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Robert E. Lee High School (Fairfax County, Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Robert E. Lee High School (Lee High School) is a high school in the Fairfax County Public Schools
system. Its mascot is the Lancer
. The school is located in Springfield
in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia
. It is named after Robert E. Lee
, the general of the Confederate
troops in the American Civil War
. Lee High School was named #516 on Newsweek's
2006 list of the 1,000 top schools. In 2005 Lee was #549 and in 2003 Lee was #566, according to Newsweek.
, Basketball
, Soccer, Baseball
, Tennis
, Lacrosse
, Track and Field
, Swimming
, Wrestling
, Golf
, Indoor Track, Cross Country
, Marching Band
, Field Hockey
, Softball
, and Volleyball
. Sports are offered at Freshmen, Junior Varsity
, and Varsity
levels. Lee's sports compete in Virginia's AAA Patriot District
.
The integration of technology into the instructional program continues to be a major initiative. Lee’s library has the latest computer and network technology. The labs are equipped with high-end computers, digital cameras, and scanners for computer graphics and photography classes, and a fully computerized CAD lab is available for technical drawing and engineering classes.
Mr. Abe Jeffers is the current principal. This is his 2nd year at Lee.
, Student Government, and writing for High School publications.
(VHSL), in 2003-2004 and 2005-2006. In 2007, The Lance received a grant for its consistent excellence.
The Shield, Lee's yearbook, serves as an informational record, memory and historical reference for the students and faculty as well as the Lee High School’s community at-large. The Shield covers academics, sports, student activities and student accomplishments with fairness and accuracy. The content is decided upon by the student staff members enrolled in Photojournalism 1, 2, and 3. Recruiting to become part of the staff typically takes place in early February when course selections are being made for the next year. Students are selected through a process that includes a written application, teacher recommendations and interviews OR through successful completion of Journalism 1. Lee's 2006-2007 edition of the yearbook was named a Pacemaker
finalist.
The Troubador is a literary magazine by and for the students of Robert E. Lee High School, published to promote an interest in the arts by showcasing student art and literature.
includes members from the top two bands, Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band. Also referred to as the Marching Lancers, they attend all the varsity home football games, and play during the halftime show.
In the 2006 year, The Lee Marching Lancers achieved a superior rating at the VBODA state marching festival, at Winchester, VA, and later received the title of a "Virginia Honor Band."
The Pre-IB classes (grades 9-10) and the IB courses (grades 11-12) provide academic rigor and the intellectual, social, and critical perspectives necessary for the university experience. While there is no formal screening process for enrollment in IB courses, students are encouraged to enroll in Pre-IB classes to prepare them for the challenge of the IB course sequences. IB is recognized for a strong emphasis on critical thinking skills, analytical writing, and a “connection” of skills across the academic disciplines.
Fairfax County Public Schools
The Fairfax County Public Schools system is a branch of the Fairfax County government which administers public schools in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax...
system. Its mascot is the Lancer
Lancer
A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used in mounted warfare by the Assyrians as early as and subsequently by Greek, Persian, Gallic, Han-Chinese, nomadic and Roman horsemen...
. The school is located in Springfield
Springfield, Virginia
Springfield is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States and a suburb of Washington, D.C. The Springfield CDP is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau with a population of 30,484 as of the 2010 census. Homes and businesses in bordering CDPs including North Springfield,...
in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
. It is named after Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, the general of the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
troops in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Lee High School was named #516 on Newsweek's
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
2006 list of the 1,000 top schools. In 2005 Lee was #549 and in 2003 Lee was #566, according to Newsweek.
Demographics
In the 2007-2008 school year, Lee High School's student body was 29.64% White, 26.16% Asian, 24.47% Hispanic, 16.04% Black, and 3.70% other.Sports
Lee High School offers a wide array of sports and sporting clubs, including FootballAmerican football
American 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...
, Basketball
Basketball
Basketball 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...
, Soccer, Baseball
Baseball
Baseball 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...
