The Pembroke Hill School
The Pembroke Hill School | |
---|---|
Independent | |
Motto | Freedom with Responsibility |
Established | 1910 – Pembroke-Country Day (boys), 1913 – Sunset Hill (girls), 1984 – Pembroke Hill (coed) |
Head of School | Brad Shelley |
Faculty | 110[1] |
Enrollment | 1,200[1] |
Average class size | 105 students (upper school)[1] |
Student to teacher ratio | 11:1[1] |
Campuses | 2 |
Campus type | Urban |
Color(s) | Red & Blue |
Athletics | 22 varsity, 15 junior varsity, numerous club[4] |
Athletics conference | Missouri State High School Activities Association |
Mascot | Raider (Viking) |
Website | pembrokehill |
The Pembroke Hill School (usually referred to as Pembroke Hill) is a progressive, inclusive,
History
Vassie James Ward Hill, a prominent Kansas Citian and Vassar College graduate born in 1875, gained a considerable fortune upon the death of her first husband, Hugh Ward, a son of pioneer Seth E. Ward. She then married Albert Ross Hill, formerly president of the University of Missouri.
At the time, Kansas Citians of means commonly sent their children to boarding schools on the east coast. Hill did not want to send her daughter and three sons "back east." She believed they should be able to have an equal education in Kansas City. This led her to research the workings of college preparatory schools, especially the progressive education of the Country Day School movement.
In 1910, using funds from 12 Kansas City businessmen, Hill founded the Country Day School for boys, which accepted both day students and boarders (boarding ceased in the 1950s). The initial enrollment was 20 students but grew to 52 within three years. It sat on what is today Pembroke Hill's Ward Parkway Campus, to the west of the Country Club Plaza at the intersection of State Line Road.[citation needed]
Three years later, Ruth Carr Patton and Frances Matteson Bowersock joined with Hill to found the Sunset Hill School, named after Hill's favorite area on the Vassar campus. Sunset Hill was located on what today is Pembroke Hill's Wornall Campus, south of the Country Club Plaza. At the time of its founding, the campus overlooked the Kansas City Country Club (today Loose Park). It also includes a portion of the battlefield from the Battle of Westport.
In 1925, some educators and students left the Country Day School to form the Pembroke School for boys. Their endeavor failed amidst the Great Depression, and the two schools re-merged in 1933 to form the Pembroke-Country Day School, keeping the Country Day School's original campus. It usually was referred to as "Pem Day."
Merger
From the start, Sunset Hill and Pembroke-Country Day worked cooperatively. Often, teachers taught at both schools. For generations, many Kansas City families would send their boys to Pem Day and their girls to Sunset Hill. School activities, such as plays and dances, often were combined, and Sunset Hill girls were cheerleaders for Pem Day's athletic teams. In 1963, the schools began coeducational classes in upper-level math, science, and languages.
In the early 1980s, the two schools began merger discussions, ultimately merging in 1984 to become the Pembroke Hill School. The class of 1985 elected to have separate graduation ceremonies. True coeducation began the next year. The former Sunset Hill campus became home to the primary and lower schools (then preschool through 6th grade), and the former Pem Day campus became home to the middle and upper schools (then 7th grade through 12th grade).
Recent events
In 1988, Kansas City Magazine notoriously published an article titled "A High School on Easy Street", criticizing Pembroke Hill's students' allegedly "advantaged way of life."[5]
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Pembroke Hill completed a $50 million capital improvement project, which renovated both campuses. The Ward Parkway campus gained a new middle school building, Boocock Middle School (which now serves 6th-8th grades), a new upper school building, Jordan Hall, a new arts center, and a new library, the James M. Kemper Sr. Library.
In June 2020, the school announced the beginning of their "Building Together" construction project on the Ward Parkway campus. The $52 million project was completed in the spring of 2022. The renovation included changes to a number of areas on the Ward Parkway campus, including:[6]
- A renovated, single-level campus green
- A new dining hall
- A new athletic center featuring a competition and auxiliary gym. New bleachers and a press box back up to the athletic center.
- An updated Hall Student Center with a larger lobby space for the performing arts.
- A new skywalk connecting the dining hall with the existing Centennial Hall.
- The removal of Pierson Gym which was converted into a green space on campus.
