Sammamish High School Explained

Sammamish High School
Established:
(renovated: ;[1] rebuilt: [2])
Principal:Derrick Richardson
Enrollment:1,213 (2018-19)
Teaching Staff:62.95 (FTE) (2018-19)
Ratio:19.27 (2018-19)
Colors: Red
Black
White
Location:100 140th Ave. SE
Zipcode:98005
Country:United States
Newspaper:Redhawk Talk
Yearbook:Redhawks

Sammamish High School (commonly Sammamish or SHS) is a public secondary school in Bellevue, Washington, US, serving students in grades 9 - 12. Opened in 1959, the school was the second of the four traditional high schools in the Bellevue School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes. The school was entirely rebuilt over two renovations completed, respectively, in 2004[1] and 2017.[2] The school's nickname is the Redhawks, the mascot is the Bird, and its colors are red, black, and white.

Sammamish generally serves students from the east zone of the district, but students from outside its attendance area can enroll at the school through its open enrollment policy. Sammamish High's feeder elementary schools are Cherry Crest, Stevenson, Lake Hills, Phantom Lake, and Spiritridge. Its feeder middle schools are Odle and Tillicum.[3]

Demographics

In the 2017–18 school year, the total student enrollment was 1,105. The racial demographics are: 6% Black/African American, 21% Asian, 19% Hispanic, 7% Multi-Ethnic, 46% white, and less than 1% American Indian, Alaska native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander. 36% qualify for free or reduced lunches. 33% of students speak a first language other than English.[4]

Academics

Sammamish is well known for its magnet programs (Sammamish Visual and Performing Arts Center), Advanced Placement classes, and career and technical programs (commonly referred to as CTE classes) [3] Sammamish was named the Washington state recipient of 2006–07 Siemens Awards of Advanced Placement.[5] This award recognizes the excellence of Sammamish's Advanced Placement instruction and student performances.[6]

Starting with the 2007–08 academic year, Sammamish switched from a 4-period daily block schedule to a 7-period schedule. Then-principal Laura Bang-Knudsen and Program Delivery Council Facilitator George Westergaard cited the need for a waiver, lack of sufficient faculty, parent or student support to get the waiver and inability to come up with a schedule that would not require a waiver and would not sacrifice curriculum coverage time.[7]

During the 2022-23 academic year, Sammamish administration announced plans to implement a phone locker system to decrease distractions in the classroom and increase academic achievements. This has been widely criticized as ridiculous and completely stupid by less than 200 of students who responded a survey.[8]

Advanced Placement

Sammamish offers Advanced Placement classes. 9th graders are required to take AP Human Geography. From 2002 through 2006, Sammamish students' scores counted for over 50% of all the passing exams in AP Calculus BC for the entire state.[9]

Sammamish was ranked as #168 in 2008, #108 in 2007, #193 in 2006, #225 in 2005, and #141 in 2003[10] out of all the high schools in United States by Newsweek Magazine. The ranking is based on the number of Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate tests taken divided by number of graduating seniors. All five high schools[11] in the district are consistently ranked as the top five high schools in Washington state since the inception of the Newsweek ranking. The validity of these rankings is disputed for various reasons, such as that Sammamish's lack of an IB program deflates its rating as compared to its neighbor Interlake High School.[12]

Athletics

Sammamish is a member of the Kingco Athletic Conference,[13] in WIAA Class 2A (formerly 3A and 4A). Twenty two sports are played over the course of three seasons at Sammamish, with Cheer and Drill active year-round. Past statistics can be found at the WIAA website.[14]

