Monarch High School (Florida)
Coordinates: 26°17′05″N 80°11′35″W / 26.28464°N 80.19317°W
| Monarch High School | |
|---|---|
 "Home of the Knights" | |
| Location | |
|
5050 Wiles Road Coconut Creek, Florida 33073 | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public high school |
| Opened | August 25, 2003 |
| School district | Broward County Public Schools |
| NCES District ID | 1200180 |
| CEEB Code | 100328 |
| NCES School ID | 120018004050 |
| Principal | James Neer |
| Staff | 175+ |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 2,267 [1] (2013) |
| Number of students | 1200+ |
| Color(s) |
Black, red, and silver |
| Mascot | Knights |
| Information | (754) 321–1400 |
| Website | Official Website |
Monarch High School (MHS) is a public high school located in Coconut Creek, Florida. Monarch is a part of the Broward County Public Schools system, and serves neighborhoods in Deerfield Beach, Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, and Pompano Beach.
Monarch had an FCAT school grade of "A" for the 2010–2011 academic year.[2]
Campus
The pair of buildings that make up the school were designed by the Miami architectural firm Zyscovitch on a design and build basis. Building four, which houses the gym, cafeteria, and numerous classrooms, has the ability to be utilized as a hurricane shelter if necessary. The campus is also designed to enable community use of the facilities when not being used by the school.[3]
During the school's third academic year, an additional building, Building 5, was constructed to relieve "critical overcrowding" and meet class size requirements. The school also has houses a number of portable classrooms. Currently MHS is trying to raise funds to build a football stadium on campus.
Excalibur Program
Monarch High School offers the Excalibur Program, an integrated and accelerated curriculum for talented students at Monarch. The program offers a rigorous curriculum consisting of high caliber classes, including those of the Honors and AP level. Throughout the students' participation in the program, their inclusion depends upon GPA and test scores.[4]
Academics
The school offers a large array of academic courses. The core academics include math, social studies, science, and English. There are many extra clubs and activities at the school, including (but not limited to) Drama Club, a wide variety of sports, a marching band, jazz band, concert band, drumline, indoor percussion, color guard, chamber orchestra, full orchestra, Debate Team, chorus, arts, cooking, step team, cheerleading, foreign language clubs, journalism club, flag football, multicultural society, Mu Alpha Theta, DECA, Key Club, National Honor Society (NHS) and JROTC. Advanced Placement classes are offered also.
Monarch students presently attend school from 7:40 AM to 2:40 PM, Monday through Friday on Period schedule. The current schedule requires students to attend seven classes and a 30 minute lunch period each day with a six minute passing period between each class.
The school uses a program called Pinnacle Internet Viewer, by Excelsior Software, which allows students to check their grades from any computer connected to the internet. Other information, such as absences and missing assignments, can also be viewed.
Digital Learning Environment
The school provides each student with a laptop computer to use in their classes, as part of a program to enhance accessibility to data on the internet, as well as students' knowledge of technology. Monarch High is usually referred to as a Digital Learning Environment (DLE).
At the beginning of the DLE program, in the school's second academic year (2004–2005), students were provided with a laptop that could be taken home and brought back with them to school on a regular basis to further enhance the program. This element was withdrawn after three years because of budget cuts, the expense of computer repairs and maintenance and because of misuse, vandalism and stolen/ lost computers.[5]
Pinwheels for Peace
A program started by two teachers, Ellen McMillan and Ann Ayers at Monarch High, the Pinwheels for Peace Project invites students to create and display their pinwheels on the campus during the International Day of Peace and has been adopted internationally.[6] Groups in more than 1,500 places have planted more than half a million pinwheels throughout the world.[7]
Traditions
Knights Code of Chivalry
The school emphasizes a code of conduct among students, teachers, faculty and peers dubbed the "Knights Code of Chivalry." The code was created by a student panel the year before the school opened. Plaques containing the code are present in every classroom.[8]
Student Diversity
As of 2012, the total student enrollment was 2,117. The ethnic makeup of the school was 40% White, 18% Black, 5% Asian or Pacific Islander, 2% Multiracial, and 36% Hispanics.[9]
References
- ↑ Enrollment Counts
- ↑ FCAT School Grades - High
- ↑ "Monarch High School", Learning by Design 2004, American School Board Journal
- ↑ "Exacalibur Application" (PDF). Monarch High School. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
- ↑ "Digital Learning Environment", Monarch High School
- ↑ "Pinwheels for Peace", Education World, August 9, 2005
- ↑ "No place for Pinwheels for Peace", Patty McCormac, Valley News, January 9, 2006
- ↑ "2009-2010 Course Catalog", Monarch High School, Spring 2009
- ↑ Enrollment Counts