Lexington High School (Massachusetts)

Lexington High School
Address
Map
251 Waltham Street

Lexington
,
Massachusetts
02421

United States
Coordinates42°26′37″N 71°13′57″W / 42.44361°N 71.23250°W / 42.44361; -71.23250
Information
TypePublic high school
Established1854[1][2]
School districtLexington Public Schools
NCES District ID2506840[3]
SuperintendentJulie Hackett
CEEB code221190[4]
PrincipalAndrew Baker[5]
Faculty188.05 (on an FTE basis)[6]
Enrollment2,303 (2022–23)[6]
Student to teacher ratio12.25[6]
Color(s)   Blue and Gold
NicknameMinutemen
AccreditationNew England Association of Schools and Colleges
Massachusetts State Department of Education[4]
NewspaperThe Musket
Feeder schoolsJonas Clarke Middle School
William Diamond Middle School
Websitewww.lexingtonma.org/lhs/

Lexington High School (LHS) is a public high school located in Lexington, Massachusetts, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade. It is one of two high schools in Lexington, and is part of the Lexington Public Schools system. Its sports teams compete in division 1 of Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA)'s 4th district.

Campus

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Lexington High School originally occupied this building from 1854 to 1902.

Existing

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Lexington High School's campus consists of a central quadrangle (Quad), four main academic buildings (Arts & Humanities, World Language, Mathematics, Science), a field house, and a pair of modular classrooms (mods). The Quad is bounded by the Arts & Humanities building (on two sides), the Science building, and a covered walkway between the Science building and the World Language building.[8]

Future Plans

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Lexington High School's buildings suffer from a lack of space, an aging construction, and congestion. 100% of the science classrooms and 30% of general education classrooms do not meet the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) standards for recommended square footage, and the school received a "Does Not Meet Standard" on the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) review of its campus in 2008 and 2020.[9]

As of November 2023 there are ongoing plans to build a new school, with Dore+Whittier having been selected as the Owner's Project Manager, and SMMA as the architect.[9]

Students and faculty

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As of the 2023-24 school year, LHS had an enrollment of 2,318. With 184.4 classroom teachers (on a FTE basis), the school operates with a student–teacher ratio of 12.2:1.[10] There were 135 students (6.5% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 29 (1.4% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[11][12][13] The Asian student population has increased substantially in the 21st century, growing from 15% in 1999-2000 to 46% in 2023-24.[14][15]

The math department of the Lexington Public Schools system has received national merit through the Mathematical Association of America, as the Edyth May Sliffe Award has been won by 8 Lexington Public Schools teachers (5 from the high school, and 3 from the middle schools) a total of 11 times. Lexington High School also has the most two-time winners (3 teachers; no teacher can win it more than twice).[16]

Rankings

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In 2021, LHS has been recognized by US News and Niche.com as the 2nd and 3rd ranked traditional (non-charter) public high school, respectively, in Massachusetts.[17][18]

Academic competition

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Debate

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Lexington High School has a debate program consisting of three divisions: Lincoln–Douglas, Policy, and Public Forum, all taught as elective courses. LHS has won all three major divisions at the Tournament of Champions (TOC).[19] It has also had winners or runners-up at National Catholic Forensic League, National Debate Coaches Association, and National Speech and Debate Association. As of 2019, Lexington's debate team has won both the Policy division and the Sweepstakes Award at the State Championship for the last 45 years.[20]

Lexington won the Policy division at the TOC in 1994.[21] A Lexington team won the TOC in the Public Forum division in 2007.[19] Lexington won the Lincoln-Douglas debate division at the TOC in 2012.[22] In 2020, Lexington again won the TOC in Lincoln-Douglas.[23] Lexington has won top speakers awards at the NDCA in Lincoln-Douglas (2012) and Public Forum (2017), and at the TOC in Policy (1986, 1995).[24][19]

The Director of Debate at Lexington High School is Sheryl Kaczmarek.[25] In 2022, she was inducted into the Tournament of Champions hall of fame.[26]

Chess

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The Lexington High School chess team won the Massachusetts State Chess Championship in 2011, 2013, and 2014.[27] In 2009, the team placed 2nd in the freshman section of the annual National K-12 Scholastic Championship in Dallas, Texas.[28] In 2010, the team placed 2nd in the Rhode Island State Championship.[29]

