Killingly High School
{{for|the historical building formerly occupied by the school|Old Killingly High School}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Killingly High School
| image = Killingly High School, Killingly CT.jpg
| imagesize =
| alt =
| caption = Killingly High School
| motto = Great Things Happen Here!
| streetaddress = 226 Putnam Pike
| city = Killingly
| state = Connecticut
| zipcode = 06241
| country = United States
| coordinates = {{coord|41.8600|-71.8732|format=dms|type:edu_region:US-CT|display=inline,title}}
| type = Public high school
| established = {{start date and age|1908|p=1}}
| district = Killingly School District
| superintendent = Susan Nash
| ceeb = 070135
| us_nces_school_id = {{NCES School ID|090207000392|school_name=Killingly High School|access_date=April 27, 2025}}
| principal = Karen Lagace
| teaching_staff = 65.05 (FTE)
| gender = Co-educational
| enrollment = 762 (2023–2024){{cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=0902070&ID=090207000392|title=Killingly High School|publisher=National Center for Education Statistics|accessdate=April 27, 2025}}
| campus size =
| campus type = Rural
| colors = Maroon and white
{{color box|maroon|border=silver}}{{color box|white|border=silver}}
| athletics_conference = Eastern Connecticut Conference{{cite web|title=Leagues|url=http://ciacsports.com/site/?page_id=131|publisher=Conn. Interscholastic Athletic Conf.|access-date=19 November 2017}}
| mascot = None (formerly Redmen)
| newspaper = The Red Line
| feeders =
| website = {{URL|https://khs.killinglyschools.org/}}
}}
Killingly High School is a public high school in Killingly, Connecticut. The school reported 792 students and 65 FTE classroom teachers for the 2014–2015 school year. Killingly High is the only public high school in the Killingly School District, which is on the eastern edge of Windham County. It also serves the nearby town of Brooklyn.
For 2015, the community voted to make the school the sole polling place in Killingly.{{cite news|last1=Penney|first1=John|title=Killingly High School now town's single polling place|url=http://www.norwichbulletin.com/article/20150812/NEWS/150819834|access-date=September 30, 2015|work=Norwich Bulletin|date=August 12, 2015}} The Secretary of State informed the town registrar's office that this was a misinterpretation of statute, and in 2016, a second polling place was opened at the school's old location.{{why|date=January 2020}}{{cite news|last1=Penney|first1=John|title=Killingly adding back a polling location|url=http://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/20160328/killingly-adding-back-polling-location|access-date=May 27, 2017|work=Norwich Bulletin|date=March 28, 2016|language=en}}
Sports at the school are done as part of the Eastern Connecticut Conference.
Killingly High was included in a segment of the reality TV series The Principal's Office in 2009.{{cite news|last1=Penney|first1=John|title=Killingly High principal resigns|url=http://www.norwichbulletin.com/article/20090109/news/301099901|access-date=September 30, 2015|work=Norwich Bulletin|date=January 9, 2009}}
Old Killingly High School was built in 1908 and used by the school until 1965. The second building was then used until 2010 and continues to act as the site of an alternative learning program and the school district's central office. The first building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992{{NRISref|2008a}} and is now the town's community center.
Mascot controversies
In 2014 school officials began discussing changing the school's mascot name, The Redmen, in response to controversy over Native American mascots.{{cite news|url=http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Killingly-to-Reconsider-Mascot-in-Light-of-National-Controversy-275361071.html|title=Killingly to Reconsider Mascot in Light of National Controversy|last1=Rayner|first1=Kate|date=September 16, 2014|work=NBC Connecticut|access-date=September 30, 2015}}
In 2019, another student group advocated for a name change and brought the issue back into the news. The school board voting to change the name to "Red Hawks", which was selected as the new mascot by 80% of students in an October, 2019 vote.{{cite news| url=https://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/20191008/mascot-pick-sent-to-boe| title=Mascot pick sent to BOE| author=Stephen Beale| date=October 8, 2019| newspaper=The Bulletin}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/20190611/redmen-mascot-racist-community-weighs-in|title=Redmen mascot racist? Community weighs in|last=Della Costa|first=Anna Maria|website=The Bulletin|language=en|access-date=2019-06-23}} An effort to restore the name Redmen was supported by the Native American Guardians Association (a controversial non-profit funded by the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation) which gave lectures on the origin of the name.{{cite web |last1=Beale |first1=Stephen |title=Killingly High back to being Redmen |url=https://www.norwichbulletin.com/story/news/politics/county/2020/01/09/killingly-high-back-to-being/1928455007/ |website=Norwich Bulletin |access-date=18 August 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Fawcett |first1=Eliza |title=In heated debate over mascot, Killingly board of education rescinds "Red Hawks," but fails in bid to restore "Redmen" name |url=https://www.courant.com/2019/12/12/in-heated-debate-over-mascot-killingly-board-of-education-rescinds-red-hawks-but-fails-in-bid-to-restore-redmen-name/ |website=Hartford Courant |access-date=18 August 2023}} On January 9, 2020, the board voted to reinstate the name "Redmen" with an updated logo to reduce negative stereotypes.