, Tennis
Tennis
Tennis 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...
, Lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse 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...
, Track and Field
Track and field
Track 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...
, Swimming
Swimming (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...
, Wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling 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...
, Golf
Golf
Golf 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....
, Indoor Track, Cross Country
Cross country running
Cross 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...
, Marching Band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
, Field Hockey
Field hockey
Field 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...
, Softball
Softball
Softball 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...
, and Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball 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...
. Sports are offered at Freshmen, Junior Varsity
Junior varsity
Primarily in North America, junior varsity or JV players are the members of a team who are not the main players in a competition , usually at the high school and college levels in the United States and Canada. The main players comprise the varsity team...
, and Varsity
Varsity team
In 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...
levels. Lee's sports compete in Virginia's AAA Patriot District
AAA Patriot District
The AAA Patriot District is a high school conference in the state of Virginia that includes schools from eastern Fairfax County and Alexandria City. AAA is the largest enrollment class and also typically the most competitive level in Virginia high school sports...
.
Football
Football is one of the most popular sports teams at the school. Given the team's popularity, the Lancers regularly attract a large amount of fans. They were runner up in the 2009 northern region championship with running backs Idreis Augustus and Jazmier Williams, quarterback Greg Lopez, a great offensive line, and a solid defense led by Richmond bound linebacker Eric Wright and University of Miami Ohio recruit safety Dante Taylor.Track and field
Robert E. Lee High School has a very successful Track and Field program. It has produced All-District, All-Region, All-State and All-American athletes. In 2007, the Lee track team came 3rd in the AAA Virginia State meet. Track coach Gary Powell was awarded Coach of the Year by the Washington Post in 2007 . Many Lee track team athletes continue on with their Track and Field careers onto the collegiate level, including alumnus Terry Cobb (Class of 1966), Yosef Tessema (Class of 2007) and Sean Holston (Class of 2007), national high school champion in the 200m and 400m.Basketball
The Girls' Varsity Basketball team won the Northern Region title for the 2007-2008 season.Soccer
Lately the only spring sport that has made it to regionals twice in the Patriot District.Golf
Lee Freshmen Tyler Spears won the Patriot District Golf Title in October, 2010 and became the first Lee golfer to win the Golf title in 13 years.Administration
Lee High School has served the Springfield community since it opened in 1958. Like many schools in Fairfax County, Lee reflects the increasing diversity of its student body. Students come from 42 countries and speak more than 34 languages. Lee holds high academic expectations for all its students, and the goal is to prepare students to successfully meet the challenges of a global society.The integration of technology into the instructional program continues to be a major initiative. Lee’s library has the latest computer and network technology. The labs are equipped with high-end computers, digital cameras, and scanners for computer graphics and photography classes, and a fully computerized CAD lab is available for technical drawing and engineering classes.
Mr. Abe Jeffers is the current principal. This is his 2nd year at Lee.
Career Center
Lee High School has a Career Center inside the school. It is designed to provide students with college planning services through the use of computer software, videos, catalogs and visits by college representatives from state and national colleges and universities. Career planning, military options, scholarship and financial aid information are also available. Throughout the year, many special programs are presented for both parents and students. Juniors and seniors use the resources available to them at the Career Center as they decide what path to follow beyond graduation. However, freshmen and sophomores can begin planning for their futures at the Career Center as well.Student activities
Lee High School offers a wide array of student activities, including Clubs, Honor SocietiesHonor society
In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America...
, Student Government, and writing for High School publications.
