Jamestown High School (Virginia)

Jamestown High School
Address
3751 John Tyler Highway
Williamsburg, Virginia, 23185
United States
Information
School type Public high school
Founded 1997
School district Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools
Superintendent Dr. Stephen M. Constantino
Principal Catherine Worley
Staff 74
Grades 9–12
Enrollment 1,211 (2012-13)
Language English
Campus Suburban
Color(s)                Green, Black, White
Athletics conference Virginia High School League
Bay Rivers District
Region I
Mascot Eagles
Rivals Lafayette High School
Warhill High School
Bruton High School
Website Official Site

Jamestown High School is a public secondary school located in James City County, Virginia, just outside Williamsburg, Virginia. The school was opened in 1997, becoming the second of three high schools in the county. It is part of Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools and is located on 3751 John Tyler Highway. As of 2013, there are 1,211 students enrolled at Jamestown.

History

Jamestown High School opened its doors in 1997 with the first student body consisting of Lafayette High School students and various, local middle school graduates. Although the high school is located in Williamsburg, its name is derived from the Jamestown Settlement located nearby. In 2007, Jamestown High School was replaced as the newest school within the district by Warhill High School, which was constructed out of necessary relief for population overcrowding. Some students from Jamestown, as well as Lafayette High School and local middle schools made up the first student body there.

Curriculum

The curriculum is based on standards set by the Virginia Board of Education. Jamestown participates in the AVID program to facilitate preparation for college. Jamestown offers 19 Advanced Placement classes. These include Biology, Calculus AB & BC, Chemistry, English Language, English Literature, French, German, Human Geography, Latin, Microeconomics, Music Theory, Physics 1 & 2, Psychology, Spanish, Studio Art, US Government, and US History. Students can also take additional AP classes online via Virtual Virginia.

Graduation requirements at Jamestown include three credits of mathematics and science; four credits of English; four credits of history; and one credit of a foreign language (Spanish, German, French, Latin or American Sign Language). Finally, students must complete one technology credit and one fine arts credit.

In addition to the basic diploma, an advanced diploma option is available. Requirements for the advanced diploma include additional foreign language credits.

Jamestown offers enrollment at The New Horizons Governor's School for Science and Technology. The Governor’s School is a two-year, half-day program for 11th and 12th graders. Admission to the program is highly competitive. Students select either the engineering strand, the biological science strand, or the scientific programming strand.

Culture

In Jamestown's early history in 1999, the school received various bomb threats in response to the Columbine High School events. This has not occurred in recent years. In 2007, a student was apprehended with a small hand-gun, apparently in an attempt to scare another student into returning a PSP that was stolen from him.

There have been some incidents related to drug and alcohol usage resulting in disciplinary action, often occurring during the prom and homecoming weeks. However, a program called "Every 30 Minutes", which simulates a car accident that occurs after drinking alcohol, has attempted to deter students from drinking.

Campus

The first floor contains classrooms for teaching fine arts, technology (split into engineering, graphics and Cooperative Business Education), math and science. The special education classrooms are also on this level. The second floor the library (or media center as it is usually referred to as) and classrooms for teaching math, social studies, English and foreign languages (along with English as a Second Language (ESL)).

To the west of the main building, there were five trailers which acted as 10 classrooms and could hold around a total of 250 students and were brought in to solve the overcrowding problem. In spite of the reduction in enrollment due to the construction of Warhill High School, two of the trailers have become a permanent part of the campus, as opposed to being removed. However, this leaves a large space of dead grass where the trailers once were. The school is surrounded by wooded and swamp areas.

Enrollment

School Year Number of Students
1997–1998 820
1998–1999 1,101
1999–2000 1,169
2000–2001 1,162
2001–2002 1,256
2002–2003 1,256
2003–2004 1,331
2004–2005 1,451
2005–2006 1,524
2006–2007 1,590 †
2007–2008 1,342
2008–2009 1,261
2009–2010 1,232
2010–2011 1,217
2011–2012 1,186
2012–2013 1,211
2013–2014
2014–2015

†A new high school opened this year. Students were redistricted.

Teacher Statistics

Demographics

As of the 2012-2013 school year, Jamestown High School's student body is 74% (898) White; 11.5% (139) Black; 7% (90) Hispanic; 3% (31) Asian; and 1% (3) Native American.

Athletics

The school's mascot is an eagle and its sports teams currently play in the AA Bay Rivers District in Region I. Jamestown has won 23 state titles, which include six AA girls tennis Dynasty state titles from 2000–2002, 2004–2006; four boy's swimming state titles in 2001 and 2006–2008; three AA girls swimming titles from 2000 to 2002; three AA boys soccer titles in 2001, 2008, and 2013; one AA girls soccer title in 1999; three AA golf titles in 1999, 2013, and 2014; one girls field hockey title in 2001; one AA boys cross country title in 2001; and one AA girls basketball title in 2006. Jamestown also had their first female football player during the 2000-2001 season.

Theatre

The Jamestown High School Theatre Department (sometimes known, simply, as 'Jamestown Theatre') formed in September 1997 under the directorship of William Snyder. Currently, Jamestown has executed 30 full stage productions collectively under the two former directors and the current director. Traditionally, Jamestown produces two shows every school year. There is a Fall One-Act or Play and a Spring Musical. Under the recent direction of Marcia DiMattia, Jamestown has actively competed in the Virginia High School League (VHSL) One-Act competitions at the District, Regional, and State level. Jamestown's most reputable production of Degas C'est Moi was the winner of all three VHSL Championships.

