Countryside High School

Coordinates: 28°01′24″N 82°42′41″W / 28.023285°N 82.711387°W / 28.023285; -82.711387

Countryside High School
Location
3000 State Road 580
Clearwater, FL 33761

United States
Information
Type Public high school
Established 1980
School district Pinellas County Schools
Principal Gerald Schlereth
Enrollment 2,500
Mascot Cougar
Newspaper Paw Print Newspaper
Yearbook The Pride
Colors Garnet and Gold          
Website http://www.countryside-hs.pinellas.k12.fl.us/

Countryside High School, also known as CHS, is a public high school located in Clearwater, Florida.[1] Established in 1980, it is a part of the Pinellas County Schools system, and is one of the larger schools in Pinellas County. It draws students from Dunedin, downtown Clearwater, Largo, suburban east Clearwater, Safety Harbor, and Oldsmar.

Countryside high school is currently the largest High School and public school in the Pinellas County School System. Unlike other Pinellas County Schools, which are contracted to the Pinellas County School's Police, Countryside has a contract with the Clearwater Police department to employ full-time officers during and after the school day.

History

The school's first graduating class in 1980 finished before the school was completed and held classes and graduation at Dunedin High School.

Countryside High School's Battle of the Books Team took First Place in the Battle of the Books for three years running, beginning in 2010.

Student life

Clubs

CHS offers a variety of clubs for student development involvement.[2]

Drama and theater

Countryside has a notable Drama program winning many statewide awards. It has consistently been one of the highest performing schools in Florida.[3]

In 2007-2008, the musical Honk, an adaptation of the Ugly Duckling, was selected to be performed as a Mainstage show at the Florida State Thespian Festival on May 1, 2008. It was one of six chosen from a group of 35 shows in Florida. Other shows done by CHS include Li'l Abner. The Foreigner, West Side Story, and Steel Magnolias.

In 2011-2012, their production of Return to the Forbidden Planet was also selected to be performed as a Mainstage show.

In 2015-2016, their one act A... My Name Is Alice received a superior rating and was selected to represent their district and perform at the Florida State Thespian Festival[4]

Sports

Countryside won the 1985 4A FHSAA State Meet.[5] Countryside won the 2006 State Championship for class 6A boys soccer.[6]

The school offers many sports for boys and girls, including Football, basketball, track, and many others.[2]

Marching band

Academics

The school offers numerous advanced academic programs and recognition, including foreign languages and technology honor societies along with ISTEM (institute of science, technology, engineering and mathematics), and CCT (Center for Computer Technologies).[1] The Winterguard is the Scholastic Class A Florida Federation of Colorguard Circuit (FFCC) state champions and the scholastic class A Winter Guard International bronze medalists in 2006.

The school won the first high school "Battle of the Books" competition in 2006, repeating the feat again in 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2013.

The school newspaper, Paw Print, has received an All Florida Rating from the Florida Scholastic Press Association; a Superior from the Southern Interscholastic Press Association and an International Second Place Award from Quill and Scroll.

The UPC Morning Show (Upper Pinellas County) televised newscast began in 1987, and has since grown to an award-winning, student-produced daily 8-minute news show. Both the Paw Print newspaper and the UPC Morning Show can be seen online.

Notable alumni

Countryside High School sculpture, from Class of 1992

References

External links

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