| Plainfield High School - Central Campus | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1959 |
| Type | Public secondary |
| Principal | Robert Smith |
| Students | 2,174 (2010-2011) [1] |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Location | 24120 W. Fort Beggs Dr. Plainfield, Illinois, USA |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Colors |
Forest Green, White |
| Mascot | Wildcat |
| Website | psd202.org/PHS |
Plainfield High School - Central Campus, or PHS-CC, is a four-year public high school in Plainfield, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, which also includes three other high schools: Plainfield South High School, Plainfield North High School and Plainfield East High School.
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The original building was destroyed by one of the worst tornadoes in Illinois history. The Plainfield Tornado, which was rated an F5, struck the town on August 28, 1990, one day before classes were scheduled to begin. Three faculty and staff members lost their lives. Had school been in session, casualties could have been even more grave, as the tornado hit the school directly. In the middle of the 1992–1993 school year students moved into the new PHS building. At the time, it was one of the most technically advanced high schools in the state of Illinois, complete with its own observatory.
In 1998, the school added a "Freshman Center" with its own gymnasium and cafeteria. The new freshman center has three floors and is connected to the main building by an enclosed catwalk. In the 2008-2009 school year, the freshman cafeteria was changed to the senior cafe.
In 2005, the school constructed a new snack building and restrooms on the south end of the football–track stadium. In 2007, a new home grandstand was constructed, replacing the visitors' seating on the west side of the football field, and the former home grandstand was converted into visitor seating. The new home grandstand was built using only steel, contrasting with the former home seating which was constructed of brick and concrete. The grandstand opening had been planned for the pre-season 'Green and White Night' event, but construction set-backs led to its opening about one month late.
With the addition of a larger home grandstand, shot put and discus fields were relocated further west, behind the new grandstand.
Also in 2007, the faculty installed over 300 high-resolution wireless cameras to monitor the campus. New computer security measures were implemented which block some internet proxy servers, game-related sites, and other sites that the school district felt distracted their students from the educational process (like wikipedia). The school replaced all its computers and monitors with Dell computers with LCD screens. In the 2008-2009 school year, classroom projectors that could display what was on the current teacher's computer were installed.
On June 9, 2008, severe weather resulted in damage to the tennis court fences and school roof. There were no confirmed reports of a tornado.
Plainfield Central competes in the Southwest Prairie Conference and Illinois High School Association. The school has teams for both boys and girls for most available sports, including golf, bowling, basketball, volleyball, swimming, soccer, tennis, track, and cross-country. A few sports have only teams for girls, including badminton, softball, rugby, cheerleading, and poms. Another short list has only teams for boys: baseball, football, wrestling, and hockey.
In the spring of 1998, the high school established its athletic hall of fame to honor athletes, coaches, boosters, and fans who have made significant contributions to the athletic programs. The first class was inducted in 1999.
| Year | Inductee | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Tom Baker | Coach |
| Kathy Kazmar | Coach | |
| Karen Roppa | Coach | |
| Clyde Avery | Athlete | |
| Scott Davis | Athlete | |
| John Ivlow | Athlete | |
| Mike Miller | Athlete | |
| Dave Needham | Athlete | |
| Carol Markwell | Volunteer | |
| 1937 Football Team | ||
| 2000 | Kathy Cartwright | Coach |
| Chuck Harris | Administration | |
| Ben Bates | Athlete | |
| Laurie Watters | Athlete | |
| 2001 | Chris Priest | Athlete |
| Jenny (Larson) Smeets | Athlete | |
| 2002 | Carol Bragg | Athlete |
| 2003 | Michael Zbacnik | Coach |
| 2004 | Gene Fassiotto | Fan/Booster |
| Don Martin | Coach | |
| Laura Nier | Athlete | |
| 2005 | 1982 Girls Volleyball Team | |
| 2006 | Nate Fox | Athlete |
| Cody Salter | Athlete | |
| 2007 | Steve Riederer | Coach |
| Dave Cassetto | Athlete | |
| Teresa Coccaro-Keniley | Athlete | |
| Chris Traversa | Athlete | |
| 1953 Football Team | ||
| 2008 | 1983 Softball Team | |
| 2009 | Dave Stephens | Coach |
| 2010 | 2000 Football team |
The Wildcats have experienced some recent success in football. Coached by 27-year coaching veteran John Jackson. In 2008, the Wildcats went 8-1, including a 7-0 record in the SPC. However, they were upset in the first round in the state playoffs. The Widcats had a rather disappointing 2009 campaign, going 4-5 and missing the playoffs by one game after losing the final contest of the season to the Minooka High School Indians. The decline continued in 2010, when the varsity team went 1-7 in their conference.
Directed by Alanna Frederiksen since 2007, the Plainfield Central choir program includes:
The Band Program is under the direction of Dan Valkema (Director of Bands). The marching program is constantly striving to return it its original competitive marching roots. The 2008 season saw yet another fine tuned show in regards to improved music and drill. The show featured a unique theatrical plume change during their third movement without the assistance of on-field props or other students. The band changed their plumes from black to orange in one count. The season also saw a change in the traditional white to the new black metallic gauntlets.
2010 Marching Band Show:
2009 Marching Band Show:
The marching band will be competing at Morton High School, Wheaton North High School, Lincoln-Way Central High School, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The marching band will also be performing at the annual Plainfield Homecoming Parade, the annual Plainfield Memorial Day Parade and at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Past show performances have included:
The Concert Band is under the direction of Patrick Hoadley.
The Symphonic Band is under the direction of Dan Valkema
Each year, students put on a play in the fall, and then a musical in the spring. Additionally, Plainfield Central is the only District 202 high school who attends the Illinois High School Theater Association's Theater Fest, which takes place every January.
Fall plays performed in recent years include:
Spring musicals of recent years include: