Warhill High School
Encyclopedia
Warhill High School is a public high school
operated by the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools
(WJCC). Serving the joint school division
of the independent city
of Williamsburg
and James City County, Virginia
, the school is located at 4615 Opportunity Way, in the Lightfoot
area of the county.
area of the Virginia Peninsula
is steeped in history dating back to the era of the British Colony of Virginia (1607–1776) and later. West of the colonial capital (now Colonial Williamsburg
), the old stage coach road to New Kent County
and Richmond
(which became U.S. Route 60
in the 1920s), as well as Centerville and Longhill roads, all date to the pre-Revolutionary War period. The area where Lightfoot is now was known as the location of Six Mile Ordinary. (An ordinary was a colonial-era tavern with food and lodging for travelers and their horses).
By tradition, the land at War Hill (or as it came to be called, Warhill) is named for an American Revolutionary War
battle which took place there on June 26, 1781 between British troops under Lord Cornwallis and Allied forces under the Marquis Lafayette. Nearly 150 men were killed or wounded in the conflict, which occurred during the campaign that led to the victory at Yorktown
, establishing independence for Virginia and the United States.
By the late 20th century, the 588 acres (2.4 km²) Warhill tract was one of the largest undeveloped parcels of land in the area. In 1996, it was purchased for public use. Located on Centerville Road near the interchange of U.S. Route 60 and State Route 199, the land was envisioned as multi-purpose in James City County's "Master Plan." In 1999, the Warhill Sports Complex opened adjacent to the site of the new high school. In 2005, construction began on the new Warhill High School.
Warhill High School is Williamsburg-James City County's third high school, the newest since Jamestown High School
's completion in 1997. The construction of Warhill was in response to the overcrowding issue at both Jamestown and Lafayette High School
. Serious talks about building a third high school began in 2001. In April 2007, Jamestown was reported to be about 350 students over the effective capacity, and Lafayette even more.
Warhill High School opened to the public on August 28, 2007 and opened for the first day of school on September 4, 2007. 707 students were enrolled at Warhill High School; the number has risen consistently since the opening and is expected to continue to rise so as the surrounding community continues to grow. The school currently has about 1,150 students.
Students from all three WJCC high schools are eligible to attend the new Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses at Warhill, which are offered in partnership with Sentara Health System
, which opened the modern Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center nearby in Lightfoot in August 2006, and Thomas Nelson Community College
.
http://www.wjcc.k12.va.us/ROBB/whslionsband/Picture%20Gallery.htm
performed March 13–16, 2008. Both shows were directed by Robert Cannon.
The Warhill High School Theatre Guild webpage is Warhill High School Theatre Guild
Mr. Cannon brings 23 years of theatre experience to Warhill. His background spans 4 states, more than 50 shows, and 14 different venues. Highlights of his career include Actors Equity Stage Manager for Arizona Theatre Company and Northern Arizona University Summer Theatre, Production Coordinator for the UPN television series Legend, summers at Utah Shakespearean Festival and Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Other roles Mr. Cannon has performed in the theatre include assistant director, technical director, actor, and tour manager. He holds a B.F.A. in Theatrical Production/Stage Management from the University of Arizona in Tucson and an M.Ed. from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.
Previously, he was the director at James Blair Middle School where he created the theatre program and introduced the 'Shakespeare in the Spring' series. The Series included Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Julius Caesar. Other shows produced at James Blair include Little Shop of Horrors (musical)
, School House Rock Live Jr., The Outsiders, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Beth Wigley (2008–Present)
Mrs. Wigley brings tremendous energy to the WHS Theatre Department as well as a background in Acting/Directing. Formerly the Theatre Director at Jamestown High School and the Director of Theatre for York County's School of the Arts for 13 years, her first production at Warhill was Neil Simon's Rumors
. The spring (2008–09) musical was You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
. Mrs. Wigley has both acted and directed for The Williamsburg Players, local television commercials, and worked with the Virginia Shakespeare Festival. Her focus both on the theatre and youth is represented in her summer workshops.
Mrs. Wigley's directing credits at Jamestown include A Midsummer Night's Dream, A Chorus Line
, and Museum.
in Region I
.
Warhill High School fields teams in these sports:
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....
operated by the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools
Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools
The Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools is a combined public school division which serves the independent city of Williamsburg and James City County in the Virginia Peninsula area of the Hampton Roads region in southeastern Virginia.The system consists approximately 10,000 students in 14...
