Springbrook High School

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Springbrook High School
Address
201 Valley Brook Drive
Silver Spring, Maryland
United States
Information
Type Public secondary
Motto "We Expect, We Believe, We Achieve"
Established 1960
Oversight Montgomery County Public Schools
Principal Samuel A. Rivera
Grades 9–12
Number of students 1736 (2011)
Campus Suburban
Color(s) Columbia blue and navy blue
Mascot Blue Devil
Yearbook Trident
Website Springbrook Website

Springbrook High School is an American public high school, located in unincorporated Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located within the White Oak census-designated place,[1] and has a Silver Spring mailing address. It is between the Colesville and White Oak communities.

Springbrook is a member of Montgomery County's Northeast Consortium, a program composed of Springbrook, James Hubert Blake and Paint Branch High Schools that allows students from Ashton, Burnt Mills, Burtonsville, Calverton, Cloverly, Colesville, Fairland, Spencerville, Southern Olney, Hillandale, and White Oak to choose between the three schools.

The school was constructed in 1960, and named after the upper Northwest Branch spring-fed tributary that runs next to its property. Springbrook was renovated in the early 1990s and reopened in 1994. As of 2011, the school holds 1,736 students.

Rankings

Newsweek magazine's 2008 high school rankings put Springbrook 304 out of the top 1,300 public high schools in the United States.[2][3] Newsweek's list of top public schools were selected from over 27,000 public high schools nationwide. Only seven of the 23 public high schools in Montgomery County, Maryland, were rated ahead of Springbrook in the 2008 rankings.

Springbrook draws its students from Montgomery County's Northeast Consortium, a population that is also served by two other public high schools, Blake and Paint Branch, which Newsweek ranked 338 and 418 respectively.

Academic programs

The International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum is a program offering at Springbrook. It includes the Middle Years Program, featuring a Personal Project, for 9th and 10th graders, and the IB Diploma Program for 11th and 12th graders. In addition, Springbrook offers an Advanced Placement (AP) program. Students may start taking AP courses as early as their Freshman year with AP U.S. History. Springbrook is one of the 25 Maryland high schools that sends the most students to the University of Maryland's Clark School of Engineering, the only NEC high school included in that list.[1]

Another Springbrook program is the Academy of Information Technology (AOIT). AOIT is a four-year program which is offered to students interested in computer programming, web development, the aesthetics of designing for the web, basic engineering, microcomputer technologies and LAN Management. Upon completion of the instructional phase, juniors (over the summer) and seniors (during the school year) may be placed in paid internships with employers such as the FDA, NOAA, NASA, USDA, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, etc. The Cisco Networking Academy presents basic networking education to equip students with knowledge and skills that can be applied toward entry-level careers in IT networking and CCENT or CCNA certification. The school has 16 computer labs with 900 computers, translating into a computer for every 2.3 students. Springbrook's computer science program is among the oldest in the state and includes courses in Java and XNA, digital art, LAN management, computer maintenance, and web design.

Springbrook also houses the Justice, Law and Society Academy for the Northeast Consortium. The program is designed for students interested in exploring careers in law, law enforcement and government.

Springbrook's music program was awarded Grammy Signature School status in 2008, recognizing Springbrook as one of the top high school music programs in the nation.[4] The music program has won a number of Superior ratings as well as first place awards in local, national and international music festivals across the nation as well as in Canada. Springbrook's performing ensembles include Symphonic Band (open to all students), Jazz Band (advanced level honors), Symphonic Band, Marching Band, as well as audition-only chamber music ensembles (Strings, Woodwind, Brass-Wind, Percussion and a Jazz Combo). Springbrook's annual Summer Instrumental Music and Jazz Camp, open to middle and high school students from throughout Montgomery County, has been a tradition since 2002.[5] Art classes offered at Springbrook include Foundations of Art, Photography, Ceramics, Studio, 3D Art, TV Production, IB and AP Art and Digital Art.[6]

Springbrook was home to a Navy Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (NJROTC) unit, however, it was disbanded in 2010 after having poor enrollment figures for several years. The remnants of the unit were consolidated into a preexisting one at neighboring Paint Branch High School.[7]

Scholarship

Springbrook's students are drawn from a range of racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds, with roots in 84 nations.[8] Springbook's diversity is reflected in the school's Hall of Nations and celebrated in an annual Heritage Show which showcases student talent including dance ensembles from several cultures.[9][10]

Springbook's IB, AP, and Honors programs have produced outstanding scholars. Members of Springbrook's graduating classes of 2004-06 have gone on to attend universities including American, Amherst, Brown, Boston College, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Davidson, Duke, Georgetown, George Washington, Hampton, Johns Hopkins, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Morehouse, New York University, Northwestern, Oxford, Princeton, Rutgers, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Yale, and the Universities of Massachusetts, Chicago, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Toronto, Virginia, and Wisconsin–Madison. See complete college destinations of Springbrook classes of 2007, 2006, 2005, and 2004.

The Washington Post publishes a Challenge Index based on statistical analysis of academic rigor and achievement among high schools in the Washington DC metropolitan area (covering school districts in Maryland, Northern Virginia, and the District of Columbia). In the December 2006 Challenge Index, Springbrook ranked 7 out of 23 high schools in Montgomery County, and 26 among 185 high schools in the metro area; and placed well ahead of its traditional peer schools (and athletic rivals), Blair (a science magnet school, ranked 33 in the metro area), Paint Branch (62), and Blake (94).

