John F. Kennedy High School (Montgomery County, Maryland)

John F. Kennedy High School
Address
1901 Randolph Road
Silver Spring, Maryland
United States
Information
Type Public Secondary
Established 1964
School district Montgomery County Public Schools
Principal Mr. Joe Rubens, Jr.
Faculty 94 (2013)
Grades 9-12
Gender Co-Educational
Enrollment 1853 (2013)
Campus Southern Suburban
Color(s) Forest green and vegas gold         [1]
Mascot Cavalier[1]
Rival Wheaton High School
Yearbook The Legacy
Website www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/kennedyhs/index.shtm/

John F. Kennedy High School is a public high school located in unincorporated in Montgomery County, Maryland. Part of Montgomery County Public Schools, the school is within the census-designated place of Glenmont ,[2] although it has a Silver Spring mailing address.

Over 1,700 students are enrolled at Kennedy, which is a member of the Downcounty Consortium along with nearby Montgomery Blair, Wheaton, Albert Einstein, and Northwood High Schools. Students from any of those high schools' base areas can apply to attend Kennedy through a lottery process, after students from Kennedy's own base middle schools -- Col. E. Brooke Lee and Argyle -- are offered spots.

The school mascot is the Cavalier.

History

Opening its doors in 1964,[3] Kennedy High School was originally going to be called "East Wheaton High School," but due to President John F. Kennedy's assassination in November 1963, the school was renamed after him.[4] It initially enrolled students in 7th through 10th grades, but by the fall of 1966 changed to the now-standard 9th through 12th grade format, graduating its first full 12th grade class in the spring of 1967.

Kennedy's early history is that of an experimental school, with open classes, no grades, and no required attendance. The onus was on Kennedy's students to be self-motivated. Kennedy's rare approach to education gained it international attention, but ultimately these trends did not become very popular in other schools. Kennedy itself eventually ended these policies as some parents refused to send their children to Kennedy, and demanded the school be shut down.

After the decline of birth rates following the baby boom generation, some schools were forced to close. Kennedy absorbed the student body of Northwood when it was shuttered between 1985 and 2004. Kennedy students used Northwood's building when Kennedy was renovated during the 1996-1997 school year.

Demographics

Of Kennedy's student body, 26% is African American, 10% is Asian American, 48% is Hispanic, 5% is Non-Hispanic White, 0.3% is Native American, and 2% is of two or more races.[5][6]

Academics

Kennedy offers the International Baccalaureate diploma|, which about 13% of students take. There are also five academy programs designed to attract students from across the Downcounty Consortium: the Leadership Training Institute (LTI), broadcast journalism, business management, health professions, and Navy Junior ROTC. Kennedy additionally offers over 15 Advanced Placement courses for students to earn college credit -- ranging from Studio Art to World History -- [7] which 69% of students take.[8]

On the SAT, the school average is 969, and it usually sends around 89% of its graduating class to two- and four-year colleges and universities.[7] Like all other Montgomery County high schools, at least 75 hours of community service are required for graduation.

In 2014, Newsweek ranked Kennedy as the 15th-best school in Maryland.[9]

Academy programs

[10]

Broadcast Journalism

The Broadcast Journalism Academy prepares students for careers in television, radio, podcasting, and other internet-based media. Students receive “hands on” experience running WJFK, Kennedy’s award-winning television station. Students work with career journalists, write news stories, produce shows, and intern with local and national media outlets. Students are required to complete the identified academy courses and participate in various career-based experiences that include an internship.

Business Management and Administration Academy

The Business Management and Administration Academy prepares students for careers as leaders in domestic and international commerce. Students will learn how to manage workers and lead companies in a global society. The Academy allows students to gain valuable skills in finance, entrepreneurship, visioning, problem solving, and productivity.

Creative Multimedia Academy

The Creative Multimedia Academy allows students to develop skills in visual, performing, instrumental, and choral arts. Students prepare for careers in graphic design, performance arts, music, and theater. Students can choose to take courses in the arts or performance. In order to complete the academy pathway, students must successfully complete three elective classes.

International Baccalaureate Program

The International Baccalaureate Academy is a small learning community that provides highly motivated students an opportunity to pursue a rigorous, comprehensive curriculum based on a global perspective. It replaced John F. Kennedy High School's similar Cambridge Academy in the fall of 2010. The academy offers an internationally recognized course of study that is designed to prepare students for the university experience. Students are encouraged to participate in the Pre-IB courses beginning in Grade 9. The IB Diploma Program begins in Grade 11.

The NJROTC curriculum combines academic studies and leadership development. The program introduces the historical, scientific, and technical aspects specific to each military branch. Leadership development concentrates on the following areas: cadet activities, drill and ceremonies, improving study habits, maintaining time management skills, developing effective communication skills, and learning sound problem-solving techniques.

Health Careers

The Health Careers Academy is an academic career development program that enables students to explore careers in the health care industry and to develop skills related to patient care practiced in hospitals and long term facilities.

Public Communications

The Public Communications Academy prepares students for careers as public relations specialists, press secretaries, media directors, speech writers, lawyers, teachers and other advocates. Academy courses build skills in creative writing, advocacy, and public speaking skills.

