Falls Church High School
Falls Church High School (FCHS) is a high school located in West Falls Church, Virginia, in unincorporated Fairfax County.[3] While the school has a Falls Church mailing address, the school does not serve the City of Falls Church, which is served by George Mason High School. The school serves grades 9 through 12. It was relocated from its former site in downtown Falls Church to the current address, 7521 Jaguar Trail, Falls Church, Virginia 22042, in 1967[4] Falls Church High's school motto is "Building on Our Success." The mascot for the school is a Jaguar. The school colors are dark green and white.[5] The principal is Benjamin Nowak.[6]
Falls Church High School | |
---|---|
Address | |
7521 Jaguar Trail , 22042 United States | |
Coordinates | 38°51′44″N 77°12′24″W |
Information | |
School type | Public, high school |
Founded | 1945,[1] 1967 (relocated) |
School district | Fairfax County Public Schools |
Principal | Benjamin Nowak |
Staff | 249 |
Grades | 9–12 |
Enrollment | 2,150[2] (2018-19) |
Campus | Suburban |
Color(s) | Green, White and Gold (alternate) |
Athletics conference | |
Mascot | Jaguar |
Rivals | |
Feeder schools | Jackson Middle School, Poe Middle School |
Website | fallschurchhs |
Demographics
There were 2,029 students enrolled in Falls Church High School 2018–2019 school year. Of those, 1,038 (51.16%) were Hispanic, 410 (20.21%) were Asian, 369 (18.19%) were white (non-Hispanic); 128 (6.31%) were black (non-Hispanic); and 84 (4.14%) were from another ethnic group.[7] In terms of gender, 935 students identified as females (46.08%) and 1,094 identified as male (53.92%). Most of Falls Church High School's students (90%) are enrolled in general education. Some students are enrolled in special education, and some receive English Learner services. The graduation rate is 85%.[8]
Location
Prior to 1967, the school was located at Hillwood Avenue and Cherry Street in Falls Church, Virginia. It then moved to its current location at 7521 Jaguar Trail, Falls Church, Virginia 22042.[9] It is located off Arlington Boulevard, near Kingsley Commons, formerly Jefferson Village Apartments, and Graham Road Shopping Center.
Test scores
Falls Church High School is fully accredited based on its Virginia Standards of Learning test performance. The school was listed as the 603rd best high school in America by U.S. News & World Report in 2013.[10]
Recent history
On December 5, 2006, Falls Church High School was named a National Demonstration Site for the elective class Advancement Via Individual Determination, (AVID).[11] Falls Church is one of only two schools in Fairfax County that have a full four-year AVID program. Lynne Cheney, author, scholar, former talk-show host, and wife of former Vice President Dick Cheney, was the guest commencement speaker for the class of 2004 at the inaugural graduation ceremony held at the George Mason University Patriot Center. On June 1, 2007, at the Jaguars' graduation at the Patriot Center, on the campus of George Mason University, Ben Affleck made a special appearance as the guest speaker thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. With the start of the 2010–2011 school year, Falls Church gained some of Annandale High School's population as the result of the Annandale Border Control Force (ABCF) and their actions.[12] In the winter of 2010, two students qualified for the state Intel science fair: Junior Amanda Harbison and sophomore Maggie Cullather.
Extracurricular activities
Band
The FCHS Marching Jags were named honor band in 2006. They also won a superior rating in 2008, with their show "Music of the Police" and another superior rating in 2009 concert festival with selections titled "True Blue March," "Chant and Jubilo," and "Dominion in the Sky."
Football
During the 2009 football season, The Jaguars maintained a 5-5 record, led by varsity quarterback Ajay Kashyap, during the regular season.[13] The high note of the season was during week seven, when the Jaguars upset the AAA National District powerhouse Thomas A. Edison High School (Fairfax County, Virginia) Eagles 16-14. This was the Jaguars' first win over the Eagles since 1998 and the Eagles' first AAA National District loss since 2005. The Jaguars also won their homecoming against the Mount Vernon High School Majors 42-32 and also the Bell Game against rival J. E. B. Stuart High School 42-20. During the season, senior running back Marcus Hughes rushed for a region high 1,741 yards on 245 carries, averaging 7.2 yards per carry and 19 touchdowns.[14]
In 2014, the Jaguars went 7-3, and lost in the first round of the playoffs. In 2016, the Jaguars went 7-3, again winning the conference, and again losing the Albemarle in the first round of the playoffs.
Baseball
In 1984, the school's baseball field was named Al McCullock Field for baseball coach Al McCullock, whose son has the same honor at Herndon High School.[15]
Notable alumni
- Bob Buckhorn, mayor of Tampa, Florida, graduated in 1976
- Wes Johnson, voice of the Washington Capitals, video game voice actor ("Skyrim", "Fallout 3", "Oblivion", "Star Trek: Legacy") movie actor ("A Dirty Shame", "The Invasion", "Hearts in Atlantis (film)")
- Sandy Alderson, General Manager of the New York Mets, former CEO of the San Diego Padres, former Major League Baseball Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations, former GM of the Oakland Athletics.
- Michael Norell, actor/screenwriter, known for playing Captain Hank Stanley in the television series Emergency!
- Rich Sauveur, former MLB player (Pittsburgh Pirates, Montreal Expos, New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics)
- Robert D. Hull, member of the Virginia House of Delegates
- OJ Porteria, soccer player for Filipino national team
- Bill Bell, football player
- Tatianna, contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 2 and All-Stars season 2[16]
References
- "ZZ-FC015 Jefferson Institute". Commonwealth of Virginia Historical Markers. Archived from the original on 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2007-06-30.
- https://fallschurchhs.fcps.edu/announcements/important-opening-school-forms-information
- "Falls Church CDP, Virginia." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on October 21, 2009.
- "Contact | Falls Church High School". fallschurchhs.fcps.edu. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
- "History". www2.fcps.edu. Archived from the original on 2015-09-18. Retrieved 2017-06-20.
- "Administration | Falls Church High School". fallschurchhs.fcps.edu. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- "FCPS - School Profiles - Falls Church HS - Demographics". schoolprofiles.fcps.edu. Retrieved Feb 13, 2020.
- "Falls Church High". USNews.
- "School History | Falls Church High School". fallschurchhs.fcps.edu. Retrieved Feb 13, 2020.
- "Best High Schools".
- "FCPS – News Releases". Archived from the original on 2007-08-24. Retrieved 2007-04-26.
- Glod, Maria (June 1, 2007). "For Classes of '07, Star-Powered Send-Offs". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
- "Falls Church High School Varsity Football Fall 2017 Schedule". fallschurchsports.org.
- Inc., Digital Sports. "DigitalSports – Digital Athlete Profile". community.digitalsports.com.
- Williams, Preston (May 7, 2009). "Varsity Letter: Herndon High Names Baseball Field for Coach Alan McCullock". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
- "Falls Church's Tatianna Rocks RuPaul's World - Falls Church News-Press Online". Falls Church News-Press Online. 10 March 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
you’d hardly recognize the slender, attractive Falls Church High School grad