Lancer theatre
The theatre department at Lee High School produces two mainstages a year: a fall play, and a spring musical. One of the mainstage shows, usually the fall or spring mainstage, is selected as the Cappies competition piece. Lancer Theatre also usually produces a competition piece in October to perform at the Virginia Theatre Association conference. Lancer Theatre's Thespians, troupe 362 of the International Thespian Society, produce an annual Murder Mystery dinner show in September, Lancer Idol voice competition in December, theatre parties, fundraising, and other community events. To be part of the Thespian Honors Society one must collect 30 points in theatre, which are obtained by being in shows, seeing productions, and so on. Lancer Theatre also has a Drama Club that is open to all and any Lee students. Drama Club includes theatre updates, food, fun, games, and theatre sports. There used to be an Improvisation Team, picked as "Best in the County" for 2005-2006. Finally, Lee High School offers theatre classes, including Theatre 1-4, IB Theatre 1-2, and Technical Theatre.Student government
The Student Government Association consists of elected and selected students who represent the entire student body. The objectives of the SGA are to promote school spirit, initiative and unity among the different classes and students, coordinate school activities and to provide a means of communication among administration, faculty and students. The SGA sponsors Homecoming Dance, Homecoming Elections, Powder Puff Game, Chili Cook Off, Homecoming Parade, Family Feud, The Senior vs. Faculty Basketball Game, Blizzard Blast, Mr. and Ms. Irresistible, International Night, three pep rallies (Fall, Winter, Spring), class elections and balloting among many other school activities.Publications
The Lance is Lee High School's monthly newspaper. A student-run newspaper with a staff of approximately 20, The Lance covers news and events in the school, community, and nation. The Lance won Trophy Class, the highest honor bestowed by the Virginia High School LeagueVirginia High School League
The Virginia High School League is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unlike similar organizations in many other states, private or religious schools are prohibited from joining. Non-public schools belong to other organizations,...
(VHSL), in 2003-2004 and 2005-2006. In 2007, The Lance received a grant for its consistent excellence.
The Shield, Lee's yearbook, serves as an informational record, memory and historical reference for the students and faculty as well as the Lee High School’s community at-large. The Shield covers academics, sports, student activities and student accomplishments with fairness and accuracy. The content is decided upon by the student staff members enrolled in Photojournalism 1, 2, and 3. Recruiting to become part of the staff typically takes place in early February when course selections are being made for the next year. Students are selected through a process that includes a written application, teacher recommendations and interviews OR through successful completion of Journalism 1. Lee's 2006-2007 edition of the yearbook was named a Pacemaker
National Pacemaker Awards
The National Pacemaker Awards are awards for excellence in American student journalism, given annually since 1927. The awards are generally considered to be the highest national honors in their field, and are unofficially known as the "Pulitzer Prizes of student journalism."The National Scholastic...
finalist.
The Troubador is a literary magazine by and for the students of Robert E. Lee High School, published to promote an interest in the arts by showcasing student art and literature.
Marching band
The marching bandMarching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
includes members from the top two bands, Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band. Also referred to as the Marching Lancers, they attend all the varsity home football games, and play during the halftime show.
In the 2006 year, The Lee Marching Lancers achieved a superior rating at the VBODA state marching festival, at Winchester, VA, and later received the title of a "Virginia Honor Band."
Honor societies
Students are selected for membership through an application process and sometimes interviews are conducted. Candidates must meet the chapter's requirement for scholarship, service, leadership and character in order to be selected for membership. Continued participation in service projects is required to retain membership. Members must also maintain the chapter's required cumulative GPA and have a good understanding of the language, or specialty.
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The IB program
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Program is open to all highly motivated and successful 11th and 12th grade students at Lee High School and presents a varied and rigorous program of studies. IB is a comprehensive, integrated program that places as much value on the process of knowledge (teaching the student to analyze and apply knowledge) as the product (preparing the student for the content and assessments). This proven program prepares students for success within the university experience. IB courses present options for students to pursue a mixture of major interests (higher level courses) and less major interests (standard level courses).The Pre-IB classes (grades 9-10) and the IB courses (grades 11-12) provide academic rigor and the intellectual, social, and critical perspectives necessary for the university experience. While there is no formal screening process for enrollment in IB courses, students are encouraged to enroll in Pre-IB classes to prepare them for the challenge of the IB course sequences. IB is recognized for a strong emphasis on critical thinking skills, analytical writing, and a “connection” of skills across the academic disciplines.