Mount Rainier High School
Encyclopedia
Mount Rainier High School is a secondary school in Des Moines, Washington
, United States; named for Mount Rainier
which can be seen quite well from the school on a clear day, Mount Rainier serves approximately 1572 students and has been active since 1957. It was created to handle the overflow from nearby Highline High School
, the district's first High School located in Burien, Washington
. The original, aging facility was replaced with a new building at the same location; it opened in September 2007.
With the 2009/10 academic year came three new administrators: Principal Julie Hunter, Assistant Principal Derek Powell, and Assistant Principal Mike O'Donnell.
program. The IB coordinator is currently Mr. Christopher Wilder.
The boys' swim team has won 6 state AAA titles since 1991, most recently with three straight from 2003-05. They were runners up in 1992 and 2009.
The drill team has won six 1st place state championship titles, consecutively in 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2010, and 2011 being undefeated during the 2005 season.
The boys' soccer team won 3 straight AAA titles from 1987–89 and again in 1991, winning 13 straight games in that stretch. Most recently the team finished second in 2004, and made the state tournament 5 straight years, 2001-05. The 2009 boys soccer team had great success going undefeated to win the Seamount league title and only allowed 2 goals for the entirety of the season and their stretch into the 3A state tournament. The girls' team finished second in 1984 and 1999. The team made the state tournament seven of eight years from 1997-2004.
The baseball team made the state AAA tournament four out of the five years, from 2003-2009.
The softball team finished 4th in the state in 2004.
In addition, its track and field team has excelled in the past, winning eight straight North Puget Sound League boys' championships in the 1970s and a state AAA championship in 1972 under coach Jim Kennett, and led by record-setting high jumper Lee Braach. There have been several recent individual champions in the distance events, notably Ryan Prentice, who went on to Oklahoma State University.
The co-ed tennis team dominated the Seamount League in the 1980s and 1990s, winning 83 straight matches and one state title in boys' tennis. In 1995, Mt. Rainier girls finished first and second in state, with Courtney Perkins defeating Lara Botts in the State Championship. Top tennis player Lynn Johnson graduated in 1992 with a full ride scholarship to play on the offensive line for the Washington Huskies football team.
The boys' basketball team finished third in the state AAA championship in 1971, losing to Pasco in a record quadruple overtime semi-final. The team has regained a measure of success, returning to the state tourney in 2004, 2006, 2007, and finishing 4th in 2008.
The volleyball team made the state tournament four times from 1997 to 2002.
The football team made the state AAA championship in 1990, losing to Tumwater. The program has had very limited success since 2005, and from 2006-2008 won fewer than 3 games per season. But when Chris paulson took over as head coach for the 2008-09 season they made it to the playoffs eventually losing to Eastside Catholic.
The girls basketball team made it to state last school year (2011), finishing 5th place.
The wrestling team has been dominant in the Seamount League from 2004 to 2010, placing first in the league every year.
, operators of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
, near the school, the Federal Aviation Administration
, and the State of Washington provided funding for noise insulation, generally regarded as a virtual necessity for an efficient learning environment so near to a major airport. During the construction students attended classes at the Highline Public Schools
owned Olympic site in the North Hill neighborhood of Des Moines. This arrangement was concluded in June 2007, and the new facility opened with the beginning of the 2007/2008 academic year.
Des Moines, Washington
Des Moines is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 29,673 at the 2010 census. Property within the city has been the subject of land buyouts because of noise from aircraft landing or taking off from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport two miles to the north of...
, United States; named for Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
which can be seen quite well from the school on a clear day, Mount Rainier serves approximately 1572 students and has been active since 1957. It was created to handle the overflow from nearby Highline High School
Highline High School
Highline High School is a high school in Burien, Washington, United States, located about 3.5 highway miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Highline High School, the flagship high school of the Highline School District, opened its doors in 1924 and served the cities of Burien, Des...
, the district's first High School located in Burien, Washington
Burien, Washington
Burien is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located south of Seattle. As of the 2010 Census, Burien's population is 33,313, which is a 2.9% increase since incorporation. Annexation in 2011 has increased the cities population to about 45,000....
. The original, aging facility was replaced with a new building at the same location; it opened in September 2007.
With the 2009/10 academic year came three new administrators: Principal Julie Hunter, Assistant Principal Derek Powell, and Assistant Principal Mike O'Donnell.
Demographics
Mount Rainier is home to a somewhat ethnically diverse population as the school's number of minorities exceeds Washington state averages. 37.6% of students currently qualify for free or reduced price lunch.| Ethnicity | White | Asian/Pacific Islander | Black | Hispanic | American Indian or Alaskan Native | Other/Refused to Answer |
| Mount Rainier | 51.5% | 18.2% | 13.7% | 15.1% | 1.6% | 0% |
| Washington State Average | 65% | 9% | 5% | 15% | 3% | 3% |
Academics
Mount Rainier is an IB World School and since July 1987 has offered an International BaccalaureateIB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
program. The IB coordinator is currently Mr. Christopher Wilder.
