Tucson High Magnet School
Public (magnet) secondary | |
Motto | Embracing Excellence; Home of Champions |
---|---|
Established | 1892[1] |
School board | Tucson Unified School District |
CEEB code | 030530 |
Principal | Elizabeth Rivera |
Staff | 164.10 (FTE)[3] |
Faculty | 225[2] |
Grades | 9–12 |
Enrollment | 3,235 (2021-22)[3] |
Student to teacher ratio | 19.71[3] |
Campus size | 32 acres |
Campus type | Urban |
Color(s) | Red and white |
Mascot | Badger |
Rival | Cholla High School |
Newspaper | The Cactus Chronicle |
Yearbook | The Tucsonian |
Website | thms |
Tucson High Magnet School, commonly referred to as THMS, THS, or Tucson High, is a
History
Tucson High is the oldest operating public high school in Arizona. On April 10, 1906, the Arizona Board of Regents resolved that as of September 1, 1906, students from all Arizona cities, having a population of more than 5,000, must have completed the 9th grade before enrolling in the University of Arizona Preparatory Department. Then the voters of Tucson School District No. 1 approved the formation of a high school district on August 8, 1906.
The first day of class in the newly established Tucson High School was on September 10, 1906, with 45 students who began classes in the Plaza School at 13th Street and 4th Avenue. [7]After a few weeks, the high school students were relocated to a two-room building located at 1010 E. 10th Street, the current location of Tucson Unified School District headquarters.
In 1908, they moved to the newly constructed Tucson High School building at 501 E. 6th Street, which is currently Roskruge Elementary and Bilingual Magnet Middle School, and remained at that location until they completed their high school years. By 1910, only ten students from that original class remained as students.
Construction on the current Tucson High School Main Building began in 1923 and was completed in 1924, in time for the fall classes. Tucson High's Main Building was designed by
The 1987 film, Can't Buy Me Love, starring Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson, was shot on location at the school when it was known as Tucson High School.[10]
Achievements
First-place photography awards in
The School's Yearbook Publication, The Tucsonian, is a nationally recognized and awarded publication that often receives First Class ratings from the
In 2013, Tucson High's theater teacher, Art Almquist, was named one of People Magazine's Teachers of the Year.[15]
Programs
Noteworthy programs at THMS include performing and visual arts; technological education providing comprehensive curriculum to all students with the most current technology available in these areas; an integrated program in humanities, arts, math, science, computers, bilingual and block English/social studies classes; the unique location enables students to take advantage of programs at the University of Arizona, Pima Community College, and the Downtown Arts District; award-winning marching band and jazz ensembles; vocal music; orchestra; mariachi; guitar; musical theater; folklorico; piano lab; film acting; studio photography; commercial arts; steel drums; environmental biology; integrated technology; robotics; and desktop publishing; and advanced placement classes are available in ten academic areas.[16] One of the schools most significant and controversial programs focuses on Mexican American Studies (MAS).[17] This program's curriculum is specifically designed to give Chicano/Latino students a more inclusive and culturally aware approach to education.[17]
Badger Foundation
The Tucson High Badger Foundation was founded in early 1982 to enable alumni, parents, community members, and business leaders to support the continued excellence of the education provided to students at Tucson High (now known as Tucson High Magnet School).
The Badger Foundation Board of Directors is made up of members who are alumni, teachers, and administrators. Jerry Strutz is the current Chairman.
Magnet program
Obtaining magnet status in 1982, Tucson High boasts four areas of specialized study:
. The magnet program involves 1,182 students.Magnet programs in the
School facilities
Main Building
Tucson High's Main Building was constructed in 1924 and was designed by famous architect Henry O. Jaastad. It cost $750,000. It has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.[19] Second Avenue once ran North and South in front of the Main Building on the West side, and 7th Street once ran East and West along the South side of the Main Building before the campus expanded and eliminated these through streets, an area now known as “The Mall”. Located in the Main Building: Attendance Office, Registrar, Counseling Offices, College and Career Center, Activities and Athletics Offices, Administrative Offices, Auditorium, Library, Gallery, and what is known as the "Little Theatre", one of two theaters at Tucson High.
East Wing
1965: music rooms become the east part (E-Wing) of the Main Building. The East wing is composed of music rooms, such as an orchestra room, a choir room, a band room, and other rooms used for music theory and smaller music programs. The E-Wing also has a tunnel that connects it directly to the back of the auditorium, allowing music students to quickly get on stage for performances.
Vocational Building
1950s: Vocational Building (V-Building) is built in a modern architectural style, containing 48 classrooms and 13 shops. This building also contains the security office. The back wing is used to hold technical classes (i.e. Welding, Machinery, Auto Shop, and Computer Management). The basement of the Vocational Building contains a recording studio that is no longer in use. In 2023 Tucson High’s Administration announced a plan to renovate the Vocational Buildings upper wings that had sat abandoned and decaying for many years[20]
Technology Building
The Technological Sciences & Fine Arts Building (T-Building or Tech) was designed to mimic the facade of the historic Main Building with a more modern feel to it, and was completed in 1996, it is the largest building on the campus today. The Majority of the schools Visual and Performing Arts Classes are held in the western end of the Tech Building as well as the Tucsonian Yearbook and Cactus Chronicle Publication workrooms. The majority of the schools Math and Science classes are located in the Tech Building's eastern end. Constructed along with the Building was a 2 floor Bridge which connects the upper floors of the Tech Building to the Main Building.