{{cite news |last1=Austin |first1=Matt |title=Killingly School Board Votes to Reinstate Redmen Mascot |url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/killingly-school-board-votes-to-reinstate-redmen-mascot/2207626/ |access-date=26 December 2023 |work=NBC Connecticut |date=9 January 2020}} The reinstatement drew national attention to the school. Connecticut State Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz called the reinstatement a "mockery of the process" and announced plans to ban the use of such mascots at the legislative level, following a precedent first set by Maine and followed by other states.{{cite news |last1=Putterman |first1=Alex |title=Connecticut lawmakers will consider banning Native American mascots as 19 public schools continue to use them |url=https://www.courant.com/2020/01/17/connecticut-lawmakers-will-consider-banning-native-american-mascots-as-19-public-schools-continue-to-use-them/ |access-date=26 December 2023 |work=Hartford Courant |date=17 January 2020}}
In 2022, the school and two others in the state were found to be out of compliance with state statutes due to the mascot and name, making Killingly High School ineligible to receive $94,000 in funding from Mashantucket Pequot Tribe and Mohegan funds.{{cite news |title=3 CT Schools Can't Receive Funding After Review of Native American Names |url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/3-ct-schools-cant-receive-funding-after-review-of-native-american-names/2918244/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=NBC Connecticut |date=November 17, 2022}}
In February 2024, the school board again formed a committee to review the name and mascot.{{cite news |last1=Austin |first1=Matt |title=Killingly school board starts new review of controversial mascot |url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/killingly-school-board-starts-new-review-of-controversial-mascot/3230280/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=NBC Connecticut |date=February 28, 2024}}
In November, the committee voted to retire the Redmen name and mascot. There were no immediate plans for a replacement.{{cite news |last1=Fortuna |first1=Angela |title=Controversial Killingly High School mascot to be retired |url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/controversial-killingly-high-school-mascot-to-be-retired/3435059/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=NBC Connecticut |date=November 15, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Linskey |first1=Connor |title=Killingly High School retires controversial Redmen mascot: What is the new mascot? |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/local/2024/11/27/killingly-high-school-ct-retires-redmen-mascot-native-american/76606802007/ |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=Norwich Bulletin |publisher=USA TODAY |date=November 27, 2024}}
Athletics
=CIAC State Championships=
| class="wikitable" |
| Team
! Year |
|---|
| Football
|1981, 1996, 2017, 2021 |
| Golf
|2016, 2018 |
| Wrestling
|2003, 2008, 2009, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024 |
| Gymnastics
|1990, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012 |
=ECC Championships=
| class="wikitable" |
| Team
! Year |
|---|
| Football
|1966, 1980, 1981, 1995, 1996, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022 |
| Golf
|1970, 1971, 1972, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 |
| Wrestling
|1995, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024 |
| Gymnastics
|1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 |
| Girls Tennis
|2013, 2016, 2017, 2018 |
Notable alumni
- Bruce Boisclair, New York Mets outfielder{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7WSNCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT46|last1=Harrison|first1=Don|date=2008|title=Connecticut Baseball: The Best of the Nutmeg State|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=9781625843944}}
- Shane Gibson, professional basketball player{{cite news |last1=Bogart |first1=Bob |title=H.S. Basketball: Killingly take Clipper Classic crown |url=https://www.norwichbulletin.com/story/sports/high-school/2007/12/29/h-s-basketball-killingly-take/64943365007/ |access-date=October 6, 2022 |work=Norwich Bulletin |date=December 28, 2007}}{{cite web |title=Shane Gibson - 2012-13 - Men's Basketball |url=https://sacredheartpioneers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/shane-gibson/899 |website=Sacred Heart University |access-date=October 6, 2022 |language=en}}
- Eric Laakso, Miami Dolphins professional football player (NFL){{cite news |last1=Allard |first1=Marc |title=Local Sports: Killingly graduate, ex-NFL player dies at 54 |url=https://www.norwichbulletin.com/story/sports/high-school/2010/12/28/local-sports-killingly-graduate-ex/44951181007/ |access-date=October 6, 2022 |work=Norwich Bulletin |date=December 27, 2010}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://khs.killinglyschools.org/}}
- {{cite news |last1=Cavanaugh |first1=John |title=Girl, 15, in Basketball Spotlight |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/02/23/nyregion/girl-15-in-basketball-spotlight.html |access-date=October 6, 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=February 23, 1986}}
{{Eastern Connecticut Conference}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Public high schools in Connecticut
Category:Killingly, Connecticut
Category:Schools in Windham County, Connecticut