Lexington High School (Massachusetts)
Encyclopedia
Lexington High School is a public high school
located in Lexington, Massachusetts
, United States
. It teaches grades 9-12. The school's mascot is the Minuteman.
In 2008 it was ranked by the Boston Globe as one of the top three high schools in the state.
The Arts and Humanities House, contains the bulk of the following departments: English, Social Studies, Fine and Performing Arts, and Physical Education. It also has the Donald J. Gillespie, Jr. Auditorium, the Ralph Lord Gymnasium, and a fieldhouse. Commons I and Commons II are used as cafeterias and meeting places. The library and the main administration office are also in this building. Thus, the Arts and Humanities building is informally and frequently called the "main" building by many students. The gym, locker rooms, etc. are numbered in the 900s. Other rooms in the Arts and Humanities building are numbered by floor, 100s for the first floor and 200s for the second floor.
The Science House contains the Science department. The building contains the "Science Lecture Hall" (SLH), which has many purposes, and is used for, among other things, math competitions and detentions. Because detentions are always held in the SLH, most of the chairs and tables have been scarred by etchings and markings containing content of a mostly inappropriate nature. Rooms are numbered by floor, 300s for the first floor and 400s for the second floor.
The World Language House contains the World Language and the Health Education departments, and rooms are numbered by floor, 500s for the first floor and 600s for the second floor.
The Math House contains the Math department, as well as the LABBB program, and rooms are numbered by floor, 700s for the first floor and 800s for the second floor.
The "Quad" is an outdoor common area. It is bounded by the Main building (on two sides), the Science building, and a covered walkway between the Science building and the Foreign Language building.
. The Senate allots to the teachers and the students the power to make decisions about the implementation of policies within the school.
The philosophy behind the creation of the Senate (as quoted from the senate constitution) is as follows:
The Senate is not without its checks and balances, though. The school principal has veto power over the decisions of the Senate, but the Senate can choose to override the principal's veto with a three-fourths supermajority vote.
The Senate is made up of two elected groups, namely, staff representatives and student representatives. The faculty representatives are chosen at large, one representative for every ten high school staff, with the stipulation that at least one representative is elected from each of the various departments. Student representatives are elected one representative for every 50 members of the student body. The number of student representatives is determined annually based on current enrollment in grades 8-11, and then divided among the classes per the school constitution. Student representatives allotted to a class are elected by that class at large.
Up to five seats are open for students to represent under-represented groups. Said groups must petition the Senate for such representation.
Classes begin at 7:45 a.m. and end at 2:25 p.m. Lexington High School operates on a block schedule
containing 32 blocks per week, with classes between 45 and 55 minutes long. The blocks are organized in eight groups of four, assigned letter designations from A to H. The first A block of the week is denoted A1; the second, A2; etc. Meetings of the school senate take place during first block (denoted as X block) on Wednesdays; classes do not begin on Wednesday until 8:35. Z block is the 35 minute period between 2:25 pm and 3:00 pm; clubs and athletics are not allowed to begin mandatory meetings during this time to allow students the opportunity to meet with teachers. Among other times, students are also generally able to meet with teachers during X block. Students are required to attend homeroom on Tuesdays and Thursdays for announcements.
Credits at Lexington High School are usually awarded 1/4 credit per block-per-week per quarter. That is, a full-year, four block-per-week course will usually earn four credits. A half-year, 4 block-per-week course will usually earn two credits. A quarter-long, two block-per-week course (such as a gym course) will usually earn 1/2 credit. Hypothetically, a full-year class that meets only once a week will earn one credit. Most English, math, social studies and foreign language classes are worth four credits, as classes in these departments usually meet during one of these groups of blocks. Science classes are generally worth five credits, while the AP-level classes in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, are worth six credits, as they meet for six blocks a week, including a double lab block.
As there are 32 blocks per week, the maximum number of credits most students take is 32. There are some exceptions. For example, some (if not all) of the jazz ensembles meet after school, and they are worth four credits. Students taking this can achieve 36 credits. Students may also obtain transfer credit by taking classes at an approved location (such as the Harvard Extension School
). Usually, partial credit will not be given for completing part of a class.
Lexington High School requires that all seniors maintain a schedule of at least 26 credits. Sophomores, and juniors are required a schedule of at least 27 credits. Freshmen are required a schedule of at least 28 credits (and it is recommended that freshmen take no more than 30 credits).
If a student does not have a class during a particular block, then the student is assigned a study hall, unless the student is either a junior who has completed at least 20 community service hours, or a senior who has completed at least 30 hours; these students are given open campus privileges.
In order to graduate, students who attend LHS for all four high school years must complete the following:
Lexington High School offers several computer courses which also receive mathematics credit:
Additionally, students may take Accounting 1 (and, upon completion, Accounting 2), a preparatory course for business management or business administration. Both accounting courses are 4 credit courses.
Students are required to accumulate 16 mathematics credits by graduation time.
