West Boca Raton Community High School

In 2003, the Palm Beach County School Board named a planned new high school, "West Boca Raton Community High School."{{Cite news |date=2003-12-11 |title=School given notice to fix problems |pages=14 |work=South Florida Sun Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109185050/school-given-notice-to-fix-problems/ |access-date=2022-09-09}} The school building was constructed by James Pirtle Construction Inc. of Davie{{Cite news |date=2004-01-14 |title=Fund drive for schools falls short |pages=14 |work=South Florida Sun Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109185914/fund-drive-for-schools-falls-short/ |access-date=2022-09-09}} at a cost of $46 million.{{Cite news |date=2004-03-15 |title=How the money from the lottery was spent |pages=8 |work=South Florida Sun Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109186140/how-the-money-from-the-lottery-was-spent/ |access-date=2022-09-09}} Construction progress was featured on the district's construction project Web site.{{Cite news |date=2004-03-21 |title=Website shows status of school construction |pages=403 |work=South Florida Sun Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109186260/website-shows-status-of-school/ |access-date=2022-09-09}}

WBRCHS opened in 2004 with three initial magnet academies: information technology, culinary arts, and drafting and design.{{Cite news |date=2003-12-16 |title=Principal clarifies school's purpose |pages=3 |work=South Florida Sun Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109185372/principal-clarifies-schools-purpose/ |access-date=2022-09-09}}{{Cite news |last=King |first=Dale |date=June 1, 2004 |title=Ring the School Bell for West Boca High |language=en |pages=5 |work=Boca Raton News |publisher= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jPAjAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22West+Boca+Raton+Community+High+School%22&pg=PA5&article_id=4078,21795}} Refuting rumors the school would be vocational, Principal Fran Giblin described the curriculum as "a comprehensive school that has the same offerings as other high schools in the county",{{Cite news |date=2003-12-16 |title=Principal defines school's role - Attendance zone is approved |pages=4 |work=South Florida Sun Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109185665/principal-defines-schools-role/ |access-date=2022-09-09}} with "honors and advanced-placement courses as well as band, art, athletics and offerings typical of any other high school".

In 2007, the National Career Academy and the Association for Career and Technical Education ranked the WBRCHS Culinary Arts Academy as a Model Academy. The ranking is based on "mission, structure, faculty, leadership, curriculum, and community involvement".{{Cite news |last=Jenkins |first=Nicole |date=March 4, 2007 |title=West Boca High Culinary Academy a national model |page=3A |work=Boca Raton News |publisher= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RscPAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22West+Boca+Raton+Community+High+School%22&pg=PA2&article_id=6757,118159}}

By 2014, the Academy of Medical Sciences was added to the curriculum,{{Cite web |title=Career-minded middle-schoolers check out West Boca High |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/west-boca/fl-wbf-academies-1210-20141210-story.html |access-date=2022-09-09 |website=Sun Sentinel}} and in 2015, the Academy of Performing Arts was added, offering "theater, musical theater and instrumental music, drama", with dance to be added later.{{Cite news |date=2015-12-27 |title=Artful addition - West Boca High gets Performing Arts Academy |pages=A1 |work=South Florida Sun Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109190217/artful-addition-west-boca-high-gets/ |access-date=2022-09-09}}

The Boca Raton Tribune wrote there is an "Aviation Academy planned for West Boca High School in 2023".{{Cite web |date=2022-05-03 |title=West Boca Raton Community High School Reaches New Heights with Boca Raton Airport Tour |url=https://www.bocaratontribune.com/bocaratonnews/2022/05/west-boca-raton-community-high-school-reaches-new-heights-with-boca-raton-airport-tour/ |access-date=2022-09-09 |website=bocaratontribune.com |language=en-US}}

The School District of Palm Beach County said in 2022 that the graduation rate for WBRCHS was 98%.{{Cite web |date=January 5, 2022 |title=PBCSD Graduation Rate Climbs to Historic High |url=https://www.palmbeachschools.org/news/what_s_new/january_2022/pbcsd_graduation_rate_climbs_to_historic_high |access-date=2022-09-09 |website=www.palmbeachschools.org |language=en-US}}

Awarded by the Florida Department of Education, WBRCHS is a Five Star School of Excellence.