(WJCC). Serving the joint school division
School division
-Canada:In Canada the term is used to the area controlled by a school board and is used interchangeably with school district, including in the formal name of the board. For example, see List of Alberta school boards.-United States:...
of the independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
of Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
and James City County, Virginia
James City County, Virginia
James City County is a county located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. Its population was 67,009 , and it is often associated with Williamsburg, an independent city, and Jamestown which is within the...
, the school is located at 4615 Opportunity Way, in the Lightfoot
Lightfoot, Virginia
Lightfoot is an unincorporated community which straddles the James City–York county border, west of Williamsburg, in the U.S. state of Virginia....
area of the county.
Historic site
The entire Historic TriangleHistoric Triangle
The Historic Triangle is located on the Virginia Peninsula of the United States and includes the colonial communities of Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown, with many restored attractions linked by the Colonial Parkway in James City and York counties and the City of...
area of the Virginia Peninsula
Virginia Peninsula
The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, USA, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay.Hampton Roads is the common name for the metropolitan area that surrounds the body of water of the same name...
is steeped in history dating back to the era of the British Colony of Virginia (1607–1776) and later. West of the colonial capital (now Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg is the private foundation representing the historic district of the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. The district includes buildings dating from 1699 to 1780 which made colonial Virginia's capital. The capital straddled the boundary of the original shires of Virginia —...
), the old stage coach road to New Kent County
New Kent County, Virginia
At the 2000 census, there were 13,462 people, 4,925 households and 3,895 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 per square mile . There were 5,203 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
and Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
(which became U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 in Virginia
U.S. Route 60 in Virginia runs west to east through the central part of the state, generally close to and paralleling the Interstate 64 corridor, except for the crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and in the South Hampton Roads area....
in the 1920s), as well as Centerville and Longhill roads, all date to the pre-Revolutionary War period. The area where Lightfoot is now was known as the location of Six Mile Ordinary. (An ordinary was a colonial-era tavern with food and lodging for travelers and their horses).
By tradition, the land at War Hill (or as it came to be called, Warhill) is named for an American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
battle which took place there on June 26, 1781 between British troops under Lord Cornwallis and Allied forces under the Marquis Lafayette. Nearly 150 men were killed or wounded in the conflict, which occurred during the campaign that led to the victory at Yorktown
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
, establishing independence for Virginia and the United States.
By the late 20th century, the 588 acres (2.4 km²) Warhill tract was one of the largest undeveloped parcels of land in the area. In 1996, it was purchased for public use. Located on Centerville Road near the interchange of U.S. Route 60 and State Route 199, the land was envisioned as multi-purpose in James City County's "Master Plan." In 1999, the Warhill Sports Complex opened adjacent to the site of the new high school. In 2005, construction began on the new Warhill High School.
School history
Jamestown High School (Williamsburg, Virginia)
Jamestown High School is a public secondary school located in James City County, Virginia, just outside Williamsburg, Virginia. The school was opened in 1997, becoming the second of three high schools in the county. It is part of Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools and is located on...
's completion in 1997. The construction of Warhill was in response to the overcrowding issue at both Jamestown and Lafayette High School
Lafayette High School (Williamsburg, Virginia)
Lafayette High School is a public secondary school in James City County, Virginia, just outside the city limits of Williamsburg, Virginia. It is part of Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools and is located at 4460 Longhill Road.-History:...
. Serious talks about building a third high school began in 2001. In April 2007, Jamestown was reported to be about 350 students over the effective capacity, and Lafayette even more.
Warhill High School opened to the public on August 28, 2007 and opened for the first day of school on September 4, 2007. 707 students were enrolled at Warhill High School; the number has risen consistently since the opening and is expected to continue to rise so as the surrounding community continues to grow. The school currently has about 1,150 students.
Career and Technicial Education Center
When it opened in 2007, the 243000 square feet (22,575.4 m²) facility at Warhill High School included a new state-of-the-art technology specialty center, offering Career and Technical Education (CTE) in the following career clusters:- Health, Human and Public Services€
- Electronics, Engineering and Scientific Technology
- Information Technology and Communication
Students from all three WJCC high schools are eligible to attend the new Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses at Warhill, which are offered in partnership with Sentara Health System
Sentara Health System
Sentara Healthcare, also known as Sentara Health System, is a not-for-profit health care organization serving southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina...
, which opened the modern Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center nearby in Lightfoot in August 2006, and Thomas Nelson Community College
Thomas Nelson Community College
Thomas Nelson Community College is a two-year college located in Virginia. It has two campuses - one located in Hampton, and the other in James City County near Williamsburg. It also has two education centers The Southeast Higher Education Center in Newport News and the Williamsburg Discovery...