Freshmen take Literature and Composition I teamed with World History I in the same group of students, who are in the same homeroom. For instance, a section that meets for Literature and Composition I B block might meet for World History I C block. Teachers in these two courses collaborate extensively. There is no leveling of freshmen English or History classes.
Sophomores take Literature and Composition II, and juniors take American Literature. Both are offered as Level 2, Level 1, and Honors level classes.
Seniors can choose from an array of different semester-long English electives. These classes range in topic from Shakespeare to Creative Writing to Dystopias, and are meant to allow seniors to take the English class that they find most interesting.
, French
, German
, Italian
, Latin
, Mandarin and Spanish
. Among those classes are Advanced Placement courses in French, Mandarin, and Spanish.
Students are required to accumulate eight foreign language credits by graduation or generally two classes; many complete a full four years of a foreign language sequence.
Lexington High School has been well known for its award-winning music program which includes: multiple a cappella
groups; three bands
(wind ensemble, concert band, and symphonic band); two orchestra
s (honors and repertoire); and four choir
groups. The jazz program includes a renowned jazz ensemble, a big band, a combo, and a septet. In August 2004, Lexington high school was invited to perform at the Edinburgh festival in Scotland.
The music program is under the direction of several faculty members, including: Jeffrey Leonard, a wind and jazz specialist and a Berklee graduate; Justin Aramati, a wind specialist and a New England Conservatory graduate; Janet Haas, a string specialist throughout the Lexington Public Schools; Jason Iannuzzi, and Dr. Walter Pavasaris, the fine and performing Arts coordinator and a string conductor renowned throughout New England.
Students are required to accumulate eight fine and performing arts credits by graduation time.
The Lexington High School Drama department is known for putting on fascinating and inventive shows led by head director Steven Bogart. Each year a play is put on in the fall, a musical in the Spring, and a drama festival in the Winter, run and performed by students.
Special projects and grants in the Fine and Performing Arts department are funded by FOLMADS, Inc.
, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization with the mission of supporting the arts in the Lexington Public Schools.
The physical education class Athletic Training is worth 1 credit if 6 hours of training at sports is completed.
Students are required to accumulate six physical education credits by graduation time.
Students are required to accumulate 2 health education credits by graduation time. Thus, students must take both Ad. Health I and Ad. Health II to graduate.
All-Star Competition. The team finished third and fourth in the same division in 2010-11 and 2008-09 respectively.
team has won the State Championship for the last 34 years. Lexington won the Tournament of Champions
in 1994, and had the top speaker, Steve Lehotsky, in 1995.
A Lexington team (Garth Goldwater and Chrissy Kugel, both Class of 2007) also won the Tournament of Champions
in the Public Forum division in 2007. 2011 was a particularly successful year for the Lexington Debate team, with the Lincoln-Douglas team winning the NDCA, and the Lexington Policy Debate Team of Tyler Engler and Arjun Vellayappan placing second at the Tournament of Champions.
The team annually hosts hosts the Lexington Winter Invitational Tournament, nicknamed "Big Lex," with the categories of public forum debate
, policy debate
, and Lincoln-Douglas debate
. The event drew 600 debaters in 2010 from as far away as California.
team won the National competition between 1998 and 2002, the first five years of the competition's existence. In 2009, the team won the regional Blue Lobster Bowl and returned to the National competition to win 2nd place. The team also won regionals in 2011 and repeated their 2nd place performance at the National competition.
Lexington High School's National Science Bowl team qualified for the National competition in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. In 2010, the second team from Lexington also reached the semifinals of the regional qualifying competition before losing to the first team. The team won 2nd place nationally in 2009. In 2011, Lexington's B Team defeated Lexington's A Team in the regional finals.
Science Olympiad
teams also exist at both Lexington High School and Diamond Middle School. The High School team won second place in 2009 and third place in 2010 at the state competition. The middle school team won second in 2010, fourth in both 2008 and 2009, and third in 2007.
Lexington High School's Envirothon
team qualified for the National competition in 2008 and placed 7th.
December 13, 2009 - The Lexington High School Chess Team wins second place in Grade 9 team section of the 2009 National K-12 Scholastic Championship in Dallas, Texas.
March 7, 2010 - The Lexington High School Chess Team ties for first in the high school section of the 2010 Hurvitz Cup Massachusetts Chess State team championship.
March 26, 2011 - The Lexington High School Chess Team wins second at the Rhode Island State Championship.
April 3, 2011 - The Lexington High School Chess Team wins clear first in the high school section of the 2011 Hurvitz Cup Massachusetts Chess State team championship.
May 1, 2011 - The Lexington High School Chess Team wins 13th place in the K12 section of the 2011 Supernational with over a thousand competitors.
In addition, Lexington High School has an Ultimate Frisbee
club, which goes by the name The Hucking Fooligans.
LHS teams compete in the Middlesex League
.
Their main athletic rivals are Concord-Carlisle Regional High School
(Concord, MA) and Burlington High School
(Burlington, MA). In track and cross-country, their main competitors are Reading Memorial High School
(Reading, MA) and Woburn Memorial High School
(Woburn, MA).
