Westborough High School is a public high school located in Westborough, Massachusetts and serves as the high school for the Westborough Public School District. The school’s mascot is the Ranger and the school colors are Cardinal and Navy Blue. In the 2012-13 school year, WHS had an enrollment of 1078 students. The school is currently located in the downtown Westborough area at 90 West Main St, Westborough.
| Westborough High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public Secondary |
| Established | 1968 |
| School district | Westborough Public School District |
| Principal | Brian Callaghan |
| Faculty | 124 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Number of students | 1,078 |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Cardinal and Navy Blue |
| Athletics | MIAA Division I |
| Mascot | The Ranger |
| Newspaper | The Lobby Observer |
| Website | whs |
History
Previous locations
The first public school in Westborough was located on Science Hill on School St. Starting in 1854, Silas Stone taught twenty subjects. The school eventually became graded and graduated its first class of three in 1872.
The first modern high school was built using donations from local philanthropists Frank and Fannie Forbes in 1926. A new high school was then built on Fisher St in 1956 which later became the middle school as growth in student population forced the need to construct the current building in 1968.[2]
Property history
The property was first built upon by Thomas Rice in 1675, where he built a Garrison Home. Later, in the mid-1800s, box factory and hotel owner Christopher Whitney, built a mansion on the site. The property was sold in 1920 to the Aronson cattle dealers who hosted regular cattle auctions on the site.
Two infamous events have occurred on the property that was to become Westborough High School. This first was the capturing of the five Rice boys by the Canawaugha Indian tribe from present day Canada. The oldest of the five, Timothy, grew up with the Canawaugha and later became an Iroquis sachem. The second was the 1953 tornado that struck the Aronson property and fields, killing three of the Aronsons and a hired man.[2]
Academics
Standardized test averages
On the 2013 MCAS test, sophomores at Westborough High School ranked 105 of 354 schools in English, 59 of 354 in Math, and 15 of 344 in Science and Technology. The school had 97% of test takers place in the “Advanced” or “Proficient” categories in English, compared to the state average of 91%. In Math, this percentage was 92% compared to the state’s 90%, and a 94% in Science and Technology compared to the state average of 71%.[3]
Advanced Placement Courses
Westborough High School offers a large selection of AP courses and allows its students to take AP courses through the Virtual High School program. 51% of students at WHS take at least one AP course before they graduate.[4]
List of Advanced Placement Courses Offered
- Microeconomics
- Computer Science
- 3D Design Portfolio
- Studio Art 2D
- Music Theory
- Calculus AB
- Calculus BC
- Statistics
- Biology
- Chemistry
- United States History
- French
- Spanish
- English Literature
Honor societies
Westborough High School has an active chapter of the National Honor Society which meets monthly. The NHS chapter runs a free tutoring service accessible to all Westborough Public School attendees.[2]
Athletics
| Season | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Football, Soccer, Golf, Cross-Country | Field Hockey, Soccer, Volleyball, Cross-Country |
| Winter | Basketball, Hockey, Swimming, Skiing, Indoor Track and Field | Basketball, Swimming, Skiing, Gymnastics, Indoor Track and Field |
| Spring | Baseball, Lacrosse, Tennis, Outdoor Track and Field | Softball, Lacrosse, Tennis, Golf, Outdoor Track and Field |
Fine Arts
Westborough offers the following curricular music ensembles:[2]
- String Orchestra
- Concert Band
- Symphonic Band
- Mixed Chorus
- Women’s Chorale
- Concert Choir
The following extracurricular ensembles run outside of class time:[2]
- Honors String Quartet
- String Chamber Ensemble
- Marching Band
- Repertoire Jazz Band
- Festival Jazz Band
- Saxophone Quartet
- Woodwind Quintet
- Percussion Ensemble
- Harmony in Heels (Women’s A Cappella)
- Don’t Panic (Mixed A Cappella)
- Member’s Only (Men’s A Cappella)
- Double Take (Women's A Cappella)
- Chamber Singers
Honor societies
Westborough High School’s chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society is chapter 3311.[2]
Theater
Center Stage, the Westborough High School theater group, puts on three shows per academic year: a play in November, a musical in March, and a small piece or One Act festival in May.[2]
| Year | Fall Play | Spring Musical |
|---|---|---|
| 2013-2014 | The Comedy of Errors | Fiddler on the Roof |
| 2012-2013 | The Caucasian Chalk Circle | Curtains |
| 2011-2012 | The Skin of Our Teeth | The Pajama Game |
| 2010-2011 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | The Apple Tree |
| 2009-2010 | Splendor in the Grass | Once On This Island |
Annual events
Annual events at Westborough High School include the following:[2]
- Welcome Back Dance - September
- Homecoming Festival and Game - October
- Fall Play - November
- Thanksgiving Football Game - November
- Spring Musical - March
- Junior Prom - May
- Senior Ball - June
- Senior Class Baccalaureate - June
- Senior Class Graduation - June
References
- ^ http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/state_report/sat_perf.aspx
- ^ a b c d e f g h WHS Home, Westborough Public Schools, 2013. Web. 31 October 2013..
- ^ Boston.com, Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC, September 2013. Web. 31 October 2013.
- ^ US News, US News. U.S. News and World Report LP, 2011. Web. 31 October 2013.