Watertown High School (South Dakota)

Watertown High School (WHS) is a public high school in Watertown, South Dakota. The school was the first in the state and the second in the United States in which every student and teacher was issued a laptop computer.[2]

Watertown Senior High School
Watertown High School from Arrow Ave.
Location
209 9th ST NE
Watertown, SD 57201
Information
TypePublic
MottoEnabling all students to succeed in an ever changing world
School districtWatertown School District 14-4
SuperintendentJeff Danielsen
PrincipalBrad Brandsrud
Grades9-12
Number of students1,226[1]
Color(s)Purple, Gold, White      
AthleticsAA (with the exception of AAA for football)
Athletics conferenceEastern South Dakota (ESD)
MascotArrows
WebsiteOfficial Website

Academics

Watertown High School has a dual-enrollment program with the neighboring Lake Area Technical Institute campus, allowing students to take college level course during all four years of enrollment. WHS also allows students to take courses directly through South Dakota State University. WHS has nearly a quarter of its students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) courses.[3] WHS has 102 teachers, of which 70.2% have obtained a master's degree or higher.[4]

Laptop program

Watertown High School first started its laptop program in the 2003–2004 school year, making WHS the first high school in South Dakota and the second high school in the nation to give every student a personal laptop. In 2006, WHS became part of the state-sponsored Classroom Connections project, where it was among 20 selected schools in the state to receive funding for laptops for students and tablet computers for teachers. In the 2017–2018 school year, WHS have each student an iPad.

Extracurricular activities

Competitive speech activities

The WHS oral interpretation program was among the first 100 chartered squads in the National Forensics League. The department has produced a number of Truman scholars.[5]

The Head coach for Arrow Speech and Debate is Scott Walker, who is an alumnus of Watertown High School himself.[6]

Forensic events offered are: (State championships are listed to the right)

  • Policy Debate: 2006,[7] 2016[8]

State Championships
State Championships
SeasonSportNumberYear(s)
FallFootball21996, 2001
Volleyball21997, 2017
Golf, Boys101929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1935, 1936, 1949, 1950, 1957, 1971
Cross Country, Girls12001
WinterBasketball, Boys41959, 1992, 1999, 2008
Basketball, Girls41976, 1993, 2007, 2009
Wrestling101961, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1985, 1992, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2003
Gymnastics32006, 2009, 2010
SpringTennis, Boys41992, 1993, 1994, 2013
Track & field, Boys51915, 1916, 1929, 1930, 1998
Track & field, Girls11978
Golf, Girls21978, 1979
Total48

WHS also offers competitive cheerleading, dance, soccer, softball, and baseball, some of which are sanctioned by the South Dakota High School Activities Association.

Notable alumni

Noted faculty

References
  1. "Contact WHS". Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  2. "Watertown High School a leader in laptop learning". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
  3. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/south-dakota/districts/watertown-school-district-14-4/watertown-high-school-17900/test-scores
  4. http://www.watertown.k12.sd.us/education/components/sectionlist/default.php?sectiondetailid=77&
  5. Abare, Robert. "Student Awarded Truman Scholarship for Graduate Education". davidson.edu. Davidson College. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  6. "Walker, Scott - Home". watertown.k12.sd.us. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
  7. "South Dakota High School Activities Association State Championships". sports.sdpb.org. Retrieved 2017-11-03.
  8. "Arrow speakers win Class AA state title". Watertown Public Opinion. Retrieved 2016-06-10.

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