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Winter Haven Senior High School
600 6th Street Se, Winter Haven, FL, 33880-3737 -  Map
tel: (863)291-5330
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School Overview:
Definition of Terms Winter Haven Senior High School
School Level High school
Grades Offered Grades 9 - 12
County Polk County, FL
Students & Faculty
Total Students 1854 students
% Male / % Female 52%  /  48%
Total Classroom Teachers 95 teachers
Students by Grade
Grade 9 - 576 students
Grade 10 - 465 students
Grade 11 - 449 students
Grade 12 - 364 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 10% 22%
% Black 30% 28%
% White 57% 47%
Additional Student Information
This School ( FL ) School Average
% Eligible for Free Lunch 33% 42%
% Eligible for Reduced Lunch 8% 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 Polk County School District
This School's Agency ( FL ) District Average
Number of Schools Managed 153 20
Number of Students Managed 97,677 students 12,279 students
District Total Revenue $755,266,000 $110,828,000
District Expenditure $744,316,000 $112,427,000
District Revenue / Student $7,732 $7,795
District Expenditure / Student $7,620 $7,471
District Graduation Rates 83% 81%
School Notes:
  • Winter Haven High School is a four-year public high school located in Winter Haven, Florida, a city of 27,855 (2004 census).
  • The school serves students from ninth through the twelfth grade.
  • History: The school opened in 1886 on the second floor of Boyd’s Hall, currently where City Hall stands. In 1890, a frame school building was built at the corner of Central Avenue and First Street.
  • When the student population reached 200 in 1912, more space was added onto the structure. Three years later a brick building replaced the wood-framed ones to make room for all elementary and high school students in 12 grades.
  • In 1922, an eight-room structure for the high school was built on Fourth Street, the present annex at Denison Junior High School. In 1925 a large stucco building was built on the adjacent lot for the high school, and the smaller building became a junior high department.
  • The current structure was built on Sixth Street in 1955 on a 32-acre tract of land. The late 1980s and 1990s saw a tremendous expansion of the campus, including a new gymnasium, music building and administrative offices.
  • Using funds raised by a half-cent sales tax passed by voters in 2004, renovations to the school’s cafeteria will begin later this year. The cafeteria will be expanded to 5,000 square feet and equip it with new air conditioning units, a renovated kitchen and a new sitting area that will accommodate about 600 students at a time.
  • Future construction projects include a two-story library with classrooms on the top floor and the installation of elevators for the handicapped.
  • The school will hold a “Celebrate Blue and Gold” event Sept. 15, 2006 to mark the school’s 120th anniversary.
  • Sports: Winter Haven High School is a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association and is in Class: 4A, District: 12.
  • Band: The WHHS band program, which dates from 1936, is led by band director Sean Luce, Devilette Instructor Patricia Beatty and Percussion Instructor Todd Betz. The program consists of the "Pride of Winter Haven" Marching Band, including the Devilette Dance and Flag Ensemble, the Symphonic and Concert Bands, Jazz Band, Brass and Clarinet Choirs, Percussion Ensemble and many student led ensembles.
  • Over 100 strong, the The Winter Haven High School Marching Band, also known as "The Pride of Winter Haven," performs at football games, marching band competitions, community events and local and national parades. It has performed in many national events, including, most recently, the 1998 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City.
  • Notable students: Otis Birdsong led WHHS to the state basketball championship before going onto a long NBA career and being the first player to sign a contract for $1 million a year.
  • Rowdy Gaines - A 1977 graduate of Winter Haven High School, won three gold medals in swimming at the 1984 Olympic Games. He now lives in Birmingham, AL., and works as a swimming analyst for television networks ESPN and NBC including coverage of the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics, his third as a TV commentator. He is a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
  • Sally Wheeler - Actress who portrayed Carrie in the Mary Kate and Ashley Oslen show Two of a Kind. A 1985 graduate of WHHS.
  • Scott Helvenston - Youngest Navy SEAL ever admitted to their training program, at age 17. A football player at WHHS. Later a military consultant for the films G.I. Jane and Face/Off and a contestant on the TV reality show Combat Missions. He was one of four contractors shot and killed in Fallujah, Iraq on March 31, 2004.
  • Kevin R. Wright - Tenor singer in the a capella group Rockapella.
  • 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 (33880)
School Zip (33880) (FL) State Average
Population (Approximate) 33,778 people 15,366,089 people
% (age 25+) w/College Degree 17% 27%
Population Average Age 35 years old 38.7 years old
Average Household size 2.6 persons 2.3 persons
Median Household Income $34,293 $38,451
Avg. # of Rooms in Household 5 rooms 5.0 rooms
Median Age of Housing Structure 33 years old 32 years old
View current housing listings in 33880
% Owning / % Renting 66% / 34% 67% / 33%
School Map:
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  Nearby Schools:
1. Lake Region High School - 2100 students - view location
2. Ridge Technical Center - 88 students - view location
3. Auburndale Senior High School - 1823 students - view location
4. Bartow Charter School - 129 students - view location
5. Bartow Senior High School - 1353 students - view location
View all schools in: Winter Haven Town, Polk County, Zip 33880 
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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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