Sammamish High School

In the 2017–18 school year, the total student enrollment was 1,105. The racial demographics are: 6% Black/African American, 21% Asian, 19% Hispanic, 7% Multi-Ethnic, 46% white, and less than 1% American Indian, Alaska native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander. 36% qualify for free or reduced lunches.{{R|nces_sch}} 33% of students speak a first language other than English.{{cite web |url=https://bsd405.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Sammamish-HS-Profile-2017-18.pdf |title=Sammamish High School profile 2017–18 |access-date=October 20, 2017 |website=bsd405.org}}

Sammamish is well known for its magnet programs (Sammamish Visual and Performing Arts Center), Advanced Placement classes, and career and technical programs (commonly referred to as CTE classes) Sammamish was named the Washington state recipient of 2006–07 Siemens Awards of Advanced Placement.{{cite web |url=http://www.siemens-foundation.org/documents/2006_07%20AP%20Award%20Winners.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=February 28, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070401111141/http://www.siemens-foundation.org/documents/2006_07%20AP%20Award%20Winners.pdf |archive-date=April 1, 2007}} This award recognizes the excellence of Sammamish's Advanced Placement instruction and student performances.{{cite web |url=http://www.siemens-foundation.org/documents/SAAPRelease2007.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=February 28, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070401111028/http://www.siemens-foundation.org/documents/SAAPRelease2007.pdf |archive-date=April 1, 2007}}

Starting with the 2007–08 academic year, Sammamish switched from a 4-period daily block schedule to a 7-period schedule. Then-principal Laura Bang-Knudsen and Program Delivery Council Facilitator George Westergaard cited the need for a waiver, lack of sufficient faculty, parent or student support to get the waiver and inability to come up with a schedule that would not require a waiver and would not sacrifice curriculum coverage time.{{cite web |url=http://www.bsd405.org/shs/homepage/admin/SHSblockLetter.pdf |title=Letter to Sammamish Students, Parents and Staff, Dec. 13, 2006 |website=Sammamish High School |publisher=Bellevue School District |date=December 13, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070106121422/http://www.bsd405.org/shs/homepage/admin/SHSblockLetter.pdf |archive-date=January 6, 2007}}

During the 2022-23 academic year, Sammamish administration announced plans to implement a phone locker system to decrease distractions in the classroom and increase academic achievements. This has been widely criticized as ridiculous and completely stupid by less than 200 of students who responded a survey.{{Cite web |last=Talk |first=Sammamish High School Redhawk |date=May 22, 2023 |title=Student Feedback: Sammamish Students Respond to Potential Phone Policy Plan for Next Year |url=https://shsredhawktalk.wordpress.com/2023/05/21/student-feedback-sammamish-students-respond-to-potential-phone-policy-plan-for-next-year/ |access-date=August 19, 2023 |website=REDHAWK TALK |language=en}}

Image:SHSapChart07.gif

Sammamish offers Advanced Placement classes. 9th graders are required to take AP Human Geography. From 2002 through 2006, Sammamish students' scores counted for over 50% of all the passing exams in AP Calculus BC for the entire state.{{cite news |title=Sammamish Senior High |url=http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/schoolguide/profile.php?results=&building_id=3282&search= |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=August 26, 2006 |access-date=February 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061115195007/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/schoolguide/profile.php?results=&building_id=3282&search= |archive-date=November 15, 2006 |url-status=dead}}

Sammamish was ranked as #168 in 2008, #108 in 2007, #193 in 2006, #225 in 2005, and #141 in 2003{{cite web |url=http://www.newsweek.com/highschools/?s=sammamish |title=America's Top Public High Schools |website=Newsweek }} out of all the high schools in United States by Newsweek Magazine. The ranking is based on the number of Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate tests taken divided by number of graduating seniors. All five high schoolsSammamish High School, Bellevue High School (Bellevue, Washington), Newport High School, Interlake High School, and International School in the district are consistently ranked as the top five high schools in Washington state since the inception of the Newsweek ranking. The validity of these rankings is disputed for various reasons, such as that Sammamish's lack of an IB program deflates its rating as compared to its neighbor Interlake High School.{{Cite web|url=http://www.educationsector.org/analysis/analysis_show.htm?doc_id=358299|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070608072542/http://www.educationsector.org/analysis/analysis_show.htm?doc_id=358299|url-status=usurped|title=Education Sector: Analysis and Perspectives: Challenged Index|archive-date=June 8, 2007}}

Sammamish is a member of the Kingco Athletic Conference,{{cite web |url=http://www.kingcoathletics.com/ |title=KingCo Home Page |website=KingCoAthletics.com}} in WIAA Class 2A (formerly 3A and 4A). Twenty two sports are played over the course of three seasons at Sammamish, with Cheer and Drill active year-round. Past statistics can be found at the WIAA website.{{cite web |url=http://www.wiaa.com/Athletics/SSS/ |title=WIAA Schedules|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061114075254/http://www.wiaa.com/Athletics/SSS/ |archive-date=November 14, 2006}}

This list only includes school championship games and does not include the 55 individual and group first place championships and 11 second-place finishes in track and field, cross country, swimming, golf, gymnastics, tennis, and wrestling.

Sammamish High School is home to a variety of extracurricular activities.{{cite web |url=http://curriculum.bsd405.org/sites/schools/Sammamish/Shared%20Documents/SHS%20Clubs.aspx |title=Archived copy |access-date=October 16, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012095816/http://curriculum.bsd405.org/sites/schools/Sammamish/Shared%20Documents/SHS%20Clubs.aspx |archive-date=October 12, 2007}} Associated Student Body and administrators coordinate these throughout the schoolyear. Academically, the school houses chapters of the National Honor Society, National Arts Honor Society, Tri-M (Music Honor Society), Mu Alpha Theta (National Math Honor Society), and as of the 2006–07 school year, a successful and competitive Policy/Lincoln Douglas Debate team, which has competed at the semi-final level of the Auburn Regional Forensics Invitational.

