Bettendorf High School

{{Short description|Public school district in Bettendorf, Iowa, United States}}

{{multiple issues|

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{{Infobox school

| name = Bettendorf High School

| image = Bett High.jpg

| caption = Bettendorf High front view from 18th Street

| established = 1951

| type = Public secondary school

| principal = Kristy Cleppe

| superintendent = Michelle Morse

| grades = 9–12

| address = 3333 18th St

| city = Bettendorf

| state = Iowa 52722

| country = United States

| coordinates = {{Coord|41.5565|-90.4975|type:edu_region:US-IA|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| teaching_staff = 97.69 (FTE)

| ratio = 15.20

| students = 1,485 (2023-2024){{cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=1904860&ID=190486000142|title=Bettendorf High School|publisher=National Center for Education Statistics|accessdate=February 28, 2025}}

| mascot = Bulldogs

| colors = Black and Gold
{{color box|black}} {{color box|yellow|border=darkgray}}

| athletics = Baseball, basketball, cheerleading, color guard, cross country, dance, football, golf, marching band, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball, wrestling

| conference = Mississippi Athletic Conference

| website = {{URL|http://bhs.bettendorf.k12.ia.us/}}

}}

Bettendorf High School (BHS) is a public four-year comprehensive high school located in Bettendorf, Iowa and is part of the Bettendorf Community School District.

History

=Early history=

Prior to its opening in 1951, there was no high school in Bettendorf. High school-age students living in the city had to go to Davenport High School or Le Claire High School to receive their secondary education.

The original BHS building was completed in 1951 at a site between 21st and 23rd streets south of Central Avenue. In its very early years, the high school housed seventh through 12th grade students, although junior high students were moved by the late 1950s.

The community of Bettendorf quickly grew during the 1950s and 1960s, and by the early 1960s, the district had outgrown the school due to increasing enrollment. Students walked to some classes in rented store fronts on State and Grant Streets, while an annex building (which later became Neil Armstrong Elementary) also helped serve students. By 1971, with enrollment still growing at a fast pace, plans were started to build a new high school along 18th Street in the northern part of the city, roughly 1½ miles north of Middle Road.

The former BHS building had a track/baseball field on the front side and a football field on the back side; both are still evident at the site. The old school's athletic facilities were used for a number of years after the opening of the new high school. The old football field was used on a varsity level until 1980, when Touvelle Stadium was completed, while the old BHS gymnasium was utilized by lower level teams until the mid-1980s. Today, the old BHS building is the headquarters for the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency District 9, which oversees public school education across east-central Iowa.

=Current high school=

The current high school building was completed in 1973, at a cost of roughly $3 million. At the time of its opening, BHS was on the edge of town, surrounded by mostly undeveloped land. A subsequent addition added a new industrial arts/locker room and an athletic stadium completed in 1980. The six-building, air-conditioned complex is highlighted by a landscaped inner courtyard, planetarium, library/media center, computer labs, a 405-seat auditorium, and a field house with a 6-lane, 25-yard swimming pool. In 2007, an addition to the music and drama area was completed.

A new {{convert|7500|sqft|m2|adj=on}} facility is attached to the east side of the high school and accessible to all athletic and physical education areas. The center houses weights and exercise and cardiovascular equipment.

A group of community members organized the BHS Fitness Education Center Committee and raised $300,000 in funds for the fitness education center at Bettendorf High School. The Bettendorf School Board matched $300,000 to fund the $600,000 project. The project was completed in the summer of 2002.

In 2010, copies of the student newspaper, The Growl, were confiscated by school administrators because of an article about inconsistent disciplinary action against students, specifically athletes.{{Cite news

|last=McGlynn

|first=Ann

|title=Bettendorf High School administration confiscates student newspaper

|url=http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_a771a606-139b-11df-8881-001cc4c002e0.html

|newspaper=Quad-City Times

|date=2010-02-06

|accessdate=2010-06-30}}{{cite web

|last=Ocran

|first=Nicole

|title=Student newspaper containing critical article confiscated at Iowa high school

|url=http://www.splc.org/newsflash.asp?id=2026

|publisher=Student Press Law Center

|date=2010-02-10

|accessdate=2010-06-30

|url-status=dead

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712133610/http://www.splc.org/newsflash.asp?id=2026

|archivedate=2010-07-12

}}{{Cite news|title=Administrators pull Bettendorf school paper |url=http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/administrators-pull-bettendorf-school-paper-1.1751745 |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Newsday |accessdate=2010-06-30 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{Cite news|title=Administrators pull Bettendorf school paper |url=http://www.kttc.com/Global/story.asp?S=11960131 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=KTTC |date=2010-02-09 |accessdate=2010-06-30 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

