Natick High School

Summary

Natick High School is an urban/suburban public high school serving students in grades 9 to 12 in Natick, Massachusetts, United States. The school is located on the banks of Dug Pond. Its enrollment was 1,603 students during the 2015–2016 school year. The original building was built in 1953 at approximately 189,000 sq ft (17,600 m2). and opened in 1954. The building was expanded in 1965 (additional 94,000 sq ft.). Additional renovations took place in 1985.[4] In 2010, the town voted to replace the Natick High School building.[5] The new facility was constructed on the fields immediately to the south of the former building. Demolition on the former building began on June 25, 2012.[6] The new building design is based on a model approved by the state of Massachusetts. This was necessary in order to maximize state reimbursement for design and construction; it cost $78 million. The new high school opened to students on August 29, 2012.

Natick High School
Location
Map
15 West Street
Natick, Massachusetts

United States
Information
TypePublic high school
Open enrollment[1]
Established1954
School districtNatick Public Schools
PrincipalJosepha Blocker
Faculty125.47 (FTE)[2]
Grades9-12
Enrollment1,732 (2018–19)[2]
Student to teacher ratio13.80[2]
Color(s)  Red
  Blue
  White
SongNatick
Fight songHere Comes Natick High
Athletics conferenceBay State Conference
MascotRudy The Redhawk
Team nameRedhawks
RivalsFramingham
NewspaperThe Natick Nest
Websitenhs.natickps.org

The arts at Natick High edit

  • Natick High School Theater produces two full-length plays each year, usually presenting a full-scale musical in the fall semester and a more intimate straight play, revue or theatrical event in the spring. In the winter, students have the option of staging a completely student-run, student-acted, student-directed piece as well.
  • The Natick High School Speech Team is a speech and debate team. The team has won the Massachusetts Forensic League State Championship and has had multiple state and national champions. Each year, the Natick High School Speech Team sends students to the National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament and occasionally sends competitors to the National Speech and Debate Association's National Speech and Debate Tournament as well.
  • The Natick High School Music Program provides students with a rich selection of vocal and instrumental ensembles including Concert Choir, West Street Singers (formally advanced concert choir, currently a competitive show choir), Chamber Singers (all-female advanced choir), Men's Choir (all-male choir), Musae (all-female choir), Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Wind Ensemble, all of which offer an honors designation. Natick High School also has a student-led a cappella program consisting of two co-ed groups, Seven's Not Enough (est. 2006) and Scalestorm (est. 2016) and one treble group, Retrograde (est.2019). Each year, Natick High sends vocalists and instrumentalists to the Jr. District Festival, Sr. District Festival, and All-State Music Festival. Historically, Natick High's musical ensembles have had success at the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA) Competition, winning gold medals. Along with this, the Natick High Jazz Ensemble has had the opportunity to perform at the Hatch Memorial Shell on the Charles River Esplanade as a part of the Massachusetts Association for Jazz Education (MAJE) competitions.

Notable alumni of Natick High's theatre program, speech team, and music programs include William Finn, Alison Fraser, Jonathan Richman, and Marc Terenzi.