In 1997, 1998, and 1999, Pembroke Hill's boys' basketball team won the Missouri Class 2A state title. In 2000, however, in a nationally publicized
In the Class of 2013, 29 seniors were recognized by National Merit. Of these 29, 21 or 21% of the class, are National Merit Semifinalists.[12] Eight of the students are Commended Students. This number represents the second highest percentage in Missouri.[citation needed]
On September 7, 2017, Dr. Steve Bellis announced that the 2018–2019 school year would be his last as Head of School. Dr. Bellis served as the Headmaster of the Ward Parkway Campus of The Pembroke Hill School for 16 years.[13] Upon his departure, Pembroke welcomed in Brad Shelley as the newest Head of School. Shelley was previously serving as associate headmaster at the McDonogh School, in Baltimore, MD.[14]
According to The Kansas City Star, students at Pembroke Hill have "faced several incidents of anti-Semitic behavior at Pembroke."[15] On the 2021 International Holocaust Remembrance Day in January, a swastika was discovered on a student's desk.[15] The symbol was accompanied by an offensive reference toward members of the school's LGBT community. The incident was covered by citywide media and contextualized by prior incidents where one student raised his arm in a Nazi salute while calling a Jewish student an offensive name, and swastikas were painted on a Jewish student's locker. Several Jewish parents spoke to The Star on the condition of anonymity, fearing reprisals against their children. Following the incident, officials initiated a hiring search for the newly created position of Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.[16]
In April 2021, months after a swastika was discovered in a classroom, school officials found "KKK" written on the side of a desk. School officials hired consulting firm Sophic Solutions to "hold community conversations, complete a diversity and equity audit, and then present recommendations."[17][18]
Tuition and financial aid
In May 2007, the Malone Family Foundation, established by
Assets and contributions
The school has assets of over $100 million and an endowment of more than $38 million.[22] In 2013 the school successfully completed a $15,000,000 endowment campaign connected to its centennial.
Accreditation
Pembroke Hill is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.[1] The school is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).[1]
Athletics
Pembroke Hill has a long athletic tradition.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b7/Phathletics.jpg/220px-Phathletics.jpg)
Championships
Today, the school is a perennial contender for or winner of Class 2 state championships in boys' lacrosse, golf, tennis, and soccer; and girls' golf and tennis.
In 2006 and 2007, the girls' basketball team won the Missouri Class 3 state title. The Raiders lacrosse team won the 2009 Division II state championship, beating Eureka High School 6-5 after trailing 5–2 in the 4th quarter.[24] The boys' tennis team also won the 2009 Division II state championship,[25] sweeping all teams up until the final, where Pembroke won 5–2.[citation needed] In 2017, the Raiders won state tennis tournaments in both the boys and girls class 1 sections. The boys defeated The Saint Louis Priory School 5–2 in the finals, while the girls upended the defending champion[26] John Burroughs School 5–4 in October.
In 2021, boys' golf member Ryan Lee won the Missouri golf championships for the second time in his high school career. Lee set a state record for the lowest two day score, firing a total score of 133 (67,66).
Rivalries
Pembroke Hill has cross-state
Sports offered
For girls, Pembroke Hill offers:
Fall | Winter | Spring |
---|---|---|
Cheerleading (V) | Basketball (6, 7, 8, 9, JV, V) | Soccer (6, 7, 8, JV/V)
|
Cross Country (7/8, JV, V) | Cheerleading (V) | Lacrosse (JV/V) |
Field hockey (6, 7/8, C, JV, V) | Dance team
|
Track and field (6, 7/8, JV, V) |
Golf (JV, V) | Swimming (JV, V) | |
Tennis (JV, V) | ||
Volleyball (6, 7, 8, JV, V) |
