- Battlefield High School
Infobox School
name= Battlefield High School|
imagesize= 200px
motto= Success Is A Choice
streetaddress= 15000 Graduation Drive
city= Haymarket
state=Virginia
zipcode= 20169
url= [http://www.BattlefieldHighSchool.org/ www.BattlefieldHighSchool.org]
principal= Amy Ethridge-Conti
viceprincipal= L. Edward Stephenson
Maria McDonald
Chris McMillan
Lisa Zdravecky
fundingtype= Public
schooltype= high school
district= [http://www.pwcs.edu/ Prince William County Schools]
grades= 9–12
mascot= Bobcat
colors= colorbox|purple colorbox|black colorbox|silver Purple, Black, and Silver
founded= 2004
enrollment= 2735
enrollment_as_of= 2008–09
conference=AAA Cedar Run District AAA Northwest Region
bgcolor_section= #BF5FFF
bgcolor_label= #BF5FFF
bgcolor_value= #EEEEEE
bgcolor_address= #EEEEEE
bgcolor_url= #EEEEEEBattlefield High School is a
public secondary school within the Gainesville District of unincorporated Prince William County,Virginia ,United States , and is part ofPrince William County Public Schools . The school is located north of the town of Haymarket and bears a "Haymarket, Virginia" address. Battlefield is one of two Centers for Information Technology in the school division.The site, surrounded by the Toll Brothers-developed housing plan of Dominion Valley, erected a sign reading "Future Site of Dominion Valley High School" prior to groundbreaking. However, the official school naming committee ultimately elected to avoid options that included "Dominion Valley," "Haymarket," or "Gainesville" as it was felt the school name should not ostracize any of the communities or developments it would ultimately serve. Due in large part to the school's proximity to local historic Civil War sites, "Battlefield" was successfully proposed and subsequently adopted.
While even some school district documents refer to the school with the acronym "BFHS," because Battlefield is one word, the acronym "BHS" is preferred.
The rapid construction of homes in the area surrounding Battlefield has resulted in a tremendous population increase, which guarantees that at least for now, the school will operate well over its intended capacity. Communities served by Battlefield include Bridlewood, Bristow, Bull Run Mountain Estates, Carterwood, Catharpin, Crossroads, Coverstone, Dominion Valley, Evergreen, Gainesville, Glenkirk, Heritage Hunt, Hopewell's Landing, Lake Manassas, Parks at Piedmont, Piedmont, Rocky Run, Somerset, Town of Haymarket, and West Market.
In May 2007 "
Newsweek " magazine ranked Battlefield High School 1068th in the nation on its annual list of "Best High Schools in America." [cite web | title = America's Top Public High Schools | publisher = MSNBC | date = 2007 | url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18757087/?sort=Rank&count=1351&Search=&start=1000&limit=100&year=2007& | format =HTML | accessdate = 2007-08-22 ]History
Battlefield High School was opened in September 2004 as the ninth high school in Prince William County.
Prior school leaders have included Jack W. Parker (Principal 2004-2004), Natalie K. Bonshire (Assistant Principal 2005-2007), and Major R. Warner, Jr. (Assistant Principal 2004-2007), the latter of which is now principal at Kettle Run High School in neighboring Fauquier County.Fact|date=September 2008
In both the 2005–2006 and 2006–2007 school years, Battlefield High School was named a "School of Excellence" by Prince William County. According to PWCS, "a School of Excellence must be fully accredited by the state and ... must ensure that ninety-five percent of students beginning the year on or above grade level pass the SOL tests. They must also ensure that fifty percent of students beginning the year below grade level pass the SOL tests." [cite press release | title = Twenty-Eight County Schools Named Schools of Excellence | publisher = Prince William County Public Schools | date =
November 16 2006 | url = http://www.pwcs.edu/Admin/news/NR.asp?NRnum=126&NRdate=11/16/2006 | accessdate = 2007-03-16]Accreditation
Battlefield High School is a fully accredited high school based on its performance on the
Standards of Learning tests in Virginia since its opening in 2004. [cite web | title = Virginia AYP Status for 2006–2007 | publisher = Virginia Department of Education |date= 2006/2007 | url = http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/src/accreditation.shtml | format =Microsoft Excel | accessdate = 2007-03-16 ]Battlefield High School has made "Adequate Yearly Progress" (AYP) each year it has been open, according to the Virginia Department of Education's benchmarks set by the mandate of the No Child Left Behind Act.
