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Spanish River High School
5100 Jog Road, Boca Raton, FL, 33496-2299 -  Map
tel: (561)241-2200
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School Overview:
Definition of Terms Spanish River High School
School Level High school
Grades Offered Grades 9 - 12
County Palm Beach County, FL
Students & Faculty
Total Students 2186 students
% Male / % Female 49%  /  51%
Total Classroom Teachers 110 teachers
Students by Grade
Grade 9 - 555 students
Grade 10 - 563 students
Grade 11 - 595 students
Grade 12 - 473 students
This School ( FL ) School Average
Teacher : Student Ratio 1:20 1:16
Students by Ethnicity
This School ( FL ) School Average
% American Indian n/a n/a
% Asian 3% 2%
% Hispanic 15% 22%
% Black 4% 28%
% White 78% 47%
Additional Student Information
This School ( FL ) School Average
% Eligible for Free Lunch 5% 42%
% Eligible for Reduced Lunch 2% 9%
% Migrant Students Enrolled n/a n/a
School Performance:
( FL ) Statewide Testing Performance
School Statewide Performance View Education Department Test Scores
School District:
School District Name Palm Beach County School District
This School's Agency ( FL ) District Average
Number of Schools Managed 236 20
Number of Students Managed 177,906 students 12,279 students
District Total Revenue $1,690,560,000 $110,828,000
District Expenditure $1,843,419,000 $112,427,000
District Revenue / Student $9,503 $7,795
District Expenditure / Student $10,362 $7,471
District Graduation Rates 85% 81%
School Notes:
  • Spanish River Community High School is a public, coeducational high school serving the cities of Boca Raton and Delray Beach as part of the School District of Palm Beach County, Florida. The school was rated an "A" school by the Florida Department of Education in 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006 and ranked 410 in the 2004 Newsweek list of the 1,000 Top High Schools.
  • History: Spanish River opened in 1983 and graduated its first senior class in 1985. Built to relieve crowding at Boca Raton Community High School and in anticipation of the tremendous growth of suburban Boca Raton, the campus was initially isolated and surrounded by farms. Quickly, the campus was filled beyond capacity as the surrounding area rapidly developed. Additional classroom space was constructed in 1985 and again in 1988. Twenty-two years later, the campus expanded again as the district completed construction on the Countess de Hoernle Auditorium.
  • The school opened under the direction of Dr. William Pinder, who was appointed in 1982 to oversee the staffing and opening of Spanish River.
  • Following Dr. Pinder's transfer to other duties two years later, Dr. Arthur Johnson was transferred in from nearby Boca Raton Community High School. "Dr. J.", as he was affectionately known by both students and faculty, became known for his management philosophy of "work hard, play hard." Under his administration, Spanish River became well known for a strong academic program which was balanced with a lively social calendar and a prominent athletic program. Johnson's stern disciplinary hand, perhaps best exemplified by his visibility between classes and use of a bullhorn to discourage tardiness, emphasized the importance of focusing on studies. Johnson also became well-known for his involvement in student activities, especially actively taking part in football season pep rallies.
  • The shortest, and most turbulent, administration belonged to Bonnie Fox. Appointed to replace Sherman in 1999, Fox quickly imposed a strong management philosophy which ran against the faculty's traditional expectations. Faced with a vote of "no confidence" by the faculty and a deteriorating relationship with prominent parents, Fox accepted reassignment to other duties in November of 1999.
  • The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History & Law: In 2005, Spanish River was selected by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to host the Institute's first high school history program in the southeast United States. With the support of the Institute, the school has implemented a four-year American history program and a companion legal studies program. Students in the program take a course in American history each year.
  • The program also includes a unique Saturday Academy program for middle and high school students. The Saturday Academy features narrowly focused, in-depth courses in American history which give students and teachers the time and flexibility to study topics that may otherwise not be fully addressed during school hours.
  • Biotech Academy: In 2006, the Spanish River Biotech Academy was created in order to attract new students to the school and to lead education in Palm Beach County. Initially, classes were held in science rooms at the school. However, in 2007, the school plans to create a special building for the Academy, reportedly in place of the revered "Little Theater".
  • Athletics: Spanish River's athletic teams have won a number of state titles, including championships in: Girl's Cross Country (1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003); Boy's Soccer (1997); Girl's Soccer (1996, 1997, 1999); Boy's Tennis (1989); Girl's Tennis (1987, 1989); Boy's Swimming (1987, 1989, 1990, 1991); Girl's Swimming (1986, 1987); Boy's Volleyball (2006); Girl's Volleyball (1989, 1991, 1996, 2003).
  • Rivalries: The school's traditional athletic rival is Boca Raton Community High School, though this has varied as the athletic districts have realigned over the years and as local schools have grown or contracted in population. In the 1980s, the Spanish River-Boca High rivalry was at its peak as both schools vied for city bragging rights. In varsity football, the two public schools, along with parochial Pope John Paul II Regional High School, each played the other two schools annually. The school with the best record in city competition was awarded the city championship trophy. By the mid-1990s the rivalry had faded and Spanish River has not played PJP in several seasons.
  • With the opening of Olympic Heights Community High School in unincorporated west Boca Raton in 1991, the major football rivalry shifted. OHCHS was formed primarily by students and faculty transferred from Spanish River creating a natural bond and athletic rivalry.
  • Rivalries also vary by sport. Girl's volleyball has an intense, long-running rivalry with Olympic Heights. Girl's soccer has a strong rivalry with Wellington High School, Parkland-Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School, and the St. Andrew's School of Boca Raton.
  • Notable Alumni: Remy Hamilton, 1992 (football player, Los Angeles Avengers).
  • Al Wallace, 1992 (football player, Carolina Panthers).
  • Media & Entertainment: Jonathan Flugel, 2001 (Prospect); Ryan Shore, 1992 (film composer).
  • Source: Wikipedia; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL
  • Add information about this school (e.g., awards, news stories, notable alumni, fun facts)
 
School Zip Code:
About This Zip Code (33496)
School Zip (33496) (FL) State Average
Population (Approximate) 20,658 people 15,366,089 people
% (age 25+) w/College Degree 51% 27%
Population Average Age 51 years old 38.7 years old
Average Household size 2.3 persons 2.3 persons
Median Household Income $74,769 $38,451
Avg. # of Rooms in Household 5.8 rooms 5.0 rooms
Median Age of Housing Structure 17 years old 32 years old
View current housing listings in 33496
% Owning / % Renting 87% / 13% 67% / 33%
School Map:
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  Nearby Schools:
1. Olympic Heights Community High School - 1460 students - view location
2. Academic School For The Arts - 73 students - view location
3. West Boca Raton Community High School - 2155 students - view location
4. Boca Raton High School - 1989 students - view location
5. Atlantic High School - 2364 students - view location
View all schools in: Boca Raton Town, Palm Beach County, Zip 33496 
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Note: Data has been gathered from several government and commercial data sources. School data reflects years 2002-04 statistics (most recent years available). Area and demographic data reflects year 2000 statistics. Public School Review does not ensure the timeliness or accuracy of the information on this site.

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