Laurel High School (Maryland)

Summary

Laurel High School is a public high school located in Laurel, Maryland, United States; it is the oldest school in the Prince George's County Public Schools system.[3]

Laurel High School
Address
Map
8000 Cherry Lane

,
20707

United States
Coordinates39°05′39″N 76°52′05″W / 39.09417°N 76.86806°W / 39.09417; -76.86806
Information
School typePublic, high school
Established1899; 125 years ago (1899)
PrincipalMichael Dinkins[1]
Teaching staff106.00 (FTE) (2016–17)[2]
Enrollment1,844 (2016–17)[2]
Student to teacher ratio17.40:1 (2016–17)[2]
Color(s)  Blue
  Gold
MascotSpartan
Websitewww.pgcps.org/laurelhs/

The school serves[4] Laurel,[5] portions of Konterra,[6] South Laurel,[7] and West Laurel.[8]

History edit

Laurel High School was founded in 1899[3] with an enrollment of 59 students and four teachers. According to The Washington Post, the 1900 graduating class was all women.[9] The original school building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.[10] In 1965, the school moved to a larger building at 8000 Cherry Lane in Laurel, and annexed the former Margaret A. Edmonson Elementary School in 1983. The last class at the original location held a 50th reunion in 2015.[11]

Fulfilling an objective of the Prince George's County Capital Improvement Program[12] since 1989, construction on a new 800-seat auditorium for the school was expected to begin in February 2009. The addition was completed in the early 2010 school year.[13]

Laurel High's student newspaper, "The Shield", established in the 1995–1996 school year, has won awards from the American Scholastic Press Association and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.[14] Prior to the 1995–96 school year, the school paper operated under the name "The Tattler".

Laurel shares the same layout as Bowie High School, in neighboring Bowie, Maryland.[citation needed] Laurel High School currently enrolls roughly 2,000 students in grades 9 through 12. The school mascot is the Spartan, and the school colors are blue and gold.

In 2009, Sheryll Cashin said in The Failures of Integration: How Race and Class are Undermining the American Dream that Laurel High was one of several mostly black, mostly middle class Prince George's County public high schools that were "decidedly underachieving: fewer than half of the seniors at these schools went on to attend four-year colleges in recent years."[15]

Notable alumni edit

References edit

  1. ^ Jones, Katie (August 22, 2019). "New but familiar faces at the helms of two Laurel schools". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "Search for Public Schools - Laurel High (240051001092)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Toth, Sara (November 20, 2013). "Laurel High students holding history in their hands". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 28, 2014. Laurel is the oldest high school in Prince George's County, opening its doors in 1899
  4. ^ "Neighborhood High Schools and Boundaries School Year 2018–2019." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on August 26, 2018.
  5. ^ "City of Laurel Zoning Map Archived 2018-05-15 at the Wayback Machine." City of Laurel. Retrieved on August 26, 2018. See also: City map Archived 2018-05-15 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ "2010 Census – Census Block Map (Index): Konterra CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 26, 2018. Pages: 1, 2, and 3.
  7. ^ "2010 Census – Census Block Map (Index): South Laurel CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 26, 2018. Pages: 1, 2, and 3. Note that the census-designated place was previously smaller: 2000 Index Map and pages 1 and 2. In the 1990 map of Prince George's County (see index), South Laurel is on pages 2 and 5.
  8. ^ "2010 Census – Census Block Map: West Laurel CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 26, 2018. The West Laurel CDP was previously defined as a larger area; portions are now defined as being in the Konterra CDP. 2000 map: "Census 2000 Block Map: West Laurel CDP." The 1990 maps of Prince George's County (index map) show West Laurel on pages 1 and 4.
  9. ^ Moran, Caitlin (November 26, 2009). "In trivia contest, Laurel is always the category". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2014. The correct answer? 'They were all women,'
  10. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  11. ^ Restivo, Patti (June 11, 2015). "Last class at old Laurel High marks 50th reunion". Laurel Leader. Baltimore Sun Media Group. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  12. ^ Deasy, John E.; Beall, James W. (December 14, 2006). "Superintendent's Proposed Annual Operating Budget For Fiscal Year 2008" (PDF). pp. 39–40. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 29, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  13. ^ "Laurel High auditorium in sight". Laurel Leader. December 1, 2005. Retrieved March 8, 2008.[dead link]
  14. ^ Leonard, Guy. Laurel High School newspaper wins Scholastic Press award. The Gazette. March 25, 2004. URL retrieved on March 8, 2007.
  15. ^ Cashin, Sheryll (November 2005). "The Dilemma of the Black Middle Class". Segregation & Integration. The Next American City. No. 9. Archived from the original on February 3, 2006. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  16. ^ "Program of Laurel 79's 25 Year Reunion". Archived from the original on January 5, 2009. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
  17. ^ "West Laurel barn razing". October 2002. Fan Questions and Answers. Marty Friedman Official Website. URL retrieved on December 20, 2006.
  18. ^ "Gertrude L. Poe, MSA SC 3520-15217". Archives of Maryland. Retrieved August 19, 2019 – via msa.maryland.gov.
  19. ^ Driver, David (March 28, 2013). "Ex-track star from Laurel hurdles into hall of fame". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  20. ^ Reilly, Judy (June 12, 1997). "Ex-pro soccer player stresses good sportsmanship to children". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  21. ^ "Alonzo T. Washington, Maryland State Delegate". Maryland Manual On-Line. Retrieved August 19, 2019 – via msa.maryland.gov.
  22. ^ Toth, Sara (June 24, 2013). "First Generation celebrates 23rd class of college-bound graduates". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 28, 2014. master of ceremonies Tico Wells, an actor and Laurel High School alum

External links edit

  • Official website