| Maine South High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| 1111 S. Dee Rd. Park Ridge, Illinois, 60068 USA |
|
| Information | |
| School type | public, comprehensive secondary |
| Opened | 1964 |
| School district | Maine Township HS 207 |
| NCES District ID | 1724090[1] |
| Superintendent | Ken Wallace[2] |
| CEEB Code | 143377[3] |
| NCES School ID | 172409005031[1] |
| Principal | Mr. Shawn Messmer[4] |
| Teaching staff | 171.5 (FTE)[1] |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Gender | coed |
| Enrollment | 2626[1] (2009-10) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 15.35:1[1] |
| Campus type | suburban[1] |
| Color(s) | red black white[5] |
| Fight song | Hail to the Hawks |
| Athletics conference | Central Suburban League |
| Mascot | Harley[6] |
| Team name | Hawks[5] |
| Average ACT scores (2010-11) | 24.6[7] |
| Publication | Equinox[8] |
| Newspaper | 'Southwords[9] |
| Yearbook | 'Eyrie[10] |
| TV/radio | WMTH[11] |
| Website | http://south.maine207.org/ |
Maine South High School, or MSHS, is a public four-year high school located in Park Ridge, Illinois, a north-west suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Maine Township High School District 207, which also includes Maine East High School and Maine West High School.
Maine South is well-known for its academic, athletic, and fine arts success. Since at least 1992 it has also received regular mention in national media as the alma mater of Hillary Rodham Clinton, a member of the school's first graduating class.
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Bids on the construction of Maine South opened on March 18, 1963.[12] Maine South was built in 1964 on the grounds of a former landfill to meet the growing educational needs of the area, mainly the city of Park Ridge, but also some of Niles, Harwood Heights, Norridge, Rosemont and unincorporated Norwood Park Township.
The first principal, Clyde Watson, was appointed in December, 1963, in order to give him time to begin forming the first parents and music booster clubs.[13]
Until 1969, students were under a dress code that included a requirement for men to be clean shaven, and that hair had to be cut above the collar.[14] 1969 also saw the first expansion of the school with the addition of the student cafeteria, and some physical education and classroom areas.[15]
In 1973, the North Central Association, an academic accreditation agency, rated Maine South as "one of the top 10 high schools in the nation."[16]
In 1986 and 1987, officials from Maine South were instrumental in pushing the Illinois High School Association to recognize girls soccer.[17]
The 1988-1989 school year saw Maine South recognized by the United States Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School.[18]
In 1996, after several decades of existing in the shadow of nearby O'Hare International Airport, the school received federal funds which allowed for the installation of soundproof windows, air conditioning, and sound dampening ceilings. The project began in 1997 and took three years to complete.[19]
1998 saw the completion of the last major addition to the building: a sixteen classroom, four laboratory extension on the east end of the academic wing.[20]
In 2008, graduation ceremonies, which since the first graduating class had been held on campus (except for the 2004 graduating ceremonies, which were held at Harper Community College due to the construction of the new bleachers), were moved to the nearby Rosemont Theatre.
Over the summer of 2009, the athletic stadium had lights and an artificial turf surface installed.[21][22]
In July, 2011, the Guinness World Records certified that the Maine South class of 2014 had set a world record for the most multiple birth sets in the same academic year (16 sets of twins and 3 sets of triplets).[23][24]
In 2009, Maine South had an average composite ACT score of 24.4, and graduated 95.8% of its senior class. Maine South has not made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on the Prairie State Achievement Examination, a state test used in Illinois to fulfill the mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, because its one sub-group did meet AYP in reading.
Maine South's academic programs range from remedial/academy class, to accelerated honors/AP classes. Based on performances in 2008, Maine South is ranked 11th among public non-magnet high schools in the state of Illinois, ranked according to a standardization of Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE) scores.[25][26] Maine South is ranked 9th by the Chicago Tribune among public non-magnet high schools in Illinois, ranked according to average PSAE scores.[27]
The school offers 19 Advanced Placement courses in English Language, English Literature, U.S. History, U.S. Government and Politics, Micro/Macro Economics, European History, Comparative Government, Calculus (AB & BC), Computer Science (A), Statistics, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics (C), Spanish Language, French Language, Music Theory, Studio Drawing.
