Peabody Veterans Memorial High School

Peabody Veterans Memorial High School
Location
485 Lowell Street
Peabody, Massachusetts 01960

United States
Coordinates42°32′41″N 70°58′27″W / 42.54472°N 70.97417°W / 42.54472; -70.97417
Information
TypePublic high school
Motto"Bulls Up! Hooah!"[5]
Established1850
1971 (current building)[4]
PrincipalBrooke Randall
Faculty134.32 (on FTE basis)[1] (2015–16)
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,480[2] (2017–18)
Student to teacher ratio11.7[2] (2017–18)
Color(s)Blue and White   
Athletics conferenceNortheastern Conference (NEC)
NicknameTanners
AccreditationNEASC
Websitepeabody.k12.ma.us/schools/pvmhs

Peabody Veterans Memorial High School (PVMHS), also known as Peabody High School, is a comprehensive and competitive public high school in Peabody, Massachusetts, United States. It is the only comprehensive public high school in the Peabody School District, spanning grades 9–12 in the U.S. education system. It is particularly known for its performing arts program including instrumental and choral ensembles and drama club.

History

Peabody High School has relocated four times since its establishment in 1850.[6] From 1850 to 1855, the first Peabody High School was located at the Unitarian Church on Park Street in downtown Peabody. The building has since been converted into condominiums.

The second Peabody High School was located on Stevens Street from 1855 to 1903. The building is now a Veterans of Foreign Wars Post.

From 1904 to 1965, Peabody High School was located on Central Street. The building was later known as Seeglitz Junior High School and has since been renovated into affordable senior apartments owned by the Peabody Housing Authority.

The fourth Peabody High School was located on Perkins Street between 1966 and 1971. The building was later repurposed into the Higgins Middle School and was demolished in 2016.

The current Peabody High School, officially Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, was built on Lowell Street in 1972.

In 2023, the City of Peabody announced it would build a new high school or move forward with a major renovation of the current building on Lowell Street.[7]

Academics

The school's academic departments include AFJROTC, Business, Career and Technical Education, English, World Languages/ELL, Wellness, Mathematics, Performing Arts, Science, Social Studies, Special Education, and Visual Arts.[5]

The Air ForceJunior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (AFJROTC) program is a military-based set of courses for students interested in pursuing a military career.[5]

The Career and Technical Education Program has six approved career pathway programs: Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Early Childhood Education, Electronics and Engineering, Medical Assisting, and Criminal Justice.[5]

The Peabody Community School Program is a separate special education day school operated by PVMHS that assists students with emotional, behavioral, and learning disabilities. The school is a therapeutic environment with extensive differentiation, small classes, and focused behavioral programs.[5]

Student Health Center

In 2015, North Shore Community Health opened up a school-based health center at PVMHS. The health center helps students with behavioral and medical health. Students are able to seek medical attention in a calm and comforting atmosphere.

Peabody Youth Advisory Council

The council advocates for easier access to health services. The group makes an annual trip to the Massachusetts State House in Boston, to speak with state politicians to increase the number of school health centers in the state and country. Students in the Youth Advisory Council represent Peabody at the School-based Health Conference, where students work with peers from across the country to promote healthier lifestyles and choices while also increasing awareness for many public health issues.

Extracurricular activities

Theater program

The theater program, Stage One, was founded in 1970 by Father Frank Toste, a Catholic priest and member of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Stage One has placed in the top three at the Massachusetts High School Theater Festival, run annually by the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild seven times: Equus in 1983,[8] La Bête in 1997,[9] Alchemy of Desire / Dead Man's Blues in 2012,[10][9] Eurydice in 2015,[9] The Long Christmas Ride Home in 2016, Yerma in 2023,[11] and The Whale in 2024.[12][9][13] The company puts on three shows a year: a fall show, a Festival home show which competes at the High School Theater Festival, and a spring musical.[10][14]

Music programs

Chorale and mixed chorus participate in the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA) Festival. Chorale also conducts four singing talent shows per year.

PVMHS also has an a cappella group, Full House.

Demographics

The reported racial makeup is 68.7% White, 23% Hispanic, 4% African American, 2.2% Asian/American Indian, 1.8% multiracial (non-Hispanic), 0.3% Native American, and 0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander.[2]

For assessment of selected populations, the reported statistics are 43.9% high needs, 28.7% economically disadvantaged, 19.7% students with disabilities, 7.0% students with their first language being non-English, and 3.8% English language learner.[2]

Ratings

The Massachusetts Department of Education School and District Accountability program to assess overall performance rated the school as "among lowest performing 20% of schools" in 2017.[2]

Notable alumni

Notable alumni of public high school in Peabody prior to the establishment of the current PVMHS in 1970 include the National Football League players Tom Alberghini (NFL 1945) and Jerry DeLucca (NFL 1959–1964).

References

  1. ^ "School Directory Information (2017–2018 school year) – Peabody Veterans Memorial High". National Center for Education Statistics. U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e "School and District Profiles – Peabody Veterans Memorial High School – General". Massachusetts Department of Education. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  3. ^ "School and District Profiles – Peabody Veterans Memorial High School – 2017–18 SAT Performance Report". Massachusetts Department of Education. September 20, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  4. ^ "Peabody Public School District – Peabody Veterans Memorial High School". Massachusetts School Building Authority. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e "PVMHS Program of Studies 2018–19". PVMHS. pp. 2, 10, 12, 15. Retrieved September 19, 2018 – via Google Docs.
  6. ^ Bigelow, Nora (2023-06-16). "The Five Lives of Peabody High". Peabody Historical Society. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  7. ^ "'A Monumental Step': Peabody High Gets State Funding Approval". Peabody, MA Patch. 2023-12-13. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  8. ^ "Massachusetts State Festival History – Winning Productions 1976–1991". Massachusetts High School Drama Guild. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d "Massachusetts State Festival History – Winning Productions 1992–Present". Massachusetts High School Drama Guild. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  10. ^ a b Castelluccio, John (March 25, 2012). "Peabody High Theater Troupe Wins Big at DramaFest 2012". Patch. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  11. ^ Writer, Caroline Enos | Staff (2023-04-03). "Peabody High wins gold at Drama Fest finals". Salem News. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  12. ^ Writer, Caroline Enos | Staff (2024-03-26). "PVMHS, St. John's Prep win at Drama Fest finals". Salem News. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  13. ^ Swift, Adam (April 6, 2016). "High School's Stage One Group Captures State Drama Award". Patch. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  14. ^ Goldman, Gabriel (September 10, 2018). "A Brief Interview with Mr. Carey". Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  15. ^ Minton, Sam; Tobin, Anne Marie (September 5, 2021). "Heather MacLean Day takes over Peabody". The Daily Item.
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