Darien High School

Last updated
Darien High School
DarienCTHighSchEntrance07252007.JPG
Address
Darien High School
80 High School Ln

Darien
,
Connecticut
06820

United States
Coordinates 41°05′04″N73°29′18″W / 41.0845°N 73.4883°W / 41.0845; -73.4883
Information
Type Public
MottoVeritas vos liberabit
(The truth will set you free)
Established1927(97 years ago) (1927)
CEEB code 070145
PrincipalEllen Dunn
Staff121.99 (FTE) [1]
Grades9-12
Number of students1,398 (2023-2024) [1]
Student to teacher ratio11.46 [1]
Color(s)Blue and white
  
MascotBlue Wave
Website dhs.darienps.org

Darien High School is the single public high school serving the town of Darien, Connecticut, in the United States.

Contents

Background

In 2014, Darien High School had the highest SAT scores in the state. [2] In the 2004–2005 school year, Darien had the second highest CAPT score in the state and the highest Advanced Placement scores in the school's history, with a 100 percent pass rate on AP math exams and more than 85 percent of students earning the top score of "5." About one in three students in the school takes an AP math course. [3]

Darien High School was specifically ranked 22nd in the nation for best STEM high school by U.S. News & World Report, a list of the top science, technology, engineering and math schools in the United States. [4]

Of the 200 graduating seniors in June 2017, 13 won national recognition in the National Merit Scholarship Program, with 13 as "merit finalists" [5] and three as National Merit Scholars. [6]

For the purpose of comparison with the achievement levels of similar schools, the state Department of Education classifies schools and communities in "District Reference Groups," defined as "districts whose students' families are similar in education, income, occupation and need, and that have roughly similar enrollment." [7] Darien is one of eight school districts in District Reference Group A (the others are Easton, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, Westport, and Wilton). [8]

The school's sports teams have won numerous state championships. Darien is known for its competitive football, lacrosse, ice hockey, field hockey, volleyball, and track teams.

A tradition at the school's graduation ceremonies is to present honorary diplomas to school teachers or administrators who are retiring. In 2007, they were presented to a school counselor and school librarian. [9]

Campus

The original high school building opened in 1927. A new building was built in 1960, and the former structure became Mather Junior High School. Upon the closing of Mather Junior High, the building became Darien's Town Hall.

The second high school building, on a 40-acre (160,000 m2) site at 80 High School Lane, opened in 1960 and was torn down in 2005. The current high school, designed by Newman Architects of New Haven, was constructed from 2003 to 2005, opening in the fall of 2005. [10] The project cost roughly US$76 million. Among the major innovations were the development of a collegiate campus-like setting of multiple inter-connected buildings, a green roof over the new cafeteria wing, and the introduction of a campus-wide wireless network and fiber-optic networking to all classrooms. [10] Construction costs of the new building significantly exceeded the original budget, mostly due to the cost of asbestos removal from the old building.

SealDarienHighSchoolDarienCT.png

Athletics

DHS is part of the FCIAC, the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference. The school's main sports rival is New Canaan High School.

Darien has one of the best high school lacrosse teams in the country, winning eight of the last 11 FCIAC titles, the 2005 Boys' Division I state championship, and the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 CIAC Class M state championship.[ citation needed ] Darien's Boys' lacrosse team was ranked #4 in the country by the STX/Inside Lacrosse National High School Lacrosse Rankings in 2008. [11]

The girls' field hockey team has won nine FCIAC championships in the past twelve years and eight state championships in the past ten years, in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016.[ citation needed ] They have also maintained the longest winning streak and undefeated streak in the nation at 93 games.[ citation needed ]

The girls' lacrosse team won the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2014 CIAC Division I state championship.[ citation needed ]

The girls' volleyball team maintains a 100+ game winning streak in addition to numerous FCIAC and state championships.[ citation needed ]

The Boys Volleyball team was set up in 2006; it has a .810 win percentage and 6 State Championships (Class M 2008 and 2011 and Class L 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2023) and 8 FCIAC Championships (2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023). [12]