.
Band Program
The Warhill Band program is under the direction of Mr. T. Jonathan Hargis and Mr. Hunter Kopczynski. When Warhill first opened the band was made up of 49 members, with the majority of the students coming from Lafayette High School under the redistricting of James City County. The band has since grown to 120 members and the achievements and reputation of the program continue to rise. The band has competed well in recent years and was named a Virginia Honor Band for the 2010-2011 school year. The Warhill bands include the Marching Lions, Honors Band, Symphonic Band, two jazz ensembles, and a percussion ensemble.http://www.wjcc.k12.va.us/ROBB/whslionsband/Picture%20Gallery.htm
Theatre
Warhill High School follows a WJCC district tradition by performing a fall play, a competition piece, and a spring musical. The inaugural play Cut! was performed November 16 and 17, 2007. Cut! is a glimpse into the often surreal life of the actor; each actor portraying up to 7 characters throughout the play. The premiere musical was Beauty and the Beast (musical)Beauty and the Beast (musical)
Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
performed March 13–16, 2008. Both shows were directed by Robert Cannon.
The Warhill High School Theatre Guild webpage is Warhill High School Theatre Guild
Directors
Robert Cannon (2007–2008)Mr. Cannon brings 23 years of theatre experience to Warhill. His background spans 4 states, more than 50 shows, and 14 different venues. Highlights of his career include Actors Equity Stage Manager for Arizona Theatre Company and Northern Arizona University Summer Theatre, Production Coordinator for the UPN television series Legend, summers at Utah Shakespearean Festival and Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Other roles Mr. Cannon has performed in the theatre include assistant director, technical director, actor, and tour manager. He holds a B.F.A. in Theatrical Production/Stage Management from the University of Arizona in Tucson and an M.Ed. from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.
Previously, he was the director at James Blair Middle School where he created the theatre program and introduced the 'Shakespeare in the Spring' series. The Series included Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Julius Caesar. Other shows produced at James Blair include Little Shop of Horrors (musical)
Little Shop of Horrors (musical)
Little Shop of Horrors is a rock musical, by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, about a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood. The musical is based on the low-budget 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Roger Corman...
, School House Rock Live Jr., The Outsiders, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Beth Wigley (2008–Present)
Mrs. Wigley brings tremendous energy to the WHS Theatre Department as well as a background in Acting/Directing. Formerly the Theatre Director at Jamestown High School and the Director of Theatre for York County's School of the Arts for 13 years, her first production at Warhill was Neil Simon's Rumors
Rumors
Rumors is a farcical play by Neil Simon.At its start, several affluent couples gather in the posh suburban residence of a couple for a dinner party celebrating their hosts' tenth anniversary. When they arrive, they discover there are no servants, the hostess is missing, and the host - the deputy...
. The spring (2008–09) musical was You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a 1967 musical comedy with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner, based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip Peanuts...
. Mrs. Wigley has both acted and directed for The Williamsburg Players, local television commercials, and worked with the Virginia Shakespeare Festival. Her focus both on the theatre and youth is represented in her summer workshops.
Mrs. Wigley's directing credits at Jamestown include A Midsummer Night's Dream, A Chorus Line
A Chorus Line
A Chorus Line is a 1975 musical about Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. The book was authored by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics were written by Edward Kleban, and music was composed by Marvin Hamlisch....
, and Museum.
Athletics
The school's athletic teams compete in the AA Bay Rivers DistrictAA Bay Rivers District
The AA Bay Rivers District is one of the four districts of AA Region I of the Virginia High School League which typically holds schools in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area...
in Region I
AA Region I
Region I is one of the four AA regions of the Virginia High School League. It is made up of four districts: the AA Battlefield District, the AA Bay Rivers District, the A/AA Eastern Shore District, and the AA Southside District...
.
Warhill High School fields teams in these sports:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cheerleading
- Cross-Country
- Field Hockey
- Football (won their first game against New Kent in 2009)
- Golf
- Indoor Track and Field (Always goes to states)
- Outdoor Track and Field (always goes to state)
- Soccer - The 2011 spring season girls soccer team became the school's first team in any sport to win a District championship, a Regional championship, and host a state quarterfinal game. First undefeated regular season, 70 goals for and 4 against.The team also had the first District/Regional player of the year (Ashley Williams) and first District/Regional coach of the year (Mike Giblin).
- Softball
- Volleyball
- Wrestling