chool seal
The school seal, illustrated in the school colors of purple, black, and silver, was designed by Carl Kielbasa of Herff-Jones, Inc. The center of the seal is a representation of "graduation" with the traditional
mortarboard and rolled diploma. Around the outside of the seal are representations of "the arts" (a drama mask, a lyre, and a palette), "academics" (the traditional "torch and tome"), "Information Technology" (the words wrapping the globe), and "athletics" (the winged shoe of Hermes (stylized as a modern sneaker) and the traditional laurel). The crest of the seal is a disembodied Bobcat head superimposed upon mountains, representing the Piedmont region of theAppalachian Mountains , a prominent local geographic feature. At the base of the seal on the tasseled scroll are the keywords "Courage," "Honor," and "Integrity."Campus
Originally simply "High School #9," the campus includes one primary academic building, a separate security residence, an observation tower overlooking the large student parking lot, and the athletic stadium complex. (The stadium does not currently bear a specific name.) Located on Graduation Drive, the school is within the Dominion Valley subdivision. The academic facility ("the school") is approximately convert|276000|sqft|m2 in size, is located on a convert|79.77|acre|m2|sing=on site, and was designed by Moseley Architects, formerly Moseley Wilkins, and Wood. Construction took place beginning in March 2002, with the facility opening on
19 August 2004 . [cite press release | title = Battlefield High School Opens... | publisher = Prince William County Public Schools |date= 17 August 2004 | url = http://www.pwcs.edu/admin/newsreleases04-05/nr26-04.html | format =Microsoft Excel | accessdate = 2007-03-22 ]Many of the interior trim aspects were originally painted a salmon color, but after the selection of the school colors (purple, black, and silver), many trim sections were repainted in school colors. The floors of the school feature black tile borders along wall edges and school-colored purple lockers, configured "over-under" to provide two lockers per bay. The walls are white and power-efficient
fluorescent lighting is used throughout, supplemented by natural light that enters through windows both in classrooms and in stairwells, as well as through the courtyard. Additionally, a large atrium at the center of the school is a functional architectural detail that allows natural light into the surrounding areas.During Summer 2008, three years of effort by the Technology Committee, in tandem with the Office of
Instructional Technology and support from the administration, led to the installation of ceiling-mountedDLP video projector s for use in classroom teaching in almost every instructional space, with the remainder anticipated over the following school years as budget allows. Approximately half of those rooms equipped with these projectors featureinteractive whiteboard technology.Fact|date=September 2008As is common practice with many modern schools, corridors are labeled with "road signs," helping students to navigate the large structure.Fact|date=September 2008 At Battlefield, "east-west" roads are numbered First, Second, and Third streets on the ground level, beginning closest to the front of the school. On the upper level, Fourth and Fifth streets follow the same pattern. "North-south" corridors are "avenues," each beginning with an ascending letter of the alphabet and each named for something relevant to Battlefield's community. "Antioch Avenue" is the first on the ground floor, followed by "Bristow," "Catharpin," and "Dominion Valley" Avenues. On the upper floor, "
Evergreen , "Freedom," "Gainesville," and "Haymarket" Avenues complete the grid.Further identifying monikers for exterior routes were published in 2007 as part of a revised traffic pattern plan. The high volume of traffic on Graduation Drive and Route 15 has been concern not only for the school but for the local department of transportation as well. (According to an administration comment during a faculty meeting, BHS school officials counted over 1,300 automobiles passing through the campus during a single morning in September.) Several of the exterior roads carry the unofficial names "Bobcat Trail," "Senior Drive," and "Spirit Way."