Leadership Training Institute (LTI)

John F. Kennedy High School’s signature program empowers students through rigorous interdisciplinary experiential learning, community service projects, and leadership theory and application. It is an application-only program.

Medical Careers

The Medical Careers program is an academic career development program that enables students to explore careers in the health care industry and to develop skills related to patient care practiced in hospitals and long term facilities. Successful students will receive cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Training and certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) with the Maryland Board of Nursing.[11] The medical careers program is an application only program in during grades 11-12.

Senior Naval Science Instructors (SNSI's)

2001-2007 CAPT Kenneth Trass, U.S. Navy (Ret.)

2007–2016 LCDR Leonard C. Greig, U.S. Army/U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.)

2016-2016 LTCOL Gregory Grunwald, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)

2017-Present CDR Lawrence Bateman U.S. Navy (Ret.)

2001-2004 GySgt Gregory Bowman, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)

2004-2005 1stSgt Russell Steward, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)

2005–2011 MCPO Tommy Brady, U.S. Navy (Ret.)

2011–2012 SCPO Kenneth Montgomery, U.S. Navy (Ret.)

2012–2014 MCPO Tommy Brady, U.S. Navy (Ret.)

2014–Present CPO Sharon Rogers, U.S. Navy (Ret.)

The NJROTC Area Five Manager's Inspection in 2004

Unit Achievements

In 2003, the Kennedy High School NJROTC Drill Team was invited to the Area Five Regional Championship in Norfolk, Virginia where they placed first in armed and second place unarmed standard Drill.[12]

Kennedy's NJROTC Unit has received the "Unit Achievement" award five times; 2004–2005, 2005–2006, 2007–2008, 2011-2012 and 2015-2016.

In the 2008-2009 year, the Area Five manager awarded JFK NJROTC with "Distinguished Unit", a first in its 8-year history.

Athletics

Kennedy vs. Blake in 2007

Ken Cudd is the recently retried Athletic Director. He retired after working many years as an English and LTI teacher. Walter Hardy is the new Athletic director.

Championships

All tournaments and finals are conducted by the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA)[13] --- An incomplete list of a few Championships:

Kennedy's football team was noted in The Washington Post for a lengthy losing streak in 2005 which had since been broken.[16]

Athletic rivalries

Kennedy's main rival is Wheaton High School due to the schools' close proximity to one another.[17][18][19] The Wheaton-Kennedy rivalry is one of the oldest rivalries in Montgomery County.[20]

Other smaller rivalries include those with Albert Einstein High School and for Lacrosse; Rockville High School (Maryland).

Facilities

Kennedy's Football stadium is named in memory of Brady Straub, who coached the 1984 football team to the state championship. The following year, he bravely led the team while battling cancer, succumbing shortly after the end of the season. The field was redone in the spring of 2007 after being condemned by the county for poor conditions.

The gymnasium hallway bears the last name of former Kennedy all-star basketball player and captain Jeremy Herring. Herring, who was the lead scorer for Montgomery County in 2007, was slain along with his brother Justin Herring (also an alumni) in the summer following his graduation.[21][22]

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 "History". John F. Kennedy High School. Montgomery County Public Schools.
  2. ↑ "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Glenmont CDP, MD" (Archive). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on June 22, 2015.
  3. ↑ Grant, Gerald (August 19, 1964). "Kennedy High Opens This Fall With New Frontier of Teaching". The Washington Post. p. B2.
  4. ↑ Tim Clark 2008 JFK Commencement Address Video
  5. ↑ "John F. Kennedy High Student Body". Newsweek. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  6. ↑ "John F. Kennedy High School - #815" (PDF). MCPS. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  7. 1 2 "John F. Kennedy HS School Profile (PDF)" (PDF).
  8. ↑ "John F. Kennedy High Test Scores". Newsweek. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  9. ↑ "John F. Kennedy High". Newsweek. July 13, 2014. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014.
  10. ↑ http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/kennedyhs/programs/academies/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ↑ Maryland Certified Nurse Assistant Resource "How to Become a CNA in Maryland". Accessed 10 April 2017.
  12. ↑ Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland - Kennedy H.S. - Kennedy High School Newsletter
  13. ↑ About MPSSAA
  14. ↑ Fall Records MPSSAA
  15. ↑ Spring Records MPSSAA
  16. ↑ Barr, Josh (2005-10-28). "Finding the Good in the Bad- The Washington Post". Retrieved 2010-05-06.
  17. ↑ Fight at Kennedy Football Game
  18. ↑ Kennedy defeats Wheaton]
  19. ↑ Wheaton Rides ups, down
  20. ↑ It's Rivalry Friday
  21. ↑ Williams, Preston (2007-08-12). "The Unimaginable Went Wrong- The Washington Post". Retrieved 2010-05-06.
  22. ↑ "All-Gazette Basketball:Boys - The Gazette".
  23. ↑ "House Joint Resolution No. 780" (PDF). Virginia's Legislative Information System. Richmond, Virginia: Virginia General Assembly. 2005. Archived from the original on 2016-07-30. Retrieved 2016-07-30.

Coordinates: 39°3′56.4″N 77°2′19.7″W / 39.065667°N 77.038806°W / 39.065667; -77.038806

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