Norwell High School (Massachusetts)

Norwell High School is a public secondary school accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). It is located in Norwell, Massachusetts, United States. The school includes approximately 50 full-time teachers. Its students consistently score above state and national averages on the SAT and other standardized tests, and on average, 97% of students from each graduating class at Norwell High School continue on to post-secondary education.[2]

Norwell High School
Address
18 South Street

Norwell
,
Massachusetts

United States
Information
TypePublic Secondary
Established1849 (1700 as part of Scituate)
SuperintendentMatthew Keegan
PrincipalMarc Bender
Staff49.65 (FTE)[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment684 (2018–19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio13.78[1]
CampusSuburban, 100 acres
Color(s)Blue & Gold   
MascotClippers
RivalHanover, Scituate, Cohasset
AccreditationNEASC
PublicationThe Halyard (literary journal)
NewspaperThe Navigator
Websitehttp://www.norwellschools.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=186

NHS has been ranked as the 12th best secondary school in Massachusetts, and is ranked in the top 6% for best public education high schools in the country by Newsweek Magazine.[3]

Administration

On July 1, 2011, William Fish became the new principal of Norwell High School, replacing Matthew Keegan, who had been serving the school since 2006.[4] The school's administration includes assistant principals Matthew Marani and Jennifer Greenberg.[5] The school's administration also includes four guidance counselors [6]

Toward the end of the 1980s Norwell High School lowered their grading system, as the numbers were higher than standard grading systems. (For example, a final grade of 82 was a C+ versus a B-)

The school's staff also includes nine cafeteria workers and six custodians.

Academics

The school's faculty offers a wide array of academic courses in several departments. Students that attended NHS are required to take four years of English, History, Mathematics and Science courses. Students are required to take at least three years of a Foreign Language. Some students complete their first year of foreign language while in middle school so they will only have to complete two years; some students choose to take their fourth and fifth year of a language and continue these courses into college. Students are required to take at least two years of Health/Physical Education(Gym Class). Students are also allowed to take other courses including classes in art, music and technology, as seen below.

Course Name Notes
English Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors take classes involving American and World Literature. Seniors are allowed for their final year school to choose through array of courses for their English class including a class on the study of Shakespeare's work, a creative writing class, Nonfiction, Adolescent in Literature and two other AP courses.
Social Studies Classes offered for students include: World History, US History (including AP), European History (including AP), Psychology(Including AP), Economics, Law, Gender/Race/Class, American Government (AP), The Holocaust and Human Behavior, Modern War
Mathematics Classes offered for students include: Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Statistics and Discrete Mathematics (including AP), Calculus (including AP) and Problem Solving.
Science For science freshmen take Biology. NHS also offers an AP course for biology that students are allowed to take after freshmen year. Sophomores are required to take Chemistry in their second year at the school. Like biology, NHS offers an AP course for chemistry that students are allowed to take after their sophomore year. Juniors are required to take Physics. Like that of biology and chemistry, NHS offers an AP class for students to take after their Junior year. Seniors are allowed to choose which science class they want for their final year at the school. These classes include Anatomy, Astronomy, Marine Biology and Renewable Energy.
Foreign Language NHS offers four languages for students to choose from. As of 2015 the classes include: Arabic, Spanish, French and Latin,[7] including AP course offerings in each and courses specializing in Vergil, Horace and Catullus.
Art Studio Art (Art 1, Art 2, Art 3, AP Studio Art: 2D design or 3D design). When students reach a certain level in their art studies they are allowed to paint a painting on a wall located somewhere in the school. The school also offers Digital Photography classes and a Film class.
Music NHS offers students Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, mixed Chorus, Jazz Ensemble, and Jazz Workshop. The ensembles usually perform four to five major concerts a year, on special occasions including graduation, and for dozens of other events each year in the community.
PE/Health Students are required to take two years of Health/Physical Education. After they complete course, students are allowed to choose between other Physical Educations classes. These classes include: Strength Training, Lifetime Activities, Yoga, Pilates and Lifetime Fitness
Applied Technology Students are allowed to take other classes during their time at NHS. Students can take classes that include: Publications and Presentations, Web Design, Computer Animation, Computer Repair, TV Studio, Robotics, CAD, Engineering the Future and Building Construction
Special Education Skills Program, Direct Academic Instruction, Life Skills, Work Experience, Life Skills Reading, Content Area Reading
Theater Students may also take an Acting class taught by the school's current director of the Fourth Wall Players, Chris Lacy

In 2009 the school began Arabic classes after teachers asked for them to be established. As of 2015 25 students take Arabic I and 10 take Arabic II.[7] As of 2015 few other high schools in Massachusetts offer Arabic.[8]

Athletics

Norwell High School offers several sports programs for students that include:[9]