Science

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Lexington High School competes in the National Science Bowl, National Ocean Sciences Bowl, Envirothon, and Science Olympiad. In the National Science Bowl, LHS has placed first five times, tying with Mira Loma High School for the most first-place finishes.[30] In the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, LHS won the national competition between 1998 and 2002, the first five years of the competition's existence, giving it more wins than any other school. LHS won the Envirothon in 2022 and 2023.[31][32]

Athletics and sports

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Lexington High competes within division 1 of Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s 4th district as a member the Middlesex League.[33]

Lexington High School offers the following sports:[34]

  • Fall: August–November
  • Winter: December–February
    • Alpine skiing: girls' and boys'
    • Basketball: boys' varsity, boys' junior varsity, boys' freshman, girls' varsity, girls' junior varsity, girls' freshman
    • Cheerleading: co-ed basketball
    • Ice hockey: boys' varsity, boys' junior varsity, girls' varsity, girls' junior varsity
    • Indoor track: boys' varsity, boys' junior varsity, girls' varsity, girls' junior varsity
    • Swimming: boys' varsity
    • Wrestling: varsity, junior varsity
  • Spring: March–June
    • Baseball: varsity, junior varsity, freshman
    • Lacrosse: boys' varsity, boys' Junior varsity, boys' freshman, girls' varsity, girls' junior varsity, girls' freshman
    • Outdoor track and field: boys' varsity, boys' junior varsity, girls' varsity, girls' junior varsity
    • Softball: varsity, junior varsity, freshman
    • Tennis: boys' varsity, boys' junior varsity, girls' varsity, girls' junior varsity
    • Ultimate: boys' varsity, boys' junior varsity, girls' varsity
    • Volleyball: boys' varsity
The high school's field house

Titles and acknowledgements

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Lexington High School sports teams have received the following accolades:

  • LHS's Girls Cross Country team has won a Massachusetts Divisional State Championship six (6) times - 2000, 2001, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2019 - and the All State Championship in 2016.[35]
  • LHS's Boys Cross Country team won a Massachusetts Divisional State Championship in 1958, 1959, 1988, and 2018.[35]
  • The Girls Indoor Track & Field team won the Massachusetts Division I State Championships in 1989, 1990, 1991, and 2013. The team also won the All State title in 1990.[35]
  • The Boys Indoor Track & Field team won the Massachusetts Division I State Championships in 1970, 1976, 2006, 2007, 2015, and 2016.[36] [37] The team won the All State title on three occasions: 1970, 1994, and 2007.[35]
  • The Girls Outdoor Track & Field team won the Massachusetts All State Championships in 1987 and 1998.[35]
  • The Boys Outdoor Track & Field team won the Massachusetts Division I State Championships in 1994, 2007, and in 2023.[38] The team also won the All-State Championship in 1994 and 2007.[35] The team scoring of the All State Championships was discontinued in 2022.
  • The LHS girls' varsity softball team won the Massachusetts Division I State Championships in 2008 and 2009.[39]
  • The boys' basketball team won four state titles in the 1960s and 1970s, including in 1978.[40]
  • Former LHS football coach Bill Tighe was the oldest football coach in the country.[41]
  • The LHS boys' varsity soccer team won the Massachusetts Division I State Championships for the first time ever in 2016.[42]
  • The LHS ultimate frisbee team won the MA State Championships in 2013 and 2015 [43]

Extracurriculars

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GSA

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In 2005, Fred Phelps, of Topeka, Kansas, and his church (the Westboro Baptist Church) protested the Lexington High School graduation because of the school's support of its gay-straight alliance. The group returned in 2009.[44]

Drama

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The Lexington High School Drama Company is a student and staff run production company that puts on two annual productions (Spring Musical and Fall Play) among other events. The company consists of the Cast, Crew, Costumes, Pit Orchestra, and Improv Troupe. [citation needed]

The Musket

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The Musket is the school newspaper. Until 1965, the school newspaper was called The High-Spot.[45]

