Longmeadow High School

Longmeadow High School
Location
95 Grassy Gutter Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
U.S.A.
Information
Type Public
Established 1956
Principal Thomas Landers
Grades 9–12
Enrollment 1,000
Campus Suburban
Color(s) Black and white
Mascot Lancer
Rivals East Longmeadow High School, Leominster High School, Minnechaug Regional High School.
Average SAT scores 552 verbal
568 math
540 writing
1660 total (2015-2016)[1]
Newspaper The Jet Jotter
Yearbook Masacksic
Website sites.longmeadow.k12.ma.us/lhs/home

Longmeadow High School is located in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded in 1956 and enrolls approximately 1,000 students.[2] The school's mascot is a Lancer, and the school's colors are black and white.

Longmeadow High School is known for being one of the best public schools in its area, ranking as the sixth best public school in Massachusetts in a 2011 report by Newsweek.[3] The school consistently scores above the national average in both the verbal and mathematics sections of the SAT. It also scores above the state average in the statewide test, the MCAS. 96% of graduates continue their studies at the college level.[3] Top students often gain admission to the most respected schools in the nation.

In February 2013, a new high school building replaced the original 1956 building.

New school building

The original high school building, built in 1956, with additions in 1964 and 1971, was replaced by a new building. The original building was demolished with the exception of the 1971 science wing, which at the time included the swimming pool, library spaces, science classrooms, and a large open classroom known as the business technology center. Construction began in 2011 and continued until April 2013. The renovated natatorium (swimming pool) and locker rooms opened in the fall of 2012, and the new school building which was constructed southeast of the original building opened on February 25, 2013, following the school's winter vacation. The new building consists of a new core section with the auditorium at its center and surrounded by a circular lobby. Around the lobby in this portion are the cafeteria, school office, library, computer lab, and special subject classrooms. The main two story academic wing housing most of the school's classrooms extends out to the west from the core lobby area. North of the core lobby is the new gymnasium and athletic and physical education spaces as well as the 1971 wing. During the spring and summer of 2013 after the opening of the new building, the remainder of the 1971 wing north of the swimming pool was renovated and the old school building was demolished. The renovated 1971 wing reopened during the summer of 2013. The facility was nearly completely gutted on the inside and reconfigured into new spaces for the town school department offices, Longmeadow's public access TV station (LCTV), and some additional academic programming space for the high school's physical education and business departments including a new business technology center, and a new fitness center. The 1971 portion also received a completely new brick facade to match the new building.

A parking lot and drop-off now occupies the space where the former high school stood. A new athletic field is located where the former student parking lot was located.

A ceremony was held in September 2013 for the completion of the new high school building. The new school was built at an estimated cost of $78.4 million, with the town paying $44 million and the Massachusetts School Building Authority paying the rest.[4]

Athletics

Longmeadow is known for excellence in athletics, particularly their rivalry against neighboring suburb, East Longmeadow. Their Thanksgiving Day football game is very popular among residents of both towns. Other rivals include Minnechaug Regional High School, Agawam High School, Springfield Central High School, Westfield High School, and South Hadley High School. Approximately 85% of students are involved in sports at Longmeadow High School.

Lacrosse

Longmeadow is widely known for their storied high school lacrosse tradition in both the boys' and girls' programs. Since 1970, the first year of varsity play for the boys' lacrosse program at Longmeadow, the team has established a tradition of excellence and earned a position as one of the top programs in the State, winning Massachusetts State Championships (a total of 18) in 1970, '74–'77, '79–'81, '83–'86, '88–90, '92, '97, '08, and 2013 (boys), a win over Medfield (10–7). 1981 was legendary coach Dave Stockwell's final year at the helm; that year's team went undefeated.

Longmeadow's boys' team has produced 36 All-American selections and six Academic All-American selections, and many of the lacrosse alumni have gone on to play lacrosse for top collegiate programs.

Football

Longmeadow High School's football team has gone to 14 straight Western-Central Mass Division I Super Bowls under Head Coach Alex Rotsko.

Longmeadow has won 8 of the 12 Western-Central Mass Division I Super Bowls (which began in 1997) and 10 overall since 1972.

In four out of the last five seasons, the football team has gone undefeated, including back to back to back perfect seasons. The 2005 football (12–0) team beat Leominster in the Division 1 Super Bowl 21–20 in Holyoke.

The 2006 team (12–0) beat Leominster again, but in a more dominant fashion, 42–0 at Worcester State University.

The 2007 team finished 13–0, a school record due to the new playoff system, and beat Leominster 21–0 in the Division 1 Super Bowl at Westfield State University.

Longmeadow held a 47-game winning streak from 2005–2008, one of the longest high school winning streaks in the country at the time. The streak eventually came to an end on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2008 to heated rival East Longmeadow, losing by a score of 16-13 and ending the 47-game winning streak. However, they went on to participate in their 13th consecutive Division I Super Bowl, and went on to win their 9th Western-Central Mass State Championship over Fitchburg.

The 2014 reached the Division 2 State Championship. But they fell to Marshfield High School, 45-6. The Lancers trailed, 39-0, at halftime.

Boys' tennis

Longmeadow's boys' tennis program has won seventeen straight Western Mass titles (D-I). In 2006, the team ended a 9-year losing streak to St. Johns (all nine loses came in the state semi-final). Recently, the program has proven to be a contender every year. Meadow fell short in 2006 against Sharon, in 2008 against Central Catholic, and lost 3–2 in 2009 against Central Catholic.

The Longmeadow boys' tennis team has not lost a match against a Western Mass team in six years.

Other sports

Music program

Longmeadow High School is known for its Grammy award-winning music program, which includes an orchestra, a student-run chamber orchestra, two bands (a concert band and an honors level Wind Ensemble), a jazz band, a pep band, four women's choirs, a men's choir, an honors choir, an a cappella women's choir, and an honors a cappella choir. These ensembles have received numerous awards and honors, including going on international tours, giving performances at Carnegie Hall and Boston Symphony Hall, and receiving MICCA Festival Gold Medals. In the 50s and 60s, Longmeadow High School was known for musical productions like Oklahoma and The Mikado.

In 2014, for the first time in history, Longmeadow Symphony Orchestra was picked to perform at All-Eastern in Providence, Rhode Island.

Other accomplishments

In June 2010, Longmeadow High School won the championship of the WGBH TV program, High School Quiz Show, defeating The Bromfield School in the final match. The school also competed in the WGBY-TV quiz show, As Schools Match Wits, where their 2010 team reached the finals.[5]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/state_report/sat_perf.aspx
  2. ↑ Get The Feeling: Masacksic 1988, Vol. 32.
  3. 1 2 "America's Best High Schools". Newsweek. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  4. ↑ Roman, Elizabeth (26 February 2013). "New Longmeadow High School opens its doors to students, staff". The Republican. MassLive. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "As Schools Match Wits" website. "2010 Championship Game: Longmeadow High School Vs. Northampton School, Wed June 23, 2010, 7:30pm

Coordinates: 42°03′20.34″N 72°33′37.32″W / 42.0556500°N 72.5603667°W / 42.0556500; -72.5603667

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