Austin High School (Alabama)

Austin High School
Address
1625 Danville Rd. Decatur, Alabama United States
Coordinates	34°34′44″N 87°00′25″W / 34.579°N 87.007°WCoordinates: 34°34′44″N 87°00′25″W / 34.579°N 87.007°W
Information
School type	Public
Established	1962
School district	Decatur City Schools
Principal	Dr. Donald B. Snow
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	1,394
Color(s)	Burnt Orange & Black
Nickname	Black Bears
Yearbook	Bruin

Austin High School is in Decatur, Alabama, United States, and is part of the Decatur City Schools System, enrolling over 1,400 Students. Since its establishment in 1962, Austin has been one of two high schools in the Decatur area. It boasts a variety of programs.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Curriculum

Austin has a wide variety of programs open to students. Along with state mandated curriculum, The school provides business education, health careers education an engineering pilot program, and a metal & auto technical programs. It also offers College preparatory programs such as the Advanced Placement program and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

Accolades

Austin High School is the only school in Alabama to receive the Alabama Attorney General's Safe Schools Initiative Award for five consecutive years.

The 3M Company is Austin's Partner in Education.

Fine arts

Art

Austin High School's Visual Arts department offers a wide range of courses including AP Studio Art, AP Art History, Ceramics, Photography, Graphic Design, and Film/Video Production. Student work is exhibited in the community at least three times per year. The school has a branch of the National Art Honor Society. Students have also participated in the River City Film Festival each year since its inception. During the 2011-12 school year, students received over $40,000 in visual arts scholarships.

Band

The Austin High School Band Program includes two concert bands, a 150-member marching band, a jazz band, and a percussion ensemble. Austin's Band has received 49 consecutive Superior Ratings, all but one year of the school's existence, being the longest such streak in the state.

Drama

The Austin High Drama Department puts on several performances a year, with one usually being a musical. In the past they have performed things such as Grease, Aladdin, and Anything Goes.

Choir

Austin High School Choirs are led by Mrs. Beth Stough. They have a Womens, Concert, Chamber, and ShowChoir. The Chamber Choir has received superior ratings every year led by Mrs. Stough and received strait 1s in 2015. Mrs. Stough began the Showchoir her first year at Austin, and they have excelled and perform at many events around the city of Decatur Mrs. Stough began teaching at Austin in 2012

JROTC

Austin also has a long-standing Army JROTC program. Sergeant First Class (SFC) Billy Taunton and Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) James L. Walker are the instructors of the JROTC Battalion. The program uses a military structure to teach civics, history, and world cultures. The program participates in community events such as parades and volunteering.

Sports

Basketball

Austin has won three state championships in Boy's Basketball - 1969, 1973, 1993. (However Austinville High School also won four - 1953,1957,1958,1959.) Coach Joe Jones (who the gymnasium is named after) won titles in 1953,1969, and 1973. Coach Earl Morris won titles in 1957,1958, and 1959. Coach Bob Harpe won the title in 1993. Recently they have made the Regional Play-Offs (Final 16) five consecutive years 2004-2008, and Coach Demond Garth led the team to the state Final 4 in 2006 and 2007).

Football

Austin was the runner up for the 1983 state title. They lost in the championship game to Murphy High School of Mobile.^[6] Austin High's biggest rival is Decatur High School. Austin football has been recently rezoned to district 8, in which Decatur High does not compete. The Black Bears will continue to play cross town rival Decatur High School but will break ties with all other traditional region rivals.

Cross-Country

Austin High school has a very active cross country team. They compete in many meets across the area each season. The Girl's team won the state championship in 2002. Austin Senior Jennifer Dunn won the Girl's Individual State Championship in Fall 2007.

Tennis

Austin competes in both singles and doubles play. Senior Kyle Smith and Junior Alex Worley won the 6-A #1 Doubles State Championship in Spring 2008. They are Austin's first individual tennis champions.

Notable alumni

• Robin Henderson, Associate Director, Management, of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
• Andy Price, comic book artist

References

1. "Austin High School - Decatur". dcs.edu. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
2. "Austin High School". greatschools.org. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
3. "Austin High School". trulia.com. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
4. "Austin High School". publicschoolreview.com. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
5. "Austin High School". schooldigger.com. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
6. http://www.ahsfhs.org/supersix/19832.asp?c=4a. Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

• Austin High School Web Page