Bennett High School (Buffalo, New York)

Bennett High School
Optima Futura The Best is Yet to Be
Address
2885 Main Street Buffalo, New York 14214 Starin Central
Coordinates	42°56′38″N 78°49′56″W / 42.94389°N 78.83222°W / 42.94389; -78.83222Coordinates: 42°56′38″N 78°49′56″W / 42.94389°N 78.83222°W / 42.94389; -78.83222
Information
Funding type	Public
Opened	1925
Status	Priority School
School district	Buffalo Public Schools
School number	200
Principal	Bert L. Stevenson
Assistant principals	Martin E. Lyonga Carlos J. Villarroel
Grades	10-12
Color(s)	Blue and Orange
Mascot	Tigers
Yearbook	Beacon
Website	Bennett High School

Bennett High School is located in the University Heights section of Buffalo, New York. The current principal is Bert Stevenson. It is named for Lewis J. Bennett, who donated the land for the school and for All High Stadium. Portions of the movie The Natural were filmed in All High Stadium, although it was filmed as Wrigley Field. Bennett High School is now fully a Exam/Magnet school with three College Prep programs, they are the Academy of International Law (Similar to Pre-law) Business and Computers (similar to Information Systems), and Education and the Arts.^[1]

History

Bennett High School was built in the 1920s. It has four stories with 270,000 square feet (25,000 m²). It is named for Lewis J. Bennett, who donated the land for the school and for All High Stadium. Portions of the 1984 movie The Natural were filmed in All High Stadium, although it was filmed as Wrigley Field.

The school was renovated in the summer of 2005 and the summer of 2006. During this time, some students were housed at Bennett while others were housed at nearby School 63 on Minnesota Avenue.

Former principals

Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses

Charles E. Rhodes–1925-1933 (Vice Principal - Lafayette High School, retired^[2])
Emmons B. Farrar–1933-1942 (Vice Principal - Bennett High School, entered military service^[2])
Raymond W. Spear [interim]–1942-1944 (Vice Principal - Riverside High School, named Principal of Riverside High School)
Emmons Farrar–1944-1958 (Administrator on Leave - Bennett High School, retired)
Lloyd A. Miller^[2]–1958-1969 (Vice Principal - Bennett High School, retired)
Leonard S. Sikora –1969-1975 (Assistant Principal - Bennett High School, named Principal of Seneca Vocational High School)
Ronald J. Meer–1975-1980 (Principal - Grover Cleveland High School, assigned to Central Office)
Henry J. Klee–1980-1984 (unknown, named Assistant Principal of Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts)
Marilyn C. Wittman–1984^[2]-2004 (Acting Director of Business Education - Buffalo Public Schools,^[3] retired^[4])
Ramona Y. Thomas-Reynolds–2004^[5]-2009 (Principal - West Hertel Academy,^[6] named Principal of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Multicultural Institute^[7])
David Mauricio–2009-2012 (Principal - Lorraine Elementary, named Community Superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools)
Carlos R. Alvarez, Jr.–2012-2013 [interim) (Assistant Principal - Bennett High School, named Assistant Principal of West Hertel Academy)
Teena M. Jackson–2013 [interim] (Assistant Principal - Bennett High School, named Principal of S.T.A.R. Academy)
Terry D. Ross–2013-2014 (Consultant - New 21 Frontiers, resigned)

Notable alumni

Michael Bennett (1961), who wrote the Broadway musical A Chorus Line dropped his last name, DiFiglia, when he went to Broadway.
Sorrell Booke, who played Boss Hogg in the Dukes of Hazard TV show was a 1948 Bennett grad.
John Elliot (1914–1972), songwriter
Don Gilbert, CFL player
Reed Hadley, actor
Karla F.C. Holloway, James B. Duke Professor of English, Professor of Law, Duke University. Dean, Humanities & Social Sciences. Was Karla Clapp at Bennett, led debate team to state wide championship.
Catherine Ryan Hyde, novelist, author of Pay It Forward
Rick James (1948-2004), funk superstar, played in the Bennett High School Band.
Beverly Johnson, fashion model, was a graduate of Bennett High School. She was the first Black cover model for Vogue (magazine).
Bob Lanier, Basketball Hall of Famer, graduated from Bennett in 1966
David Lucas (born David Helfman), music producer and jingle writer, attended Bennett in the 1950s but then transferred to a school in Florida.
Dick Offenhamer, former University at Buffalo football coach
Robert E. Rich, Sr., founder of Rich Products Corporation, was the starting center for the Bennett High School football team which lost the 1930 Harvard Cup to South Park 13–2.
Antoine Thompson, former New York State Senator

Academics

Schedule

School 63, where selected Bennett students were housed while Bennett was renovated.