An active Multicultural Club conducts events to demonstrate the diversity of the student body and coordinates the annual "Taste of Sammamish" culinary festival. Also, the Arts Magnet Program creates opportunities for students to participate in actual production. In addition, its Art Club has earned it the reputation as the art school of the Bellevue school district through the dismemberment of a bee.{{cite web |last1=Art Club |first1=SHS |title=We had so much fun at June Fest! |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Cth9hUMvEBU/ |website=Instagram |publisher=Instagram |access-date=August 8, 2023}} Other clubs include the Black Student Union and the LGBTQ club. Sammamish is home to Thespian Troupe 2241. The school's theater opened early in 2005 and cost the district $4.5 million.{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002265104_biglove06e.html |newspaper=The Seattle Times |title=New theater ready to take stage at Sammamish High |first=Lara |last=Bain |date=May 6, 2005}} It is now home to at least two student productions each year. The theater contains professional equipment and is sometimes available to outside groups for rent, making it the third professional-quality theater in King County, Washington.{{cite web |url=http://www.mahlum.com/ourWork/?nodeID=1708 |title=Mahlum: Sammamish High School Performing Arts Center|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051018071311/http://www.mahlum.com/ourWork/?nodeID=1708 |archive-date=October 18, 2005}}

Sammamish Graphic Arts students often participate in state and regional graphics competitions. The school offers a fully functional hot glass studio and extensive programs centered on Health care. The jazz choir has won numerous awards,{{cite web |url=http://curriculum.bsd405.org/MySite/Public.aspx?accountname=BSD%5cfowlers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926221350/http://curriculum.bsd405.org/MySite/Public.aspx?accountname=BSD%5cfowlers|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 26, 2007 |title=BSD\fowlers's Home}} and along with jazz band competes in the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival each year. Jazz choir was recently{{when|date=May 2022}} featured in Bellevue Community College's Vocal Jazz Invitational with its award-winning vocal jazz ensemble Celebration!. In February 2007, Sammamish won 1st Runner-up in the most competitive Multi-Mic Division at Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival.{{Cite web |url=http://www.today.uidaho.edu/details.aspx?id=3758 |title=High School Vocal Results at the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival |website=Today@Idaho |publisher=University of Idaho |date=February 23, 2007 |location=Moscow, Idaho |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070429131959/http://www.today.uidaho.edu/Details.aspx?ID=3758 |archive-date=April 29, 2007 |url-status=dead}} Sammamish also houses a FIRST Robotics Competition team, and a FIRST Tech Challenge team, 2412(Robototes), and 16750(Technototes) respectively. In April 2022, Sammamish students won the 2022 WSU Business Plan Competition with their pillow company, Perfect Pillow.{{Cite web |title=Student venture teams' ideas ring in success at annual business plan competition |url=https://news.wsu.edu/news/2022/04/29/student-venture-teams-ideas-ring-in-success-at-annual-business-plan-competition/ |access-date=May 27, 2022 |website=WSU Insider |language=en-US}}

• Chance Fry, professional soccer player{{Cite news |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/Where-Are-They-Now-Chance-Fry-1252053.php |title=Where Are They Now: Chance Fry |last=Raley |first=Dan |newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |date=October 9, 2007 |quote=He emerged from Sammamish High School as the Sounders' No. 1 pick in the NASL draft, ...}}
• Megan Hilty, Tony nominated Broadway actress (attended Sammamish, but later transferred to the Washington Academy of Performing Arts in Redmond and later the Chrysalis School in Woodinville){{cite news |first=Rob |last=Owen |date=January 29, 2012 |title='Smash's' Megan Hilty 'obsessed' with singing |newspaper=The Seattle Times |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/television/2017334923_smashside29.html}}
• Linea Johnson, author of Perfect Chaos and mental health advocate{{Cite web |last=Spadafora |first=Mary Jean |date=June 23, 2012 |title=Bellevue family's battle with bipolar disease leads to 'Perfect Chaos' {{!}} Bellevue mother, daughter write book to give voice to those with mental illness |url=https://www.bellevuereporter.com/news/bellevue-familys-battle-with-bipolar-disease-leads-to-perfect-chaos-bellevue-mother-daughter-write-book-to-give-voice-to-those-with-mental-illness/ |access-date=March 12, 2022 |website=Bellevue Reporter |language=en-US}}
• John LeRoy, professional baseball player (1997)
• Rob McKenna, Attorney General of Washington (2005–2013){{cite news |title=Elections 2004 :: Rob McKenna (Election 2004 voters guide) |url=http://www.spokesmanreview.com/elections/2004/candidates/candidate.asp?ID=53 |newspaper=The Spokesman-Review|access-date=January 20, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524095137/http://www.spokesmanreview.com/elections/2004/candidates/candidate.asp?ID=53 |archive-date=May 24, 2011}}
• Carol Sealey, Canadian Olympic basketball player
• Ann Wilson, musician, co-founder of Heart{{Cite news |last=Peterson |first=Matt |title=Spotlight: Sammamish High School |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=September 17, 2002 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20020917/school17e/spotlight-sammamish-high-school}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• [http://www.bsd405.org/ Bellevue School District]

{{WIAA Sea-King District 2|A|3A}}

{{Bellevue School District}}

{{Bellevue, Washington}}

{{authority control}}

Category:High schools in King County, Washington

Category:Bellevue School District

Category:Educational institutions established in 1959

Category:Public high schools in Washington (state)

Category:Magnet schools in Washington (state)

Category:1959 establishments in Washington (state)