Lexington's colors are blue and gold, and their nickname is The Minutemen.
ad. The Muskets First Amendment
rights were maintained with the victory in Yeo v Town of Lexington.
In 2005, Fred Phelps
, of Topeka, Kansas and his church (the Westboro Baptist Church
) protested the Lexington High School graduation because of the school's support of its gay-straight alliance
. The group returned in 2009.
The LABBB program, a special education
program serving mentally challenged students from surrounding towns (Lexington, Arlington, Burlington, Belmont and Bedford) emphasizes real world skills for the mentally handicapped. LHS students have the opportunity to work with the LABBB students in the Best Buddies program, special events, and classes.
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....
located in Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,399 at the 2010 census. This town is famous for being the site of the first shot of the American Revolution, in the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.- History :...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It teaches grades 9-12. The school's mascot is the Minuteman.
In 2008 it was ranked by the Boston Globe as one of the top three high schools in the state.
Building plan
Lexington High School's facilities are divided into four buildings.The Arts and Humanities House, contains the bulk of the following departments: English, Social Studies, Fine and Performing Arts, and Physical Education. It also has the Donald J. Gillespie, Jr. Auditorium, the Ralph Lord Gymnasium, and a fieldhouse. Commons I and Commons II are used as cafeterias and meeting places. The library and the main administration office are also in this building. Thus, the Arts and Humanities building is informally and frequently called the "main" building by many students. The gym, locker rooms, etc. are numbered in the 900s. Other rooms in the Arts and Humanities building are numbered by floor, 100s for the first floor and 200s for the second floor.
The Science House contains the Science department. The building contains the "Science Lecture Hall" (SLH), which has many purposes, and is used for, among other things, math competitions and detentions. Because detentions are always held in the SLH, most of the chairs and tables have been scarred by etchings and markings containing content of a mostly inappropriate nature. Rooms are numbered by floor, 300s for the first floor and 400s for the second floor.
The World Language House contains the World Language and the Health Education departments, and rooms are numbered by floor, 500s for the first floor and 600s for the second floor.
The Math House contains the Math department, as well as the LABBB program, and rooms are numbered by floor, 700s for the first floor and 800s for the second floor.
The "Quad" is an outdoor common area. It is bounded by the Main building (on two sides), the Science building, and a covered walkway between the Science building and the Foreign Language building.
Senate
In the 1980s, there was a movement to give students a bigger voice within the school. Soon enough a new school constitution was ratified, creating a new school Student/Faculty SenateSenate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature or parliament. There have been many such bodies in history, since senate means the assembly of the eldest and wiser members of the society and ruling class...
. The Senate allots to the teachers and the students the power to make decisions about the implementation of policies within the school.
The philosophy behind the creation of the Senate (as quoted from the senate constitution) is as follows:
The Senate is not without its checks and balances, though. The school principal has veto power over the decisions of the Senate, but the Senate can choose to override the principal's veto with a three-fourths supermajority vote.
The Senate is made up of two elected groups, namely, staff representatives and student representatives. The faculty representatives are chosen at large, one representative for every ten high school staff, with the stipulation that at least one representative is elected from each of the various departments. Student representatives are elected one representative for every 50 members of the student body. The number of student representatives is determined annually based on current enrollment in grades 8-11, and then divided among the classes per the school constitution. Student representatives allotted to a class are elected by that class at large.
Up to five seats are open for students to represent under-represented groups. Said groups must petition the Senate for such representation.
Curriculum and class schedule
Lexington High School offers a wide variety of courses for its students.Classes begin at 7:45 a.m. and end at 2:25 p.m. Lexington High School operates on a block schedule
Block scheduling
Block scheduling is a type of academic scheduling in which each student has fewer classes per day but each class is scheduled for a longer period of time . A student might be taking 7 different classes, but only 4 per day, and the specific daily classes would rotate through a changing daily cycle...
containing 32 blocks per week, with classes between 45 and 55 minutes long. The blocks are organized in eight groups of four, assigned letter designations from A to H. The first A block of the week is denoted A1; the second, A2; etc. Meetings of the school senate take place during first block (denoted as X block) on Wednesdays; classes do not begin on Wednesday until 8:35. Z block is the 35 minute period between 2:25 pm and 3:00 pm; clubs and athletics are not allowed to begin mandatory meetings during this time to allow students the opportunity to meet with teachers. Among other times, students are also generally able to meet with teachers during X block. Students are required to attend homeroom on Tuesdays and Thursdays for announcements.
Credits at Lexington High School are usually awarded 1/4 credit per block-per-week per quarter. That is, a full-year, four block-per-week course will usually earn four credits. A half-year, 4 block-per-week course will usually earn two credits. A quarter-long, two block-per-week course (such as a gym course) will usually earn 1/2 credit. Hypothetically, a full-year class that meets only once a week will earn one credit. Most English, math, social studies and foreign language classes are worth four credits, as classes in these departments usually meet during one of these groups of blocks. Science classes are generally worth five credits, while the AP-level classes in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, are worth six credits, as they meet for six blocks a week, including a double lab block.
