Williamsville South High School Explained

Williamsville South High School
City:Williamsville
State:New York
Country:United States
Principal:Keith Boardman
Faculty:73.95 (FTE)
Ratio:11.59
Enrollment:857 (2022-23)[1]
Grades:9 - 12
Address:5950 Main St
District:Williamsville Central School District
Team Name:Billies
Newspaper:Out of the Blue
Yearbook:Searchlight

Williamsville South High School is a high school located in Williamsville, New York, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. South is one of three high schools in the Williamsville Central School District, along with Williamsville North High School and Williamsville East High School.

History

Origins, 1853-1892

In 1853, the Williamsville Classical Institute was formed as a private school to provide education in Williamsville beyond the elementary level. The property on Academy Street was purchased for $700. The first catalog was published in 1857, but the Williamsville Classical Institute (which had become known as the "Academy") eventually closed in 1869. In 1874, School District No. 3 rented the building for use as an elementary school.[2]

Academy Street School, 1892-1950

Union Free School District No. 3 was organized on May 7, 1892.[3] The Board of Education purchased the property and building from the Institute for $250, naming it Union Free School No. 3, and added a high school program. The first Regents exams were held there in 1892 and its first graduating class consisted of five students in 1895.[2] The first principals were George E. Smith, W. M. Pierce, and D.B. Albert, who had five assistants in 1898.[3] By 1902, there were 65 high school students and 143 in the elementary program.[2]

By 1921, the original red brick building had been condemned by the State Department of Education as antiquated and unsanitary. The public voted to demolish the old building and rebuild at the same site for a cost of $122,000. The new building was opened in 1924, although the auditorium was completed in time for the graduation of the Class of 1923. A large addition was built in 1931 and the curriculum was enlarged.[2]

After the opening of the current building on Main Street on September 11, 1950, the 1920s-era Academy Street building continued in use as an elementary school for a time, and eventually also a middle school. In 1981, the Christian Central Academy rented the then-vacant Academy Street School, eventually purchasing the property from the Williamsville Central School District in 1985. In 1991, the Williamsville Historical Society declared and marked that location as an historic site.[4]

Williamsville High School

Due to rapid growth and expansion, the Williamsville Central School District was formed and a new location was needed for the middle and high school students. The current building on Main Street was constructed for an approved cost of $2.5 million,[2] and opened as Williamsville Junior-Senior High School on September 11, 1950, serving grades 7-12 and was dedicated on April 15, 1951. The building was re-designated as Williamsville Senior High following the opening of Mill Middle School in 1958, and finally as South High following the opening of North High School in 1968.[5]

The building was designed by acclaimed local architect Duane Lyman, who was known as the dean of Western New York architecture.[5] Its construction features classic columns and a traditional clock tower. A science wing was added to the building's east side in 1961, and a new athletics wing was added to the north side in 1992.[5] An remodeled and expanded music wing was completed in 2021.[6] The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places (as "Williamsville Junior and Senior High School") in 2008.[7] [8]

Education

Advanced Placement courses

Williamsville South has long been an active participant in the Advanced Placement program. In 1998, Newsweek issued its first ranking of American high schools, based on a calculation of AP exam participation in May 1996 per enrolled student, with Williamsville South ranking 63rd in the country.[9] The school's rank has fallen in subsequent years as AP participation has expanded nationwide, but its rank of 974 in Newsweek's 2010 list still places it among the top 5 percent of all U.S. public high schools.[10]

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

The school's football team finished with the #1 ranking in New York State in 1984, during an era prior to the establishment of a state tournament.[11] In 1994, the football team advanced to the New York State championship game (Class B), but was defeated by one point.[12]

The school's softball team has won four New York State championships, in 2000 (Class B), 2004, 2006, and 2014 (Class A).[13] [14] These are Williamsville South's first-ever New York State tournament championships in any team sport to appear in the New York State Sportswriters Association records.

Soon afterward, the girls volleyball team won the state championship in 2014 (Class B),[15] [16] and the girls basketball team won the state championship in 2015 (Class A).[17] [18]

Notable alumni

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: WILLIAMSVILLE SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL. National Center for Education Statistics. April 7, 2024.
  2. Sue Miller Young, A History of the Town of Amherst, New York, Chap. 15 (1965)
  3. http://history.rays-place.com/ny/amherst-ny.htm Town of Amherst
  4. http://www.christianca.com/about_us/heritage/ Christian Central Academy -- Heritage
  5. http://www.amherstbee.com/news/2008-08-06/local_news/024.html South High School Added to Register of Historic Places
  6. News: Brown-Hall . Darren . WCSD Announces Completion of Spotlight on Music Capital Project . 4 March 2023 . WCSD . October 12, 2021.
  7. Web site: Cultural Resource Information System (CRIS). New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Searchable database. 2016-07-01. Note: This includes Web site: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Williamsville Junior and Senior High School . 2016-07-01 . Francis R. Kowsky, Martin Wachadlo, and Mark Peckham. PDF. July 2007. and Accompanying photographs
  8. http://nysparks.state.ny.us/newsroom/press-releases/release.aspx?r=654 State Board Recommends Diverse Properties for Listing on State & National Registers of Historic Places
  9. Jay Mathews, Class Struggle -- The Top 100* High Schools, Newsweek, March 30, 1998
  10. http://www.newsweek.com/feature/2010/americas-best-high-schools/list.html America's Best High Schools: The List
  11. RoadToSyracuse.com: Reference library, NYSSWA rankings, 1981-90
  12. RoadToSyracuse.com: Reference library, NYSPHSAA tournament scores, 1993-2000
  13. http://www.newyorksportswriters.org/reference/champs_all_sports.pdf Year by year champions, all sports
  14. Buffalo News, Williamsville South wins fourth state softball title, Miguel Rodriguez, June 14, 2014
  15. News: Monnin . Mary Jo . Girls volleyball wrapup: State champions dot WNY landscape . 6 December 2020 . The Buffalo News . December 25, 2014.
  16. News: Cacciatore . Sal . Glenn falls short in state Class B final . 6 December 2020 . Newsday . November 17, 2014.
  17. News: Rodriguez . Miguel . South rises to the challenge, wins state title . 6 December 2020 . The Buffalo News . March 22, 2015.
  18. News: Bailey . Budd . Williamsville South now the target in girls hoops after state championship . 6 December 2020 . The Buffalo News . December 10, 2015.
  19. Web site: Glee Newcomer Jacob Artist on Dancing Dreams, Rap Nightmares and New-Girl Drama. Tvline.com. December 6, 2012.
  20. Web site: N.H.L. Players Watch as a Young Prospect Grows Before Their Eyes. New York Times. June 15, 2013. February 15, 2017.
  21. Steve Smith, New Works To Celebrate a Flutist's Influence, New York Times, April 1, 2010
  22. Web site: Ten Alumni Earn Spots on Williamsville Wall of Fame. Williamsville Central Schools. 6 November 2016.