Fontainebleau High School

Fontainebleau High School is a public high school in unincorporated St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States, north of Mandeville. The school is a part of the St. Tammany Parish Public Schools.

The school serves Abita Springs and a section of Mandeville.^[1] It was founded in August, 1994 with 778 ninth and tenth grade students. The school had an estimated enrollment of approximately 2,300 students during the 2008-2009 school year, but was downsized with the opening of the new Lakeshore High School, which was opened with the 2009-2010 school year. Current enrollment for Fontainebleau is estimated to be about 1650.^[2]

Fontainebleau's mascot is the Bulldog; the school's motto is Optimus Optimorum, a Latin saying meaning "The best of the best." Its school colors are red and black.

Academics

Fontainebleau High School is known for its academic excellence. It is recognized as being among the top public high schools in the state and was featured in the "America's Best High Schools" article in an issue of Business Week.^[3] The school continually scores above local, state, and national averages on standardized tests. The school has continually received the Golden Achievement Award from LSU in recognition of the school's graduating seniors earning high amounts of college credit on LSU's credit/placement exams. In addition, many students are successful at the district and state literary rallies.

PTA

In 2004 the school was certified as a National PTA Parent Involvement School of Excellence, and was re-certified in 2007.^[4]

Athletics

• Fontainebleau, a member of District 6-5A as classified by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA), is also known for its strong athletic program.
• In 2011, the girls' volleyball team finished up the most successful season in Fontainebleau history (44-1) with a State Championship, defeating Mount Carmel in the finals.
• In 2010, for the first time in school history, the baseball team captured the District 7-5A Championship. Senior Pitcher Logan Peterson was named the District's Most Valuable Player.
• The school won the state title in girls' soccer in 2004, the first state championship the school has ever won, and was the state runner-up in 2009. The team has been district champions for the past 8 years (2 times co-champions) and is consistently ranked amongst the top girls' soccer teams in the state. The team has also appeared frequently in the NSCAA winter soccer regional rankings and has appeared several times in the national rankings. In 2004, the championship winning year, the women's soccer team was ranked 7th in the nation.^[5]
• In 2006, the boys' soccer team won the state runner-up title, the best any boys' team has ever done in school's brief history.
• In 2008, the girls' volleyball team reached the state championship match and finished as the state runner-up. In the prior two seasons, the team reached the state quarterfinals and semifinals.
• In 2000, the boys' track team won their first district title as well as the parish championship. In addition, they were runners-up at regionals. The boys' and girls' track teams won regional titles in 2005. The boys' and girls' cross country teams won District 7-5A and the Northshore Metro championships in the 2007 season. The boys' cross country team had their best season in school history in 2007 tying for 3rd at the LHSAA state championships.
• The school has also garnered many other district titles in other sports with many other teams having had impressive playoff
• runs, including the football team's appearance in the state semi-finals in 2004.

Organizations

Band

The Fontainebleau Band program began with approximately 30 members when the school opened in 1994, it now boasts approximately 150 members. In 2003, the marching band attended its first marching festival. During the 2005 season the Crimson Band was invited to the Louisiana Showcase of Marching Bands, the largest in the state despite missing a month of rehearsals due to Hurricane Katrina. In the Fall of 2006, the band placed 3rd overall at the Louisiana Showcase and 5th overall in the Fall of 2007. In 2008, the band was named the Reserve Grand Champion at the Louisiana Showcase of Marching Bands. In 2009, the band placed 3rd overall with their show, Carpe Noctum. In 2010, the band once again was named Reserve Grand Champion at Louisiana Showcase with the show City of Scandal: Love and the Mob. In 2011, October 29, the Fontainebleau Crimson Band once again won Reserve Grand Champion at the Louisiana Showcase of Marching Bands, falling short of Lafayette High School by only 2 1/2 points. The band has also been named the Grand Champion of the Northshore Camellia Marching festival in 2007, 2008, and 2010. The concert ensembles and jazz ensemble has earned Sweepstakes trophies at the local and state level and also has earned other recognitions at events outside the state, such as the jazz ensemble coming in 4th place at the Swing Central National Jazz Band Competition at the Savannah Music Festival. The FHS Band program includes: the Marching band and Flag Team, Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Concert band, Indoor Percussion, and the Jazz Ensemble.^[6]

The FHS Band went to their first WGI regionals competition in early 2008. Color Guard took first place in the guard competition with their show "My Funny Valentine," and the percussion ensemble took second place in the percussion competition with their show "Circuitry."

Arts and Theatre

FHS has an outstanding "Talented Art" department where advanced placement art students have the opportunity to work and study under professional artists, Jessica Danby and Ralph Townsend. Each year talented art seniors have an art show at the end of the semester where they present a series of pieces they worked on during class. Students are provided with advanced sculptural as well and two-dimensional techniques as well as an in depth look at the expansive history of art in general.

In 2005, FHS established a theatre. Over 90 students are currently enrolled in classes taught by Mr. Jeffery Polito and Mrs. Mary Vigueira. They perform three main stage shows a school year: the Fall play, the Children's Show, and the Spring play. At the same time, the students experience all elements of theatre including history, literature, and production.

JROTC

LA-944 is an Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps located at Fontainebleau High School, Mandeville, LA. It was created in July 1994 with an agreement between Fontainebleau High School, the St. Tammany Parish School Board, and the United States Air Force. LA-944 is a cadet run corps where the members of the Senior Staff make all of the major decisions with little help from the Instructors.^[7] LA-944 received the Distinguished Unit Award (DUA) during the 1999/2000 year and the DUA with Merit in the years 2007/08 and 2010/11.

Student organizations

• Bowling Club
• Environmental Club
• High Impact Club
• Gay-Straight Alliance
• Paintball Club
• Photography Club
• TRIO Club
• First Robotics Team
• Quiz Bowl
• Swing Dance Club
• Bulldog Buddies
• Philosophy Club
• Yearbook Club
• Publications Team
• Art Club
• French Honor Society
• Future Business Leaders of America
• Student Council
• National Honors Society
• Hispanic Honor Society
• Future Farmers of America
• Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps
• Welding Team
• Outdoor Club
• Top Dawg/Little Dawg
• Student Government
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes
• Creative Writing club
• Salt and Light Club
• Vegetarian Club
• Ignite Club

Notable alumni

• April Nelson, actress and beauty pageant title-holder ("Miss Louisiana 2015")

• Paul McCoy, lead vocalist for "12 Stones"

References

External links

• Fontainebleau High School