As there are 32 blocks per week, the maximum number of credits most students take is 32. There are some exceptions. For example, some (if not all) of the jazz ensembles meet after school, and they are worth four credits. Students taking this can achieve 36 credits. Students may also obtain transfer credit by taking classes at an approved location (such as the Harvard Extension School
Harvard Extension School
Harvard University Extension School, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of the thirteen degree-granting schools of Harvard University and is part of the Division of Continuing Education.-Origins:...
). Usually, partial credit will not be given for completing part of a class.
Lexington High School requires that all seniors maintain a schedule of at least 26 credits. Sophomores, and juniors are required a schedule of at least 27 credits. Freshmen are required a schedule of at least 28 credits (and it is recommended that freshmen take no more than 30 credits).
If a student does not have a class during a particular block, then the student is assigned a study hall, unless the student is either a junior who has completed at least 20 community service hours, or a senior who has completed at least 30 hours; these students are given open campus privileges.
In order to graduate, students who attend LHS for all four high school years must complete the following:
- 104 total credits, including the subject requirements listed below
- 40 hours of community service
- Pass the MCAS exams in ELA (English and Language Arts) and Mathematics (This is a requirement of all Massachusetts schools.)
Mathematics
Core mathematics classes include each of the following:- Integrated Math, a two-year sequence designed for students with difficulties in mathematical abstraction
- Algebra 1 or 1B, which is usually completed in the eighth grade curriculum
- Algebra 2 (Honors, Level 1, or Level 2), generally taken by freshmen
- Geometry (Honors, Level 1, or Level 2), generally taken by sophomores
- Advanced Mathematics (Honors, Level 1, or "Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry"), generally taken by juniors and covering pre-calculus topics
- Calculus (Honors-AP BC, Honors-AP AB, or Level 1), generally taken by seniors
- Statistics (Honors-AP or Level 1), generally taken by seniors in lieu of, in conjunction with, or after completion of, a calculus course
Lexington High School offers several computer courses which also receive mathematics credit:
- Level 1 Introduction to Programming I and II, both of which are 2 credit semester-long Level 1 courses taught using C++
- Honors-AP Computer Science, which was formerly in preparation for the AB exam, but is now in preparation for the A exam with the elimination of the AB
- Advanced Computer Programming, a 2 credit semester-long course that can be repeated for credit
Additionally, students may take Accounting 1 (and, upon completion, Accounting 2), a preparatory course for business management or business administration. Both accounting courses are 4 credit courses.
Students are required to accumulate 16 mathematics credits by graduation time.
English
Students are required to accumulate 16 English credits by graduation time.Freshmen take Literature and Composition I teamed with World History I in the same group of students, who are in the same homeroom. For instance, a section that meets for Literature and Composition I B block might meet for World History I C block. Teachers in these two courses collaborate extensively. There is no leveling of freshmen English or History classes.
Sophomores take Literature and Composition II, and juniors take American Literature. Both are offered as Level 2, Level 1, and Honors level classes.
Seniors can choose from an array of different semester-long English electives. These classes range in topic from Shakespeare to Creative Writing to Dystopias, and are meant to allow seniors to take the English class that they find most interesting.
Social Studies
Students are required to accumulate 16 social studies credits by graduation time. Freshmen take World History I, an unleveled course that covers topics from Ancient Rome, India, and China up to 1350. The course focuses on a largely non-Eurocentric approach. Sophomores then cover the remainder of World History. Juniors are obliged take U.S. History. Seniors have multiple electives to get their remaining credits. Electives include focused history courses and Debate.Foreign Language
Lexington High School offers sequences of classes in seven languages: ASLAmerican Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, Mandarin and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. Among those classes are Advanced Placement courses in French, Mandarin, and Spanish.
Students are required to accumulate eight foreign language credits by graduation or generally two classes; many complete a full four years of a foreign language sequence.
Fine and Performing Arts
Many arts classes are worth two credits, meeting four times a week for a semester; and many are worth four credits, meeting four times a week for a full year.Lexington High School has been well known for its award-winning music program which includes: multiple a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
groups; three bands
Concert band
A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, wind ensemble, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family, and percussion instrument family.A...
(wind ensemble, concert band, and symphonic band); two orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
s (honors and repertoire); and four choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
groups. The jazz program includes a renowned jazz ensemble, a big band, a combo, and a septet. In August 2004, Lexington high school was invited to perform at the Edinburgh festival in Scotland.
The music program is under the direction of several faculty members, including: Jeffrey Leonard, a wind and jazz specialist and a Berklee graduate; Justin Aramati, a wind specialist and a New England Conservatory graduate; Janet Haas, a string specialist throughout the Lexington Public Schools; Jason Iannuzzi, and Dr. Walter Pavasaris, the fine and performing Arts coordinator and a string conductor renowned throughout New England.
Students are required to accumulate eight fine and performing arts credits by graduation time.
