Williamsville South High School

Williamsville South High School
Address
5950 Main St
Williamsville, New York
United States
Information
Established 1892
School district Williamsville Central School District
Principal Mr. Keith Boardman
Grades 9 - 12
Color(s) Blue and White
Mascot Billies
Newspaper Out of the Blue
Yearbook Searchlight
Website Williamsville South High School
Williamsville Junior and Senior High School
Built 1950
Architect Duane Lyman
Architectural style Colonial Revival
NRHP Reference # 08000407
Added to NRHP May 12, 2008

Williamsville South High School is a high school located in Williamsville, New York, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. South is one of three high schools in the Williamsville Central School District, along with Williamsville North High School and Williamsville East High School.

History

Origins, 1853-1892

In 1853, the Williamsville Classical Institute was formed as a private school to provide education in Williamsville beyond the elementary level. The property on Academy Street was purchased for $700. The first catalog was published in 1857, but the Williamsville Classical Institute (which had become known as the "Academy") eventually closed in 1869. In 1874, School District No. 3 rented the building for use as an elementary school.[1]

Academy Street School, 1892-1950

Union Free School District No. 3 was organized on May 7, 1892.[2] The Board of Education purchased the property and building from the Institute for $250, naming it Union Free School No. 3, and added a high school program. The first Regents exams were held there in 1892 and its first graduating class consisted of five students in 1895.[1] The first principals were George E. Smith, W. M. Pierce, and D.B. Albert, who had five assistants in 1898.[2] By 1902, there were 65 high school students and 143 in the elementary program.[1]

By 1921, the original red brick building had been condemned by the State Department of Education as antiquated and unsanitary. The public voted to demolish the old building and rebuild at the same site for a cost of $122,000. The new building was opened in 1924, although the auditorium was completed in time for the graduation of the Class of 1923. A large addition was built in 1931 and the curriculum was enlarged.[1]

After the opening of the current building on Main Street in 1950, the 1920s-era Academy Street building continued in use as an elementary school for a time, and eventually also a middle school. In 1981, the Christian Central Academy rented the then-vacant Academy Street School, eventually purchasing the property from the Williamsville Central School District in 1985. In 1991, the Williamsville Historical Society declared and marked that location as an historic site.[3]

Williamsville High School

Due to rapid growth and expansion, the Williamsville Central School District was formed and a new location was needed for the middle and high school students. The current building on Main Street was constructed for an approved cost of $2.5 million,[1] and opened as Williamsville Junior and Senior High School in September 1950, serving grades 7-12. The building was re-designated as Williamsville Senior High following the opening of Mill Middle School in 1958, and finally as South High following the opening of North High School in 1968.[4]

The building was designed by acclaimed local architect Duane Lyman, who was known as the dean of Western New York architecture.[4] Its construction features beautiful classic columns and a traditional clock tower. A science wing was added to the building's east side in 1961, and a new athletics wing was added to the north side in 1992.[4] The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places (as "Williamsville Junior and Senior High School") in 2008.[5][6]

Education

Diplomas

Williamsville South offers two different New York State certified diplomas: the Regents diploma and the Advanced Regents Diploma. The Advanced Regents diploma has more requirements in the math and sciences than the Regents diploma. However, all students are required to take the New York State Regents exams as required by the state for graduation. Williamsville South does have a Foreign Language requirement, and every student must fulfill it by passing the regents exam in that language, usually in the end of the sophomore or junior years.

Advanced Placement Courses

Williamsville South has a wide range of Advanced Placement courses in many areas of study. Williamsville South offers 2 AP courses in English, AP Calculus as well as non-AP Calculus for Math. South offers AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, and AP Physics in the Science Department. There are several AP courses in the Social Studies department (both elective-wise as well as course-wise). Williamsville South offers many AP Language courses also. There are AP courses in the Art department, Music department, and Technology Department as well.

