Hixson High School

Hixson High School
Location
5705 Middle Valley Road
Hixson, Tennessee 37343
United States
Information
Type Public
Established 1909
School district Hamilton County Schools
Principal Lee Sims
Vice principal Ronda Lyons[1]
Grades 9 to 12
Enrollment 790
Color(s) Black and Gold         
Athletics conference TSSAA
Nickname Wildcats
Website http://www.hixsonhigh.org

Hixson High School is a public high school in the Hamilton County Schools system located in the Chattanooga, Tennessee, suburb of Hixson enrolling grades 9-12.

History

Hixson High School was founded in 1909. Its current site opened in 1966. It has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools since 1959. Hixson High included grades 10-12 until the fall of 1993 when it welcomed its first freshman class.[2]

School honors

In 1984, Hixson High was awarded the Carnegie Award for School Excellence and was recognized as one of the top six high schools in Tennessee. In 1984 and 1985, the U.S. Department of Education recognized Hixson as a National School of Excellence.[2]

Campus

Overcrowding at the former site of Hixson High resulted in plans being made, beginning in 1964, for a new school facility. The new (current) school building, two miles from the old school site, was dedicated in 1966. A two-story wing to the school for the mathematics, music, and foreign language departments was added in 1986. Ground was broken in 1992 for another addition which includes classrooms, chemistry labs, home ec labs, a student publication room, teacher work areas, locker space, and an expanded music department. In 1977, Hixson Community Stadium was dedicated at the new school, the result of a community effort to move the football team's home games from the former school location.[2]

Athletic facilities

Hixson's football team plays at Hixson Community Stadium/Anthony Martino Field and has a separate practice field. The stadium has a six-lane all-weather track. Hixson's baseball facility is John Plumlee Stadium. The soccer teams play at Bob Martin Field. A new softball stadium opened in 2006. The soccer and softball facilities share a concessions/restrooms building that opened in 2011. The tennis teams train and play home matches at the Racquet Club of Chattanooga,[3][4] located in Hixson. Hixson High is within walking distance of two 18-hole golf courses.[5][6] The bowling teams use Hixson's Holiday Bowl[7] lanes for home competitions. Hixson's gymnasium, the school's oldest athletic facility (original to the building opened in 1966), is home to the basketball, wrestling, and volleyball teams. Hixson also has a wrestling practice room. All Hixson athletes have access to the Bullocks Strength Complex, which opened in 2007.[2]

Athletics

Hixson competes in the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) and fields varsity teams in all TSSAA-sanctioned sports. Hixson has won team state championships in wrestling (1973, 2009, 2010, 2014), boys soccer (1988), softball (1983, 1984, 1987, 1988), boys (2004) and girls (1985) golf, and boys (2007) and girls (2006) bowling. Notable individual state champions for Hixson are Stan Walden (two-time state wrestling champion and the school's first state champion), Randy Batten (wrestling, three-time), Pat Murphy (wrestling, three-time), J.R. Fix (boys pole vault), Julie Downey (girls tennis singles), Celeste Nelson (girls golf), Tyleana Hanner (winner in three events at 1996 girls state track and field meet), Paul Apyan (boys golf), and Jeremy Lawson (boys golf). Other notable honors for Hixson athletes include the Gatorade boys state soccer Player of the Year award for Jon Beevers (1988)[8] and the state Mr. Football Back of the Year award for Daniel Bullocks (2000).[9]

Marching band

Hixson High's Marching Wildcats have performed in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand on multiple performance tours. In Australia the band has played at the World Expo 88 in Brisbane, the Sydney Opera House, and the Sydney Town Hall. It has played at college football bowl games and parades. Under former director Frank Hale, the band competed in almost every major concert and marching competition in the Southeast (always placing first, second or third) and won first place at the NAI National Band Contest.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ Hixson High School staff directory
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "History of Hixson High School".
  3. ↑ Racquet Club of Chattanooga
  4. ↑ chattanoogan.com article
  5. ↑ Valleybrook Golf & Country Club
  6. ↑ Creeks Bend Golf Club
  7. ↑ Holiday Bowl
  8. ↑ Gatorade state Players of the Year
  9. ↑ TSSAA state records

External links