For boys, Pembroke Hill offers:
Fall | Winter | Spring |
---|---|---|
Cross Country (7/8, JV, V) | Basketball (8, 9, JV, V) | Baseball (JV/V)[27] |
Football (7/8, JV, V)[28] | Wrestling (7/8, JV, V) | Golf (JV/V |
Soccer (JV, V)[29] | Lacrosse (JV/V) | |
Swimming (JV, V) | Tennis (JV, V)[30] | |
Cheerleading (V) | Track and field (7/8, JV, V) |
In the past, Pembroke also has participated in
Academics
Pembroke offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses in all academic disciplines, and approximately 90% of its graduates have taken at least one AP Course. 85% of Pembroke's AP scores are at a 3 or higher on a 5-point scale, and most colleges will give students credit for a score of 3 or higher.[32]
Notable alumni and faculty
Government and politics
- D. Brook Bartlett, class of 1955; District Judge, United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri (1981–2000), appointed by President Ronald Reagan
- Richard L. Berkley, class of 1949; 52nd Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri (1979–91)
- Bruce Forrester, class of 1928; judge, United States Tax Court (1957–78), appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower[33]
- John W. Lungstrum, class of 1963; District Judge, United States District Court for the District of Kansas (1991–), appointed by President George H. W. Bush
- Karen McCarthy, English teacher, Sunset Hill School (1969–76); state representative, Missouri House of Representatives (1977–95); Missouri's 5th congressional district representative, United States House of Representatives (1995–2005)
- to the United Kingdom(1983–89), appointed by President Ronald Reagan
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres[34]
Media and the arts
- Richard Armstrong, class of 1967; Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
- Elizabeth Craft, class of 1989; writer for the television series Angel and The Shield; co-producer of The Shield[35]
- John Kander, class of 1944; Tony Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated Broadway theatre composer; musicals include Chicago, Cabaret, and Fosse; songs include Theme from New York, New York; films include Cabaret and Chicago[36]
- Frederick R. Koch, attended, billionaire collector and philanthropist[37]
- Matt Leisy, class of 1999; Broadway theatre and film actor
- John Stewart Muller, class of 1995; motion picture and television commercial director, writer and producer; credits include Fling, Indiscretion
- David Owen, class of 1973; author; staff writer for The New Yorker and contributing editor of Golf Digest
- Gretchen Craft Rubin, class of 1984; author, The Happiness Project, Happier at Home and Better Than Before and hosts popular podcast "Happier With Gretchen Rubin"
- Grammy Award-winning producerand songwriter
- New York Times "notable" list in 2001[38]
- Numb3rs, and CSI: NY
Science and technology
- Betty Eisner, class of 1933; pioneer in LSD research
- Ralph Hoffmann, headmaster, Country Day School (1910–19); natural history teacher and amateur ornithologist and botanist; authored first true bird field guide
- freshwater ecology
- Kathryn Stephenson, class of 1930; first female American board-certified plastic surgeon
Education
- Naval Historical Center(1989–95)
- Ian Ayres, class of 1977; William K. Townsend Professor at the Yale Law School and professor at the Yale School of Management
- Catherine Clinton, class of 1969; Professor of History at Queen's University Belfast
- Joan Dillon, history teacher, Sunset Hill School (1962–71); historic preservation activist
- Human Relations at the Harvard Business School
- law clerk to Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan II (1969–70); father of law professor Jennifer Mnookin and uncle of writer Seth Mnookin
- Times Mirror Company(1968–80)
Business
- Stanley Durwood, class of 1938; founder of AMC Theatres; invented the multiplex
- Joyce Hall
- Donald J. Hall Jr., class of 1974; president and CEO, Hallmark Cards (2002-); son of Hallmark Cards chairman Donald J. Hall Sr.
