Enfield High School

Enfield High School
Motto	Dignity, Pride, Tradition
Established	1893
Type	Public high school
Principal	Mr. Longey
Students	823
Grades	9-12
Location	1264 Enfield Street, Enfield, Connecticut, United States
District	Enfield Public Schools
Colors	Green and White
Mascot	Raider
Newspaper	The Raider Review
Athletic rival	Enrico Fermi High School
Website	Enfield Public Schools
Enfield High School's B Building.

Enfield High School is a secondary school established in 1893 in Enfield, Connecticut. The present facility was built in 1964. The Enfield High School campus is located in the Connecticut River Valley, on Enfield Street (U.S. Route 5) in Enfield's Historical District. Enfield High School is one of two high schools in town. The school has an enrollment of approximately 823 students. In May 2010, it was voted that Enfield High School and Enrico Fermi High School would be undergoing a consolidation process as part of the restructuring and improvement plan of Enfield Public Schools.^[1]

Enfield High School Complex

Enfield High School is located on a hill off the Connecticut River. On a clear winter day, the Appalachian Mountains can be seen from the campus. Reminiscent of the Cold War, the facility's structure was constructed with a concrete slab supported with outside supporting buttressing columns. The structure contains a bomb shelter that can be accessed through "The Tunnel" located in the basement level of A and B Buildings as the boiler room's pipe tunnels were designed to serve as bomb shelters. Enfield High School is currently organized as an L-shaped building, consisting of four primary sections or "wings" of the school, with each wing containing specific programs.

Enfield High School's A Building

• "A Building" is the main academic building. This building holds four floors of classrooms, including computer labs, administrative offices, and the school store, "Raider Territory." In 2005 2,730 square feet (254 m²) of heavy renovation and 6,624 square feet (615.4 m²) of light renovation created 12 new classrooms in A Building as part of a library expansion project.

• "B Building" consists of additional computer labs, lecture rooms, and the Library Media Center. These amenities were added to the school in 2005 as a 20,000-square-foot (1,900 m²), $6.2 multi million dollar addition. B Building also houses B Corridor, a connecting hallway between A Building and C Concourse, original to the building.

Enfield High School's Library Media Center was constructed from 2003 to 2005.

The library was previously located on the third floor of Enfield High School's A Building.

• EHS's gymnasium is located off B Corridor, which houses the Athletic Heritage Hall. Stairs off the corridor lead down to the basement level where the gym and locker rooms are located.

• "C Concourse" houses the Student Center (cafeteria), music classrooms, the auditorium, and the Graphic Arts Department. These areas can be found off C Concourse, its connecting corridor.

• "D Building" is designated as a wing connected to C Concourse that can be accessed through a connecting vestibule where a staircase and a handicap accessible ramp are located. The building contains the Science Department, the Technology Education Department, and the Art Department.

The Enfield High School Campus consists of an outdoor congregating area outside of C Concourse, the "Walk-of-Fame" located in front of the flag pole outside of the D Building, six tennis courts located at the main gate, and athletic fields (some with artificial turf) which were renovated in 2008. The athletic complex is located down the hill off the Connecticut River.

Head Start

Head Start is a state sponsored program which allows young children an early start to an education. Head Start is a comprehensive child development program that encompasses Early Child Development and Health Services, Family and Community Partnerships, and Program Design and Management. These areas include family support, education, health, mental health, disabilities, nutrition, social services and family involvement. Previously part of the EHS's A Building, Head Start currently houses its own new building (built in 2004) adjacent to Enfield High School as part of the complex. Enfield's Head Start began in 1978 and now has 104 children in 6 classrooms.

Graduation requirements

A graduate of the Enfield Public Schools must have earned a minimum of 22 credits, must have met the established credit distribution requirement, and must have earned a 4.0 (C-) average for all courses required for graduation. In accordance with Connecticut General Statutes, students must also meet additional performance standards. Beginning with the graduation class of 2006, literacy and numeracy performance standards shall be required with an ultimate goal to improve learning for every student. In the future, additional performance standards may be considered.