The Lexington High School Drama department is known for putting on fascinating and inventive shows led by head director Steven Bogart. Each year a play is put on in the fall, a musical in the Spring, and a drama festival in the Winter, run and performed by students.
Special projects and grants in the Fine and Performing Arts department are funded by FOLMADS, Inc.
FOLMADS, Inc.
FOLMADS, Inc., or Friends of Lexington Music, Art, and Drama Students, Inc. is a non-profit organization created to foster and promote excellence in the fine and performing arts programs in the Lexington Public Schools. FOLMADS furnishes grant money for various projects within the district, such...
, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization with the mission of supporting the arts in the Lexington Public Schools.
Physical Education
Most physical education classes are worth 0.5 credits, as they are scheduled to meet twice a week for one quarter.The physical education class Athletic Training is worth 1 credit if 6 hours of training at sports is completed.
Students are required to accumulate six physical education credits by graduation time.
Health Education
There are only two classes in this department: Adolescent Health Issues I, taken mostly by freshmen; and Adolescent Health Issues II, taken mostly by juniors. Both classes are worth 1 credit, as both classes meet twice a week for a semester.Students are required to accumulate 2 health education credits by graduation time. Thus, students must take both Ad. Health I and Ad. Health II to graduate.
Interdisciplinary Studies
There are several classes that count for credits in more than one department, including web design, and dance.Guidance Seminars
Freshman and Seniors meet with their guidance counselors first quarter, while sophomores and juniors meet with their counselors 3rd quarter. This time is set aside for a 3-week program where counselors get to speak to their students about certain issues. For freshman it's mainly to discuss the transition from middle school into high school. For sophomores, career options is the major focus. For Juniors the purpose is to introduce the idea of taking the PSAT, SAT & ACT. Finally for seniors, the focus is the college admission process.Computer Science Team
Lexington High School's Computer Science Team won second place in the Senior-5 division at the 2009-10 American Computer Science LeagueAmerican Computer Science League
ACSL , or the American Computer Science League, is an international computer science competition among more than 200 schools. Each round consists of two parts: a written section and a programming section...
All-Star Competition. The team finished third and fourth in the same division in 2010-11 and 2008-09 respectively.
Debate Team
Lexington High School's debateDebate
Debate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
team has won the State Championship for the last 34 years. Lexington won the Tournament of Champions
Tournament of Champions (debate)
The Tournament of Champions is a high school debate tournament held annually at the University of Kentucky on the first weekend of May. It is the most prestigious tournament on the "national circuit," representing some of the most competitively successful debaters from the nation's most prestigious...
in 1994, and had the top speaker, Steve Lehotsky, in 1995.
A Lexington team (Garth Goldwater and Chrissy Kugel, both Class of 2007) also won the Tournament of Champions
Tournament of Champions (debate)
The Tournament of Champions is a high school debate tournament held annually at the University of Kentucky on the first weekend of May. It is the most prestigious tournament on the "national circuit," representing some of the most competitively successful debaters from the nation's most prestigious...
in the Public Forum division in 2007. 2011 was a particularly successful year for the Lexington Debate team, with the Lincoln-Douglas team winning the NDCA, and the Lexington Policy Debate Team of Tyler Engler and Arjun Vellayappan placing second at the Tournament of Champions.
The team annually hosts hosts the Lexington Winter Invitational Tournament, nicknamed "Big Lex," with the categories of public forum debate
Public forum debate
Public forum debate, also known as crossfire debate, PFD , is a style of debate practiced in National Forensic League, Texas Forensics Association, and National Catholic Forensic League competitions....
, policy debate
Policy debate
Policy debate is a form of speech competition in which teams of two advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States federal government or security discourse...
, and Lincoln-Douglas debate
Lincoln-Douglas debate
Lincoln–Douglas debate is sometimes also called values debate because it traditionally places a heavy emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy...
. The event drew 600 debaters in 2010 from as far away as California.
Math Team
Lexington High School's math team is widely renowned for its successes. For more on Lexington High School's math team, see Math Teams in Lexington Public Schools (Massachusetts)Math Teams in Lexington Public Schools (Massachusetts)
The various math teams of the Lexington Public Schools system in Lexington, Massachusetts are renowned for their individual and team-wise successes in many events and competitions...
Science Teams
Lexington High School's National Ocean Sciences BowlNational Ocean Sciences Bowl
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl is a national, high-school science competition sponsored by the National Oceanographic Partnership Program and managed by the which started in the 1970s. It uses a quiz-bowl format, with lockout buzzers and extended team challenge questions to test students on...
team won the National competition between 1998 and 2002, the first five years of the competition's existence. In 2009, the team won the regional Blue Lobster Bowl and returned to the National competition to win 2nd place. The team also won regionals in 2011 and repeated their 2nd place performance at the National competition.
Lexington High School's National Science Bowl team qualified for the National competition in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. In 2010, the second team from Lexington also reached the semifinals of the regional qualifying competition before losing to the first team. The team won 2nd place nationally in 2009. In 2011, Lexington's B Team defeated Lexington's A Team in the regional finals.