The on-paper capacity of the school is approximately 2,050. The school's current enrollment (2,714) is contained within the existing facility, including the five added temporary classrooms. As previously predicted, the enrollment has outgrown the facility, necessitating innovative uses of space, teachers frequently changing classrooms, and students learning in nontraditional spaces, illustrating the rapid pace of growth in the region. There are preliminary plans in place to open the county's eleventh high school, tentatively named
Kettle Run High School , in the nearby Brentsville Magisterial District near Vint Hill, which was originally slated to be designed for approximately 2,050 students by reusing the same design as that of Battlefield and its "sister schools," Forest Park and Freedom. [cite web | title = Staff Report: Public Facility Review #PLN2007-00079 | publisher = County of Prince William Planning Commission | date =January 31 2007 | url = http://www.pwcgov.org/planning/documents/PLN2007-00079.pdf | format =Adobe Acrobat | accessdate = 2007-03-17 ] The plan originally called to open this new high school by 2009, but due to budget concerns, this was pushed back to 2011 during the 06-07 school year.tudents
As of
30 September 2006 , using the terms from the reporting instrument, the student body was 64.3% White, 11.9% Asian / Pacific Islander, 11.4% Black, 9.7% Hispanic, 2.6% unspecified, and less than 1% Indian/Alaskan. English is the predominantly-spoken first language of the population, followed by Korean.Fact|date=September 2008 Over twenty countries of origin are represented in the student body.Fact|date=September 2008Enrollment
Upon its opening for the 2004–2005 school year, the student population was approximately 1,100 students. With the addition of the senior class for 2005–2006, that number was approximately 1,750. The enrollment during 2006–2007 rose to 2,276 students, with 736 students in 9th, 605 in 10th, 514 in 11th, and 421 in 12th grades respectively. [cite web | title = 2006-2007 Fall Membership: School Summaries by Ethnicity, Grade, and Gender | publisher = Virginia Department of Education | date =
September 30 2006 | url = http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/dbpubs/Fall_Membership/2006/fm_sch_sum.xls | format =Microsoft Excel | accessdate = 2007-03-16 ] According to a report by the Guidance Department of26 March 2007 , there were 2,262 students enrolled, with 713 students in 9th, 608 in 10th, 508 in 11th, and 415 in 12th grades respectively.The anticipated enrollment for opening day of the 2008–2009 academic year was estimated in July 2008 at 2,698. (9th with 733 student, 10th with 729, 11th with 651, and 12th with 585.) By August, this number had risen to 2,714 according to SASI, the school's primary student information database.
2008-2009 marks the third consecutive year Battlefield has operated over capacity with an excess of students number in the hundreds. The school will open 2008-2009 at 135% of its intended capacity. (2,714 students for a facility designed for 2,051.) As a consequence, four temporary classrooms ("trailers") were added to the Battlefield campus in July of 2008.
In 2004–2005, 5.57% of the student body was enrolled in
Advanced Placement courses. In 2005–2006, that figure increased to 11.51% of the student body. In 2005–2006, 42% of graduating students received a StandardDiploma , and 50.4% of graduating students received an AdvancedDiploma .Dropout rates have been less than 2% since the school opened in 2004.
For 2006–2007, the school began hosting its Air Force JROTC program, which currently has 135 students.update after For 2007–2008, the school began hosting its Criminal Justice program. The program is led by Mark Fletcher, a former Fairfax County SWAT commander, and serves as a "miniature police academy," instructing essential constitutional law and criminal justice practices.
