Newark Memorial High School

Newark Memorial High School - Formerly Newark High School (1963-1982) and Memorial High (1974 to 1982)
Address
39375 Cedar Boulevard
Newark, California, 94560
United States
Coordinates 37°31′19.02″N 122°0′5.04″W / 37.5219500°N 122.0014000°W / 37.5219500; -122.0014000Coordinates: 37°31′19.02″N 122°0′5.04″W / 37.5219500°N 122.0014000°W / 37.5219500; -122.0014000
Information
Type Public
Established 1983 (1963 to 1982 - formerly the Newark High school KNIGHTS & from 1974 to 1981 - formerly the Memorial PATRIOTS (in honor of the service men and women who resided in Newark, CA))
School district Newark Unified School District
LEA Newark Unified School District
School code 0130054
CEEB Code 052114
Principal Philip Morales
Assistant principals Jonathan Hohm
Grace Huerta
Krista Taylor
Dean of Students Elie Wasser
Faculty 81 (2012-2013)
Grades 9-12
Enrollment 1849 (2013-2014)
 • Grade 9 434
 • Grade 10 523
 • Grade 11 473
 • Grade 12 418
Campus size 44.3 acres (17.9 ha)
Color(s) Royal Blue and Gold          
Athletics 52 teams in 16 sports
Mascot Cougar
Team name Cougars (formerly the Newark High School KNIGHTS (1963-1982) and the Memorial PATRIOTS (1974-1982: in honor of the service men and women who resided in Newark, CA))
Accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges[1]
Newspaper Cougar Chronicle
Yearbook The Pride
Feeder schools Newark Junior High School
Athletic Director Rachel Kahoalii
Athletic League Mission Valley Athletic League
Conference Bay Shore
CIF Section North Coast Section
Information (510) 818-4300
Website Newark Memorial High School

Newark Memorial High School (NMHS) is a comprehensive high school in Newark, California. It is located to the southeast part of Newark's business district, between I-880 and San Francisco Bay.

History

The original mailer announcing the dedication of Newark Memorial's campus as the memorial to honor all Newark residents who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

Newark Memorial High School was formed in 1983 as part of a school consolidation program instituted by the Newark Unified School District. Prior to the consolidation program, Newark had two high schools (Newark High School on Lafayette Avenue, and Memorial High School on Cedar Boulevard) and two "Intermediate Schools" for grades 7-8, (M. D. Silva Intermediate School on Thornton Avenue and John I. MacGregor Intermediate School on Cedar Boulevard)

In 1983, both M. D. Silva and John I. MacGregor were closed and the former Newark High School was converted into Newark’s only junior high school, Newark Junior High School. Memorial High School was then renamed Newark Memorial High School and became the sole high school in Newark. The mascots of both Newark High School (Knights) and Memorial High School (Patriots) were abandoned in favor of the Cougars.

On September 30, 2009, the school was put into lockdown for the first time in nearly fifteen years due to a Union City 16-year-old having a loaded handgun near the campus who entered the campus in order to evade police officers. During the lockdown that lasted from 11:15 to 5:00, the police detained him along with a few other suspects.[2][3]

Newark Unified School District

In addition to Newark Memorial High School and Newark Junior High School, Newark Unified School District has eight elementary schools for grades K-6 (Bunker, Graham, Kennedy, Lincoln, Milani, Musick, Schilling and Snow), a continuation high school (Bridgepoint), two alternative schools (Community Day Schools, for grades 7-12, and Crossroads, for K-12), a pre-school (Whiteford), and an adult school.[4]

NUSD is governed by a five-member Board of Education, elected at-large to four-year overlapping terms.

In June 2003, a five-year parcel tax placed on the ballot by the district, which required a two-thirds vote to pass, failed to win a majority, losing 49.3% to 50.7%.[5]

Campus

The Technology Center was opened in 2002. The 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) facility integrates technology, science, mathematics and engineering in its curriculum, with a student testing and reporting (STAR) Lab and the infrastructure for more than 1000 computers. The Technology Center includes a television production center with six edit labs, audio/video production rooms, a television studio with a 25' electronic screen, two project rooms for desktop publishing, four classrooms designated for digital photography, robots, engineering and communications, and specialty math and science labs. High-tech firms with local offices, including Sun Microsystems and AT&T/Comcast, were involved in the planning.[6]

The Student Commons was dedicated in 2004,[7] as part of a project that included renovation and expansion of the cafeteria. The design supports both school and community functions.[8]

Sustainable design was incorporated in both the Tech Center and the Student Commons, including the use of durable materials (e.g., porcelain and pre-cast concrete panels), which will reduce the long-term impacts and cost of maintenance, and natural light and ventilation (clerestory windows provide energy savings and a more comfortable environment).[9]

The designs for the Student Commons and the Tech Center earned awards for Deems Lewis McKinley in 2004 from the Coalition for Adequate School Housing / American Institute of Architects California Council (CASH / AIA CC).[10]

The NMHS theater is used by students, along with various outside groups, including the local Stage 1 Community Theatre for their five-production season.