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 6,200 teams from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals...
teams also exist at both Lexington High School and Diamond Middle School. The High School team won second place in 2009 and third place in 2010 at the state competition. The middle school team won second in 2010, fourth in both 2008 and 2009, and third in 2007.
Lexington High School's Envirothon
Envirothon
Envirothon is an annual environmentally themed academic competition held by the United States and Canada on a regional, state, and national level. It is sponsored by Canon, conservation districts, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Association of Conservation Districts...
team qualified for the National competition in 2008 and placed 7th.
Chess Team
The chess team has been composed by internationally ranked chess players for many years now. The team also has both national and state champions on its roster. The Lexington High School Chess team made its debut in 2008 at the annual Hurvitz Cup which is Massachusetts State Chess team championship. The Chess team placed 4th overall.December 13, 2009 - The Lexington High School Chess Team wins second place in Grade 9 team section of the 2009 National K-12 Scholastic Championship in Dallas, Texas.
March 7, 2010 - The Lexington High School Chess Team ties for first in the high school section of the 2010 Hurvitz Cup Massachusetts Chess State team championship.
March 26, 2011 - The Lexington High School Chess Team wins second at the Rhode Island State Championship.
April 3, 2011 - The Lexington High School Chess Team wins clear first in the high school section of the 2011 Hurvitz Cup Massachusetts Chess State team championship.
May 1, 2011 - The Lexington High School Chess Team wins 13th place in the K12 section of the 2011 Supernational with over a thousand competitors.
School sports
Lexington High School offers the following sports:- Fall: August–November
- FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
: VarsityVarsity teamIn the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
, Junior Varsity, FreshmanFreshmanA freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a... - Soccer: Boys' Varsity, Boys' Junior Varsity, Boys' Freshman, Girls' Varsity, Girls' Junior Varsity, Girls' Freshman
- Field HockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
: Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman - 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...
: Girls' Varsity - 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...
: Boys' Varsity, Girls' Varsity - 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...
: Girls' Varsity, Girls' Junior Varsity, Girls' Freshman - 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....
: Co-ed Varsity - CheerleadingCheerleadingCheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
: Football, Basketball
- Football
- Winter: December–February
- 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...
: Boys' Varsity, Boys' Junior Varsity, Boys' Freshman, Girls' Varsity, Girls' Junior Varsity, Girls' Freshman - Ice HockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
: Boys' Varsity, Boys' Junior Varsity, Girls' Varsity, Girls' Junior Varsity - WrestlingWrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
: Varsity, Junior Varsity - Indoor TrackTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
: Boys' Varsity, Boys' Junior Varsity, Girls' Varsity, Girls' Junior Varsity - Swimming: Boys' Varsity
- Cheerleading: Co-ed Basketball/Ice Hockey
- Basketball
- Spring: March–June
- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
: Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman - SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
: Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman - LacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
: Boys' Varsity, Boys' Junior Varsity, Boys' Freshman, Girls' Varsity, Girls' Junior Varsity, Girls' Freshman - Outdoor TrackTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
: Boys' Varsity, Boys' Junior Varsity, Girls' Varsity, Girls' Junior Varsity - TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
: Boys' Varsity, Boys' Junior Varsity, Girls' Varsity, Girls' Junior Varsity
- Baseball
In addition, Lexington High School has an Ultimate Frisbee
Ultimate (sport)
Ultimate is a sport played with a 175 gram flying disc. The object of the game is to score points by passing the disc to a player in the opposing end zone, similar to an end zone in American football or rugby...
club, which goes by the name The Hucking Fooligans.
LHS teams compete in the Middlesex League
Middlesex League
The Middlesex League is a high school sports conference located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The twelve member schools are all members of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association.-Sports:*Fall: August–November...
.
Their main athletic rivals are Concord-Carlisle Regional High School
Concord-Carlisle High School
Concord-Carlisle Regional High School is a public high school located in Concord, Massachusetts, USA, northwest of Boston. The school serves grades 9-12, and as part of the Concord-Carlisle Regional School District, has students from both Concord and Carlisle, Massachusetts...
(Concord, MA) and Burlington High School
Burlington High School (Burlington, Massachusetts)
Burlington High School is located at 123 Cambridge Street in Burlington, Massachusetts. Burlington High School is a four year comprehensive high school accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.-Famous alumni:...
(Burlington, MA). In track and cross-country, their main competitors are Reading Memorial High School
Reading Memorial High School
Reading Memorial High School is an award winning four year public high school located in Reading, Massachusetts, USA. Reading Memorial is managed by Reading Public Schools. The school has a student body of over 1,200 drawn from Parker Middle School and Coolidge Middle School. A new building...
(Reading, MA) and Woburn Memorial High School
Woburn Memorial High School
Woburn Memorial High School is a public high school located in Woburn, Massachusetts. Woburn participates in the Middlesex League and is home to the Tanners and Tannerettes. The nickname "Tanners" has a historical context. In the late 19th century Woburn was one of the biggest producers of leather...