Renovations to the high school took about three years to complete from October 2011 to March 2013, with an estimated cost of $16.2 million.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110625053617/http://bhs.bettendorf.k12.ia.us/HS_Facility_Projects/ Bettendorf High School – Facility Projects][http://qctimes.com/news/local/curtain-goes-up-on-performing-arts-center-at-bettendorf-high/article_65210ec2-8b84-11e2-9225-0019bb2963f4.html Curtain goes up on performing arts center at Bettendorf High School]

A $3.25 million renovation project to TouVelle Stadium began in May and finished in August, in time for the 2014 season. The upgrades replaced the stadium's grass field with synthetic turf, reconfiguration of the eight-lane track and a new lighting system among others.[https://archive.today/20140212025822/http://m.qctimes.com/news/local/bettendorf/bettendorf-approves-stadium-renovation/article_1188bad0-9cd0-5750-a4c0-27ef58a6b2d7.html?mobile_touch=true TouVelle Stadium Project][http://qctimes.com/news/local/bettendorf/touvelle-stadium-ready-for-action/article_1d60c8ca-e486-5cac-95df-cd2f08ebdca1.html TouVelle Stadium ready for action]

The Bettendorf High School football team, established in 1952, has been a cornerstone of athletic excellence. Renowned for its enduring success and commitment to tradition, the team has achieved numerous championships and milestones over its storied history. In 2002 [https://bettendorffootball.com/ www.bettendorffootball.com] launched, an extensive and meticulously curated archival website. This resource stands as one of the most comprehensive of its kind, offering a deep dive into the team’s legacy through game records, player highlights, and historical insights.

Music

The music department has a marching band, freshmen band, symphonic band, orchestra, wind ensemble, jazz band, pep band, chorus, a prep group show choir named 'Audio Intensity',{{cite report |url=https://www.bettmusicdepartment.com/audio-intensity.html |title=Audio Intensity |access-date=Aug 4, 2021}} and a show choir named 'Surround Sound'.

Athletics

The Bulldogs compete in the Mississippi Athletic Conference(MAC), in the following sports:

Summer: Baseball and softball
Fall: Football, volleyball, girls' swimming, boys'cross country, girls' cross country, boys' golf
Winter: Boys' basketball, girls' basketball, girls' bowling, boys’ bowling, boys' swimming, wrestling
Spring: Boys' track and field, girls' track and field, boys' soccer, girls' soccer, boys' tennis, girls' tennis, girls' golf

=State championships=

Boys' Basketball (2-time State Champions - 1986, 2005){{cite web|url=https://www.iahsaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-Basketball-Stat-Book-1.29.20.pdf|title=2020 State Tournament Stat Book Basketball|publisher=Iowa High School Athletic Association|date=2020-01-29|access-date=2020-09-20}}
Girls' Basketball - 1994 Class 4A State Champions{{cite web|title=All Time State Tournament Results|url=http://www.ighsau.org/hoops/2014/14HoopScoop.pdf|publisher=Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union|accessdate=15 March 2014|pages=10–17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140315072558/http://www.ighsau.org/hoops/2014/14HoopScoop.pdf|archive-date=15 March 2014|url-status=dead}}
Girls' Cross Country (3-time State Champions (1977, 1984, 1987){{cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/site/iahsaasports/iowa-high-schools/current-high-schools/bettendorf|title=Bettendorf|publisher=Iowa High School Sports|accessdate=2020-09-20}}
Football (7-time Class 4A State Champions - 1981, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 2004, 2007){{cite web|url=https://www.iahsaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2020-RB-Football-6.9.20.pdf|title=Record Book Football 2020 Complete Edition|publisher=Iowa High School Athletic Association|date=2020-06-09|access-date=2020-09-20}}
Boys' Golf (5-time State Champions - 1978, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007){{cite web|url=https://www.iahsaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2019-20-Golf-Stat-Book-12.16.19.pdf|title=2019-2020 Golf Stat Book|publisher=Iowa High School Athletic Association|date=2019-12-16|access-date=2020-09-20}}
Boys' Soccer (3-time State Champions - 1995, 1999, 2004){{cite web|url=https://www.iahsaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/SoccerStatbook.pdf|title=2020 Soccer Stat Book|publisher=Iowa High School Athletic Association|date=2019-06-12|access-date=2020-09-20}}
Girls' Soccer (2-time State Champions - 1998, 2024)
Boys' Swimming (4-time state Champions - 1978, 1986, 1999, 2007){{cite web|url=https://www.iahsaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-Swimming-Stat-Book-2.6.20.pdf|title=2020 Swimming Stat Book|publisher=Iowa High School Athletic Association|date=2020-02-05|access-date=2020-08-14}}
Girls' Swimming (7-time state Champions - 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
Boys' Tennis - 2004 Class 2A State Champions{{cite web|url=https://www.iahsaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/TennisStatbook.pdf|title=2020 IHSAA Tennis State Book|publisher=Iowa High School Athletic Association|date=2020-06-10|access-date=2020-09-20}}
Girls' Tennis (7-time Class 2A State Champions - 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003)
Girls' Track and Field (3-time Class 3A State Champions - 1986, 1989, 1990){{cite web|url=https://www.ighsau.org/upl/downloads/library/track-2019-recordbook6-18-19.pdf|title=2019 IGHSAU Track & Field Record Book|publisher=Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union|date=2019-05-13|access-date=2020-09-20}}
Volleyball (2-time Class 5A State Champions - 2012, 2013)
Wrestling (4-time Class 3A State Champions - 1981, 1982, 2012, 2014){{cite web|url=https://www.iahsaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Wrestling-Stat-Book-2020-1.29.20.pdf|title=2020 Wrestling Stat Book|publisher=Iowa High School Athletic Association|date=2020-01-29|access-date=2020-09-20}}
Wrestling (2-time Class 3A State Duals Champions - 2012, 2014){{cite web|url=https://www.iahsaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Wrestling-Stat-Book-2020-1.29.20.pdf|title=2020 Wrestling Stat Book|publisher=Iowa High School Athletic Association|date=2020-01-29|access-date=2020-09-20}}