The girls' swim team has won over nine state championships and won FCIACs this past year.[ when? ][ citation needed ]

The boys' track team won state class championships in the Indoor 2005 and 2006 seasons.[ citation needed ]

The boys' swim and dive team won the state championships in 2018. [13]

These freshman (F), junior varsity (JV) and varsity (V) sports are offered at the school: [14]

Synthetic turf fields and stadium lights

The three grass oval fields in front of the school were turned in to turf fields and opened for use at the beginning of the 2016–2017 school year. A multimedia scoreboard, a ticket booth and concession area were also added. [15] The Darien Athletic Foundation conducted the largest crowd sourced project in the town's history by raising private contributions to fully fund the project. [16]

After years of public debate with school neighbors, [17] stadium lights were turned on for evening game play on September 14, 2017. [18]

A synthetic turf baseball field was installed at the high school in the summer of 2007. The DHS Baseball Field Project raised almost $1 million for the field (along with $1.08 appropriated by the Representative Town Meeting, $306,000 provided by the school district and $20,000 donated by the Darien High School Building Committee). Between the time the new high school building was constructed and the end of the 2006–2007 school year, the baseball field was unfit for use because of drainage problems and use of the field by other sports teams. The school's baseball teams had been playing on fields at Middlesex Middle School and at the Town Hall. [19] In 2008 the turf was completed and played on for the first time.[ citation needed ]

Theatre 308

Darien High School's state-renowned theater program, Theatre 308, puts on three or more productions each school year, ranging widely in scope and time period. The Fall Drama is intellectual, contemplative, and intimate, while the Spring Musical is often a large-scale production targeted at the broader Darien community. Theatre 308's numerous Student Productions in the late spring are innovative, witty, and an all-around great time, offering a chance for students to fill the roles usually reserved for faculty members, such as the director. However, the Student Productions are not the only opportunities for DHS students to fill major production roles, as both the Drama and the Musical encourage students to serve as Stage Managers as well as technical designers for Sets, Costumes, Lights, and Sound. The Drama is especially well known for its use of extensive original music composition, direction, and live performance in many of its past shows. The organization as a whole has won numerous HALO Awards for its outstanding lead cast members, powerful ensemble, and amazing direction team, as well as several Sondheim Awards in similar categories. Its shows, ranging from Kiss Me Kate to Metamorphoses to Chicago to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, are beloved by the Darien public and widely attended. [20]

Student diversity

Ethnicity [21] Darien High School
2017–2018		State Average
2011–2012
White 88%61%
Hispanic 6%20%
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander 5%4%
Black 1%13%
American Indian/Alaska Native 0%0%
Two or more races 1%2%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander 0%0%

Notable alumni

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brien McMahon High School</span> Public school in Norwalk, Connecticut, United States

Brien McMahon High School (BMHS) is a secondary school located in Norwalk, Connecticut, United States. It is named after Brien McMahon, a former United States Senator from Norwalk. The school's mascot is a Senator and its colors are red, white, and blue. The school's first senior class graduated in 1962.

Paul Laurence DunbarHigh School (PLD/PLDHS), also known as Dunbar High School, is a public high school located at 1600 Man o' War Boulevard on the southwest side of Lexington, Kentucky, United States. The school is one of six high schools in the Fayette County Public Schools district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rice Memorial High School</span> Parochial, coeducational school in South Burlington, Vermont, United States

Rice Memorial High School is a coeducational Roman Catholic secondary and college preparatory school in South Burlington, Vermont. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington. The student body is mostly drawn from Northern and Central Vermont but includes other students including international students. The school and buildings were named for Bishop Joseph Rice who had established Cathedral High School in 1917.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shawnee High School (New Jersey)</span> High school in Burlington County, New Jersey, US

Shawnee High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as part of the Lenape Regional High School District. The district serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Evesham Township, Medford Lakes, Medford Township, Mount Laurel, Shamong Township, Southampton Township, Tabernacle Township and Woodland Township. The school serves students from Medford Lakes and Medford Township. The school is accredited until July 2031 and has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1975 and is accredited until July 2024.

Burlington High School (BHS) is a public high school located in Burlington, Vermont, United States. BHS' current campus is its fourth. Two of the former buildings still exist, one (1900–1964) as the Edmunds Elementary and Middle School complex while the second one, used in the late 1800s, is now a private residence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairfield College Preparatory School</span> Jesuit prep school in Fairfield, Connecticut, USA

Fairfield College Preparatory School is a Jesuit preparatory school located on the campus of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. It is an all-male school of about 800 students, founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942.

St. Augustine Preparatory School is a private all-male Roman Catholic. college preparatory school located in the Richland section of Buena Vista Township, in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Located on 118 acres (0.48 km2) of wooded property, it serves students in eighth through twelfth grade from across South Jersey under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1983 and the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools. St. Augustine was founded in 1959 by the Order of Saint Augustine as a minor seminary to help young men prepare for studies in the priesthood and religious life; the first class was a mixture of seminarians and day students. The school is a member of the Augustinian Secondary Education Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Canaan High School</span> Public school in New Canaan, Connecticut, United States

New Canaan High School is the only public high school in New Canaan, Connecticut, US.

St Joseph High School, is a private, Catholic high school in Trumbull, Connecticut. A four-year, co-educational college preparatory school, St. Joseph was founded in 1962 by the Diocese of Bridgeport. It is a self governing institution within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport in Trumbull, Connecticut. It has approximately 830 students.

Highland School is an independent school located in Warrenton, Virginia. Highland was founded in 1928 by Dorothy Rust and Lavinia Hamilton as the Warrenton Branch of the Calvert School of Baltimore. It was renamed Highland School in 1957 and moved to its current location. As stated in its mission, "Highland School prepares students to thrive, lead and serve in a diverse and dynamic world, developing essential skills and character by challenging them with a demanding academic and co-curricular program." Its upper (high) school was established in 1996. It serves 509 students from twelve counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coventry High School (Connecticut)</span> Public school in Coventry, Connecticut, United States

Coventry High School is a public high school for grades 9 through 12 located in Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut. It is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glastonbury High School</span> Public school in Glastonbury, Hartford County, Connecticut, United States

Glastonbury High School is a public, co-educational high school located in Glastonbury, Connecticut, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wesleyan School</span> Private Christian school in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, United States

Wesleyan School is a private college-preparatory nondenominational Christian school located 20 miles north of Atlanta in the suburban city of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1963 and has existed on its current grounds since 1996. The school includes grades K–12. The high school is a member of the Georgia High School Association and competes in the AAA classification in region 7. The school is named after John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, and all faculty are professed Christians from varying denominations. Students come from a variety of faith backgrounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Granby Memorial High School</span> School in Granby, Connecticut, United States

Granby Memorial High School is a public high school in Granby, Connecticut. It was founded in 1957 to accommodate the town's growing population. The school is commonly known as "Home of the Bears" and is a member of the NCCC Athletic Conference, where its athletic teams have won a number of championships. The high school's current principal is Mike Dunn. Cheri P. Burke, is currently the district's superintendent. The school is located less than one half mile north of the center of Granby on Route 10 and 202.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avon High School (Connecticut)</span> School in Avon, Connecticut, United States

Avon High School is a public high school in Avon, Connecticut, United States, serving grades 9–12. The principal since the 2022–2023 school year is Dr. Stephanie Lockhart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amity Regional High School</span> Public school in Woodbridge, Connecticut, United States

Amity High School is a regional public high school located in Woodbridge, Connecticut, United States. It provides high school education for the children in the towns of Woodbridge, Orange, and Bethany. The name Amity is derived from both the colonial history of Woodbridge as well as the "friendship" demonstrated among the three founding towns in arranging for a communal educational program.

