Wellesley High School


Wellesley High School is a public high school in Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States, educating students on grades 9 through 12. The principal is Dr. Jamie Chisum, who took the position in 2014 after the departure of Dr. Andrew Keough. As of 2018, the school serves 1540 students. In 2016 it was ranked the 21st best high school in Massachusetts and the 467th best public high school in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, earning a gold medal.

History and current state

The old school building of what was then named Gamaliel Bradford High School was originally built as a public works project in 1938 during the Great Depression, designed by Perry Shaw and Hepburn and built by M. Spinelli and Sons Co., Inc. The building has been modified with several additions throughout its existence, most recently with a new fitness center. The 1938 building was replaced in 2012 with a new building in the former parking lot.

Renewal and expansion

Age and maintenance issues have taken their toll on the school structure. The increasing size of the student body as well as the evolving nature of education have challenged the capability of the building to meet the needs of the school community effectively and safely. In September 2005, the exploration of options for a new building or refurbishment was commenced by the town.
In October 2007, a public meeting was held to introduce several options for the expansion of the school, including renovation and extension of the existing building and its demolition and replacement by a completely new structure. The site has been expanded by purchase of three adjacent properties in Seaver Street and transfer of publicly owned land.
On December 10, 2008, town voters approved the project by nearly 2 to 1, to build a new, state-of-the art high school on the parking lot next to the existing buildings. Site clearance started in August 2009 with the relocation of one house to a nearby site. Construction began March 2010 with an estimated completion date of September 2013. The new facility opened in February 2012, and the school held a gala to say goodbye to the old building, and alumni such as Billy Squier, Jane Curtin, and Biz Stone gave last rites in the school auditorium over a series of weekend concerts and get-together events in 2011.
After much analysis, the existing structure was declared to be a good example of the Art Deco style of Architecture; however, it was found by the American Institute of Architects not to be a historically significant example and was demolished in 2011 and 2012. The State authorities held the final say in this ruling, but the A.I.A. review opened the door for the eventual knock-down and the final site plotting. The new structure, which opened to students in February 2012, incorporates some of the design features of the prior building and is limited in its visual impact to blend with the surrounding residential neighborhood. The total cost was estimated to be $130 million with $85 million of that total to be raised from State and Federal matching funds. However, the final project came in under budget at $90 million and opened 18 months ahead of schedule.

Governing bodies

Wellesley High School offers many after school clubs that are mostly run by students. Notable clubs include Student Congress, Academic Decathlon, the active Debate Club, Drama Society, the Key Club, Model UN, the Science Olympiad Team, the Math Team, the Climate Action Club, MVP Club and the many other cultural and humanitarian-focused clubs.
The MVP Club is a club that tries to help students of the High School learn the problems of domestic abuse for teenagers. Their goal is to spread the message throughout the high school and to help current victims of domestic abuse.

Drama Society

The Wellesley High School Drama Society produces four productions every academic year a fall musical, winter show, and two spring productions. There are a variety of opportunities for students as they can either audition to be a cast member or work backstage on the stage crew.

Student Congress

This club serves as the primary representative of the student body. Open to membership from all grades, Student Congress serves to promote the students' interests and enhance their experiences through communication, dialogue, and policy debate.

Model UN

The Wellesley High School Model UN club is an after school club formed in 2010. The team has attended the BosMUN conference all four years and plans to travel to more conferences in the 2015-16 year.

Academic Decathlon

Wellesley High School has an Academic Decathlon team. The team consistently makes it to the State Finals and has placed in the top 3 in Massachusetts for the past several seasons. In 2015, the team lost to the Acton-Boxborough High School for the state title.

Athletics

Wellesley High School is a member of the Bay State Conference and the Eastern Massachusetts Division of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. A wide variety of sports are offered at Wellesley High School at the varsity, junior varsity, and freshmen levels. More than 70% of WHS students participate in sports at some point during their time at Wellesley High.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
On Saturday November 19, 2016, Wellesley High School boys cross country team, coached by former Olympian Tim Broe, won the Division I State Championships.
On Friday June 10, 2016, the Wellesley High School girls tennis team won the Division I State Championships
In 2013, the Wellesley High School girls tennis team defeated Notre Dame Academy to win the state championships.
In June 2010, the Wellesley High School boys tennis team defeating St. John's 5–0 to win its first ever Division 1 State Championship.
On Saturday, March 15, 2008 the Wellesley High School girls varsity basketball team defeated Millbury at the DCU Center in Worcester to win the State Basketball Championship.
In 2006, the Wellesley High School girls ice hockey team won the state championship.
In 2006, the Wellesley High School boys lacrosse team won the Division I All State Championships
Varsity Sports in Wellesley for the 2014–2015 academic school year are as follows:

Performing arts

Wellesley High School is widely known for their performing arts department, which has reached state and national levels on a consistent basis. Some of the most notable works by the Wellesley High School performing arts department include the Keynote and Rice Street singers involvements with the Boston Pops, as well as the band and orchestra programs.
Regular classes are offered in French, Spanish, German, Latin, and Mandarin Chinese.
The foreign language department regularly engages in exchange programs with students of French- and German-speaking countries. The German program was involved in an exchange with students from Munich, Germany in the 2005–2006 school year.