The iT Specialty Program at BHS stood at 415 students for 2006–2007.update after
Attendance
Average daily attendance for 2004–2005 was 94.7%, and for 2005–2006 was 94.18%, with any duration departure from the instructional setting constituting an absence for purposes of reporting this statistic.update after
tandardized test scores
As reported by the school division to the Virginia Department of Education, English Performance pass rates were 91% of 99% tested in 2004–2005, and 92% of 100% tested in 2005–2006. Mathematics Performance pass rates were 93% of 99% tested in 2004–2005, and 90% of 99% tested in 2005–2006. Science Performance pass rates were 89% throughout 2004–2006. Social Studies Performance pass rates were 95% for 2004–2005 and 92% for 2005–2006.update after
The average composite SAT score for a Battlefield High School student in 2005–2006 was 1035.update after
Post-graduation
In the 2005–2006 school year, 90% of graduating students matriculated to a college or university, 49% to a four year program and 41% to a two year program. 95% of seniors graduating from Battlefield at the end of the 2006-2007 school year went on to attend a two- or four-year college, while graduates following the 2007-2008 academic year saw a rate of approximately 93%. Students continuing their education in college tend to choose among many public in-state institutions such as the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, James Madison University, George Mason University and Virginia Commonwealth University.update after
Faculty and staff
Battlefield High School employs over 250 total staff members, approximately 163 of whom are members of the instructional faculty with another dozen serving as paraprofessionals.Fact|date=September 2008 The counseling center employs approximately 20 peopleFact|date=September 2008. PWCS facilities were recently ranked the cleanest and best maintained on the eastern seaboard by the [http://www.gasb.org/ Governmental Accounting Standards Board] .update afterFact|date=September 2008 As reported to the Virginia Department of Education, in 2005–2006, only four teachers in the building did not meet Federal standards for the definition of "Highly Qualified," less than the Commonwealth average of five teachers per school.update after As of 2005–2006, 48% of the staff had completed at least one graduate degree beyond the Bachelor level.update after Many teachers at Battlefield hold multiple graduate degrees and/or professional certifications, and several are actively involved in doctoral studies.clarifyme|post-text=(how many?) It was anticipated that approximately 20 to 25 new teacher positions were to be added for the 2007–2008 academic year.update after This number rose to over 30 before the school year began.update after
There are currently several committees operating at the school, including the Freshman Transition Committee, the Technology Committee, the Social Committee, the Principal's Advisory Council, and the STAR Program Committee.
Curriculum
Battlefield offers a county wide IT-specialized program for qualified students. The program offers courses in computer science and programming, as well as advanced certification programs including A+, Oracle,
Cisco , Microsoft Certified Systems, and is a certification center for the Certified Internet Web Professional program. [cite web | title = Certified Internet Web Professional | publisher = Prosoft Learning | date = 2007 | url = http://www.ciwcertified.com/locator/trainingCenters.asp?atpname=Battlefield%20High%20School%20-%20VA%20Schools | format =HTML | accessdate = 2007-03-22 ]In 2006, the Virginia Department of Education conferred an award upon the iT team of business partners for collaboration between the iT program at Battlefield and local industry. [cite web | title = Certified Internet Web Professional | publisher = Prosoft Learning | date =
5 June 2006 | url = http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/NewHome/pressreleases/2006/jun5.html | format =HTML | accessdate = 2007-03-22 ]Extracurricular activities
The school
mascot is thebobcat and the sports teams currently play in theAAA Cedar Run District and Northwest Region.The athletic team logo for Battlefield is a reproduction of the logo used by the Charlotte Bobcats NBA team.
As of June 2007, the roster of clubs and activities at Battlefield High School included the following:update after
The Battlefield Robocats robotics team received the "Rookie All Star" award during both the FIRST 2006
Richmond, Virginia preliminary competition and the FIRST 2006 Columbia, North Carolina preliminary competition, qualifying the Robocats for the FIRST Robotics World Championship held in Atlanta, Georgia. The Robocats took the "Rookie All Star" award a third time during the Atlanta World Championships, making them the 2006 Rookie Team of the Year. [cite news | last = Catz | first = Chelle | title = Chit Chat: Patrick Boyd - 'See you in Vegas!' | language = English | publisher = The Gainesville Times |date=January 10 2007 | url = http://www.zwire.com/site/tab6.cfm?newsid=17695657&BRD=2553&PAG=461&dept_id=506108&rfi=8 | accessdate = 2007-03-16]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