Athletics
Mount Rainier has been recently successful in boys' basketball, boys and girls soccer, girls volleyball, tennis, baseball, drill team, boys wrestling,boys swimming and girls basketball.The boys' swim team has won 6 state AAA titles since 1991, most recently with three straight from 2003-05. They were runners up in 1992 and 2009.
The drill team has won six 1st place state championship titles, consecutively in 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2010, and 2011 being undefeated during the 2005 season.
The boys' soccer team won 3 straight AAA titles from 1987–89 and again in 1991, winning 13 straight games in that stretch. Most recently the team finished second in 2004, and made the state tournament 5 straight years, 2001-05. The 2009 boys soccer team had great success going undefeated to win the Seamount league title and only allowed 2 goals for the entirety of the season and their stretch into the 3A state tournament. The girls' team finished second in 1984 and 1999. The team made the state tournament seven of eight years from 1997-2004.
The baseball team made the state AAA tournament four out of the five years, from 2003-2009.
The softball team finished 4th in the state in 2004.
In addition, its track and field team has excelled in the past, winning eight straight North Puget Sound League boys' championships in the 1970s and a state AAA championship in 1972 under coach Jim Kennett, and led by record-setting high jumper Lee Braach. There have been several recent individual champions in the distance events, notably Ryan Prentice, who went on to Oklahoma State University.
The co-ed tennis team dominated the Seamount League in the 1980s and 1990s, winning 83 straight matches and one state title in boys' tennis. In 1995, Mt. Rainier girls finished first and second in state, with Courtney Perkins defeating Lara Botts in the State Championship. Top tennis player Lynn Johnson graduated in 1992 with a full ride scholarship to play on the offensive line for the Washington Huskies football team.
The boys' basketball team finished third in the state AAA championship in 1971, losing to Pasco in a record quadruple overtime semi-final. The team has regained a measure of success, returning to the state tourney in 2004, 2006, 2007, and finishing 4th in 2008.
The volleyball team made the state tournament four times from 1997 to 2002.
The football team made the state AAA championship in 1990, losing to Tumwater. The program has had very limited success since 2005, and from 2006-2008 won fewer than 3 games per season. But when Chris paulson took over as head coach for the 2008-09 season they made it to the playoffs eventually losing to Eastside Catholic.
The girls basketball team made it to state last school year (2011), finishing 5th place.
The wrestling team has been dominant in the Seamount League from 2004 to 2010, placing first in the league every year.
New facility
Highline Public Schools' "Capital Facilities Improvement Bond" which passed in March 2002 included allocation of funds to rebuild the aging Mount Rainier. The old building complex was demolished in the summer of 2005, with new construction appearing in the late fall of 2005. The project was completed in time for the beginning of the 2007-08 school year on September 5, 2007. The Port of SeattlePort of Seattle
The Port of Seattle is a port district that runs Seattle's seaport and airport. Its creation was approved by the voters of King County, Washington, on September 5, 1911, authorized by the Port District Act. It is run by a five-member commission. The commissioners' terms run four years...
, operators of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
The Seattle–Tacoma International Airport , also known as Sea–Tac Airport or Sea–Tac , is an American airport located in SeaTac, Washington, at the intersections of State Routes 99 and 509 and 518, about west of Interstate 5...
, near the school, the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
, and the State of Washington provided funding for noise insulation, generally regarded as a virtual necessity for an efficient learning environment so near to a major airport. During the construction students attended classes at the Highline Public Schools
Highline Public Schools
Highline Public Schools is a public school system in Washington, headquartered in Burien. As of October 2007, it serves 17,331 students and has 997 teachers...
owned Olympic site in the North Hill neighborhood of Des Moines. This arrangement was concluded in June 2007, and the new facility opened with the beginning of the 2007/2008 academic year.
Notable alumni
- Rusty HumphriesRusty HumphriesRalph E. "Rusty" Humphries is an American radio host, conservative political commentator, and songwriter. Humphries' nationally-syndicated radio show, The Rusty Humphries Show, based in Atlanta, Georgia, airs on over 250 stations through Talk Radio Network.-Career:Humphries has hosted as a...
- Nationally syndicated radio talk show host (1983) - Mark Andrew SmithMark Andrew SmithMark Andrew Smith is an award-winning American comic book author and graphic novelist.-Biography:In 2004 Smith caught the attention of Image Comics Publisher Erik Larsen and then Executive Director Eric Stephenson who picked up his and Dan Hipp's first comic book series titled the Amazing Joy...
- Graphic Novelist (1993) - Scott PetersonScott Peterson (writer)Scott Peterson is an author and journalist. He was a Middle East correspondent for the Daily Telegraph but as of 2000 was a staff writer and Moscow bureau chief for the Christian Science Monitor...
- Author, Me Against My Brother; Writer for Christian Science Monitor (1984) - Kevin "Al" Pelton - Author, Pro Basketball Prospectus 2009-2010; Writer for Basketballprospectus.com (2000)
- Alex Burg-Minor League Baseball player in the San Francisco Giants Organization. (2005)