North Reading High School (NRHS) is the public high school serving students in grades 9–12 from the town of North Reading, Massachusetts, United States. It has an enrollment of 812 students as of the 2017-2018 school year with a pupil-teacher ratio of about 12:1. The school has 62 full- and part-time faculty and staff, several of whom are NRHS graduates. The current principal is Anthony J. Loprete; the current assistant principal is Joseph Hehn.[3]
NRHS was voted one of the top 50 public high schools in Massachusetts in 2013 and 2015 by U.S. News & World Report. It failed to make the same publication's rankings in 2014.[4]
Construction
In 2012, the secondary schools building committee and the citizens of North Reading, in overwhelming support, voted to begin the creation of a combined high school/middle school facility. With the help of state and local funding, construction began on the new school in the fall of the same year.
The structure began to take shape just above and behind the 1955 high school building. In fall 2014, the first phase of construction was complete: the new high school building went into use while the old high school building, down the hill, received one final year as a temporary home for middle school students. The 2014-2015 school year saw the overhaul renovation of the old middle school building next to the newly completed high school.
In fall 2015, the building project was considered to be complete. Students in grades 6-12 entered permanent classrooms in the middle school, the high school and the shared common area. By winter 2015, the 1955 high school was completely demolished and new athletic fields have taken its place.
The new facility consists of a completely new high school, a completely renovated middle school, and a shared common area linking those two institutions. This common area includes a two-court gymnasium, cafeteria, state-of-the-art performing arts center and television studio. New tennis courts, a softball fields and an all-purpose field complete the project.
As one, the North Reading Middle-High School campus serves 1,370 students.
[5]
The school was designed by architectural company Dore & Whittier and constructed by Gilbane Building Company.[6]
Extracurriculars
North Reading High School has athletic, academic and artistic extracurricular activities in which students can participate.[7]
Athletic teams
Baseball
Basketball
Cheerleading
Cross Country
Field Hockey
Football
Golf
Gymnastics
Ice Hockey
Indoor Track
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Swimming
Tennis
Track/Field
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Wrestling
Academic/social/philanthropic clubs
Academic Decathlon
Adventure Club
American Red Cross Club
Chess Club
Eco-team
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA)
Interact Club
International Club
Mock Trial Club
Model United Nations Club
National Honor Society
Regional Student Advisory Committee
Samantha's Harvest
Social Activism Club
Student Advisory to the North Reading School Committee
Student Book Discussion Group
Student Council
Student Leadership Academy and Mentoring (SLAM)
Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
World of Sciences Club
Yearbook Committee
Artistic organizations
Art Club
Color Guard
Jazz Band
Marching Band
Noteorious a Cappella
Photography Club
Stage Band
The Masquers
The Masquers Club is North Reading High School's dramatic organization. Its funding is financially independent of its school's. The club was founded in 1968 and produces at least one fall play and one winter musical every season. Masquers garners local acclaim as an entirely student-run organization and participates in the METG drama festival annually. Its productions, actors and crew have earned numerous titles including best actor, best actress, student director, technical excellence, and best set design. The organization regularly sends alumni to top national universities including NYU Tisch, Carnegie Mellon, Ithaca College, and Boston Conservatory for theatrical performance and technical production.[8]
Controversy
In May 2014, the North Reading Police Department began investigations into president of the Athletic Boosters Association John Norton after he mailed them a personal check to pay for a police detail hired to work a basketball tournament. In August, the North Reading School Board officially severed its ties with the Athletic Boosters organization, at the time giving no official reason. Norton was arraigned in October of the same year. He is charged with embezzlement of over $10,000 intended for students.
The School Committee has encouraged citizens not to continue donating to the Athletic Boosters, but the police have insisted that they believe the behavior to be isolated. In addition to the arraignment of Norton, NRPD issued a formal complaint to the Attorney General's Office about the Athletic Boosters' failure to register proper legal filings as a non-profit organization.
The Athletic Boosters, which was an independent club separate from other associations like the School Committee, Music Boosters or Parents Association, is no longer in existence.[9]
Demographics
North Reading High School's predominant student ethnicity is Caucasian.[3] Its male-female ratio is nearly 1:1.[10]
Ethnicity
Percentage of Enrollment
Caucasian
94%
Asian/Pacific Islander
2%
Multiracial
2%
Hispanic
1%
Black, non-Hispanic
0.4%
Native American or Native Alaskan
0%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0%
Gender
Enrolled
Male
379
Female
376
Other
Not measured
Subgroup
Percentage of Enrollment
Low-income
7.2%
Students with Disabilities
14%
Free Lunch
4.9%
Reduced Lunch
2.3%
High Needs
19.6%
Notable alumni
Jon Favreau: NRHS '99. Director of Speechwriting for President Barack Obama, 2009-2013.
References
^ abc"North Reading High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