MINIMUM CREDITS, COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Credits and Required Courses:

• English 4 Credits
• Mathematics 3 Credits
• Science 2 Credits
• Social Science consisting of: 3 Credits

Credit from one of the following courses:

• East Meets West
• US & Global Studies
• World History
• World Civilization
• (1) Credit – US History
• (1/2) Credit – Civics
• (1/2) Credit – Social Studies Elective Course

• Arts or Vocational Education 1 Credit
• Physical Education /Health Education 2 Credits
• Electives 7 Credits

*This credit may be taken in any one or a combination of the following areas: Business, Art, Music, Technology Education, and Family and consumer Sciences.

Curriculum

Core Curriculum: Enfield High School's core curriculum is a comprehensive liberal arts education through learning and cultural experiences within and beyond the classroom. The school offers a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum in which students may participate in Advanced Placement courses and in University of Connecticut Early College Experience program.

Advanced Placement Courses: Enfield High School provides a variety of Advanced Placement courses for the acquisition of college credits.

UCONN ECE (Early College Experience): The University of Connecticut Early College Experience (UConn ECE) is an opportunity for students to take college courses in high school through the University of Connecticut curriculum. Every UConn ECE course is equivalent to the same course at the University of Connecticut. There are approximately forty courses in over twenty disciplines made available to partner high schools. UConn ECE courses are taught on the high school campus by UConn certified high school instructors. UConn ECE students benefit by taking college courses in a familiar setting with an instructor they know.

College Career Pathways (Tech-Prep): This program links high school courses with programs at Asnuntuck Community College. Depending on the program, students may earn up to 13 semester hours of college credit at no cost.

Vocational Education: Programs offered at Enfield High School include Marketing Education and Automotive Mechanics.

Enfield High Athletics

Every student is encouraged to participate in one or more sports on the Freshmen, Junior Varsity, or Varsity level. Enfield High School is part of the North Central Connecticut Conference. Several teams are associated with Central Connecticut Conference as well.

Athletic Heritage Hall, located in the B-building-express-corridor

FALL Cheerleading (V) Cross country Field hockey Football (F, JV, V) Soccer — boys and girls Swimming — girls (V) Volleyball — girls

WINTER Basketball — boys and girls Ice hockey (V) — boys Indoor track — boys and girls Swimming — boys (V) Wrestling — boys

SPRING Baseball Golf — boys and girls Outdoor track — boys and girls (V) Softball Tennis — boys and girls (V) Volleyball — boys

Clubs and organizations

EHS has a number of extracurricular activities including:

Notable events

Security

Within the decade of the 2000s, Enfield High School has structured its security and discipline policies. After events such as the September 11th attacks, the Columbine High School Massacre, and the Virginia Tech Shootings, the school has vowed to make the school a safe and welcoming learning environment for students and staff, through increased security measures, practices of the school lock-down procedure, and through the use of security checkpoints.^[2]

In April 2007, a student was arrested for violently threatening other classmates. After several complaints and reports, police investigated his home to find a hit list of more than a dozen names. The fifteen-year-old student was immediately arrested and charged with a breach of peace. The student had apparently been bullied and hoped "to get even."^[3]

Water Main Break of 2008

After the Christmas break and the 2008 New Year, Enfield High School was closed for five extra days due to a water main break underneath the school which flooded the entire A, B, and C buildings, the lower basement level, the auditorium, and the gymnasium. As a result of the damage the gymnasium and the auditorium were rendered useless. The water had caused the floors to buckle in the gymnasium, while mold grew in the auditorium. The damage also caused two fires at the main building, one in the basement, and one in the gymnasium.^[4]

Days lost due to the flood and fires at Enfield High were made up during April vacation per request of the State of Connecticut's mandatory 180 day school year. During the summer of 2008, the school campus was under full construction. The new athletic fields were finished by fall of 2008, the new gymnasium floors were completed for the school opening, and the damaged lecture halls were completed in January 2009.

Enfield High School's Graduating Class of 2008. Enfield High School became a subject of national debate in 2010 as to whether it was constitutional to hold a public school's graduation at a religious edifice. The American Civil Liberties Union sued the Enfield Board of Education.^[5]

Annual Thanksgiving Football Game in 2008

Enfield High School featured on WFSB's Cool Schools in May 2009.

