| Number of Schools Managed |
236 |
24 |
| Number of Students Managed |
176,211 students |
15,852 students |
| District Total Revenue |
$1,690,560,000 |
$150,286,000 |
| District Expenditure |
$1,843,419,000 |
$148,035,000 |
| District Revenue / Student |
$9,594 |
$9,481 |
| District Expenditure / Student |
$10,461 |
$9,339 |
| District Graduation Rates |
85% |
90% |
|
- 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 ranked 410 in the 2004 Newsweek list of the 1,000 Top High Schools [1].
- 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.
- Johnson left to accept a promotion in 1997 and was replaced on an interim basis by long-time assistant principal Barbara Porcher. In time for the beginning of classes in the fall of 1997, Dr. Wallis Sherman was promoted to principal after several years as an assistant principal elsewhere in the district.
- Bonnie Fox replaced Sherman in 1999.
- Geoff McKee replaced Fox in 1999. His tenure lasted four years, before he transferred to arch-rival Boca Raton High School. His replacement was Constance Tuman-Rugg, a former middle school principal. In 2007 she became chief of curriculum for Palm Beach County, and was replaced by Dr. Susan Atherly.
- Principals
- William Pinder, Ph.D. (1983-1986)
- Arthur C. Johnson, Ph.D. (1986-1997)
- Barbara Porcher (1997)
- Wallis J. Sherman, Ed.D. (1997-1999)
- Bonnie C. Fox (1999)
- Geoff McKee, Ph.D. (1999-2003)
- Constance Tuman-Rugg, Ed.D. (2003-2007)
- Dr. Susan Atherley (2007-present)
- Programs
- 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 [2].Current teachers in volved in the Gilder Lehrman Academy are David Yunker, Kevin Turner, Paulette Reidel and Aaron Lampman who has become somewhat of a local celebrity. He dances at pep rallies and is just an overall great guy.
- 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. At the start of the 08-09 school year, the school opened a high tech wing specifically for this academy. The Biotechnology Lab is State of the Art and the only of its kind in the Country. It includes a "Distance Learning Lab" for students to take classes from College Professors. It is rumored that in the upcoming school years a "Molecular Biology" class will be held after school in the Long Distance Lab to be taught by Professors from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. The entire wing is similar to a lecture hall style building at Universitys. It also includes an Indoor Greenhouse. The Biotech Lab includes some of the most up to date educational technology including: at least 1 "SmartBoard" in every classroom (with 3 in the Long Distance Lab), a projector, state of the art lab equipment, 2 Teacher Planning areas, sustainable restroom, Laptop stations, its own storage area, microscopes, etc.
- Current teachers involved in the Biotech Academy include: Eric Dybas (2006-Present), Mary Fish (2007-Present),and Benita Burleigh (2008-2009)
- The website of the Biotech Academy can be accessed from the school's web page on www.spanishriverbiotech.com
- Athletics
- State Titles
-
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, 2008)
- 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, 2007)
- 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 although recently played PJP and lost there Homecoming game to them in 2007-2008 then continuing on to a 0-10 record.
- 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.
- In baseball, the Sharks have a very intense rivalry with the Boca High Bobcats.
- Football
-
The Spanish River Football Program has displayed poor talent and work ethic in the past. New head coach Ray Berger, has his sights on turning the football program around. Before the 2009 high school football season, the team has changed their team colors from navy to royal blue and white. Also, the team put in nearly 50,000 dollars to rejuvenate the weight room. Along with the new colors and weight room, the football team will be wearing the traditional "SR" logo that the team wore back in the early 2000's during their years of dominance. There is no question that the Sharks have a new attitude, and are ready to compete in years to come.
- Notable alumni
- Television
- Jonathan Chase, 1997 (television star, One on One)
- Athletics
- Remy Hamilton, 1992 (football player, Dallas Desperados)
- Al Wallace, 1992 (football player, Buffalo Bills)
- Lance Frazier, 1998 (football player, Dallas Cowboys, Saskatchewan Roughriders)
- Jason Geathers, 2000 (football player, San Jose SaberCats)
Danny Valencia, Baseball, Minnesota Twins- Music
- Ryan Shore, 1992 (film composer, Prime)
- Heather Joy Budner, 1997 (Making of the Band) http://www.imdb.com
- Politics
- Neil Barofsky, 1988 (Special Treasury Department Inspector General)
- School Rating
-
Each year the school is rated by the students performance on the FCAT.
- 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.
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