beach, California.[10] A notable win happened against De La Salle of Concord, California on September 4, 2004. Bellevue's football team at Seattle's Qwest Field defeated De La Salle, the top-ranked high school team in the country 39–20. The Bellevue victory broke De La Salle's 13 year, 151-game national record-setting winning streak.[11]
The 2004 Bellevue team finished the season ranked No. 8 in the nation by USA Today.[12] The 2004 team went on to win their fourth consecutive state title, a Washington State record for large schools, and completing a 51 win, 2 loss span,[13] led by Washington State Player of the Year J.R. Hasty as well as first team all-state players E.J. Savannah, Stephen Schilling, Connor Mawhinney, and Keith Rosenburg.[14] Other Bellevue players to receive Associated Press First Team all-state honors during the 4 consecutive title streak include Gavin Smith, Pat Mutzel, Jay Johnson, Jeff Dicks, Matt Coombs, Mike Braund, and Lee Driftmier.[15][16][17]
Bellevue's 2008 state 3A football championship was the school's sixth state championship in eight years and seventh state football championship in school history.[18] Prior to winning the 2008 state championship, the Bellevue football team was involved in a rollover bus crash several hours prior to playing the Capital Cougars (Olympia, WA) in the state semi-finals in the Tacoma Dome.[19] The accident delayed the game for three days as the Bellevue Wolverines went on to defeat the Cougars in the state semi-finals.[20] Bellevue holds multiple other Washington State records including the record for most consecutive championship tournament wins, 17.,[21] again winning the WIAA 3A state championship. The 2009 team went on and had a 12–2 record and again won the WIAA 3A state title. In 2010, the Bellevue Wolverines again proved their dominance by winning the state 3A football championship for a 3rd straight year (and 8 out of the previous 10 years), defeating Kamiakin High School 38–0 in the championship game.
Bellevue's 2010 Varsity Lacrosse team beat Mercer Island 5–4 in over time for the state title.
In 2011, the Bellevue water polo team beat the Newport Knights 15-8 to win the team's first ever state championship.
In the 2010–2011 school year, the total student enrollment was 1338. The racial demographics currently are: 3% African American, 26% Asian, 5% Hispanic, 7% Multiracial and 59% White. 23% of students speak another first language besides English. 13% qualify for free or reduced lunches.[22]
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