Annual Distinguished Student Awards

Springbrook annually bestows five Distinguished Student Awards:

  • Richard C. Ahlberg Award - presented in honor of Springbrook High School's first principal to the senior with outstanding service to school and community.
  • Dr. Thomas P. Marshall Award - presented in honor of Springbrook High School second principal to a senior whose scholastic career exemplifies the attributes of dedication to the Springbrook community, academic excellence, personal initiative, and versatility through participation in athletics, creative arts, performing arts, or leadership roles embraced by Dr. Marshall.
  • David Cooper Robin Award - presented to a senior whose life was built on the cornerstones of academic superiority, personal integrity, enthusiasm, and an abiding respect for all individuals. David Cooper Robin was a Springbrook High School student.
  • Michael A. Durso Awards - two awards - presented to both a male and a female student, to honor those who have shown significant growth throughout their four years at Springbrook High School. Michael A. Durso was a principal at Springbrook High School.

Extracurricular activities and public service

Springbrook has numerous clubs and activities. The Blueprint Newspaper (winner of Columbia Scholastic Press Association's Gold Medal Award in 2010 and 2011) and the Trident Yearbook are both class offerings. More students from Springbrook (six) have served as the Student Member of the Board of Education than from any other Montgomery County high school.[11] The diverse offering of clubs includes:

  • Arabic/Muslim Student Association
  • Asian Culture Club
  • Ceramics
  • Chemistry Club
  • Debate Club
  • Digital Art Club
  • Forensics
  • Free Instinct
  • German Club
  • Green Team
  • It's Academic Team
  • Le Club Francophone
  • Math Team
  • National Honor Society
  • Robolicious (Robotics Club)
  • Secret Ninja Art Club
  • Springbrook Ambassadors
  • Student Government Assn.
  • TV & Video Production
  • YMCA Go Girls!
  • Women in Technology

Athletics

Since 1964, the Blue Devils have fielded a total of 18 state championship athletic teams, including seven state football championships between 1979 and 1989. The boys basketball team was a state finalist in 2003; the field hockey team was state champion in 2003 and state finalist in 2005; and the gymnastics team won the state title in 2003. In more recent years, the girls basketball and boys cross country teams have won state regional titles, and the boys lacrosse, boys tennis, track and field, and swim and dive teams were divisional champions.

Springbrook High School's varsity boys' basketball team won their third consecutive 4A state championship on March 13, 2010, a feat that had never before been achieved on the 4A level(the highest) and only once on any other level.[citation needed]

Sports offered include:

Fall sports

  • Cheerleading (Varsity and Jr. Varsity)
  • Girls Cross Country (2011 Division Champions)
  • Boys Cross Country (2011 Division Champions)
  • Field Hockey (Varsity and Jr. Varsity) (Girls 2011 Division Champions)
  • Football (Varsity and Jr. Varsity)
  • Golf
  • Poms
  • Girls Soccer (Varsity and Jr. Varsity)
  • Boys Soccer (Varsity and Jr. Varsity)
  • Girls Tennis
  • Allied Track and Field
  • Girls Volleyball (Varsity and Jr. Varsity)

Winter sports

  • Girls Basketball (Varsity and Jr. Varsity)
  • Boys Basketball (Varsity and Jr. Varsity)
  • Allied Bocce
  • Varsity Cheerleading
  • Girls Indoor Track and Field
  • Boys Indoor Track and Field
  • Poms
  • Girls Swim and Dive
  • Boys Swim and Dive
  • Wrestling (Varsity and Jr. Varsity) (best record in the county for the previous five years)

Spring sports

  • Baseball (Varsity and Jr. Varsity)
  • Girls Lacrosse (Varsity and Jr. Varsity)
  • Boys Lacrosse (Varsity and Jr. Varsity)
  • Softball (Varsity and Jr. Varsity)
  • Boys Tennis
  • Girls Track and Field
  • Boys Track and Field
  • Boys Volleyball (Varsity and Jr. Varsity)
  • Coed Volleyball
  • Gymnastics

Teachers and faculty

Five faculty members hold doctorates. 99.2% of classes are taught by highly qualified teachers.[12]

Notable teachers

Pat Yongpradit was one of 12 teachers worldwide to be awarded an Innovative Teacher Award in 2010 by Microsoft.[13] His approach to teaching helped double the number of girls in AP computer programming.

Joyce Amatucci was named the NFL's 2000 Teacher of the Year. She was nominated by a former student, Shawn Springs, who played football for the Seattle Seahawks at the time.

Notable alumni

External links

References

  1. ↑ "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: White Oak CDP, MD" (Archive). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on June 22, 2015.
  2. ↑ Top High Schools: Why Smaller Works Better
  3. ↑ America's Top Public High Schools
  4. ↑ http://www.gibson.com/absolutenm/templates/FeatureTemplatePressRelease.aspx?articleid=1088&zoneid=6
  5. ↑ http://colesville.patch.com/articles/springbrook-hosts-10th-annual-music-and-jazz-camp
  6. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6uB4q0xWw0
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZkwNmk-7g4
  9. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIT9Q_eq1Is&feature=related
  10. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gewP1F7dGhg&feature=related
  11. ↑ http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/studentaffairs/smob/history2.shtm
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ http://www.ozy.com/rising-stars/ratul-narain-and-his-baby-saving-thermometer/62945#m10g01f20b15
  15. ↑ http://blog.worldpokertour.com/wpt-la-poker-classic-jesse-yaginumas-competitive-edge/

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