Notable alumni

Pat Angerer, former NFL linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts ({{NFL Year|2010}}–2013) and Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|2014}}).
Scott Beck,{{cite web | url=https://qctimes.com/community/bettendorf/nothing-is-quiet-about-the-lives-of-filmmakers-from-bettendorf/article_682edbe0-ffeb-52f0-9c2a-9ab9a845278e.html | title=Nothing is 'Quiet' about the lives of filmmakers from Bettendorf | date=28 March 2018 }} Screenwriter, Director {{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1399714/ | title=Scott Beck | Writer, Producer, Director | website=IMDb }}
Bryan Woods, Screenwriter, Director {{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1456816/ | title=Bryan Woods | Writer, Producer, Director | website=IMDb }}
D.J. Carton, NBA player for the Greensboro Swarm of the G League
Tavian Banks, former NFL running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars ({{NFL Year|1998}}–2000) and New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|2002}}–2004)
JP Flynn, former NFL offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers
Frank Fritz, American Pickers
Amber Hunt,{{cite web | url=https://qctimes.com/amber-hunt/image_dd4b54a5-b1ec-5332-93df-ea73a600e4a9.html | title=Amber Hunt | date=26 December 2014 }} Journalist, Podcaster
Jordan Johnson,{{cite web | url=https://gculopes.com/sports/wrestling/roster/jordan-johnson/946 | title=Jordan Johnson - Wrestling }} UFC Middleweight
Mark Kerr, 2-time NCAA Wrestling Champion; retired MMA fighter; 2-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Winner{{cite web|title=Mark Kerr UFC Bio|url=https://www.ufc.com/athlete/mark-kerr|access-date=2014-01-01}}
Robbie Lawler, professional MMA fighter, former UFC welterweight champion
Michael "Drew" McFedries, former UFC fighter{{cite web|title=Drew McFedries UFC Bio|url=https://www.ufcespanol.com/athlete/drew-mcfedries|access-date=2014-01-01}}
Pat Miletich, retired professional Mixed Martial Artist, first UFC Welterweight Champion, UFC Hall of Fame member{{cite web|title=Pat Miletich UFC Bio|url=https://www.ufc.com/athlete/pat-miletich|access-date=2014-01-01}}
Eric Christian Olsen, actor
Linnea Quigley, actress
Darien Porter, NFL cornerback for the Las Vegas Raiders[https://www.kwqc.com/2025/04/26/former-bettendorf-star-darien-porter-taken-nfl-draft/]
Thomas D. Waterman, Justice, Iowa Supreme Court
Mike Wolfe, American Pickers
Andrew Yohe, U.S. Paralympian, Sled Hockey
Lana Zak,{{cite web | url=https://qctimes.com/lana-zak/image_5162e843-3eda-5b48-b079-c25db5981b7a.html | title=Lana Zak | date=4 September 2015 }} Journalist, CBS {{cite web | url=https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-news-and-stations/talent/?view=lana-zak | title=Paramount Press Express | CBS News and Stations | Journalists }}
Samuel Silverstein,{{Cite web |title=Bettendorf High School |url=https://www.bhs.bettendorf.k12.ia.us/our-school/alumni/hall-honor |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=www.bhs.bettendorf.k12.ia.us}} physicist,{{cite web | url=https://www.su.se/english/profiles/silver-1.186713 | title=Samuel Silverstein - Stockholm University }} ATLAS
Robert S. Gallagher, Mayor of Bettendorf,{{cite web | url=https://www.bettendorf.org/government/mayor___council/index.php | title=Bettendorf, IA }} 2012–present
Ann Hutchinson, former Mayor of Bettendorf, 1988–2003{{cite web | url=https://www.wvik.org/government-politics/2019-06-07/bettendorf-honors-mayor-ann | title=Bettendorf Honors "Mayor Ann" | date=7 June 2019 }}