Lincoln-Way Central High School

Lincoln Way Central School High
Address
1801 E. Lincoln Highway
New Lenox, Illinois, 60451
United States
Coordinates 41°30′50″N 87°55′47″W / 41.5138°N 87.9298°W
Information
School type public secondary
Motto "Once a Knight, always a Knight"
Opened 1954
School district Lincoln-Way Com. H.S. 210
Superintendent Dr. Scott Tingley[1]
Principal Dr. Steve Provis[2]
Staff 536[3]
Grades 9–12
Gender coed
Enrollment 1,955
Average class size 22.3[4]
Campus size 70 acres
Campus type suburban
Color(s)      red
     black[5]
Song Lincoln-Way Loyalty[6]
Fight song Lincoln-Way Loyalty
Athletics conference Southwest Suburban[5]
Mascot Sir Winsalot & Knightro
Team name Knights[5]
Average ACT scores 22.2[4]
Newspaper The Knight Times[7]
Yearbook Aegis[8]
Website http://www.lw210.org/central/

Lincoln Way Central High School or LWC, is a public four-year high school located approximately 3.5 miles south of Interstate 80 near the intersection of Schoolhouse Rd. and the Lincoln Highway in New Lenox, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is the part of Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210, which also includes Lincoln-Way East High School, Lincoln-Way North High School, and Lincoln-Way West High School. Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way West are located in New Lenox; Lincoln-Way East and Lincoln-Way North are located in Frankfort. District 210 offices are located at Lincoln-Way Central.

History

In June 1952, another election provided for the approval and construction of Lincoln-Way High School. The new high school district would draw students which until then had been attending Joliet Township High School, Bloom Township High School, Carl Sandburg High School, and Peotone High School.[9] The cornerstone was ceremonially installed on October 25, 1953, after construction had begun.[9] Lincoln-Way opened its doors to students on September 7, 1954. The name of the school was selected by one Mrs. Florence Pittman and the board of education officially adopted it as "Lincoln-Way". The charter members of the student body voted to have red and black as their school colors. Lyrics to the Lincoln-Way Central school song were written by Robert Taylor and Betty Tryon, set to the tune of the University of Chicago pep song.

Bond issues for additions to the original building were approved in 1957, 1960, 1962, and 1969. The 1969 bond issue approved a ninth grade building which was built north of the main building. In 1971 the north building opened up, accommodating 700 students.

In 1994, a field house was added to the campus. Then in 1998, citizens of District #210 approved a $60 million building bond referendum to split the existing high school freshmen-sophomore / junior-senior configuration into two separate four year high schools while adding to the existing two schools an academic wing with 50 classrooms at each campus, olympic-sizes swimming pools, as well as the addition of a fine arts auditorium and music classrooms at Central. The changeover became official for the 2001-02 school year as the Central campus opened as Lincoln-Way Central High School.

Lincoln-Way Central is known as "The" Lincoln-Way because it is the original of the four high schools, rich in over fifty-five years of tradition and history. Students here are noted for their exceeding pride. Phrases such as "We are Central" "Once a Knight, Always a Knight" and "Knight Pride Never Dies" show students' spirit

Music

Lincoln-Way Central's Music Department consists of multiple extracurricular music groups, including the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Concert Bands, two jazz ensembles, (Jazz I and II), pep band, orchestra, guitar studio, piano, multiple choirs, including Madrigal Singers, and the school's marching band, the Marching Knights.

The Marching Knights is Lincoln-Way Central's award-winning marching band, under the direction of Chris Mroczek. It consisted of 101 student members as of the 2012-2013 season. The group has traveled to many places to participate in parades and competitions, such as Florida, California, Texas, Italy, among other places and venues, and has marched in the 2005 Presidential Inaugural Parade. The band has been in existence since 1974, maintaining long-standing traditions and a rich history.

Notable Music Department events include:

Athletics

Lincoln-Way Central competes as a member of the Southwest Suburban Conference. The school is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), which governs most athletics and competitive activities in Illinois. Teams are stylized as the "Knights".

The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and water polo.[10] Young women may compete in badminton, cheerleading, and softball, while young men may also compete in baseball, football, and wrestling.[10] While not recognized by the IHSA, the school's athletic department also oversees a poms team for young women.[10]

The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament or meet:[11]

Activities and Clubs

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Administration Staff". Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
  2. ↑ "Lincoln-Way Central administration". Lincoln-Way Central High School. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
  3. ↑ "Staff directory". Lincoln-Way Central High School. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "2008 Illinois School Report Card" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). 2008. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "IHSA school information: Lincoln-Way Central High School". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 18 September 2009. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
  6. ↑ "Lincoln-Way Central Loyalty & Fight Song". lyrics. Lincoln-Way Central High School. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
  7. ↑ "The Knight Times homepage". Lincoln-Way Central High School. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
  8. ↑ "Lincoln-Way Central Yearbook is a success" (Press release). Lincoln-Way Central High School. Retrieved 21 September 2009. “This is a success,” noted the three student editors of Lincoln-Way Central High School as they presented the 2009 Aegis to fellow students and administrators at the unveiling this week.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Lincoln-Way School to Lay Stone Today". Chicago Tribune. 25 October 1953. pp. SW A1. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Lincoln-Way Central Athletic Department". Lincoln-Way Central High School. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  11. ↑ "Season summaries for Lincoln-Way Central High School". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 19 August 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  12. ↑ Milbert, Neil (24 February 2006). "Banding together for the whole ride: Friends Dee Brown and James Augustine are nearing the end of four great seasons at Illinois.". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 22 September 2009. Illinois will hand out 17,000 headbands ... to honor seniors Dee Brown and James Augustine ... Their paths first crossed during the summer between Augustine's junior and senior year at Lincoln-Way Central
  13. ↑ "40 James Augustine". biography. University of Illinois Athletics. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 Whalen, Randy (27 May 2009). "Lincoln-Way Central Knights". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 22 September 2009.

External links