Jesse O. Sanderson High School
Jesse O. Sanderson High School, more commonly called Sanderson High School (SHS), is a co-educational 9–12 public high school located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States in the Wake County Public School System. The school was founded in 1968. It is named after a former superintendent of Raleigh public schools, Jesse O. Sanderson. Sanderson runs on a 2x4 block schedule; It was one of the first schools in the area to do so. It is known for its performing arts, athletic, and its community outreach programs.
| Jesse O. Sanderson High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Location | |
| |
5500 Dixon Drive , 27609 United States | |
| Coordinates | 35°51′38″N 78°38′49″W |
| Information | |
| Founded | 1968 |
| CEEB code | 343213 |
| Principal | Gretta Dula[1] |
| Faculty | 105.82 (FTE)[2] |
| Enrollment | 1,902 (2018–19)[2] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 17.97[2] |
| Schedule type | 2x4 Block |
| Color(s) | Royal blue and scarlet |
| Mascot | Spartan |
| Website | wcpss |
Student publications
Student publications are:
- The Sandscript – A monthly student-written newspaper.
- The Lakonikos – The yearbook.
Clubs
Sanderson's student government has received recognition for their participation in the Sanderson community. It is one of the only four high schools in the state and 131 in the country to earn the National Association of Student Councils Gold Council of Excellence in 2010.[3]
Performing arts
Sanderson Theatre Ensemble
In addition to the one-act plays put on by the Advanced Theatre Class, Sanderson Theatre Ensemble puts on a fall play and a spring musical each year. In 2018, Sanderson High School performed the play “26 Pebbles” by Eric Ulloa, a play about the Sandy Hook shooting and the town of Newtown, Connecticut’s reaction, for the North Carolina Theatre Conference.[4]
Sanderson Marching Band
The Sanderson marching band hosts the Capital Band Expo each year in October. This is where they invite schools from across the state and beyond to show off their skill in one of the few competitions of its kind. The marching band also competes in regional band competitions.[4]
Sanderson Sandpipers
The director of the Sanderson Sandpipers, Marshall Butler Jr., has been recognized as an outstanding music educator by the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra.[5] Marshall Butler retired at the end of the 2015–16 school year.
Athletics
| Sanderson Spartans | |
|---|---|
| School | Jesse O. Sanderson High School |
| Conference | CAP-7 Conference |
| NCHSAA | Division 4-AA |
| Athletic director | Tony Lewis |
| Location | Raleigh, NC |
| Nickname | Spartans |
| Colors | Royal Blue and Scarlet |
| Website | Sanderson Athletics Dept. |
Sanderson has won thirty-four state championships and 131 conference championships. Sanderson's sports team play under the Spartan identity. Their athletic director is Tony Lewis. He assumed this position after Bob Catapano retired in 2010.
Men's Cross Country Coached by Ashley Taylor and assistant coach is Jason Bochart, Sanderson's men's cross country team won the 2009 NCHSAA 4A State Championship at Tanglewood Park. The team beat rival Needham Broughton High School by 3 points to win their first state title in cross country.
Men's Soccer Sanderson's men's soccer team has won eleven 4A state soccer championships; They also once held the national record for most consecutive games without a loss at 103; This is still the state record. Since the early 1980s, they have also produced a number of Division 1 players.[6]
Cheerleading Sanderson's cheerleading squad has won multiple state championships (2005, 2008, 2010).
