Thomas Dale High School was named for Sir Thomas Dale, an English naval commander who served as colonial deputy-governor of the Colony of Virginia
Buildings and names
The school was built in 1906 and named Chester Agricultural High School. In 1917, it was renamed Chester High School. In 1942 it was given its current name of Thomas Dale High School. In the early 1940s, a new building was constructed on the western side of the original building. This building, formerly known as Chester Middle School, stands today as the Thomas Dale Ninth Grade Campus. The 1906 structure was later demolished. In 1964, another replacement facility opened less than a mile east on State Route 10. In the mid-1980s, the building saw a small expansion, followed in the early 1990s by some interior renovation and the addition of air conditioning. To alleviate overcrowding, an annex known as the Thomas Dale West Campus opened in 1997 in the former Carver Middle School building on Branders Bridge Road. This facility housed the 9th grade. Between 1999 and 2001, the 1964 building underwent a massive expansion and a complete interior and exterior renovation. Thomas Dale West Campus closed with the completion of this project. The Thomas Dale West Campus was later turned into what is now the Carver College and Career Center. Though the 2001 expansion was projected to accommodate the school's population for decades, the student population grew rapidly. It was decided that neighboring Chester Middle School would be shut down due to budget cuts and the overcrowding at Thomas Dale, thus the high school annexed Chester Middle. Ninth graders are currently housed at the former Chester Middle School, now known as the Thomas Dale Ninth Grade Campus, while 10th - 12th graders are at the main campus.
Sports
The athletic teams compete as the "Knights" and wear the school colors of maroon and gray.
Baseball: Following a 2007 District Tournament Championship, the 2008 team went 20-3 on their way to a regular-season and tournament crown. The 2009 team again won the regular-season championship and advanced to the regional semi-finals before a close loss to Deep Run.
Football: Thomas Dale won its first state football championship on December 12, 2009, defeating Lake Braddock.
Soccer: In 2005, the Knights varsity boys soccer team won the Virginia State AAA soccer Championship. They successfully defended that title in 2006.
Tennis: The Thomas Dale Boys tennis team claimed five titles in 2010: Coach of the year, Player of the Year and Boys Singles titles, Boys Doubles title, and Team District Champions. The 2011 season gave the Knights their 3rd straight district title, ending the year with a 14-0 record.
Volleyball: The Thomas Dale 2007 boys volleyball went 26-0, losing only three sets all season, on their way to Thomas Dale's third team state title in three years.
Wrestling: The wrestling team won the Central Region Championship in 1975, 1988, 1990, and 2008.
Notable alumni
Will Bates, former MLS player
Roger Bothe, former professional soccer player
Melissa Harris-Perry, former MSNBC TV host, professor of politics and African-American Studies at Wake Forest University
