Virginia High School (Minnesota)
| Virginia High School | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Address | |
| 411 South 5th Avenue, Virginia, Minnesota | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public, coeducational secondary school |
| Established | 1893 |
| School district | Virginia Minnesota Public Schools |
| Superintendent | Dr. Noel Schmidt |
| Principal | Lisa Perkovich |
| Grades | 7-12 |
| Enrollment | Approximately 720 |
| Color(s) | Royal blue and white |
| Athletics conference | Iron Range Conference |
| Nickname | Blue Devils |
| Yearbook | Rohian |
Virginia High School, home of the Blue Devils, educates students grades 7-12 in Virginia, Minnesota. It is a public high school with open enrollment located across from the Saint Louis County District Courthouse on scenic 5th Avenue. Virginia High School has a strong music department known for the Marching Blues, the school's marching band. The high school also participates in Minnesota State High School League sports such as hockey, basketball, volleyball, tennis, football, track & field, cross country, baseball, swimming, golf, and soccer. Despite budget problems in the past decade due to declining enrollment, Virginia Secondary has had success in standardized state testing, graduation rates, and school pride. Enrollment has been at a slow decline for the last few decades (as has the city of Virginia's population) but enrollment has been increasing in the lower grade levels, and open enrollment from neighboring districts has brought new students to the school.
Students are unofficially divided into grades 7 & 8 and 9-12. The school day consists of 7 periods ranging from 51 to 52 minutes with 3 to 5 minutes passing time allowed. Every other Wednesday, students get out of school an hour early to allow for faculty professional development meetings. Junior high students have a closed lunch period between 3rd and 4th hours while grades 9-12 enjoy an open lunch after 4th hour.
The first school in Virginia was established in 1893. The cities of Eveleth and Virginia were originally in the same school district (No. 22) but the two separated in 1903. The first graduate of the Virginia High School was Orin H. Griggs in 1901. In 1904, Virginia dedicated the first Roosevelt High School building across from the courthouse on November 22. This building served students in grades 9-12 until the Technical High School was built directly south of Roosevelt. Roosevelt then became a grade school for Kindergarten through 8th grade. When the Technical Building was enlarged in 1921, it contained the Junior High, the Senior High, and Virginia Junior College. After being deemed unsafe, the old Roosevelt School was demolished in 1926. The new Roosevelt High School opened in 1930. This school served grades 10-12 until 1983, when it became Roosevelt Elementary.
Other portions of the high school campus include the Laboratory Annex, built in 1972, the Roosevelt Gymnasium, built in 1989, and Malone Hall, built in 2000. The old Malone Hall is located across from the Roosevelt Gym on 6th Avenue. Constructed in 1931, the building was named after band director Vernon Malone in 1951. The current campus contains three gymnasiums, two swimming pools (only one is operative), an industrial technology department, and the beautiful Goodman Auditorium, which has a seating capacity for approximately 1500.
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