| American Senior High School | |
| Established: | September 1976 |
| Type: | Public |
| Principal: | Stephen E. Papp |
| Teaching Staff: | 77.00 (FTE) |
| Ratio: | 21.45 |
| Enrollment: | 1,652 (2022–23)[1] |
| Grades: | 9–12 |
| Streetaddress: | 18350 NW 67th Avenue |
| City: | Miami |
| State: | Florida |
| Country: | United States |
| District: | Miami-Dade County Public Schools |
| Campus: | Suburban |
| Colors: | Red White Blue |
| Free Label: | Emblem |
| Free Label 1: | School hours |
| Free 1: | 7:20 AM to 2:20 PM |
| Free Label 2: | Average class size |
| Free 2: | 22 |
| Free Label 3: | Student-faculty ratio |
| Free 3: | 19.8 |
The American Senior High School, or The American High School, is a high school located in Country Club, unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.[2] Its principal is Stephen E. Papp. It has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.[3]
American was opened in 1976 (the year of America's bicentennial); its name, sports teams (Patriots) and colors (red, white, and blue) were chosen to reflect this.
The school uses a Hialeah address but mainly serves northern Miami Lakes, including Palm Springs North and The Country Club of Miami.
American's main athletic rival is Barbara Goleman High School. Other rivals include Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School, Miami Carol City High School, Hialeah High School and Miramar High School.
American is composed of three buildings: the main building which houses most of the classrooms, and the buildings which house the freshman class in order for there to be enough room for the rest of the student body in the main building.
At the time the school was built, cow pastures were in the area. It opened with grades 9-11 with 12th added the next year. Its projected initial enrollment was 1,800. Glenda Graham Harris, then one of two women to be principal of a Dade County senior high school, was the initial principal.[4] In December 1976 the school had 1,846 students, with about 33% each Hispanic/Latino, African-American, and non-Hispanic white.[5]
Robert Bork of The Miami Herald wrote that upon opening and by December of that year, American SHS was "troubled by violence".[6] Parents who were non-Latino white organized a boycott in December to show frustration at the violence situation.[7] On Monday December 6, 1976, 791 students, or 42% of the student body, boycotted school.[5] The next day 36% boycotted.[6] By Thursday December 9 the percentage was down to 28%, or about 500 students.[7] The school board assigned two employees to defuse the situation.[8]
American High's student population is 67% Hispanic, 28% Black, 1% Caucasian, and 1% Asian. About 81% of the students receive free or reduced-priced lunch, compared to a district average of 43%. The gender breakdown is 50% male, 50% female.[9]
Middle schools that feed into American include:
Elementary schools that feed into American include: