Wellesley High School
| Wellesley High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
|
50 Rice Street Wellesley, MA, Norfolk 02482 United States |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1938 |
| School code | 222285 |
| Principal | Jamie Chisum |
| Faculty | 108 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Number of students | approx. 1450 |
| Color(s) | Red & Black |
| Mascot | Raider |
| Average SAT scores | 601 verbal 614 math 598 writing 1813 total (2015-2016) |
| Newspaper | The Bradford |
| Yearbook | The Wellesleyan |
| Website | Wellesley High School |
Wellesley High School is a public high school in the affluent town of Wellesley, Massachusetts, educating students on grades 9 through 12. The principal is Dr. Jamie Chisum, who took the position in 2014 after the departure of Dr. Andrew Keough. Its three assistant principals are Lynne Novogroski, Drew Kelton, and Marc Bender. As of 2016, the school serves 1517 students. In 2016 it was ranked the 21st best high school in Massachusetts and the 467th best public high school in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, earning a Gold Medal.
The old school building was originally built as a public works project in 1938 during the Great Depression, designed by Perry Shaw and Hepburn and built by M. Spinelli and Sons Co., Inc. The building has been modified with several additions throughout its existence, most recently with a new fitness center. The 1938 building was replaced in 2012 with a brand new state of the art building in the former parking lot.
Age and maintenance issues have taken their toll on the school structure. The increasing size of the student body as well as the evolving nature of education have challenged the capability of the building to meet the needs of the school community effectively and safely. In September 2005, the exploration of options for a new building or refurbishment was commenced by the town.
In October 2007, a public meeting was held to introduce several options for the expansion of the school, including renovation and extension of the existing building and its demolition and replacement by a completely new structure. The site has been expanded by purchase of three adjacent properties in Seaver Street and transfer of publicly owned land.
On December 10, 2008, town voters approved the project, by nearly 2 to 1 (5,026 YES to 2,869 NO), to build a new, state-of-the art high school on the parking lot next to the existing buildings. Site clearance started in August 2009 with the relocation of one house to a nearby site. Construction began March 2010 with an estimated completion date of September 2013. The new facility, actually opened in February 2012, and the school held a gala to say goodbye to the old building and old alumni such as Billy Squire, Jane Curtin and Biz Stone gave last rites in the school auditorium over a series of weekend concerts and get together events in 2011 .
After much analysis, the existing structure, was declared to be a good example of the Art Deco style of Architecture, however was found, by the American Institute of Architects (A.I.A.), not to be a historically significant example and it was eventually demolished during 2011 and 2012. The State authorities held the final say in this ruling, but the A.I.A. review opened the door for the eventual knock-down and the final site plotting. The new structure which opened to students in February 2012 incorporates some of the design features of the prior building and is limited in its visual impact to be in scale with the surrounding residential neighborhood. The total cost was estimated to be $130 million with $85 million of that total to be raised from State and Federal matching funds. However, the final project came in under budget at $90 million and opened 18 months ahead of schedule
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