(Woburn, MA).
Lexington's colors are blue and gold, and their nickname is The Minutemen.
Acknowledgments
- The LHS golf team has won (or shared the title) of the Middlesex League 4 out of the past 6 years.
- The Lexington High School Boys soccer team has won the Middlesex League for the past several years, and in the 2008 fall season, won every single league game, garnering nation-wide attention, being voted the #8 high school soccer team in the entire country by ESPN Rise.
- Boy's Swimming and Basketball have recently been awarded the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association's "sportsmanship award" for 2007-2008.
- The cross-country team was undefeated from 2000–2008.
- The Lexington High School Boys swim team has won the Middlesex League Championship for the last thirteen years in addition to many other league titles, making it the second most successful Lexington High School sports team.
- The LHS Boys Indoor Track team won the Massachusetts Division I State Championships in 2006 and repeated in 2007. In 2007, the Lexington Boys outdoor track team captured both the Division I State Championship and the All-State Championship.
- The LHS Girl's Varsity Softball team won the Massachusetts Division I State Championships in 2008 and 2009.
- Former LHS Football coach Bill Tighe was the oldest football coach in the country.
Other Details
In 1997 The Musket ran into controversy by refusing to run an abstinenceAbstinence
Abstinence is a voluntary restraint from indulging in bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. Most frequently, the term refers to sexual abstinence, or abstention from alcohol or food. The practice can arise from religious prohibitions or practical...
ad. The Muskets First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
rights were maintained with the victory in Yeo v Town of Lexington.
In 2005, Fred Phelps
Fred Phelps
Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr. is an American pastor heading the Westboro Baptist Church , an independent Baptist church based in Topeka, Kansas...
, of Topeka, Kansas and his church (the Westboro Baptist Church
Westboro Baptist Church
The Westboro Baptist Church is an independent Baptist church known for its extreme stance against homosexuality and its protest activities, which include picketing funerals and desecrating the American flag. The church is widely described as a hate group and is monitored as such by the...
) protested the Lexington High School graduation because of the school's support of its gay-straight alliance
Gay-straight alliance
Gay–straight alliances are student organizations, found primarily in North American high schools and universities, that are intended to provide a safe and supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth and their straight allies .-Goal:The goal of most, if not all,...
. The group returned in 2009.
The LABBB program, a special education
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
program serving mentally challenged students from surrounding towns (Lexington, Arlington, Burlington, Belmont and Bedford) emphasizes real world skills for the mentally handicapped. LHS students have the opportunity to work with the LABBB students in the Best Buddies program, special events, and classes.
Notable alumni
- Orny AdamsOrny AdamsOrny Adams is an American actor, comedy writer and stand-up comic.-Life and career:Adams is a native of Lexington, Massachusetts...
born Adam Orenstein, comedian and writer - Richard Aster, Professor of Geophysics and Chair at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology; President of the Seismological Society of America '77
- Ben Bertini Class of '35 Bruins and Olympic Hockey Trainer
- Carolyn BertozziCarolyn R. BertozziCarolyn Ruth Bertozzi is an American chemist. She is the T.Z. and Irmgard Chu Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley; Professor of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology at the University of California, San...
, T.Z. and Irmgard Chu Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology at UC Berkeley, member of US National Academy of Sciences '84 - James MacGregor BurnsJames MacGregor BurnsJames MacGregor Burns is an historian and political scientist, presidential biographer, and authority on leadership studies. He is the Woodrow Wilson Professor of Government Emeritus at Williams College and Distinguished Leadership Scholar at the of the School of Public Policy at the University...
, Class of '35 Presidential Biographer, - Kurt BusiekKurt BusiekKurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.-Early life:...
, writer '78 - Gerry Connell, TV Host: Better Your Home, and The Home Pro on The Learning/Discovery Channels
- Rachel DratchRachel DratchRachel Susan Dratch is an American comic actress best known for her roles as a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1999 to 2006.-Early life:...
, '84 former cast member of Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture... - Brad EllisBrad EllisBrad Ellis is an American composer, musical director, orchestrator and jazz pianist. Ellis is perhaps most visible as the quiet teacher/piano accompanist for the high school kids on Glee, the Fox television show for which he is part of creator Ryan Murphy's musical production team.Ellis had a long...
, Pianist on the TV show Glee, around '78-'80 - Richard Friedenberg, Screenwriter, Emmy Winner, Grizzly Adams, Oscar Nominee A River Runs Through It
- Bathsheba GrossmanBathsheba GrossmanBathsheba Grossman is an artist in Santa Cruz, California who creates sculptures using computer-aided design and three-dimensional modeling, with metal printing technology to produce sculpture in bronze and stainless steel. Her bronze sculptures are primarily mathematical in nature, often...
, sculptor '84 - Lev GrossmanLev GrossmanLev Grossman is an American novelist and journalist, notably the author of the novels Warp , Codex , The Magicians and The Magician King...
