Richwoods High School


Richwoods High School is the most northern of the three regular public high schools in Peoria, Illinois, United States. Opened as a township high school in 1957, it was brought into Peoria Public Schools District 150 in the 1960s. Feeder middle schools are Mark Bills, Lindbergh, Rolling Acres, Von Steuben, and Washington Gifted.

History

Richwoods was originally the high school of Richwoods Township. The name of the school when it opened in 1957 was Richwoods Community High School. In the 1960s, the school was annexed to the city of Peoria, causing it to come under the purview of Peoria Public Schools. A lengthy legal battle ensued, and District 150 was required to allow students from the original school district to attend District 150 schools until Peoria Heights High School could be built to replace it.

Academics

Richwoods uses an unweighted grade point average system, and a weighted class-ranking system.
As of the 2007–2008 school year, Richwoods is making AYP for No Child Left Behind as a result of the PSAE results from the RHS Class of 2008.

International Baccalaureate Program

In 2005, the first class of International Baccalaureate students graduated from Richwoods High School. Students in the IB Diploma program must take Higher Level Biology, History, and English, and have choices to their Standard Level Classes, including SL Math, CALestinics, Physics, Psychology, Music, and Art.

School hours

Regular Daily: 7:30 am to 2:30 pm
Early Dismissal: 7:30 am to 1:30 pm
Half Days: 7:30 am to 10:30 am

Activities

Richwoods has forensics, football, ultimate, and basketball programs, among others.
The school publishes one in-school newspaper, "The Shield". Also the school publishes the yearbook, "The Excalibur."

Marching / Concert Band

The band plays at four concerts a year, at three parades, and at the home football games. It also plays at the home games of the boys' basketball team. As of the 2019–2020 school year, the marching band participates in competitions.

Operation Snowball

Richwoods High School holds an Operation Snowball event annually. This event promotes awareness of substance abuse, mental health awareness, and healthy relationships. Recent past themes have included Candyland: "Life's Too Sweet to be a Dum-Dum" and Las Vegas: "Don't Gamble with your Life".

Plays and musicals

Twice a year, Richwoods High School students perform on-stage. In the fall, students perform a play: in 2005, The Bad Seed; in 2006, Peter Pan; in 2007, Arsenic and Old Lace; in 2008,Our Town; and in 2009 "The Miracle Worker". RHS produces musicals in the spring time: in 2004, Damn Yankees, in 2005, Guys and Dolls, in 2006, Fiddler on the Roof, in 2007, The Boy Friend, in 2008 Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, in 2009, Little Women, and in 2010, Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Madrigals

Every year, Richwoods has a madrigal dinner, performed in a traditional 15th-century style. Much of the singing is a cappella. Along with a core group of Madrigal Singers, there are other musical student groups which participate, including Ladies in Waiting, Men in Tights, a recorder ensemble, brass quintet, and a string quartet. As well as music, a variety of actors are involved in the madrigal dinners. There is usually a king and queen.

School dances

RHS hosts three dances for the entire school yearly: Homecoming, Vice Versa, and Prom. Homecoming involves:
Vice Versa is not as well attended as Homecoming, but there is a theme and the dress is based on that theme. Traditionally, girls asked the boys to Vice Versa, hence the name of the dance. Vice Versa involves:
The school colors are forest green, white, and gray and their mascot is the Knight.
Richwoods is a member of the Big Twelve League of the Illinois High School Association.
The Lady Knights basketball team won the Class 3A State Championship for the 2008–09 season. They also won the Class AA State Championship in 2005.

Notable alumni