colspan=8 align=center bgcolor="#e5e5e5"
Sammamish High School State Championship Games
WIAA State Tournament History, inquire by selecting Sammamish HS
align=center bgcolor="#e5e5e5"Yearalign=center bgcolor="#e5e5e5"SportWinning TeamLosing Teamalign=center bgcolor="#e5e5e5"Location (all in Washington)align=center bgcolor="#e5e5e5"Class
1964Boys' GolfEverett310Sammamish2944A
1970State Frisbee ChampionshipSammamish3 gmsO'Dea (Seattle)2 gmsBellevue4A
1976 Girls' BasketballSammamish 45 Walla Walla34Pacific Lutheran University4A
1977 Girls' BasketballSammamish 53 Garfield30Pacific Lutheran University4A
1977 Girls' Track and FieldSammamish 64 Roosevelt564A
1978 Boys' BasketballGarfield 58 Sammamish56 Seattle Coliseum, Seattle4A
1978 Boys' SoccerShorewood 2 Sammamish0 Seattle4A
1978Girls' Track and FieldSammamish 55 Roosevelt264A
1978Girls' Cross CountryBellarmine Prep 106 Sammamish804A
1979 Boys' SoccerSammamish 6 O'Dea2 Seattle4A
1979Girls' Track and FieldSammamish 44 Lincoln (Tacoma)384A
1981 Boys' SoccerHighline 2 Sammamish0 Seattle4A
1985Boys' Cross CountryRedmond 111 Sammamish514A
1989Girls' TennisSammamish tie-breaker[15] Bellarmine Prep4A
1989 Girls' SoccerJefferson3 Sammamish1 Renton4A
1990Girls' TennisSammamish tie-breakerBellarmine Prep4A
1990Girls' Track and FieldSammamish 74Lake Washington544A
1990 Girls' SoccerSammamish 1 Federal Way0 Shoreline4A
1992 Girls' SoccerFederal Way 3 Sammamish0 Shoreline4A
1995 Boys' BasketballEvergreen64 Sammamish59 (OT)Kingdome, Seattle4A
1996Girls' TennisSammamish 4A
1999 Boys' FootballProsser42 Sammamish38 Tacoma Dome3A
1999 Boys' Water PoloSammamish11Mercer Island10King County Aquatics Center3A
2000Boys' Water PoloMercer Island 16 Sammamish8 King County Aquatics Center3A[16]
2002 Drill TeamSammamish S Sun Dome, Yakima3A
2015Boys GolfSammamish Liberty Lake Golf Course2A
2020Boys Swim and DiveSammamishKing County Aquatic Center2A
2020Girls GymnasticsLake WashingtonSammamishSammamish High School3A
This list only includes school championship games and does not include the 55 individual and group first place championships and 11 second-place finishes in track and field, cross country, swimming, golf, gymnastics, tennis, and wrestling.

Activities

Sammamish High School is home to a variety of extracurricular activities.[17] Associated Student Body and administrators coordinate these throughout the schoolyear. Academically, the school houses chapters of the National Honor Society, National Arts Honor Society, Tri-M (Music Honor Society), Mu Alpha Theta (National Math Honor Society), and as of the 2006–07 school year, a successful and competitive Policy/Lincoln Douglas Debate team, which has competed at the semi-final level of the Auburn Regional Forensics Invitational.

An active Multicultural Club conducts events to demonstrate the diversity of the student body and coordinates the annual "Taste of Sammamish" culinary festival. Also, the Arts Magnet Program creates opportunities for students to participate in actual production. In addition, its Art Club has earned it the reputation as the art school of the Bellevue school district through the dismemberment of a bee.[18] Other clubs include the Black Student Union and the LGBTQ club. Sammamish is home to Thespian Troupe 2241. The school's theater opened early in 2005 and cost the district $4.5 million.[19] It is now home to at least two student productions each year. The theater contains professional equipment and is sometimes available to outside groups for rent, making it the third professional-quality theater in King County, Washington.[20]

Sammamish Graphic Arts students often participate in state and regional graphics competitions. The school offers a fully functional hot glass studio and extensive programs centered on Health care. The jazz choir has won numerous awards,[21] and along with jazz band competes in the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival each year. Jazz choir was recently featured in Bellevue Community College's Vocal Jazz Invitational with its award-winning vocal jazz ensemble Celebration!. In February 2007, Sammamish won 1st Runner-up in the most competitive Multi-Mic Division at Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival.[22] Sammamish also houses a FIRST Robotics Competition team, and a FIRST Tech Challenge team, 2412(Robototes), and 16750(Technototes) respectively. In April 2022, Sammamish students won the 2022 WSU Business Plan Competition with their pillow company, Perfect Pillow.[23]