In 1997 The Musket ran into controversy by refusing to run an abstinence ad. The paper's First Amendment rights were maintained with the victory in Yeo v Town of Lexington, a case argued in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.[46]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ Hudson, Charles (1913). History of the Town of Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts: History. Houghton Mifflin. p. xxii. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  2. ^ "2291.1-2 Two reports of committee on establishing a high school, 1854". records.lexingtonma.gov. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Lexington". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "LHS School Profile". Archived from the original on September 25, 2009.
  5. ^ "Contact – Lexington High School". Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Lexington High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  7. ^ "2017-18 SAT Performance Report (DISTRICT) All Students". Mass.edu. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. September 20, 2018. Archived from the original on April 12, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  8. ^ "Campus Map – Lexington High School". www.lexingtonma.org. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  9. ^ a b "FAQs". A New Vision for Lexington High School. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  10. ^ "Contact Information - Lexington High (01550505)". profiles.doe.mass.edu. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  11. ^ https://www.lexingtonma.gov/sites/lexingtonma/files/uploads/schoolenrolldemo_presentation030719.pdf [dead link‍]
  12. ^ "2021 Largest Public High Schools in Massachusetts". Niche. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved Nov 29, 2020.
  13. ^ "2021 Best Public High Schools in Massachusetts". Niche. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved Nov 29, 2020.
  14. ^ "Enrollment Data (1999-00) - Lexington High (01550505)". profiles.doe.mass.edu. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  15. ^ "Enrollment Data (2023-24) - Lexington High (01550505)". profiles.doe.mass.edu. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  16. ^ "High School Mathematics Teaching Edyth May Sliffe Award". Archived from the original on 2015-03-27. Retrieved 2014-10-20.
  17. ^ "Archived copy". www.usnews.com. Archived from the original on 2021-05-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. ^ "2021 Best Public High Schools in Massachusetts". Niche. Archived from the original on 2021-02-04. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  19. ^ a b c "Results History". 13 June 2017. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  20. ^ "State Champions of the MSDL". Archived from the original on 2020-08-02. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
  21. ^ "TOC XL Trivia: Westminster Wins Third Consecutive Championship". Archived from the original on 2020-09-30. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
  22. ^ Flaster, Sam (24 May 2012). "Debate championship brings prestige to Lexington High team". Archived from the original on 22 February 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  23. ^ "Evan Li Wins the eTOC". 20 April 2020. Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  24. ^ "Past Results". Archived from the original on 2022-02-22. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
  25. ^ "About". My Site. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
  26. ^ TOC Awards (2022), 27 April 2022, retrieved 2022-05-22
  27. ^ "MACA Hurvitz Cup State Scholastic Team Champions". Archived from the original on 2019-11-01. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
  28. ^ "Chess Team Second in the Nation". Archived from the original on February 9, 2013.
  29. ^ "2011 RI Scholastic Championship". Archived from the original on 2011-11-03. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
  30. ^ "NSB Past High School National Science Bowl Winners". U.S. DOE Office of Science. 2024-05-02. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  31. ^ "Massachusetts Team Named 2022 NCF-Envirothon Competition Champions". Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  32. ^ "Massachusetts Team Named 2023 NCF-Envirothon Competition Champions". Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  33. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2021-05-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  34. ^ "Athletics Department". Archived from the original on 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  35. ^ a b c d e f "Lexington XC&TF". Archived from the original on 2012-09-23. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
  36. ^ "Massachusetts Division I State Championships 2006-7 results". Archived from the original on Dec 3, 2010. Retrieved Nov 29, 2020.
  37. ^ Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Archived 2008-02-22 at the Wayback Machine. Miaa.ezstream.net (2007-02-16). Retrieved on 2013-10-05.
  38. ^ Wasserman, Matty (May 27, 2023). "Amari Mow pushes Lexington boys; Ashley Sheldon powers Andover girls in Division 1 track and field state championship - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  39. ^ Kendall, Steve (2008-06-15). "Lexington dashes to glory past Gardner for D1 softball title". Boston Herald. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  40. ^ Marvin Pave, "Bob Farias, inspiring boys’ basketball coach at Lexington High School, dies at 73," Boston Globe, October 15, 2019, https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2019/10/15/bob-farias-inspiring-boys-basketball-coach-lexington-high-school-dies/WHbF7tSGR54qoDuRZ9sdyH/story.html Archived 2021-12-03 at the Wayback Machine
  41. ^ Hall, Brendan (26 November 2010). "Prep coach Bill Tighe retires at 86". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on 23 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  42. ^ "Lexington completes improbable run to D1 title - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Archived from the original on 2017-02-11. Retrieved 2017-02-10.
  43. ^ "Lexington (MA) - Team News, Stats, History & More".
  44. ^ "Westboro Baptist Church met with silence at high school protest - Lexington, MA - Lexington Minuteman". Wickedlocal.com. 2009-03-13. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
  45. ^ wendypicnic (24 April 2012). "Lexington High School Newspapers". Yahoo! Groups. Yahoo!, Inc. Archived from the original on 22 February 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  46. ^ "Advertising, free speech and a sound editorial policy in scholastic publications". www.jea.org. Archived from the original on June 21, 2010.
  47. ^ McGrath, Jenny. "Orny Adams on His Crappy Week, Getting Cast on Teen Wolf, and the Coach’s Advice for Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez" Archived 2017-12-06 at the Wayback Machine, Wetpaint, November 15, 2012. Accessed December 5, 2017. "[Q] Have you ever had a coach like the Coach? [A] Coach Ferrias, Lexington High School. Something that he would do that I’ve thought about doing, is he would also whistle at us."
  48. ^ "Lexingtonian Carolyn Bertozzi wins the Nobel Prize in Chemistry". 7 October 2022.
  49. ^ Dobrowolski, Tony. "James MacGregor Burns, historian and FDR biographer, dies at age 95" Archived 2017-10-27 at the Wayback Machine, The Berkshire Eagle, July 15, 2014. Accessed December 5, 2017. "Born in Melrose on Aug. 3, 1918, Burns grew up in Burlington and attended Lexington High School before he enrolled at Williams."
  50. ^ Farinella, Mark. " Keeping in line; Pats solid up front thanks to assistant coach" Archived 2022-02-22 at the Wayback Machine, The Sun Chronicle, January 29, 2015. Accessed December 5, 2017. "The point was that Belichick did not expect DeGuglielmo, a former assistant on the staffs of the Giants, Dolphins and Jets, to mirror or mimic his predecessor, who had spent 30 years in the Patriots' organization and was wildly successful as their offensive line coach. He expected DeGuglielmo, a former football standout at Lexington High School, to be himself and attack the job in his own way."
  51. ^ Walker, Adrian. "Decades of Lexington students remember their beloved 'Mrs. P.'" Archived 2017-12-06 at the Wayback Machine, The Boston Globe, April 8, 2016. Accessed December 5, 2017. "To this day, Rachel Dratch is a bit surprised that Sandi Peaslee — “Mrs. P.” to her students — put up with her behavior in chorus class at Lexington High School."
  52. ^ MARIE SZANISZLO (February 9, 2014). "Site's a source for local jobs". Boston Herald. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021. ...Two years ago, when she was a sophomore at Lexington High School, Xyla Foxlin was looking for a part-time job with flexible hours, so she turned to a new website ... HelpAroundTown ......
  53. ^ "Celebrate the craftsmanship: Lexington resident to get Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award". Wicked Local. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  54. ^ "Yale University School of Art: Catherine Murphy". Art.yale.edu. Archived from the original on 2017-11-13. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
  55. ^ "Catherine Murphy's Photorealistic Paintings". Elledecor.com. 2010-10-28. Archived from the original on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
  56. ^ Technology, Massachusetts Institute of. "MacArthur Fellows". MIT. Archived from the original on 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2012-04-23.
  57. ^ "William G. Tapply Online". Williamgtapply.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
  58. ^ "Lexington High School Yearbook: 2010". Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  59. ^ "An Overview of Vaccines".
  60. ^ Miller, Samantha. "Nice Catch!" Archived 2017-12-06 at the Wayback Machine, People (magazine), January 28, 202. Accessed December 5, 2017. "At Lexington High School he also took up track and lacrosse before enrolling at Vassar College, where he earned a B.A. in biology in 1996."
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