Anchor Bay High School

Anchor Bay High School
Type Public High School
Principal Joe McDonald
Faculty 138
Students 1,800+
Grades 9–12
Location 6319 County Line Road,
Fair Haven, Michigan, United States
Coordinates 42°42′42″N 82°43′38″W / 42.7118°N 82.7271°WCoordinates: 42°42′42″N 82°43′38″W / 42.7118°N 82.7271°W
District Anchor Bay School District
Accreditation North Central Association
Campus Suburban
Colors Red & White
Mascot Tars
Yearbook The Anchor
Website www.anchorbay.misd.net/schools/highschool

Anchor Bay High School is a four-year secondary school located in Fair Haven, Michigan (St.Clair County), and it is part of the Anchor Bay School District. Anchor Bay graduates approximately 500 students each year, and there are over 1,800 enrolled. As of 2010, the school principal is Joe McDonald.

History

Anchor Bay High School

The school was once located in Chesterfield, Michigan on Sugarbush Road (Now Anchor Bay Middle School - South), but has since moved to Fair Haven. The school was moved after school district voters passed a $116-million bond in 1999 to build a new high school and make other upgrades to area schools.[1] Construction began on the new school in April 2001. The relocated school, now on County Line Road, opened August 26, 2003. When opened it was the largest high school in Michigan,[2] now second behind Saline High School located in Saline, Michigan. and the fourth largest in the nation at over 496,000 sq ft (46,100 m2). Recent additions to the school have made it even larger.

Instrumental music program

Anchor Bay's music program, led by P. David Visnaw II, includes a Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Marching Band. In 2006, Anchor Bay was listed in "Best 100 Communities for Music Education" Roster.[3]

The foundation for the success of Anchor Bay's Instrumental Music program perhaps came in the form of a "re-boot" that occurred in the fall of 1986. After a number of years of comparative inactivity in the music program, Anchor Bay hired a new music director named Randy Casteel. Prior to this, Anchor Bay had no elementary music education, no junior high music program, and the high school band had less than 20 members. Casteel started an elementary and junior high program. He also recruited six junior high students with prior musical experience for the high school band.

In its first six years, the program grew significantly. The marching band, once a group of less than twenty that marched in T-shirts and jeans, grew to over 150 members and had traveled internationally to perform and compete. A high school symphonic band, concert band, jazz band, and wind ensemble were formed. In the first six years of this re-booted program, all of Anchor Bay's high school bands scored straight 1's in every competition they entered.

Anchor Bay Stars – Glee Club and Show Choir Program

Vocal music

The vocal music program includes Concert Choir and Chorale.

Theatre program

The Theatre program is headed up by Dawn Battice. Performing both stage musicals and plays, productions are rehearsed after school and the students spend roughly 15 hours a week on productions. The theatre program has had many notable alumni including Broadway performer, Tommy Antico and Hollywood actress, Kathleen Rose Perkins. The program puts on two to three productions a year.

Athletic programs

Anchor Bay's sport program includes:[4]

Notable alumni

References

External links