Current productions

Fall Production 2014: The fall one-act play in 2014 was "Perfect".

Spring Musical 2015: Director Marcia DiMattia announced that the, well-anticipated, musical production for Spring 2015 will be The Addams Family.

Directors

William Snyder (1997–2006)

William Snyder directed 18 productions at Jamestown (not including competition plays), and spent nearly a decade before at Lafayette High School. "At the age of 72, I feel like it's my time," Snyder told The Eagle Eye student newspaper. Snyder confirmed his retirement in early 2006, Guys and Dolls being his final production.

Beth Wigley (2006–2008) Beth Wigley was confirmed to succeed Snyder in Spring 2006 as Jamestown's near Director of Theatre. Wigley, before transferring to Jamestown, worked 13 years as Director of the York County School of the Arts at Bruton High School. Wigley's first production at Jamestown was 2006's fall production of Museum. Wigley is known to differ from Snyder in some aspects, by choosing fall production with larger casts to encourage students to audition, and by choosing to direct productions that do not contain the typical glitz and glamour.

Marcia DiMattia (2008–2015)

Mrs. DiMattia brings a background of dance and choreography as well as an enthusiasm for the theatre and students to Jamestown High School. Her first production at Jamestown was Found a Peanut. Previously, she was the Theatre Director at Berkeley Middle School where she directed well known shows like You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and Godspell, Jr. Oftentimes throughout production season, DiMattia seeks the artistic-eye of her lifelong friend, and School of the Arts director, Rosemary Allmann; the two of them form an unstoppable duo of both vision and detail. In the fall of 2009 Marcia DiMattia directed Degas, Cest Moi which went on to win the VHSL Theatre State Championship. The 2012 Fall One-Act, "The Cagebirds", has won both District and Regional Championships, garnering 3 outstanding actor awards; the Jamestown theatre troupe takes their show to the VHSL State Championship on December 3 in Charlottesville, VA. DiMattia retired after 26 years of teaching in Spring 2015, following the performance of The Addams Family.[2]

Music

Jamestown has several musical groups, including a symphonic band and wind ensemble, a marching band and mixed, jazz and chamber choirs.

Every once in a while, the different departments cross over in order to make a group effort. The most classic example is the yearly musical. The drama department would host the event, but it would include kids from choir who would sing, students from art making various props or backdrops and the band and orchestra, who would provide the music for the singers and dancers. However, 2008 will not be the same as any of the previous years, due to Mrs. Wigley's odd choice of musicals, A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The choir, orchestra and band recently had a joint concert with other high schools performing Carmina Burana.

Choir

Current Choir Director, Laurel Christensen.

Band

The band director is Steve Turner. The band has won a superior rating every year after its founding year and has traveled to numerous destinations across the US for competition.

There have been several different assistant band directors over the years.. Chris Smith was an assistant for the 2006-2007 year, but he also left the following year to teach at Lafayette High School.

Marching Band

The marching band is by far the largest musical group at Jamestown. The instrumentation consists of woodwinds, brass, a drum line and a pit (usually keyboard instruments and axillary instruments). There is also a color guard that twirls colorful flags, dance, and use other visuals as the school board does not allow the use of rifles or sabers in performances. The band uses a technique very similar to modern style drum and bugle corps. The marching band just recently received new uniforms in 2007.

Clubs and Extracurricular Activities

Jamestown has several different clubs and groups. In order for the group to be part of the school, it must first have at least one sponsor and it must have approval by the principal.

Here is a list of all of the clubs and organizations, as listed on the school's website: Academic Team, AFS Intercultural Programs, Asian Awareness, Art Club, Black Awareness, Color Guard (part of the marching band), Dance Team, DECA, Eagle Eye Newspaper, Ecology Club, Envirothon Club, French Club, Freshman Class, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA), German Club, It's Academic, Jamestown Robotics Club, Junior Class, Key Club, Lacrosse, At JHS, Lacrosse is considered a club, not a sport, Latin Club, Leo Club, Ascent, Math League, Mock Trial, Model United Nations (Model U.N.), National Honor Society (NHS), Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA), Peer Mediation, Peer Partners, Science Club, Senior Class, Sophomore Class, Spanish Club, Spanish National Honor Society, Students Academic Recognition (STAR), Student Cooperative Association (SCA), Theatre Programs, Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA), and Yearbook.

Ascent

Ascent is the Literature and Art Magazine at Jamestown. When Jamestown first opened, the group was run by Mrs. Throckmorton and Mrs. Hite, who published the first edition of Labyrinth, the original name of the magazine. Then, in 2004-2005, Mrs. Glennon sponsored the group. Under Mrs. Glennon, the magazine staff focused on creative writing. In 2006-2007, Mrs. Throckmorton once again sponsored the staff. In 2007, Mrs. Reiley and Mrs. Hobbs took over as sponsors for the magazine. The new staff decided to change the name to Ascent.

Notable Alumni

References

  1. ↑ "Jamestown High". SchoolDigger.
  2. ↑ "The Eagle Eye : DiMattia’s last stand". youreagleeye.org. Retrieved 2015-06-22.
  3. ↑ "Beauty Queens Aim to Combat Bullying". Connection Newspaper.

Coordinates: 37°15′9.4″N 76°47′20.5″W / 37.252611°N 76.789028°W / 37.252611; -76.789028

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