Housatonic Valley Regional High School
Encyclopedia
Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS) is a regional high school
in the town of Falls Village, Connecticut
in Litchfield County. The school currently has a student population of approximately 590 in grades 9 to 12. It serves six towns: Sharon
, Kent
, North Canaan
, Canaan (Falls Village)
, Salisbury
, and Cornwall
, including the unincorporated villages (such as Lime Rock
and Lakeville) within those towns. It was established in 1939 as a result of a special act of the Connecticut State Legislature in 1937. It is the first regional high school in New England
.
In recent years, the school facility has been expanded; the most recent addition is the new agricultural education center, library, and science labs completed in 2001. The school facility includes one gymnasium, an auditorium, a cafeteria and dozens of classrooms. The school sat under the shadow of a white oak, from which the yearbook
The White Oak takes its name. The historic White Oak was so badly damaged in a storm on Monday, July 5, 2004, shortly after the arrival of previous principal Dr. Gretchen Foster, that it was taken down. The School also has two other courtyards: the Sophomore Courtyard located near the cafeteria, and the Faculty Courtyard (formerly Freshmen courtyard). In 2007, HVRHS became the North American Champions of the Canon Envirothon competition,.
In early 2008, a plan was unveiled to renovate the former Clark B. Wood Agricultural Center on campus. Part of that building, closed in 2001 after a renovation project, has already been turned into the artgarage, an afterschool activity center. Completion is expected in 2011.
to continue on to professional sports careers are John Lamb and Steve Blass
, both Major League Baseball
pitcher
s for the Pittsburgh Pirates
. Blass was drafted out of HVRHS, and pitched in the 1971 World Series
. He is currently a sportscaster
for the Pirates.
The Housatonic mascot is The Mountaineer. The school's colors are royal blue and gold, and is a member of the Berkshire League (it is a member of the Pequot Uncas for football). The school has the following sports:
Winter:
Spring:
Winter:
Spring:
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in the town of Falls Village, Connecticut
Falls Village, Connecticut
Falls Village is a village and census-designated place in the town of Canaan, Connecticut. Because Falls Village is the town center and principal constituent village in Canaan, the entire town is often referred to as "Falls Village." That usage also avoids confusion of the town with Canaan Village...
in Litchfield County. The school currently has a student population of approximately 590 in grades 9 to 12. It serves six towns: Sharon
Sharon, Connecticut
Sharon is a town located in Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the northwest corner of the state. It is bounded on the north by Salisbury, on the east by the Housatonic River, on the south by Kent, and on the west by Dutchess County, New York...
, Kent
Kent, Connecticut
Kent is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, alongside the border with New York. The population was 2,858 at the 2000 census. The town is home to three New England boarding schools: South Kent School, Kent School and The Marvelwood School. The Schaghticoke Indian Reservation is also located...
, North Canaan
North Canaan, Connecticut
North Canaan is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,350 at the 2000 census. The town center is still called "Canaan" by local residents, being the main town center of the old Town of Canaan prior to North Canaan splitting off as its own town.The Union Depot...
, Canaan (Falls Village)
Canaan, Connecticut
Canaan is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,081 at the 2000 census. The town of Canaan is often referred to locally by the name of its principal constituent village, Falls Village.-Geography:...
, Salisbury
Salisbury, Connecticut
Salisbury is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The town is the northwest-most in the State of Connecticut. The MA-NY-CT Tri-State Marker is located just on the border of Salisbury...
, and Cornwall
Cornwall, Connecticut
Cornwall is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,434 at the 2000 census.In 1939 poet Mark Van Doren wrote "The Hills of Little Cornwall", a short poem in which the beauties of the countryside were portrayed as seductive:The town was also home to the Foreign...
, including the unincorporated villages (such as Lime Rock
Lime Rock (Salisbury, Connecticut)
Lime Rock is a village and historic district in the town of Salisbury, Connecticut, United States, situated on the Salmon Kill. The village center and the historic district are substantially similar...
and Lakeville) within those towns. It was established in 1939 as a result of a special act of the Connecticut State Legislature in 1937. It is the first regional high school in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
.
History
Prior to the opening of Housatonic Valley Regional High School, four of the six towns it currently serves each had its own tiny high school. In the 1920s, William Teague, the state's rural supervisor of schools, suggested that Connecticut's sprawling Northwest Corner consolidate its public schools. In 1937, the Connecticut legislature authorized the formation of the first regional school district in the state (hence the name of the new district, "Regional School District Number One"). The newly formed school board purchased the 75 acres (303,514.5 m²) former Lorch farm at the junction of the Salmon Kill and the Housatonic River near the Canaan-Salisbury town line for $8,000. The school was subsequently constructed on that site, opening in the fall of 1939.In recent years, the school facility has been expanded; the most recent addition is the new agricultural education center, library, and science labs completed in 2001. The school facility includes one gymnasium, an auditorium, a cafeteria and dozens of classrooms. The school sat under the shadow of a white oak, from which the yearbook
Yearbook
A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
The White Oak takes its name. The historic White Oak was so badly damaged in a storm on Monday, July 5, 2004, shortly after the arrival of previous principal Dr. Gretchen Foster, that it was taken down. The School also has two other courtyards: the Sophomore Courtyard located near the cafeteria, and the Faculty Courtyard (formerly Freshmen courtyard). In 2007, HVRHS became the North American Champions of the Canon Envirothon competition,.
In early 2008, a plan was unveiled to renovate the former Clark B. Wood Agricultural Center on campus. Part of that building, closed in 2001 after a renovation project, has already been turned into the artgarage, an afterschool activity center. Completion is expected in 2011.
Curriculum
In addition to the standard high school curricula, the school offers a variety of elective classes including drawing, color and design, painting, photography, pottery, sculpture, wood technology, metal technology, drafting, and a wide array of courses in agriculture.Athletics
Housatonic supports a large number of sports in comparison to other schools in its league. Housatonic has earned three state championships; Girls Track (1985 and 1988) and Division IX Golf (2007). Its notable alumniAlumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
to continue on to professional sports careers are John Lamb and Steve Blass
Steve Blass
Stephen Robert "Steve" Blass is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher and a current broadcast announcer for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Playing career:Blass was born in Canaan, Connecticut...
, both Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
s for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. Blass was drafted out of HVRHS, and pitched in the 1971 World Series
1971 World Series
The 1971 World Series matched the defending champion Baltimore Orioles against the Pittsburgh Pirates, with the Pirates winning in seven games. Game 4, played in Pittsburgh, was the first-ever World Series game scheduled to be played at night....
. He is currently a sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
for the Pirates.
The Housatonic mascot is The Mountaineer. The school's colors are royal blue and gold, and is a member of the Berkshire League (it is a member of the Pequot Uncas for football). The school has the following sports:
Boys' Sports
Fall:- Football
- Soccer (BL Champs 2005, BL Runner-Ups 2010)
- Cross-CountryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
Winter:
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- HockeyHockeyHockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
- SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
- WrestlingScholastic wrestlingScholastic wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the high school and middle school levels in the United States. This wrestling style is essentially Collegiate wrestling with some slight modifications. It is currently...
- Alpine SkiingAlpine skiingAlpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
Spring:
- Baseball
- Track and Field
- Tennis
- Lacrosse
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
Girl's Sports
Fall:- Soccer(BL co-champs 2007)
- Cross Country
- VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
(BL champs 2007) - Field Hockey
Winter:
- Basketball(BL champs 2007-08)
- Swimming
- Alpine Skiing(CHAMPS 2007-08)
Spring:
- Softball
- Track
- Tennis
- Lacrosse
- Golf