In 2004 the school opened a 2,576-seat multipurpose gymnasium.[11]

Students

As of 2010, there were 1945 students enrolled. Racial and ethnic makeup was 34.5% Hispanic, 30.8% non-Hispanic white, 13.4% Asian, 10.8% Filipino, 8.1% African-American, 1.9% Pacific Islander, and 0.5% Native American. During the year, there were 454 suspensions and 19 expulsions. The average class sizes were 25 students for English and mathematics classes and 29 students for science and social science. Of the students graduating, 27.2% had completed the course requirements for admission to the University of California or the California State University systems. The average scores on the SAT Reasoning Test were 470 for verbal and 493 for math, compared to Statewide averages of 499 and 521, respectively.[12]

Faculty

As of 2011–2012, there were 82 teachers, of whom 81 had full credentials. There was the equivalent of 3.4 academic counselors, responsible for an average of 571 students each, and 1 librarian.[13]

Extracurricular activities

Newark Memorial competes 12 or more boys' sports and 10 or more for girls.[14] Newark competes in the Mission Valley Athletic League (MVAL), of the Bay Shore Area of North Coast Section, sanctioned by the California Interscholastic Federation. The seven other schools in the MVAL are James Logan High School of Union City, Moreau Catholic High School of Hayward, and the five public high schools in Fremont consisting of American High School, John F. Kennedy High School, Irvington High School, Mission San Jose High School, and Washington High School.[15]

Since 1983, five Newark Memorial coaches have received NCS Honor Coach Awards: Sheri Boots, 1983, softball; Dennis Frese, 1986, girls' basketball; Jay Guerin, 1987, golf; Vance Wahlberg, 1989, and Paul Weiss, 2001, badminton.[16]

The school has staged such productions as The Laramie Project, Les Misérables, Chicago, Aida, Urinetown, Beauty and the Beast, Assassins, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent, The Wiz, Grease, A Streetcar Named Desire, Harvey, Cinderella, and Little Shop of Horrors.

The Newark Memorial High School band, which serves both as a marching and as an all-wind symphonic band, has performed during the Newark Days parade in Newark, the Double-Ten Parade in San Francisco, and in the Oracle Arena for a Newark Cougars game.

Newark Memorial also holds an annual cultural program known as HATS, which stands for Hands Across Time & Space (originally stood for Have A Tolerant Spirit), and is conducted in March. It aims to allow students to display their culture in a creative way and learn about others. HATS is characterized by a series of cultural dances, performed by various clubs such as: Afghan Club, ASL, BSU, FSU, Indo-American, MECHA, Polynesian, PSA and Cougar Fusion. At the beginning of each HATS assembly, students in a "Language Line" recite a specific phrase in their native language. The meaning of the phrase usually urges others to accept all the cultures of the world. Gail Stevens, Head of the Department of Foreign Languages at Newark Memorial, hosts the program. Newark Memorial also has a Ballet Folklorico that has been in existence for over 10 years.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ WASC-ACS. "WASC-Accrediting Commission for Schools". Retrieved 2009-06-05.
  2. ↑ Armed teen prompts lockdown
  3. ↑ "Boy charged for carrying handgun following Newark school lockdown | abc7news.com". Abclocal.go.com. 2009-10-01. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
  4. ↑ NUSD List of Newark Schools, accessed
  5. ↑ LWV, 2003 election information
  6. ↑ NMHS, Home of the Cougars, accessed 2006-11-13
  7. ↑ Tri-City Voice, 2004-02-03
  8. ↑ NMHS Student Commons Cafeteria Renovation & Expansion, Deems Lewis McKinley website, accessed 2006-11-13
  9. ↑ NMHS Technology Center, DLM website, accessed 2006-11-13
  10. ↑ DLM website, accessed 2006-11-13
  11. ↑ Unveiling of Multipurpose Gymnasium
  12. ↑ Newark Unified School District, NMHS School Accountability Report Card 2004-2005, accessed 2006-11-15; note that faculty numbers do not add correctly in the source document
  13. ↑ "School Accountability Report Card for Newark Memorial High School" (PDF). Newark Memorial High School. May 31, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  14. ↑ North Coast Section, School and Section Information
  15. ↑ North Coast Section, Conferences 2004 - 2008
  16. ↑ North Coast Section, Honor Coaches
  17. ↑ "Terry Alderete". Hispanic Community Affairs Council. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  18. ↑ Perfect Pitch Online, 2003-04-22
  19. ↑ Scott M. Greenly (NMHS 1984) Memorial Freeway
  20. ↑ Horowitz, Donna (2005-05-19). "Man Sold Finger to Pay $50 Debt, Police Say". Los Angeles Times.
  21. ↑ Linda Stone, Tri-City Voice, Local legend brews the blues, 2006-04-04
  22. ↑ Ron Thompson official site
  23. ↑ Christopher Titus Biography Hollywood.com. Retrieved 2011-09-06

External links

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