| Ridgewood High School | |
|---|---|
| Motto | "Pride of Pasco" |
| Established | 1978 |
| Type | Public |
| Principal | Andrew Frelick[1] |
| Founder | Wendell L. Krinn |
| Faculty | 105 [2] |
| Students | 1788 [2] |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Location | New Port Richey, Florida, United States |
| District | Pasco County |
| Accreditation | SACS [2] |
| Colors | Orange and Blue |
| Mascot | Rocky the Ram |
| Yearbook | Rampage |
| Newspaper | Rams Horn |
| SAT Average | 473 verbal 480 math |
| Website | http://rhs.pasco.k12.fl.us/ |
Ridgewood High School is a four-year public high school serving residential suburbs in New Port Richey, Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. It is part of the Pasco County Public School System in Pasco County, Florida. The school was founded in 1978 as a junior high school with the intent of it becoming the third high school in western Pasco County.
Contents |
The Pasco County School Board approved creation of a new junior high school north of the City of New Port Richey in response to population growth in the area during the 1970s, with the expectation that the school would ultimately become west Pasco's third high school. Superintendent Thomas Weightman had Ridgewood built to senior high specifications and purchased extra land near the school for the future expansion and conversion.[3] The school was built for $3.2 million and opened in 1978. Wendell L. Krinn became the first principal of the school and would serve in that position for 20 years.[4] The St. Petersburg Times proclaimed Ridgewood, "The new home of education" in Pasco County because of its state of the art facilities and unique architecture.[5] Rowe Holmes Associates designed the main building of Ridgewood High School after the Tampa Bay Center in Tampa, Florida, with its courtyard, high ceilings, and second floor overlooking the building.[5]
The official conversion occurred on August 5, 1981, by a majority vote of the school board.[3] Ridgewood began operating as a high school in 1983 with a freshman class, adding one grade per each year, until it had a full four-year complement in the 1985-1986 school year, which was the first graduating class. As part of the transition to a high school, Ridgewood underwent a $1.6 million renovation project, which included a gym added to the back of the main building, a stadium built by the football field, as well as a new weight room and tennis courts.[4]
After winning the "Pride of Pasco" academic award, in 1988, the title stuck as the nickname of the school. Ridgewood High School excelled during this period, leading the county in HSC Test scores four consecutive years under the leadership of Krinn.[4]
In 1998, Dr. Arthur O'Donnell became the second principal in Ridgewood's history after transferring from Hudson High School. In 2003, he retired after working for 35 years in the Pasco County School system. Randall Koenigsfeld succeeded O'Donnell as Principal of Ridgewood High, a position he held until July 2009, when he was transferred to Schwettman Education Center. Andy Frelick, principal of Wesley Chapel High School was named principal of Ridgewood.[6]
During the establishment of the school in the late 1970s, the student body at Ridgewood voted to make the official nickname and logo the Ram, "which symbolizes the endless determination of our spirit to strive for high standards in every aspect within our institution."[2] There was actually a real ram brought in as a mascot for sporting events who would soon be replaced by the present day Rocky the Ram.” The colors orange and blue were adopted,[2] matching those of the University of Florida Gators.
Ridgewood High School has a graduation rate of 80%, well exceeding the Pasco County average of 72% and state of Florida average at 68%.[2] RHS's dropout rate is 2.2%, which is consistently lower than both the district and state averages.[2] The school has 105 certified faculty members, 29 of which with Masters or post-Masters degrees, and 2 with Doctorates. 51% of the Ridgewood faculty has at least a decade of experience in the teaching field, while 30 teachers at the school have more than 25 years of teaching experience.[2]
RHS curriculum offers 14 classes of Advanced Placement, an honors program, and countless Dual-Enrollment options due to the incredibly close proximity to Pasco-Hernando Community College.[2] Likewise, Marchman Technical Education Center resides next door to Ridgewood High giving students even more options. Ridgewood is the pilot school for a new wellness program in Pasco County, attempting to improve and teach good habits for now and in the future. 80% of Ridgewood High School students move on to post-secondary education.[2]
In 2006, Ridgewood High School won the state championship of the Odyssey of the Mind competition, representing the state of Florida against the world.[7]
Ridgewood High School won its first Pasco County All-Sports Trophy in 1986 after winning the district title in cross country, track, baseball and soccer. "The other schools kid us a lot," said Principal Wendell Krinn to the St. Petersburg Times in 1986. "They call us the University of Ridgewood or the Taj Mahal of the county." [8]
RHS continued this success and won two state titles in Cross Country under then Coach Glenn Cable in 1991[9] and 1999.[10] Ridgewood won the Class 3A state title in Fast-Pitch Softball in 1992, led by coach Marlyn Bavetta, defeating Berkeley Preparatory School by a score of 7-6.[11][12] Ridgewood achieved success in both sports during the 1990s with victories at both the district and conference level.
Ridgewood won another state title in 2000 for Wrestling. The 2A state title at 119 pounds was won by Joe Mendoza, who overcame a 4-3 deficit, scoring a takedown with 19 seconds left to defeat Homestead South Dade and its wrestler Tymer Cooper.[13]
Ridgewood's football team has experienced a measure of success in the last few years after spending over a decade near or at the bottom of the district standings. The Rams made their first playoff appearance in 2002 under coach Troy Cornwell, falling to Belleview High School by a score of 48-6 in the first round of the Class 4A tournament.[14] In 2007, the Rams experienced the best season in school history under the leadership of Head Coach Chris Taylor. Led by star running back Byronell Arline, the Rams finished 9-1 overall and 4-1 in Class 4A District 8.[15] Only a late season loss to eventual champion Land O' Lakes prevented the Rams from winning the first District championship in school history.[16] Arline would set the North Suncoast record for most rushing yards in a single season by collecting 2,188 yards in ten regular season games; the previous record was set by Dwayne Mobley of Hernando High School in 1991.[17] Ridgewood qualified for the playoffs for the second time in six years, but fell in the first round to Seabreeze High School of Daytona Beach by the score of 43-3.[18]
Gary Anders was hired in 1987 to coach the Ridgewood boys basketball team and serve as athletic director. The basketball program would win several conference titles under Anders and back-to-back district titles in the mid-1990s and again achieving the feat in 2003 and 2004.[19] Ridgewood won another conference title in 2006. Anders won his 400th basketball game in 2003[20] and made the Elite 8 in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) basketball tournament.[21] Girls basketball advanced into the state playoffs, winning several district and conference titles and moving on to a Sweet 16 appearance in 2004.[22]
Former Assistant Principal and teacher Larry Beets was hired as head baseball coach, and after winning back to back conference championships in 1986 and 1987, won district titles in 1990 and 1991, and a Regional Championship in 1991 and 1998. From 2003-2005, the team won three straight district championships capped off in 2006 with six consecutive playoff appearances. The Rams would also make the 2003 State Championship game, falling to Bishop Kenny High School by a score of 13-0 in the Class 4A finals at Legends Field in Tampa, Florida.[23] Larry Beets was recognized by the St. Petersburg Times as "Coach of the Year" for his accomplishments with a team that had less "firepower" than its competitors yet managed to pull off a major upset in the district final.[24]
Competing in a group of 61 high schools in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties, participating in 19 different sports, Ridgewood High School was recognized in 1992 as a winner of the fourth annual St. Petersburg Times All-Sports Championship, paced by state titles in boys cross country and softball. The football stadium is also the winter and spring break home to the Phi Delta Theta cycling team from Indiana University. The Phi Delta Theta team has won the Little 500 3 times, in 1982, 1996, and 2001.[25]