Altoona High School
{{distinguish|Altoona Area High School}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Altoona High School
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| established = 1913
| closed =
| type = Public secondary school
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| principal = Jim Reif
| asst principal =
| head_name = Second Master
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| head_name2 = Assistant Headmaster
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| teaching_staff = 34.90 (FTE)
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| grades = 9-12
| streetaddress = 711 7th Street West
| city = Altoona
| state = Wisconsin
| zipcode = 54720
| country = United States
| coordinates = {{Coord|44.802039|N|91.441892|W|region:US-WI|display=inline,title}}
| district = Altoona School District
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| colors = {{color box|red}} {{color box|black}}
| athletics =
| nickname = Railroaders
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| website = {{URL|https://www.altoona.k12.wi.us/schools/high-school/index/|Official website}}
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| athletics_conference = Cloverbelt Conference
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Altoona High School is a public high school located in Altoona, Wisconsin. It serves students in grades 9 through 12 and is the only high school in the Altoona School District.
History
Although elementary education had been provided for Altoona residents since the late nineteenth century, a public high school was not opened until October 1913. The original building burned down in 1951, and a successful February 1952 referendum authorized a new building, which opened in October of that year. A 1981 referendum to address overcrowding by building a new high school failed, but a 1986 referendum for a new building passed.{{cite book |last1=Hagen |first1=Gerald A. |title=A History of Altoona |date=1987 |location=Altoona, Wis.}}
Demographics
The school's student population is 86 percent white, five percent Hispanic, two percent Asian, and two percent black. Four percent of students identify as a part of two or more races. 28 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.{{cite web |title=Altoona High School Student Body |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/wisconsin/districts/altoona-school-district/altoona-high-21464/student-body |website=U.S. News & World Report |accessdate=August 14, 2020}}
Academics
Advanced Placement classes are offered at Altoona; just under half of students take an AP class.{{cite web |title=Altoona High School Test Scores |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/wisconsin/districts/altoona-school-district/altoona-high-21464/test-scores |website=U.S. News & World Report |accessdate=August 14, 2020}}
Athletics
AHS athletic teams are known as the Railroaders and compete in the Cloverbelt Conference.{{cite web |title=Cloverbelt Conference Member Schools |url=https://www.cloverbeltconference.org/g5-bin/client.cgi?G5genie=159 |website=Cloverbelt Conference |accessdate=August 14, 2020}} In the fall of 2019, a new sports complex with artificial turf opened, housing contests for the football, soccer, and track and field.{{cite web |last1=Pautsch |first1=Mary |title=Altoona High School unveils new sports complex |url=https://wqow.com/2019/08/30/altoona-high-school-unveils-new-sports-complex/ |website=WQOW |accessdate=August 14, 2020 |date=August 30, 2019}} The football field is named after former Green Bay Packers player Fuzzy Thurston, a graduate of the school.{{cite web |last1=Junewicz |first1=Nikki |title=Altoona honors Packers legend "Fuzzy" Thurston with his own week |url=https://www.ci.altoona.wi.us/news.phtml/9609666C/altoona_honors_packers_legend_fuzzy_thurston_with_his_own_week/ |website=City of Altoona |publisher=WEAU |accessdate=August 14, 2020 |date=January 29, 2015}}
File:Altoona schools athletic fields 01.jpg
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Division/Class !Sport |
| 2018
| | Girls hockey* |
| 2011
| Division 3 | Girls basketball |
| 2001
| Division 2 | Softball |
| 1939
| Class C | Boys basketball |
| 1934
| Class C | Boys track and field |
| colspan=3|* denotes championship was part of a cooperative team |
Performing arts
Altoona High has a competitive show choir. The group was originally named "Northland Singers", but is now known as "Locomotion". At times, the school also had a jayvee-level group, "Enginuity".{{cite web |title=SCC: Viewing School - Altoona High School |url=https://www.showchoir.com/choirs/school.php?id=18 |website=Show Choir Community |accessdate=August 14, 2020}} The school has hosted its own competition, "Locopalooza", annually since 2000.{{cite web |last1=Clark |first1=Judy |title=NOON INTERVIEW: Locopalooza Show Choir Competition |url=https://www.weau.com/content/misc/NOON-INTERVIEW-Locopalooza-Show-Choir-Competition-567167351.html |website=WEAU |accessdate=August 14, 2020 |date=January 21, 2020}}
Notable alumni
- Leonard Haas, former chancellor of University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire{{cite web |title=Graduates of Altoona High School from 1915 through 1940 |url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/wi/eauclaire/schools/altgrads.txt |website=USGenWeb Archives |accessdate=August 14, 2020}}
- Tod Ohnstad, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly{{cite web |title=Representative Tod Ohnstad |url=https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2019/legislators/assembly/1859 |website=Wisconsin State Legislature |accessdate=August 16, 2020}}
- Fuzzy Thurston, Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame member{{cite web |title=Fred "Fuzzy" Thurston |url=https://www.packers.com/history/hof/fuzzy-thurston |website=Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame |accessdate=August 14, 2020}}