Merrimack High School
{{about|the public high school in Merrimack, New Hampshire|the high school in Penacook, New Hampshire|Merrimack Valley High School}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Merrimack High School
| image = Merrimack High School, Merrimack NH.jpg
| imagesize =
| logo =
| caption = Merrimack High School
| location = 38 McElwain Street
Merrimack, New Hampshire
| country = United States
| coordinates = {{Coord|42|51|39|N|71|29|53|W|region:US-NH_type:edu_source:GNIS|display=inline,title}}
| district = Merrimack School District
| principal = Stephen Claire
| assistant_principals = Rich Zampieri and Jill Hanlon
| faculty = 98.80 (on FTE basis)"[http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&SchoolID=330474000278&ID=330474000278 Merrimack High School]". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 2019-12-29. "Total Students: 1,200 (2017-2018)"
| enrollment = 1,200 (2017-18){{cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3304740&ID=330474000278|title=Merrimack High School|publisher=National Center for Education Statistics|accessdate=December 29, 2019}}
| type = Public
| grades = 9 to 12
| conference =
| slogan =
| motto = Believe, Go Forward, and Inspire
| mascot = Tomahawk {{cite web| url=https://www.sau26.org/Page/4334| title=Mascot| publisher=Merrimack School District SAU26| accessdate=November 20, 2018}}
| mascot image =
| team_name =
| colors = Royal blue and white
{{color box|blue}} {{color box|white}} {{Cite web|title=Merrimack High School|url=https://www.nhiaa.org/about-nhiaa/schools/merrimack|access-date=2024-04-08|website=New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association|language=en-US}}
| established =
| homepage = {{URL|www.sau26.org/Domain/250}}
}}
Merrimack High School (MHS) is the public secondary school of the town of Merrimack, New Hampshire.{{cite web| url=https://www.sau26.org/Domain/250| title=Schools| publisher=Merrimack School District SAU26| accessdate=November 20, 2018}} It is located in a central area of town on 38 McElwain Street. About 1,200 students from grades 9 through 12 are enrolled in the school.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Search for Public Schools|url=https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?ID=330474000278|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=National Center For education Statistics}} It is a part of the Merrimack School District.
The school is headed by Stephen Claire, the current principal, who has two assistant principals, Richard Zampieri and Jill Hanlon. Former principal Kenneth W. Johnson adopted the motto "Believe, go forward, and inspire" for the school.
History
{{expand section|date=November 2023}}
In the 1995-1996 school year, the district enacted a policy against talking about LGBT issues, called "Prohibition of Alternative Lifestyle Instruction."{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-03-17-mn-47986-story.html|title=School District Anti-Gay Policy Splits N.H. Town|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|agency=Associated Press|date=1996-03-17|access-date=2023-11-12}} The policy affected how teachers at Merrimack High taught about literary figures; as of May 1996 the school district had not placed measures against teachers related to this policy.{{cite web|last=Sanchez|first=Rene|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1996/05/11/educators-under-pressure-on-gay-issues/9b6b930c-21b6-4f10-a671-f1d4a463b1ab/|title=EDUCATORS UNDER PRESSURE ON GAY ISSUES|newspaper=Washington Post|date=1996-05-11|access-date=2023-11-12}} The school board ended the policy effective the 1996-1997 school year.{{cite web|url=https://splc.org/1996/08/controversial-policy-repealed/|title=Controversial 'alternative lifestyle instruction' policy repealed|publisher=Student Press Law Center|date=1996-08-01|access-date=2023-11-12}}
Academics
NE-CAP results from the 11th grade class at MHS showed that 64% of the students were proficient in reading, 33% were proficient in writing, and 27% were proficient in math, giving it a "GreatSchools" rating of 4 out of 10.{{cite web| url=http://www.greatschools.org/modperl/achievement/nh/306#from..HeaderLink| title=Merrimack High School| publisher=GreatSchools.org| accessdate=December 13, 2010}} In 2018, 271 students participated in the SAT exams and averaged scores of 530 on the reading/writing portion and 520 on the math portion.{{cite web|url=https://www.sau26.org/cms/lib/NH02217442/Centricity/domain/253/guidance%20files/Official%202017-2018%20Profile.pdf| title=Guidance Department School Profile| publisher= Merrimack High School| accessdate=November 20, 2018}} Furthermore, about 85% of graduates attended a college, 10% went straight to employment, and about 4% joined the armed forces, leaving 1% undecided of the 286 graduates.
Extracurricular activities
Merrimack High School offers a variety of clubs and activities for the students to participate in.
= Athletics =
The athletics teams from Merrimack High School are called the "Tomahawks", which are sometimes nicknamed the "Hawks". The school colors are royal blue and white. The school has teams for basketball, baseball, bowling, cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, and wrestling.{{cite web|title=Teams and Schedules|url=http://www.merrimack.k12.nh.us/MerrimackHigh.cfm?subpage=310140|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005150519/http://www.merrimack.k12.nh.us/MerrimackHigh.cfm?subpage=310140|archive-date=October 5, 2011|accessdate=December 13, 2010|publisher=Merrimack High School}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Clubs/Activities|url=https://www.sau26.org/domain/290|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Merrimack High School}}
Non-competitive athletic extracurricular activities include archery, hiking/outdoors, and ski/snowboard club.
= Artistic activities =
Artistic extracurricular activities include marching/concert band, jazz band, chorus, dance, photography, videography, ceramics/sculpture, drawing/painting, broadcast, and theater. The MHS videography department is notable for its yearly student-run spoof productions, such as "Matrix High School" and "Star Sports".
= Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) activities =
STEM activities include FIRST Robotics Competition team,{{Cite web|title=Chop Shop|url=http://www.chopshop166.com|access-date=November 20, 2018|publisher=Merrimack High School Robotics}} math team, Science Olympiad
= Student engagement and academic extracurricular activities =
Student engagement and academic extracurricular activities include Academy of Finance, environmental awareness, financial literacy, games (separate video and non- video games club), Gay-Straight alliance, heath club, Interact club, Merrimack Mentors, Model UN, newspaper, Quiz Bowl, and the National Art Honors Society chapter #2538.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=National Art Honor Society Chapter 2538|url=https://sites.google.com/site/mhsnahs03054/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=November 20, 2018|website=}}
Notable alumni
- Mickey Gasper (class of 2014), Major League Baseball player, Boston Red Sox
- Matthew Kalish (class of 2000), co-founder of DraftKings
- Tim Schaller (class of 2009), National Hockey League player, Los Angeles Kings
References
{{portal|New Hampshire|Schools}}
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.sau26.org/Domain/250 Merrimack High School official site]
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Category:Educational institutions in the United States with year of establishment missing
Category:Public high schools in New Hampshire