Sport Notes
Baseball Boys JV, Boys Varsity
Basketball Boys Freshman Team, Boys JV, Boys Varsity / Girls Freshman Team, Girls JV, Girls Varsity
Cheerleading Girls Game Team, Girls Competition Team
Cross Country Boys JV, Boys Varsity / Girls JV, Girls Varsity
Field hockey Girls JV, Girls Varsity
Football Boys Freshman Team, Boys JV, Boys Varsity
Golf Boys JV, Boys Varsity
Gymnastics Girls Varsity
Hockey Boys JV, Boys Varsity / Girls Varsity
Lacrosse Boys Freshman, Boys JV, Boys Varsity / Girls Freshman, Girls JV, Girls Varsity
Skiing Boys & Girls Co-ed Varsity & JV
Spring track and field Boys & Girls Co-ed
Soccer Boys JV, Boys Varsity, Boys Freshman / Girls JV, Girls Varsity, Girls Freshman
Softball Girls JV, Girls Varsity
Swimming and Diving Boys & Girls Co-ed
Tennis Boys JV, Boys Varsity / Girls JV, Girls Varsity
Volleyball Girls Varsity, Girls JV
Winter track and field Boys & Girls Co-ed
Wrestling Boys & Girls Co-ed

In 2014, Norwell added two synthetic turf fields and a track and field facility to their athletic complex.[10]

Co-curricular activities

Roughly 90% of Norwell High School's students participate in co-curricular activities. An N means the club is now defunct. The school boasts a wide range of clubs and activities, including but not limited to:[11]

Club Notes
Amnesty International student chapter N
A.F.S.
Animal Activist club N
Art club
Pep Band
Best Buddies
Book Club
Bowling club N
Chess Club N
Conspiracy Theory Club
Dance Team
Decibelles A cappella vocal group
Diversity Club/Gay-Straight Alliance
Fourth Wall Players The Fourth Wall Players (4WPs) is an accomplished, award-winning theater company. The 4WPs compete in the Massachusetts Festival, and were state finalists in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2015. In 2008 and 2015 they represented Massachusetts in the New England Theater Festival.
Environment Club
Equestrian Club N
French Club N
Film Club
The Halyard The school's literary and art magazine
Junior State of America
Invisible Children N
Latin Club
Math Team
Medical Careers Club
Mock Trial
National Honor Society
Norwell Navigator The school's newspaper.
Paint Ball Club N
Peer Education
Robotics Club
Sailing Club N
Snowboarding Club N
Space Cadet Club N
Spanish Club N
Surf culture N
Student Government
Tri-M Music Honor Society
Ultimate Frisbee N
Yearbook
Young Democrats N
Young Republicans N

Notable alumni
Name Graduation Notable for
Richard Halford Class of 1962 Politician and lobbyist who served as Alaska Senate President.
Jennifer Coolidge Class of 1980 Actress who appeared in American Pie (as Stifler's Mom), Click, For Your Consideration and other films.
Jeff Corwin Class of 1985 Host of The Jeff Corwin Experience and Corwin's Quest, two television programs on Animal Planet. He often visits Norwell to help at the Norwell Science Center.
Susan Tedeschi Class of 1988 American Blues and soul singer. Received Grammy nominations in 2000, 2003, and 2007.
Andy Thompson Class of 1990 Guitarist and lead vocalist of RCA recording artists The Thompson Brothers Band. Currently performing with brother Matt as The Massacoustics.
Matt Thompson Class of 1991 Drummer and vocalist of RCA recording artists The Thompson Brothers Band. Currently performing with brother Andy as The Massacoustics.
Mike Whitty Class of 1991 Bassist and vocalist of RCA recording artists The Thompson Brothers Band.

References
  1. "Norwell High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  2. "Norwell Public Schools Fact Sheet 2010-11" (PDF). Norwellschools.org. Schoolwires. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  3. Connors, Molly (June 16, 2010). "Norwell High School is ranked one of the best in the country". The Boston Globe.
  4. New Principal
  7. Seltz, Johanna. "In schools south of Boston, a wide disparity on foreign language offerings" (Archived 2015-01-17 at WebCite). Boston Globe. January 11, 2015. Retrieved on January 18, 2015.
  8. "Foreign language classes, by the numbers" ( Archived 2015-01-17 at WebCite). Boston Globe. January 10, 2015. Retrieved on January 18, 2015.
  9. Athletics
  10. Matt Cook (September 4, 2014). "Norwell unveils new athletic complex". The Patriot Ledger. Norwell, Massachusetts. p. 1. Retrieved May 22, 2015. A pair of synthetic turf fields, as well as new track & field facilities, should make life easier for all Clippers teams.
  11. Activities & Clubs Directory
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