Science and technology

The science and technology department at Wellesley High School offers a comprehensive program of science education and a selection of electives in technology. The departmental sequence in science consists of physics in ninth grade, chemistry in tenth grade, biology in eleventh grade, and physics and a variety of AP science courses and science electives in twelfth grade. AP courses are offered in chemistry, biology, and Physics C.
Electives in technology consist of wood manufacturing and design technology. Robotics is offered by demand. Operating without any school funding, Wellesley Botball team managed to place 1st regionally and Top 10 Internationally in 2009, and third nationally in 2001

Social studies

The social studies department offers several elective majors, available for junior and senior students. These include Russian History, Theory of Knowledge, East Asian History, Economic Theory, Political Science, and Sociology. The department offers two advanced placement courses: AP Psychology and AP United States History.

English

The English Department offers a comprehensive program that covers writing, poetry and literature. Students are exposed to a wide range of literature and given a strong background in writing. Opportunities exist to take variouselectives, and the department sponsors a summer reading program where a particular book is read over the summer by the entire school community. The program culminates with a school wide seminar, usually led by the author of the book, or an individual knowledgeable about the book or its subject. During the summer of 2007, students and faculty read 1776 by David McCullough, who came in to speak when the school year began.

Mathematics

Standard mathematics classes include geometry freshman year, algebra sophomore year, analysis or pre-calculus junior year and calculus or statistics senior year. AP Calculus, both AB and BC, and AP Statistics are offered senior year. There is also a separate Interactive Mathematics Program track through junior year.

Guidance

The Guidance Department provides a variety of services in three areas: personal/social, career/college, and academic counseling.
Counselors spend the majority of their time working directly with students. Through individual counseling and semester-long guidance seminar classes, counselors address the developmental needs of students and provide crisis intervention.

Art

Along with elective courses leveled by ability in jewelry making, ceramics, film making, photography, digital art, and newly added creative journal making, the school offers a five-credit honors course for serious artists called Drawing and Painting Intensive. In April 2014 the Art Department will travel to Central Europe with 36 students.

Business

Both entry level accounting, stats and business mathematics classes are offered along with a varied number of business electives including marketing, finance, management, web design and development for business.

Publications

Wellesley High School has a number of student and faculty written publications.

The Student Handbook

The WHS Student Handbook is given to all students attending Wellesley High School. Its purpose is to outline all the official rules of the school, such as consequences for behavior and exactly what is not allowed. A student can not be punished for anything not written in the handbook, and punishments must fit the guidelines written in the handbook. Additionally, the handbook has policies and descriptions of the various branches of School Government, such as Student Congress and Faculty Senate. Currently, any changes from to the handbook submitted by a student must go through Student Congress, and must also be voted on and approved by School Council.

The Bradford

The Bradford is the Wellesley High School newspaper. The Journalism class is responsible for publishing new issues. Their website is whsbradford.org.

Red Ink

Red Ink is an arts and literary magazine with student submitted poetry, stories, and otherwise. It posts content to its website.

The Green Pages

The Green Pages is a digital newsletter, published bimonthly by students, focusing on the "green happenings" of the Wellesley Public Schools.

Associated programs

Child Lab

Child Lab is a developmentally appropriate laboratory preschool for 3, 4, and 5 year olds located on the ground floor of Wellesley High School. Since its inception in 1979, the Lab School has enrolled 18 children each year. It is an elective in which high school students enroll to learn about the development of young children and the best ways to approach optimum learning for the children. Child Lab is a great opportunity for high school students to learn about different ages and stages of children as well as to have the children taught by the students who have taken an interest in early childhood development.

Partnership with Wellesley College

Students at WHS may take classes at Wellesley College without paying tuition, provided that the classes are not offered at WHS.

METCO Program

Wellesley is a member of the METCO Program, which gives inner-city students access to a better education, by busing them in from the City of Boston.

Bridge Program

Students out of school for an extended period of time due to hospitalization are eligible for this support program.

Notable alumni