Notable alumni

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Reifert . Butch . Performing arts spaces gain sophistication . Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce . Associated General Contractors of Washington . November 30, 2020.
  2. Web site: Blackburn . Steven . Bellevue School District transforms Sammamish High School . District Administration . November 24, 2017 . November 30, 2020.
  3. Web site: Sammamish High School Home Page . November 22, 2008 . bsd405.org . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081210074805/http://www.bsd405.org/Default.aspx?tabid=131 . December 10, 2008.
  4. Web site: Sammamish High School profile 2017–18 . October 20, 2017 . bsd405.org.
  5. Web site: Archived copy . February 28, 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070401111141/http://www.siemens-foundation.org/documents/2006_07%20AP%20Award%20Winners.pdf . April 1, 2007.
  6. Web site: Archived copy . February 28, 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070401111028/http://www.siemens-foundation.org/documents/SAAPRelease2007.pdf . April 1, 2007.
  7. Web site: Letter to Sammamish Students, Parents and Staff, Dec. 13, 2006 . Sammamish High School . . December 13, 2006 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070106121422/http://www.bsd405.org/shs/homepage/admin/SHSblockLetter.pdf . January 6, 2007.
  8. Web site: Talk . Sammamish High School Redhawk . May 22, 2023 . Student Feedback: Sammamish Students Respond to Potential Phone Policy Plan for Next Year . August 19, 2023 . REDHAWK TALK . en.
  9. News: Sammamish Senior High . . August 26, 2006 . February 7, 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061115195007/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/schoolguide/profile.php?results=&building_id=3282&search= . November 15, 2006 . dead.
  10. Web site: America's Top Public High Schools . .
  11. Sammamish High School, Bellevue High School (Bellevue, Washington), Newport High School, Interlake High School, and International School
  12. Web site: Education Sector: Analysis and Perspectives: Challenged Index. https://web.archive.org/web/20070608072542/http://www.educationsector.org/analysis/analysis_show.htm?doc_id=358299. dead. June 8, 2007.
  13. Web site: KingCo Home Page . KingCoAthletics.com.
  14. Web site: WIAA Schedules. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20061114075254/http://www.wiaa.com/Athletics/SSS/ . November 14, 2006.
  15. Won via tie-breaker having defeated Bellarmine Prep
  16. Web site: Preps Beat: Power shift complete in water polo . January 21, 2008 . MIKE McLAUGHLIN . November 8, 2000 . Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
  17. Web site: Archived copy . October 16, 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071012095816/http://curriculum.bsd405.org/sites/schools/Sammamish/Shared%20Documents/SHS%20Clubs.aspx . October 12, 2007.
  18. Web site: Art Club . SHS . We had so much fun at June Fest! . Instagram . Instagram . August 8, 2023.
  19. News: New theater ready to take stage at Sammamish High . . Lara . Bain . May 6, 2005.
  20. Web site: Mahlum: Sammamish High School Performing Arts Center. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20051018071311/http://www.mahlum.com/ourWork/?nodeID=1708 . October 18, 2005.
  21. Web site: BSD\fowlers's Home. https://web.archive.org/web/20070926221350/http://curriculum.bsd405.org/MySite/Public.aspx?accountname=BSD%5cfowlers. dead. September 26, 2007 .
  22. Web site: High School Vocal Results at the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival . Today@Idaho . . February 23, 2007 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20070429131959/http://www.today.uidaho.edu/Details.aspx?ID=3758 . April 29, 2007 . dead.
  23. Web site: Student venture teams' ideas ring in success at annual business plan competition . May 27, 2022 . WSU Insider . en-US.
  24. News: Where Are They Now: Chance Fry . Raley . Dan . . October 9, 2007 . He emerged from Sammamish High School as the Sounders' No. 1 pick in the NASL draft, ....
  25. News: Rob . Owen . January 29, 2012 . 'Smash's' Megan Hilty 'obsessed' with singing . .
  26. Web site: Spadafora . Mary Jean . June 23, 2012 . Bellevue family's battle with bipolar disease leads to 'Perfect Chaos' Bellevue mother, daughter write book to give voice to those with mental illness . March 12, 2022 . . en-US.
  27. News: Elections 2004 :: Rob McKenna (Election 2004 voters guide) . The Spokesman-Review. January 20, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110524095137/http://www.spokesmanreview.com/elections/2004/candidates/candidate.asp?ID=53 . May 24, 2011.
  28. News: Peterson . Matt . Spotlight: Sammamish High School . . September 17, 2002 .