Accreditation Status

Enfield High School is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. In 1995, the school was placed on "warning status" due to inadequate facilities, poor condition of the sports complex, safety concerns, low teacher morale, and the vagueness of the school's mission statement.^[6] Issues of concern from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges were addressed with the construction of renovated classroom space and the library expansion in 2005.^[7] In 2006, while Enfield High School passed accreditation, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges cited additional issues concerning insufficient storage space, improper balance and inadequate ventilation between rooms through the HVAC system, and poor condition of the school's science labs. If the school's accreditation status is lost, legitimate colleges generally will not accept students from an unaccredited high school. Controversy amongst town residents has called for a major restructuring and consolidation of the town's schools in order to improve education and effective allocation of the town's resources to its schools.^[8]

Consolidation of Enfield High School and Enrico Fermi High School

The Town of Enfield and its Board of Education voted in May 2010 for the redistricting of Enfield Public Schools and consolidation of the town's two high schools due to decreases in student enrollment. The Enfield Public School district currently consists of two high schools, one middle school, and seven elementary schools. Current student population trends projected through the year 2021 show significant decreases. Enrollment data from the most recent Prowda, Ph.D. Report, released February 19, 2012, indicated that high school age enrollment for the town of Enfield has fallen from 2075 students in 2008 to 1812 students in the recently completed 2011-12 school year. Future Prowda enrollment projections show further declines to 1575 students in 2015 and 1334 students by the year 2020.^[9] Enrico Fermi High School opened in 1971 not long after the present Enfield High School opened due to large graduating classes of the baby boomer generation when double sessions were required and graduating classes exceeded 700 students each session. Graduating sizes for each school today are presently around 200 students. As of 2012, Enfield High School enrolled approximately 800 students while Enrico Fermi High School enrolled approximately 1,000 students.

In 2010, Enrico Fermi High School was considered for the location of the consolidated high school. However, the facility's location on a corner lot prevents further expansion without expanding onto the newly renovated fields. Furthermore, the school's contaminated soils were capped in 2007. If expansion were to occur, the town would have to incur millions of dollars in expense for the remediation of the contaminated soils on the Enrico Fermi High School location. Enfield High School's campus allows for a sizable expansion of the building. Additionally, the town still owes a bond for the 2005 library expansion. Per the Board of Education vote on January 10, 2012 to approve Enfield High School as the location of the future consolidated high school.^[10]

Rendering of the expanded and renovated Enfield High School for consolidation. Proposed expansion will double the square footage of the building. With a future enrollment of 1,500 at the time of consolidation (the year 2016) as the student population continues to decrease, the facility will be able to comfortably hold 1,700 students.

Site plan of the consolidated Enfield High School. Landscaping and campus planning would address traffic and parking concerns while beautifying the campus.

Plans for the consolidated building at Enfield High School by the firm, Silver Petrucelli & Associates, call for a four floor "STEAM" (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) wing addition to the south end of the building off A-wing which will include state-of-the-art science labs and classrooms. A-wing will see a "like-new" renovation, as well the rest of the facility, that will gut the entire building to its core structure and will construct updated classrooms. A grand lobby with a tiered glass enclosure is proposed for the main entrance. B-wing plans to house an expanded guidance department and career services office. Expansion to the gymnasium out of the north end of the building will result in renovated locker rooms and health classrooms; and cardio, wellness, and weight rooms. Expansion to the cafeteria and auditorium will double their size. Renovations to C-wing also include a second lobby for the performance-arts wing with expanded music classrooms, practice rooms, and offices. The entire building will be implemented with advanced technology and air-conditioning. Site-plans will rework campus landscaping, traffic flow, and parking spaces for faculty and students. The total cost of construction for the proposed expansion and renovation to Enfield High School is approximately $103 million.^[11][12] However with a reimbursement rate from the State of Connecticut at approximately 73% the town will pay a share of approximately $35 million, bonded over 20 years. The closing of Enrico Fermi High School as a school will result in approximately $2 million in savings each year. Plans state that savings from the closing of one high school will pay for the 20 year bond, according to the Enfield Pre-Referendum High School Consolidation Committee. The referendum will go to the town's voters in November 2012. If the referendum does not pass, Enfield's two high schools will remain open, but will require limited renovations for updates to each facility at a cost of $50 million, which is not reimbursable by the state, in order to adhere to the State of Connecticut's new educational mandates that go into effect in 2016. Moreover, issues with Americans with Disabilities Act regulations are to be addressed in both buildings. If the referendum does pass, construction will start as early as 2014 and complete in 2016, when the new State of Connecticut educational mandates go into effect.^[13]

The consolidation plans to save money because the town will no longer have two high school budgets. Academically, the plan is seen as high priority in order to improve the town's educational system on the secondary level. Because the current high school curriculum split between two high schools, a curriculum of a consolidated high school will allow for more expanded vocational studies, flexible scheduling, and a competitive curriculum with diverse course offerings. Talks of consolidation have been ongoing since May 2010.^[14]

Boys' Basketball Team wins its State Championship in 2010.

On May 25, 2010, Enfield Schools voted on the concept of a single high school and a middle school for sixth through eighth-graders. Enfield Schools also approved reconfiguring all the elementary schools, which could lead to the closing of two elementary school facilities.^[15] The Strategic Planning Committee recommended redrawing school districts in 2011 by having separate schools for pre-K to second grade and grades 3-5 and to account for the single middle and high schools. The closed elementary schools were closed and reused for other town purposes.^[16]

Colors, mascot, and symbol

The presentation of Enfield High School mascot evoked much controversy.

As the two high schools in Enfield are combining, town residents have questioned the new school name, colors, and mascot. Controversy in the past with Enfield High School’s mascot may force the new high school to stay with Enrico Fermi’s "Falcon" mascot or adopt a new one. Sports leagues regulations also have strict guidelines on mascots found offensive by different minority groups. These issues are not the main concern of the restructuring plan, say both principals, Thomas Duffy and Paul Newton.^[17]

The mascot "Chief Wahoo", was taken away after complaints from a teacher were received concerning the controversy of its presentation. The students have shown much dissatisfaction and would like him returned. The school administration currently does not allow the use of the mascot during public events. However, the school still uses the Raider logo on the basketball court, school flyers and notices and school sponsored events.

As of February 2013, the Enfield Board of Education voted for the Eagle to be the consolidated high school's new mascot. A survey was taken of 1,500 students from Enfield High School, Fermi High School, and John F. Kennedy Middle School as an opinion to influence a final decision to be made by the Board. As a result of the survey, top choices for mascots were the Falcon, Eagle, and Spartan. Top color choices were black/gold and blue/gold.^[18] The decision for the Eagle was influenced by the presence of American bald eagles on the property, which occasionally make an appearance during sporting events and school gatherings. School officials have had to make a decision in order to make sure that colors and mascot could be incorporated into the design plans of the new high school.^[19]

Notable alumni and Staff

• John Edward Lord - musician, musical staging supervisor for major TV productions
• John Ashton - actor best known for his role as Det. Sgt. John Taggart in Beverly Hills Cop and Beverly Hills Cop II
• Kevin Foxe - new media and film producer, most known for "The Blair Witch Project"
• Craig Janney - former NHL hockey player, captured two state shampionships with the EHS Varsity Hockey team, before going to Deerfield Academy
• Peter King - Senior Writer for Sports Illustrated
• Dietrich Schoenemann - techno musician and producer, best known as a member of the band Prototype 909
• Karen Scavotto - Olympic archer
• The Last Goodnight, members of the band originally from Enfield and formerly called Renata. The album's first single, "Pictures of You" became a pop radio hit in the summer of 2007.

References

External links

• Enfield High School website
• CIAC website
• Enfield Football Website
• Enfield Cheerleading Website
• EHS Lamplighters (Drama Club)
• Rate My Teachers Website
• National Honor Society Website
• Great School Ratings

Coordinates: 41°58′44″N 72°35′32″W / 41.979°N 72.5923°W / 41.979; -72.5923