Waterford High School is a public high school in Waterford, Connecticut, United States.

Immaculate High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Danbury, Connecticut, United States. Overseen by the Diocese of Bridgeport, IHS serves residents of 28 towns in the greater Danbury area. Immaculate High School, established in 1962, enrolls 400 to 500 male and female students. As of 2021, the school offers 16 different Advanced Placement (AP) courses with 132 students enrolled in at least one AP or equivalent course. Additional demographics that help define the student body identify 13% as non-Catholic, 2% as Eastern Orthodox and 85% Catholic. Student ethnicity includes 6.9% Hispanic; 11% Asian and Multi-Racial; and 3% African American. Roughly 10% of the student body are international exchange. The international student exchange program at Immaculate works with students from various countries such as China, Brazil, France, Germany, Lebanon and South Korea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magnolia High School (West Virginia)</span> Public, coeducational high school in New Martinsville, West Virginia, United States

Magnolia High School is a public high school in New Martinsville, West Virginia, United States. It is one of four high schools in the Wetzel County School District. Athletic teams compete as the Magnolia Blue Eagles in the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission as a member of the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beverly High School</span> Public high school in Beverly, Massachusetts, United States

Beverly High School is one of two four-year public high schools in Beverly, Massachusetts, United States, the other being the smaller Northshore Academy. It has an enrollment of approximately 1,300 students and is accredited by the Massachusetts Department of Education and by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Darien High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Darien High at head of the class on state SAT scores". 10 October 2014.
  3. ↑ Revitalization: Town of Darien Annual Report, 2004-2005, page 5
  4. ↑ "2018 Best STEM High Schools in America - US News". Archived from the original on 2018-05-09.
  5. ↑ "Thirteen from Darien High School Named National Merit Scholarship Finalists". 16 March 2017.
  6. ↑ "Three Darien Students Named National Merit Scholarship Winners". 10 May 2017.
  7. ↑ state "Strategic School Profile 2005-2006" for Wilton High School, accessed March 25, 2007
  8. ↑ Web page titled "Find a Community: By Educational Reference Group (DRG)" at the "Discovery 2007 / An initiative of the William Caspar Graustein Fund" Web site, accessed March 25, 2007 Archived February 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ Romanello, Kimberly, "Darien High School/ Students, Principal leave as one" article in The Advocate of Stamford, Connecticut, June 21, 2007, page A9, Stamford edition
  10. 1 2 "Darien Public Schools Master Plan Report" (PDF). Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Archived copy". www.insidelacrosse.com. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ↑ "Team History".
  13. ↑ "Darien rules Class L boys swimming and diving | Darien Times". Archived from the original on 2018-04-20.
  14. ↑ Darien Answerbook, 2006, published by the Darien Times weekly newspaper, page 26
  15. ↑ "DHS Scoreboard Approved, Part of $7.5M Fundraising Effort". July 2013.
  16. ↑ "Darien Athletic Foundation continues to improve athletic infrastructure | Darien Times". Archived from the original on 2016-07-29.
  17. ↑ "Neighbor group seeks additional regulations for field light proposal | Darien Times". Archived from the original on 2016-12-01.
  18. ↑ "Darien High School's state of the art stadium light to debut this Fall". 24 August 2017.
  19. ↑ Amoroso, Austin, "New field has Major League feel", news article in The Darien Times, July 5, 2007, pp 1, 11A
  20. ↑ "About Us | Theatre 308 | Darien High School".
  21. ↑ Darien High School teacher/student statistics page, US News Web site, accessed July 14, 2020
  22. ↑ "Martha D. Peterson at Library". www.hamlethub.com. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  23. ↑ Christopher Shays Web page at "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress" Web site of the U.S. Congress, accessed November 16, 2007
  24. ↑ Lee, Henry C., and Thomas W. O’Neil. “Chapter Two. The Woodchipper Murder” Cracking Cases: The Science of Solving Crimes, Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY, 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.