Period Number/Activity	Beginning Bell	End Bell
Breakfast	8:00	8:15
Homeroom	8:20	8:29
Period 1	8:34	9:14
Period 2	9:17	9:57
Period 3	10:00	10:40
Period 4	10:43	11:23
Period 5	11:26	12:06
Period 6	12:09	12:49
Period 7	12:52	1:32
Period 8	1:35	2:14
Period 9	2:17	2:57

References

↑ "Bennett High School Programs". Buffalo Public Schools Website. Buffalo Public Schools. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Bennett High School Alumni Association. (2000). About Us. Retrieved October 17, 2010, from Bennett High School Alumni Association: http://www.bennettalumni.com/index.php?id=13
↑ Hammersley, M. (1993, January 10). Critics Call Bennett Principal Too Tough. The Buffalo News, p. A1.
↑ ref name=2004Aug25>Buffalo Public Schools (2004, August 25). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments.
↑ http://www.p12.nysed.gov/repcrd2004/overview-analysis/140600010099.pdf
↑ http://www.au.org/media/church-and-state/archives/2004/04/prayer-services.html
↑ Buffalo Public Schools (2009, July 8). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments.

External links

Buffalo Public Schools homepage
BHS university community page
"Thousands say goodbye to 'Super Freak' singer Rick James" article from the August 14, 2004 North County Times
BHS renovation project to add additional 30,000 square feet (2,800 m²) of space

Buffalo Public Schools

Elementary Schools	PS 3 D'Youville Porter Campus PS 6 Buffalo Elementary School of Technology PS 17 Early Childhood Center PS 18 Dr. Antonia Pantoja Community School of Academic Excellence PS 19 Native American Magnet School PS 27 Hillery Park Elementary PS 30 Frank A. Sedita Academy PS 31 Harriet Ross Tubman School PS 32 Bennett Park Montessori PS 33 Bilingual Center PS 37 Marva J. Daniel Futures Preparatory School PS 39 Martin Luther King Multicultural Institute PS 43 Lovejoy Discovery School PS 45 International School PS 53 Community School PS 54 Dr. George E. Blackman ECC PS 59 Dr. Charles R. Drew Science Magnet Annex 59A PS 61 Early Childhood Center PS 64 Frederick Law Olmsted PS 65 Roosevelt ECC PS 66 North Park Middle Academy PS 67 Discovery School PS 69 Houghton Academy PS 72 Lorraine Elementary PS 74 Hamlin Park School PS 76 Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy PS 79 Pfc. William J. Grabiarz School of Excellence PS 80 Highgate Heights PS 81 School PS 82 Early Childhood Center PS 84 Health Care Center for Children at ECMC PS 89 Dr. Lydia T. Wright School of Excellence PS 91 BUILD Academy PS 93 Southside Elementary PS 94 West Hertel Academy PS 95 Waterfront School PS 97 Harvey Austin School PS 99 Stanley M. Makowski Early Childhood Center

Middle/High Schools	PS 131 Academy Program @ 40 & 4 PS 156 Frederick Law Olmsted School at Kensington PS 192 Buffalo Academy for Visual & Performing Arts PS 195 City Honors School PS 197 Math, Science, Technology Preparatory School PS 198 The International Preparatory School

High Schools	PS 200 Bennett High School PS 204 Lafayette High School PS 205 Riverside Institute of Technology PS 206 South Park High School PS 212 Leonardo da Vinci High School PS 301 Burgard High School PS 302 Emerson School of Hospitality PS 304 Hutchinson Central Technical High School PS 305 McKinley High School PS 307 East High School PS 353 S.T.A.R. Academy PS 402 Occupational Training Center PS 415 Middle Early College High School

Notable Defunct Schools	PS 8 Follow Through Magnet School 13 PS 63 Campus North School 87 PS 96 Campus West School Fosdick-Masten Park High School PS 192 Buffalo Traditional School PS 202 Grover Cleveland High School PS 203 Kensington High School PS 302 Emerson Vocational High School PS 306 Seneca Vocational High School