Williamsville South has long been an active participant in the Advanced Placement program. In 1998, Newsweek issued its first ranking of American high schools, based on a calculation of AP exam participation in May 1996 per enrolled student, with Williamsville South ranking 63rd in the country.[7] The school's rank has fallen in subsequent years as AP participation has expanded nationwide, but its rank of 974 in Newsweek's 2010 list still places it among the top 5 percent of all U.S. public high schools.[8]

Extracurricular Activities

Athletics

The school's football team achieved significant successes under Coach Chuck Huber, who led the team from 1975 until retiring in 1998. In 1983 and 1984, the team was the Section 6 Champion (Division III-IV),[9] and in 1984 was also ranked #1 in New York State.[10] In 1990, the team was again Section 6 Champion (Class B-2).[9] And in 1994, the team was Section 6 Champion (Class B) and advanced to the New York State championship game, but was defeated by one point.[10] In 2010, and 2011, the football team went back to back, undefeated regular seasons, winning games throughout the playoffs, with only two losses over the two seasons, both in the sectional title game, to Sweet Home High School. In 2010, the team was led by FBG, and now UB Bull, Joe Licata, along with the Core 4, consisting of Sammy Hasan, Kevin O'Connell, and junior T.J. Scamurra. Hasan went on to play football at St. John Fisher College, O'Connell at Colgate University, and T.J. Scamurra at Hobart College. In 2011, questions rose about who would take over for the FBG Licata, until Junior transfer, Trent Ferguson came to lead the herd. Center, T.J. Scamurra lead the team in his senior season as captain, along with Cody Stumpf, Jon Castronova, and Luke Falzone. Since the graduation of the 2012 class, the Billies have had back to back 5-4 seasons, missing the sectional title game in both seasons. The Billies hope to reach the sectional championship again in 2014, and surpass that stage in the NYSPHSAA playoffs, with the help of Senior Quarterback Captain, Sam Castronova.

The school's softball team has won four New York State championships, in 2000 (Class B), 2004, 2006, and 2014 (Class A).[11][12] These are Williamsville South's first-ever New York State tournament championships in any team sport to appear in the New York State Sportswriters Association records.

Music

The Williamsville school district's music programs have long been known for excellence and have produced many prominent alumni. Both symphonic bands at Williamsville South have long received accolades for musicianship and performance ability. In a 2008 competition in Virginia Beach, Virginia, both of Williamsville South's bands received ratings of "Superior."[13]

Also, the bands performed for the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA), where they each received the highest award possible, Gold with Distinction.

The orchestra program at Williamsville South is the largest of the three Williamsville schools. There are currently two orchestras, both conducted by Mrs. Elizabeth Nowak.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Sue Miller Young, A History of the Town of Amherst, New York, Chap. 15 (1965)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Town of Amherst, from Our County and Its People, A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York, Truman C. White, ed. (The Boston History Company, 1898)
  3. ↑ Christian Central Academy -- Heritage
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 South High School Added to Register of Historic Places, Amherst Bee, August 6, 2008
  5. ↑ National Register of Historic Places -- Williamsville Junior and Senior High School, NRIS# 08000407, published May 12, 2008
  6. ↑ State Board Recommends Diverse Properties for Listing on State & National Registers of Historic Places -- March 12, 2008
  7. ↑ Jay Matthews, Class Struggle -- The Top 100* High Schools, Newsweek, March 30, 1998
  8. ↑ America's Best High Schools: The List, Newsweek, June 13, 2010
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Section 6 Football Champions 1979-Present
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 RoadToSyracuse.com: Reference library, NYSSWA rankings, 1981-90
  11. ↑ Year by year champions, all sports from the New York State Sportswriters Association
  12. ↑ Buffalo News, Williamsville South wins fourth state softball title, Miguel Rodriguez, June 14, 2014
  13. ↑ Success at Music in the Parks Festival
  14. ↑ "Glee Newcomer Jacob Artist on Dancing Dreams, Rap Nightmares and New-Girl Drama". Tvline.com. Retrieved December 6, 2012.

External links