, novelist and senior writer at Time Magazine '87 - Jon LandauJon LandauJon Landau is an American music critic, manager and record producer, most known for his association in all three capacities with Bruce Springsteen.He is currently the head of the nominating committee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame....
,Class of '64 Manager, Bruce Springsteen - Ron LeeRon LeeRonald Henry Lee was an All-American basketball player for the University of Oregon, and epitomized the "Kamikaze Kids" under coach Dick Harter with his all-out, fearless hustle and relentless desire to win. Lee played four seasons for the Ducks between 1972 and 1976...
, former NBA Basketball player (1977–82) - Zachary LemniosZachary LemniosZachary J. Lemnios is an American scientist who currently holds the post of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering , formerly known as Director, Defense Research and Engineering , in the United States Government.He was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 19, 2009,...
, Class of '72, Assistant Secretary of Defense - Scott McCloudScott McCloudScott McCloud is an American cartoonist and theorist on comics as a distinct literary and artistic medium...
, cartoonist and comics theorist '78 - Bill McKibbenBill McKibbenWilliam Ernest "Bill" McKibben is an American environmentalist, author, and journalist who has written extensively on the impact of global warming. He is the Schumann Distinguished Scholar at Middlebury College...
, environmentalist and writer '77
- Eugene MirmanEugene MirmanEugene Boris Mirman is a Russian-born American comedian, writer, and filmmaker. Mirman currently plays Yvgeny Mirminsky on Delocated, and voices Gene Belcher for the animated comedy Bob's Burgers.-Early life:Mirman was born in Russia to Jewish parents...
, comedian, writer, and film maker '92 - Catherine MurphyCatherine MurphyCatherine Murphy may refer to:* Catherine Murphy , Irish independent politician and TD for Kildare North* Catherine Murphy , last woman to suffer execution by burning in England...
, artist '63 - Don NottebartDon NottebartDonald Edward Nottebart was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for five teams from 1960 to 1969. Primarily a reliever, he spent the 1963 to 1965 seasons as a starter with the Houston Colt .45s/Astros, and threw the first no-hitter in franchise history in 1963...
Houston Astros Baseball Player '54 - Meghan O'SullivanMeghan O'SullivanMeghan L. O'Sullivan is a former deputy national security adviser on Iraq and Afghanistan and now a lecturer and senior fellow at Harvard University's John F...
, official in administration of George W. Bush '87 - Amanda PalmerAmanda PalmerAmanda MacKinnon Gaiman Palmer , sometimes known as Amanda Fucking Palmer, is an American performer who first rose to prominence as the lead singer, pianist, and lyricist/composer of the duo The Dresden Dolls...
, musical performer, composer, and member of the duo The Dresden DollsThe Dresden DollsThe Dresden Dolls are an American musical duo from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 2000, the group consists of Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione...
'94 - Bob SheridanBob SheridanBob Sheridan, nicknamed Colonel Bob Sheridan, is a boxing and MMA commentator. He has broadcast over 10,000 fights on radio and television, with 890 world title fights...
, Boxing Announcer, Don King Productions, All International - Tom SilvaTom SilvaTom Silva is a contractor notable for his long running participation in the PBS show This Old House. He is co-owner of Silva Brothers' Construction, based in Lexington, Massachusetts.-Biography:...
, Class of 65, general contractor and on-screen personality for This Old HouseThis Old HouseThis Old House is an American home improvement magazine and television series aired on the American television station Public Broadcasting Service which follows remodeling projects of houses over a number of weeks.-Overview:... - Bill StainesBill StainesBill Staines is an American folk musician and singer-songwriter from New England, who writes and performs in a traditional vein. He has also written and recorded children's songs....
, Class of 64, Folk Music Artist - Aaron TapAaron TapAaron Tap is a musician best known for playing guitar with Matt Nathanson and Paula Kelley. Tap grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts and graduated from Lexington High School...
, guitarist and musician '87 - Bill Tapply, Class of '58, late author of Brady Coyne mystery series, deceased
- Melanie ThernstromMelanie ThernstromMelanie Thernstrom is an author and contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine who frequently writes about murders and crime....
, author '82 - Ethan ZohnEthan ZohnEthan Zohn is an American reality television series contestant who won $1,000,000 on Survivor: Africa, the third season of the reality TV series Survivor. He also appeared on the All-Stars edition of the show. After winning Survivor he co-founded Grassroot Soccer, which uses soccer to raise money...
, winner of Survivor: AfricaSurvivor: AfricaSurvivor: Africa is the third season of the United States reality show Survivor. It was filmed during 2001 and aired from October 11, 2001 - January 10, 2002 on CBS. It was set in Kenya's Shaba National Reserve on the African continent....
'92 - Matt NathansonMatt NathansonMatt Nathanson is an American singer-songwriter whose work is a blend of folk and rock music. In addition to singing, he plays acoustic and electric guitar, and has played both solo and with a full band. His work includes the platinum-selling song "Come On Get Higher".-Early life and college...
, singer/musician