Gymnasium
1939: The Physical Education Annex, including a gymnasium, is built. In the gymnasium sports as well as school wide events are held. The gym holds two full-sized basketball courts, practice rooms for sports teams, and three fully equipped machine rooms.
The Reconstruction of the Building was completed in January 2011. The renovation included the building of a second gymnasium called the East Gym. Between the East Gym and the Main Gym is the Hall of Champions, an area celebrating the dozens of state championships won by Tucson High School teams. Tucson High School's first state championship was in baseball in 1912 and its latest state championship was in boys soccer in 2014. In 1999, Tucson High was recognized as the first high school in the nation to achieve 500 wins in football, 1000 wins in basketball, and 1000 wins in baseball.
Cafeteria
1945: The Physical Education Building (West Gym) is remodeled and a cafeteria is built inside this building. The cafeteria in was converted into a sports medical facility.
The building currently used as a cafeteria was built in ≈1960 and contains a kitchen and staff lounges in the back. Also the school financial office is in this building
Cherry Field
The school's Badgers softball and baseball teams have a complex with four fields (two softball and two baseball) at East 13th Street and South Kino Parkway. The current facility was built in 2008 replacing original ball park from 1947 and added flood control basin.[21] In 2018 the Tucson Saguaros played here.
Notable alumni
This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. (October 2021) |
- Abdi Abdirahman, Olympic long-distance runner.
- Selwa Al-Hazzaa, ophthalmologist.
- Tavo Álvarez, former Major League Baseball (MLB) player (Montreal Expos).
- Dave Baldwin, Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Frank Borman, NASA astronaut and engineer, Commander of Apollo 8.
- Jim Crawford, former MLB pitcher (Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers).
- Frank L. Culin Jr., U.S. Army major general
- Mike Dawson, St. Louis Cardinals (Pro Football).
- Fred DuVal, Clinton White House Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Arizona Gubernatorial candidate.
- Karl Eller, businessman and namesake of the Eller College of Management, University of Arizona.
- John Heaphy Fellowes, Captain, U.S. Navy, A-6 Intruder pilot, Vietnam War POW 1966–1973.
- Alan Fudge, actor.[22]
- Jim Grabb, tennis player.[23]
- Judith Rich Harris, psychologist and author.
- Ron Hassey, Major League Baseball catcher.
- Richard Hunziker, U.S. Air Force Major General.
- Curtis Kamman, U.S. ambassador and career diplomat.
- Ulysses Kay, American composer
- Eddie Leon, Major League Baseball infielder.
- Osia Lewis, American football player.
- Willie Morales, former MLB player (Baltimore Orioles).
- Bob Nolan, western songwriter.
- Dennis F. Parker, musician, recording engineer.
- Steve Rabinowitz, publicist.
- Chris Sáenz, former MLB player (Milwaukee Brewers).
- Delaney Schnell, Olympic diver.
- Shakir Smith, basketball player
- Levi Wallace, national champion defensive back at Alabama and current Pittsburgh Steelers player.
- Peggy Webber, actress, writer, director, producer.
- Tom Wilhelmsen, Major League Baseball pitcher.
References
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 10, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2009.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Tucson High FAQs Archived September 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Tucson Magnet High School".
- ^ a b "Which high school holds title of state's oldest." Arizona Republic September 25, 2011: B3.
- ^ Tucson High Centennial Website
- ^ "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Tucson Magnet High School". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
- ^ https://roskrugek8.tusd1.org/History
- ^ https://pueblohs.tusd1.org/About-Us
- ^ https://catalinahs.tusd1.org/School-History
- ^ https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0092718/locations/
- ^ Sánchez, George (June 27, 2007). "4 at Tucson High win top national MESA engineering honors". Arizona Daily Star.
- ^ "High school science fair winners". Arizona Daily Star. April 3, 2006.
- ^ "2006 SARSEF Award Winners". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007.
- ^ "NSPA - Contest Winners". Archived from the original on February 20, 2011. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
- ^ "Meet People's 2013 Teachers of the Year". People. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
- ^ 2008 Course Offerings Archived November 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Acosta, Curtis; Mir, Asiya (Summer 2012). "Empowering Young People to Be Critical Thinkers: The Mexican American Studies Program in Tucson" (PDF). Voices in Urban Education. 34: 15–16 – via EdLib.
- ^ "Badger Foundation". Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ http://www.tucsonhighschool.com/history.asp
- ^ Votipka, Jessica (September 9, 2023). "TUSD to upgrade historical Tucson High if voters approve bonds". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
- ^ "What almost was: Tucson High playing football in a 20,000-seat stadium". allsportstucson.com. August 31, 2020.
- ^ "Alan Fudge". Arizona Daily Star. August 15, 1968. p. 13. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
- ^ Hansen, Greg (July 21, 2017). "2. Jim Grabb, Tucson High". Arizona Daily Star.
External links
- Tucson High School Class of 1969 Web Site
- Tucson High School Class of 1967: https://www.tucsonbadgers1967.us