In 2011 the county's traffic division established a speed zone on Glades Road in front of WBRCHS.{{Cite news |date=2011-03-06 |title=Working to slow down traffic |pages=175 |work=South Florida Sun Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109193849/working-to-slow-down-traffic/ |access-date=2022-09-09}} In 2014, two pedestrians were struck by a vehicle in front of the school.{{Cite web |date=2014-04-30 |title=Pedestrians Hit by Vehicle at West Boca High School |url=https://www.bocaratontribune.com/bocaratonnews/2014/04/pedestrians-hit-by-vehicle-at-west-boca-high-school/ |access-date=2022-09-09 |website=Boca Raton's Most Reliable News Source |language=en-US}}

London's former Lord Mayor of Westminster Duncan Sandys in 2015 invited the WBRCHS band to perform in London's New Year's Day Parade.{{Cite news |date=2015-05-12 |title=London Calling |pages=A1 |work=South Florida Sun Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109191507/london-calling/ |access-date=2022-09-09}}{{Cite news |date=2015-05-12 |title=Band (continued) |pages=A5 |work=South Florida Sun Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109191618/band-continued/ |access-date=2022-09-09}}

On November 10, 2023, West Boca Raton Community High School won their first playoff game in program history. They defeated Atlantic Community High School on a last-second touchdown catch, by a score of 23 – 22.{{Cite web |title=West Boca Raton Varsity Football |url=https://www.maxpreps.com/fl/boca-raton/west-boca-raton-bulls/football/ |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=www.maxpreps.com}} In the 2024 season, the Bulls finished the season undefeated, winning the FHSAA 6A State Championships against Osceola High School, and becoming the #1 team in the county and one of the best in the state, ranked in the top 20.{{Cite web |title=West Boca Raton Varsity Football #1 for Palm Beach County |url=https://www.maxpreps.com/fl/boca-raton/west-boca-raton-bulls/football/ |access-date=2024-11-12}}

On October 30, 2024, West Boca Raton Community High School participated in the 4A District 4 Cross Country Championship in Palm Beach County, hosted in South County Regional Park.https://florida.tfrrs.org/results/xc/24960/FHSAA_District_4A-4 The boys' team made the top 8 out of 15 competing teams, qualifying for regionals for the very first time in school history. The team competed at regionals on November 10, 2024.

http://results.tfmeetpro.com/MOGO_Timing_Inc/4A_D4_Spanish_River_/

Former principal Mark Stenner admitted plagiarizing graduation speeches from YouTube in 2015. He apologized and was relieved of his office.{{Cite news |date=2015-07-30 |title=West Boca principal apologizes |pages=B2 |work=South Florida Sun Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109191410/west-boca-principal-apologizes/ |access-date=2022-09-09}}

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| quote = "Our principal told us we can protest, but keep it in the school," said sophomore Zach Coey. "But who's going to hear our voices there?" And the principal, Craig Sommer, ended up walking with the kids.

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Following the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in February 2018, WBRCHS students observed 17 minutes of silence to honor the fallen students there. Then 90% of the student body walked out, marching 12 miles to the Parkland school. According to The Palm Beach Post, they marched from "...9:30 a.m. until reaching the northeast corner of Douglas High at 2 p.m. They were met by a crowd of Douglas High students and neighbors who cheered in support... Some at Olympic Heights in Boca Raton and Palm Beach Central in Wellington walked out Tuesday, although the crowds were far smaller than West Boca's."{{Cite news |date=2018-02-21 |title=West Boca (continued) |pages=A10 |work=The Palm Beach Post |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109200888/west-boca-continued/ |access-date=2022-09-09}}{{Cite news |date=2018-02-21 |title=West Boca students' protest: 12-mile walk |pages=A1 |work=The Palm Beach Post |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109200649/west-boca-students-protest-12-mile/ |access-date=2022-09-09}}

The walkout drew local and national attention.{{Cite web |date=2018-02-21 |title=West Boca High School Students Walk Out Of School To Protest Gun Violence |url=https://www.wlrn.org/news/2018-02-21/west-boca-high-school-students-walk-out-of-school-to-protest-gun-violence |access-date=2022-09-09 |website=WLRN |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |title=Colleges Will Still Admit Students Peacefully Protesting |url=https://time.com/5174165/colleges-gun-control-protests-admission/ |access-date=2022-09-09 |magazine=Time |language=en}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://wbrh.palmbeachschools.org/}}

{{Boca Raton, Florida}}

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Category:Buildings and structures in Boca Raton, Florida

Category:High schools in Palm Beach County, Florida

Category:Public high schools in Florida

Category:Magnet schools in Florida

Category:Educational institutions established in 2004

Category:2004 establishments in Florida