In addition, there is a course in multivariable calculus which is offered to students pursuing mathematics beyond the AP program.
The Foreign Language Department offers five year programs in French, German, Italian, and Spanish, and a four year program in Mandarin.[28]
The school also offers many electives in the Applied Arts & Technology Department. With in this department there three departments: Applied Technology, Business, & Family and Consumer Sciences. The Business Department offers Introduction to Business, Computer Applications, Web Design, Marketing, Business Law, Web Technology, Entrepreneurship, Graphic Design, Accounting, College Accounting, and Internships. The FCS department offers, two levels of foods, five levels of fashion, psychology, preschool, and child development.
The Maine South Constitution Team has won the Center for Civic Education's "We The People" competition in Illinois for the past sixteen years straight. In 1999 the team won the national competition in Washington D.C..[29]
The Rube Goldberg machine team has won the state competition four times (2011, 2010, 2006 and 1999). In 2007, the two Maine South teams finished first and third in the Chicago area regional, and then finished second and third at the state competition, marking the first time two teams from the school have placed that high in the competition.[30]
In 2007, the school's Scholastic Bowl team won the state championship tournament sponsored by the Ancient, Free, & Accepted Masons of Illinois.[31]
The chess team won IHSA State Championships in 2001–02, 02-03, & 06-07.:[32]
Maine South sponsors teams for both boys and girls in basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and water polo. Boys are also able to compete in baseball, football, and wrestling, while girls are able to compete in badminton, cheerleading, and softball.[33]
Maine South competes in the Central Suburban League South Division. In state competition, Maine South competes in the largest potential school classes in each sport sponsored by the Illinois High School Association.
The following teams have won IHSA sponsored State Championship Tournaments:[34]
In addition, the girls soccer team won three consecutive unofficial State Championship Tournaments in 1983–84, 84–85, and 85–86, prior to the IHSA sanctioning soccer for girls. Over that time, the team went 60-0-4. From 1985–1987, the team scored in 62 consecutive matches, which is an Illinois state record among girls teams, and would be second if boys teams were also included.[35][36]
Maine South football has been one of the most successful programs in Illinois in recent history. In addition to their five state titles, they played in the Class 8A (largest school) state championship game for three consecutive seasons from 2003–2005. The team has qualified for the IHSA playoffs each year since 1992, and has only had two losing seasons since 1980. Only six teams in the State of Illinois have longer active streaks qualifying for the playoffs (through 2009–10). Maine South is well known for their football program throughout the nation as being one of the best teams out there. They have been ranked first in state for the past 3 years.[37]
Maine South supports 79 student organizations running the gamut from academic competition and performing arts to public service and special interest clubs.[38]
Among the organizations, from the standpoint of national or international notability, are branches or chapters of the National Forensic Association, Quill and Scroll, SADD, Tri-M, DECA, Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, and Amnesty International.
WMTH (WMTH-TV/FM) is a club that is connected with broadcasting classes at Maine South and at the other schools in the district. The radio station broadcasts on 90.5 FM and can be heard within the Park Ridge, Illinois area, as well as through a webcast through the district webpages. The transmitting tower for the station is located at Maine East High School. The club also films the Maine South Hawks home football games.[39]
The school sponsors several musical groups, including: marching band, concert band, two symphony bands, chamber orchestra, two symphony orchestras, two jazz bands, and many choirs. In addition, there are four theatrical performances, including a musical each spring,a play in the fall and winter, and a variety show in the fall as well.
The marching band has performed at several major events, including the 1981 Cherry Blossom Festival parade in Washington D.C, the 1984 Cotton Bowl Classic. It later performed at the 1996, 1999, and 2001 Orange Bowl Parades.[40][41] The band also performed at the 1993 Presidential Inauguration Parade, as a representative of First Lady Hillary Rodham-Clinton's alma mater.[42][43]
In 2001, the Grammy Foundation named Maine South a Signature School.[44]
In 2009 and 2011, violinist Mark Wood taught a series of workshops to the members of the school orchestra in preparation for a concert he performed with them.[45]
Doug "Mongoose" Makowski (2009)is a pro bmx rider and silver medalist of X-Games XIV in bmx vert
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