Athletics edit

Natick Redhawks
ConferenceBay State Conference [1]
DivisionI or II
AffiliationMassachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association
Athletic directorTim Collins
LocationNatick, MA
Football stadiumMemorial Field (also Lacrosse, Soccer and Track and Field) [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Basketball arenaNatick High School Gym (also Volleyball and Wrestling) [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
Ice hockey arenaWilliam L. Chase Arena [14] [15]
Baseball stadiumMahan Field [16]
Softball stadiumNatick High School Softball Fields [17]
Other FacillitesSassamon Trace Golf Course (golf) [18], Natick High School Tennis Courts (Tennis) [19] [20], Blue Hills Ski Area/Ragged Mountain (skiing) [21] [22], Keefe Tech Pool/Longfellow Sports Club Natick (swimming and diving) [23] [24] [25], Gymnastics Express (gymnastics) [26]
MascotRudy the Redhawk
NicknameRedhawks
Fight songHere comes Natick High
ColorsRed, White, and Blue
Website[27] [28]
Fall Boys: Cross Country Cheer Soccer Sailing Football Golf
Girls: Cross Country Cheer Soccer Sailing Swim & Dive Volleyball Field Hockey
Winter Boys: Basketball Ice Hockey Indoor Track & Field Swim & Dive Wrestling Cheer Ski
Girls: Basketball Ice Hockey Indoor Track & Field Gymnastics Cheer Ski
Spring Boys: Baseball Lacrosse Outdoor Track & Field Tennis Sailing Ultimate Volleyball
Girls: Softball Lacrosse Outdoor Track & Field Tennis Sailing Ultimate
  • Natick High School offers 18 sports for boys and 19 for girls.
  • The school announced the formation of an esports team in 2019.
  • Natick's Football team has made USA Today's Top 25 list a total of three times. In 1982 (No. 23). 1983 (No. 10), and 1984 (No. 13).

The Sassamon & The Natick Nest edit

The Sassamon was the school newspaper that was published four times a year, in December, February, April, and June. It eventually became the annual yearbook. The Sassamon was named after John Sassamon, the Native American aid of John Eliot (missionary). Currently, Natick High's newspaper is The Natick Nest, named after the school's nickname, the Redhawk. The Natick Nest is published 6 times a year. [7]

[8]

Notable alumni edit

Athletics edit

Fine and performing arts edit

  • Joanie Bartels, first female children's music artist to receive RIAA Gold Record Certification, awarded for her album Lullaby Magic.
  • William Finn, Tony, lyricist and musical theater composer.
  • Alison Fraser, stage actress and a two-time Tony Award nominee for her roles in The Secret Garden and Romance/Romance.
  • Augustine Og Mandino (1923–1995), self-help inspirational author of 22 books. He was born in Framingham and a 1940 graduate of Natick High School where he was an editor of the high school newspaper, "The Sassamon."
  • John O'Hurley, actor best known for role on Seinfeld.
  • Jonathan Richman, singer-songwriter and former frontman of The Modern Lovers. He featured an instrumental track entitled "Maybe a Walk Home from Natick High School" on his solo album Her Mystery Not of High Heels and Eye Shadow.
  • Jim Riley drummer and band leader for the country band Rascal Flatts.
  • Marc Terenzi of the boy band Natural (band) is a graduate of Natick High School where he experienced early success in the music program.

Other edit

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-04-12. Retrieved 2017-04-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ a b c "Natick High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  3. ^ "2017-18 SAT Performance Report". Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education. September 20, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  4. ^ "New Natick High School Building Project" (PDF). Town of Natick.
  5. ^ "Natick voters say 'yes' to new high school, community center". MetroWest Daily News. 31 March 2010.
  6. ^ Benson, Brian (25 June 2012). "Natick High grad kicks off school demolition". MetroWest Daily News.
  7. ^ Eldridge, Mariam, ed. The Sassamon. 4th ed. Vol. V. Natick, Massachusetts: Natick High School, 1916. Internet Archive. Web. 29 June 2014.
  8. ^ "The Natick Nest".
  9. ^ "Rich Costello". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  10. ^ "Kay Rohrer, 1945 Rockford Peaches". Flickr - Photo Sharing!. January 1945. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
  11. ^ "Eddie Mahan (1951) - Hall of Fame".
  12. ^ "Pete Smith – Society for American Baseball Research".
  13. ^ "Frank Varrichione: Career Stats," National Football League, www.nfl.com/
  14. ^ "Rear Admiral Jerry Thomas". Natick High School Wall of Achievement.

External links edit

  • School website
  • New Natick High School Building Project
  • Natick High School Modernization Report (2001)
  • R.F. Walsh Feasibility Study (2009)

42°16′28.91″N 71°21′42.36″W / 42.2746972°N 71.3617667°W / 42.2746972; -71.3617667