- Estée Lauder (2001-); chairman, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (1986)[39]
- The Jordan Company[40]
- Jen Kao, class of 1999; fashion designer; daughter of Garmin co-founder Min Kao
Sports
- Masten Gregory, attended; Formula One driver
- Tiffani McReynolds (born 1991), American hurdler
- Bill Rockne, class of 1935, and Knute Rockne Jr., class of 1937; sons of Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne, who was leaving Kansas City after visiting his sons at Pem-Day when he died in a plane crash
- NBA Development League player, brother of basketball players Kareem Rush and Brandon Rush
- Kareem Rush, class of 1999; college basketball player, Missouri Tigers (1999–2002); professional NBA, NBA Development League, and ABA shooting guard, brother of basketball players JaRon Rush and Brandon Rush
- Bill Wakefield, class of 1959; professional Major League Baseball pitcher, New York Mets (1964)
- Tom Watson, class of 1967; professional golfer; won Masters Tournament (1977, 1981), the U.S. Open (1981), and the British Open (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983)
- San Francisco Warriors(1963–64)
- San Diego Wildcats(2006)
- Kimberly Chexnayder, attended; on-air personality for NFL Media, (2018–present)
- Clayton Custer, attended; former Loyola Chicago basketball standout and current Director of Video Operations and Player Development at the University of Oklahoma
- Marcus Smith, class of 2019; 3rd round selection by the Oakland Athletics in the 2019 MLB Draft, current member of the Texas Rangers organization
References
- ^ a b c d e f "At A Glance," Pembroke Hill School (official website)
- ^ "Upper School," Pembroke Hill School (official website)
- ^ Peterson's Guide to Private Secondary Schools, 2008: "The Pembroke Hill School"
- ^ "Athletics," Pembroke Hill School (official website)
- ^ The Kansas City Library: Catalogue
- ^ Mouzin, Andrew (5 June 2020). "Pembroke Hill School Begins Building Together Construction Project". www.pembrokehill.org. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
- ^ "ESPN: "Piggie indicted on 11 counts in Kansas City" (April 14, 2000)". Static.espn.go.com. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
- ^ ""Summer league basketball coach indicted on fraud," CNN and Sports Illustrated, April 13, 2000". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
- ^ Yim, Helen (2005-12-04). ""Basketball Brief: And This Little Piggie Went To Jail", The Daily Bruin, June 1, 2001". Dailybruin.ucla.edu. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
- ^ Gustafson, John. ""Beyond Blood", ESPN Magazine, February 4, 2001". Espn.go.com. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
- ^ a b c d "United States v. Piggie, 303 F.3d 923 (8th Cir. 2002)" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-09-18.
- ^ "The Pembroke Hill School: News » 21 Percent of PHS Seniors Named National Merit Semifinalists". www.pembrokehill.org. Retrieved 2016-05-30.
- ^ "Head of School Transition - Pembroke Hill School". 25 May 2018.
- ^ "Head of School Transition". www.Pembrokehill.org. May 25, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
- ^ a b Williams, Mará Rose. "Swastikas appear at Kansas City prep school, yet no one is punished, parents say." Kansas City Star, The (MO), January 31, 2021. NewsBank: Access World News. https://infoweb-newsbank-com.dartmouth.idm.oclc.org/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/1805B88B2EDA5E98.
- ^ "New Position of Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Created". www.pembrokehill.org. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
- ^ Ritter, Sarah. "Months after swastikas appeared at Kansas City prep school, officials find ‘KKK’ ." Kansas City Star, The (MO), April 6, 2021. NewsBank: Access World News. https://infoweb-newsbank-com.dartmouth.idm.oclc.org/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/181B60B01D475C80.
- ^ Porter, Toriano. "After ‘KKK’ sign and swastikas at Pembroke Hill, discussion groups aren’t enough." Kansas City Star, The (MO), April 7, 2021. NewsBank: Access World News. https://infoweb-newsbank-com.dartmouth.idm.oclc.org/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/181B75C4A0755F38
- ^ "Tuition and Affordability," Pembroke Hill School (official website)"
- ^ "Financial Aid," Pembroke Hill School (official website)
- ^ a b "Pembroke Hill gets $2 million", The Kansas City Star, May 31, 2007
- ^ Nonprofit Organization Profile
- ^ a b "Athletics," Pembroke Hill School (official website)
- ^ [1] Archived May 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "MSHSAA 2008-2009 Class 1 Boys Tennis State Tournament". Mshsaa.org. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ Hester, Bill. "Pembroke Hill wins Missouri Girls Class 1 State Team Tennis Title". Kansascity.com. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ^ "Pembroke Hill Baseball (Official Website)". Phsbluecollarbaseball.com. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
- ^ Pembroke Hill Football (Official Website)
- ^ The Pembroke Hill School (Official Website): Soccer Archived November 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The Pembroke Hill School (Official Website): Tennis Archived July 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Missouri facility locations, United States Squash Racquets Association. Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Upper School". www.pembrokehill.org. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
- ^ "President Names 2 for Tax Court", The New York Times, April 24, 1957
- ^ Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator
- ^ IMDB: Elizabeth Craft
- ^ IMDB: 2002 Academy Awards
- ^ Schulman, Daniel (2014-05-19). "The "Other" Koch Brother". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2017-07-08.
- ^ ""The King of Kansas City", Lawrence Journal-World, August 28, 2005". Whitneyterrell.com. 2005-08-28. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
- ^ The Pembroke Hill School, Horizons p. 31 (Summer 2007) Archived July 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Jordan Industries, Inc". Funding Universe. Retrieved 2013-09-18.