Administration
Gregory Decker became principal in the fall of 2008 after his predecessor, Cathy Moore, who was promoted to assistant superintendent. Moore had been principal of the school for eight years, and was named Wake County principal of the year in 2007. Under Decker's leadership, Sanderson's graduation rate has started to grow at a slow pace. As of August 2019, Gretta Dula became principal of Sanderson, taking Decker's place as principal.[7]
| Year | Graduation Rate | +/- |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 78.6% | N/A |
| 2007 | 76.1% | -2.5 |
| 2008 | 77.5% | +1.4 |
| 2009 | 76.7% | -0.8 |
| 2010 | 75% | -1.7 |
| 2011 | 77.5% | +2.7 |
| 2012 | 78.6% | +1.1 |
| 2013 | 78.2% | -0.4 |
| 2014 | 82.8% | +4.6 |
| 2015 | 81.4%[8] | -1.4 |
| 2016 | 89.1%[9] | +7.7 |
Demographic & economic background
| Race | Number of Students | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian | 4 | 0.02% |
| Asian | 63 | 3.1% |
| Black | 505 | 25.5% |
| Hispanic | 310 | 15.7% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islands | 5 | 0.02% |
| Two or More | 55 | 2.7% |
| White | 1031 | 52.2% |
| Total (2015–16) | 1973 | 100% |
As of 2012, 28% of the students receive free lunch, 4% receive reduced-price lunch, and 68% receive no lunch benefits.
Notable alumni
- Tom Fetzer (1973), former Mayor of Raleigh and former chair of the North Carolina Republican Party[10]
- Steve Dobrogosz (1974), pianist and composer
- Steve Kenney (1974), professional football player for the Philadelphia Eagles; Offensive linesman at Clemson University
- David Sedaris (1975), noted author and humorist
- Jeb Bishop, American jazz trombone player[11]
- Amy Sedaris (1980), author, humorist and actress; creator and star of the "Strangers with Candy" television series on Comedy Central and the 2006 major motion picture release of the same title
- Jeff Williams (1981), Chief Operating Officer of Apple Inc[12]
- Paul Friedrich (1985), cartoon artist[13]
- Clark Brisson (1987), All-American soccer player at the University Of South Carolina; Played eight years in the National Professional Soccer League; Currently assistant coach at the University of New Haven[14]
- David Fox (1989), swimmer at North Carolina State University; 1996 Olympic gold medalist
- Caleb Norkus (1997), former professional soccer player who played for such teams as The Carolina Railhawks, Richmond Kickers, and Puerto Rico Islanders; also played for the U.S men's national team in 1995
- Darryl Partin (2006), former professional basketball player[15]
- Annie E. Clark (2007), women's and civil rights activist
- Matt James (2010), former college football player for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the first black Bachelor lead on season 25 of The Bachelor[16]
References
- "SHS Administration / Meet Our Principal". Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- "Sanderson High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2010-12-07.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- http://www.sandersonband.com/
- Barr, Sarah (20 October 2014). "Sanderson High School choir teacher wins N.C. Symphony award for music educators". Archived from the original on 8 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
- NCHSAA Men's Soccer Records Archived 2010-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
- http://www.wral.com/search/?d_since=&d_sort=oldest&d_filter=all&d_site=1&qs=sanderson+high+school&d_from=50
- "4-Year Cohort Graduation Rate Report: 2011-12 Entering 9th Graders Graduating in 2014-15 or Earlier". accrpt.ncpublicschools.org. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
- "Wake County sees gains in school passing and graduation rates". Retrieved 2016-09-01.
- Eamon, Tom (2014). The Making of a Southern Democracy: North Carolina Politics from Kerr Scott to Pat Mccrory. UNC Press Books. ISBN 978-1-4696-0697-2.
- Lawerence, Jordan. (Feb 13, 2013). Native North Carolinian Jeb Bishop brings his jazz résumé back home. INDY Week. Retrieved Mar 6, 2020.
- Staff, WNCN (2015-12-17). "New No. 2 at Apple grew up in Raleigh, went to NC State". WNCN. Retrieved 2016-09-17.
- "Paul Friedrich finds his audience". www.waltermagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
- http://www.classmates.com/people/Clark-Brisson/8688226923
- Darryl Partin - Men's Basketball - Boston University. GoTerriers.com. Retrieved Aug 13, 2020.
- Cain, Brooke (4 January 2021). "Meet, pray, love: Raleigh 'Bachelor' Matt James has a unique start to his season". The News and Observer. Retrieved 6 January 2021.