Vel Phillips Memorial High School Explained

Vel Phillips Memorial High School
Mottoes:-->
Address:201 South Gammon Road
Zipcode:53717
Country:United States
Former Name:James Madison Memorial High School (1966-2021)
Founders:-->
Principal:Matt Hendrickson
Teaching Staff:124.50
Grades:9–12
Enrollment:2,025 (2023-2024)[1]
Ratio:16.65
Colors:Green and White
Mascot:Bruce the Spartan
Accreditations:-->
Newspaper:The Sword and Shield
Yearbook:The Olympian
Affiliations:-->

Vel Phillips Memorial High School (formerly James Madison Memorial High School (JMM)) or simply "VPM" is a public high school on the west side of Madison, Wisconsin, United States. It was built in 1966 and is part of the Madison Metropolitan School District. It is home to the MMSD Planetarium.

The school is named after Vel Phillips, an American attorney, politician, jurist, and Civil Rights activist, who served as the first female alderperson and judge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and as Secretary of State of Wisconsin (1979-1983).

History

The school was originally built in 1966 but received a major addition in 1967 because the school's population was higher than expected. The A-Wing housed the senior high and B-Wing the junior high. It was not until the 1970s that Thomas Jefferson Middle School (now Ezekiel Gillespie) was built. A fieldhouse was added in 1992.

On February 11, 2014, principal Bruce Dahmen unexpectedly died from a heart attack while on a field trip with students. A memorial service was held in the main gym.[2] The welcome center was named after Dahmen.

Starting in May 2022, the school is currently undergoing extensive renovation as part of a referendum passed in the fall of 2020.[3]

In 2022, the school was renamed as Vel Phillips Memorial High School by the Madison Metropolitan School District board after concern was raised by the public over James Madison's ownership of enslaved people, following a petition started by a student in 2017. Only one year later, the adjacent Thomas Jefferson Middle School was renamed as Ezekiel Gillespie Middle School.

Academics

Memorial offers classes ranging from Algebra 1 to Photography. Chinese, German, French and Spanish are some of their language classes.[4]

The school also hosts the Madison school district's planetarium and offers an Astronomy class.[5]

Small Learning Communities grant

In 2001, Memorial received a U.S. Department of Education Small Learning Communities federal grant to support a "neighborhood" reorganization.[6] The four neighborhoods are Rock, Wolf, Fox, and Wisconsin . Each of the neighborhoods have a neighborhood center. The Fox Neighborhood Center is known by the students and staff as the "fishbowl".

School newspapers

The official school newspaper is The Sword and Shield and until 2014 kept all issues online.[7] Independent newspapers, The Spartacus and Aficionado existed at one time, but have all ceased distribution. The Independent was created after the 1990–91 school year by The Sword and Shield staff.

Extracurricular activities

Memorial offers interscholastic sports[8] and extramural activities. .

Athletics

Basketball (boys)

Cross country (boys)

Soccer (boys)

Swimming and diving (boys)

Swimming and diving (girls)

Track and field (girls)

Notable alumni

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NCES . NCES . 16 November 2022.
  2. News: UPDATE: Thousands gather to remember late principal Bruce Dahmen . Madeline Anderson.
  3. Web site: Memorial High School - Referendum 2020 . madison.k12.wi.us.
  4. Web site: School profile . 2007-05-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20050201070333/http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/jmm/guidance/Records/school%20profile.htm . February 1, 2005 . dead .
  5. Web site: Planetarium - Madison Metropolitan School District. www.madison.k12.wi.us.
  6. Web site: Lackney . Jeffrey . July 6, 2001 . Forming Small Learning Communities: Implementing Neighborhoods in Existing High Schools . https://web.archive.org/web/20021209023611/http://schoolstudio.engr.wisc.edu/smalllearningcom.html . dead . December 9, 2002 . November 1, 2009 .
  7. Web site: Sword and Shield - Current Issue: MARCH 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140309061120/https://memorialweb.madison.k12.wi.us/node/1652. 2014-03-09. dead. memorialweb.madison.k12.wi.us.
  8. Web site: Spartan Athletics James Madison Memorial High School. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150911220828/https://jmm.madison.k12.wi.us/spartan-athletics . 2015-09-11 .
  9. Web site: BOX SCORE FROM 03-19-05 8:15pm.
  10. Web site: MADISON MEMORIAL vs RACINE HORLICK (03/21/09 at Kohl Center - Madison, Wisconsin).
  11. Web site: DE PERE vs MADISON MEMORIAL (03/19/11 at Kohl Center - Madison, Wisconsin).
  12. Book: 2019 State Cross Country Meet Souvenir Program . November 2, 2019 . . Wisconsin Rapids, WI . 26.
  13. Web site: Brookfield East vs Madison Memorial. www.wiaawi.org.
  14. Web site: 2005 WIAA Division 1 State Meet - UW Natatorium - Team Rankings - Through Event 12 - Male Team Scores. wiaawi.org.
  15. Web site: 2006 WIAA Division 1 State Meet - UW Natatorium - Team Rankings - Through Event 12 - Boys - Team Scores. wiaawi.org.
  16. Web site: 2007 WIAA Division 1 State Meet - UW Natatorium - Team Rankings - Through Event 12 - Boys - Team Scores. wiaawi.org.
  17. Web site: 2009 WIAA Boys Division 1 State Meet - UW Natatorium - Team Rankings - Through Event 12 - Boys - Team Scores. wiaawi.org.
  18. Web site: 2011 WIAA Boys Division 1 State Meet - UW Natatorium - Team Rankings - Through Event 12 - Boys - Team Scores. wiaawi.org.
  19. Web site: 2012 WIAA Division 1 State Meet - UW Natatorium - Team Rankings - Through Event 12 - Boys - Team Scores. wiaawi.org.
  20. Web site: 2013 WIAA Division 1 State Meet - UW Natatorium - Team Rankings - Through Event 12 - Boys - Team Scores. wiaawi.org.
  21. Web site: 2013 WIAA Division 1 State Meet - UW Natatorium - Team Rankings - Through Event 12 - Boys - Team Scores. wiaawi.org.
  22. Web site: 2015 WIAA Division 1 State Meet - UW Natatorium - Team Rankings - Through Event 12 - Boys - Team Scores. wiaawi.org.
  23. Web site: 2016 WIAA Division 1 State Meet - UW Natatorium - Team Rankings - Through Event 12 - Boys - Team Scores. wiaawi.org.
  24. Web site: WIAA 1999 State Girls Swimming & Diving Tournament - Nov. 13, UW-Natatorium, Madison - Div. 1 Event Results & Final Team Scores. wiaawi.org.
  25. Web site: .I.A.A. GIRLS' DIVISION 1 STATE SWIMMING AND DIVING MEET - SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2000. wiaawi.org.
  26. Web site: W.I.A.A. GIRLS' DIVISION 1 STATE SWIMMING AND DIVING MEET - SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2001.
  27. Web site: WIAA Track & Field State Championships - 6/6/2003 to 6/7/2003 - UW-La Crosse - Results . wiaawi.org.
  28. Web site: DIY success story. 23 February 2017. isthmus.com.
  29. News: The U.S. Women's Hockey Team Is Not as Battle-Tested as It Intended . The New York Times . Pat . Borzi . 2010-01-25 . 2010-05-05.
  30. Web site: Wesley Matthews. Basketball-Reference.Com . June 24, 2013.
  31. Web site: Jeronne Maymon Profile - UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics . www.utsports.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130216202810/http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/jeronne_maymon_639445.html . 2013-02-16.

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