Souhegan High School

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Souhegan High School
Souhegan Rear Entryway.jpg
Location
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
Amherst
,
New Hampshire

United States
Information
TypePublic
MottoRespect, Trust, Courage
Opened1992 (Fall, First Class Year 1993)
PrincipalMichael Berry[1]
Teaching staff74.80 (on an FTE basis)[3]
Enrollment788 [2] (2018–19)
Student to teacher ratio11.11[3]
CampusExurb (exurban)
Color(s)Gold, White, Black
MascotSaber
Websitesau39.org/shs

Souhegan Cooperative High School (/saʊˈhiːɡən/) is a Coalition of Essential Schools high school located in Amherst, New Hampshire, in the United States. Students from Amherst and Mont Vernon attend Souhegan for 9th through 12th grades. There are about 750 students. The school was founded based on the work of Theodore R. Sizer, a former dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a notable American education reform leader and the father of the Essential Schools movement. Notably, Souhegan's progressive reputation has been chronicled in the book Standards of Mind and Heart: Creating the Good High School by Tony Wagner, Peggy Silvia and Dr. Robert A. Mackin (Teachers College Press, 2002). Based on this history, the school was founded with the mission "Souhegan High School aspires to be a community of learners born of respect, trust and courage." The school name is derived from its proximity to the Souhegan River, which adjoins the school property. The word Souhegan comes from the Algonquin language, meaning "waiting and watching place".[4]

History[]

Authorized Regional Enrollment Area[]

The town of Amherst had long sought to apply economies of scale through a cooperative high school in partnership with adjoining towns and made several overtures in the late 1950s and early 1960s to neighboring Milford and other towns, but found no support. A proposal for a cooperative district with Bedford came to a vote in 1961, passing overwhelmingly in Amherst, but being defeated in Bedford.[5]:224 In November 1964, Amherst and Milford entered into the state's first Authorized Regional Enrollment Area (or "AREA") agreement, a long-term tuition agreement under which Milford would retain ownership and absolute control of the high school and Amherst would pay tuition to Milford based upon Milford's per-pupil costs of the preceding year, plus a share of the school's capital debt, but had no voice in the school's governance; the agreement was irrevocable while the debt was carried.[5]:225 Mont Vernon joined the AREA agreement and additionally sent its middle school students to Milford. Amherst was dissatisfied with the high school and its lack of voice, and "Milford felt that Amherst had educational ideas too rich for Milford's blood."[5]:225 The school boards of Amherst and Milford tentatively planned in 1976 not to renew the AREA agreement in ten years' time when the high school's capital debt was anticipated to be paid off.[5]:225 The Amherst School District appointed a committee to examine the alternatives, including building a high school of its own. The committee commissioned a study by an architectural and educational planning firm, which was published in 1982.[5]:225

Beginning in 1984, the two towns were each permitted to send one non-voting delegate to the Milford School Board, as was the high school's student body. Despite the tentative plan from nine years earlier for the towns' school districts to go their separate ways, negotiations for a prospective new AREA agreement began in 1985 with Amherst and Mont Vernon seeking significant improvements to the high school. The debt and the AREA agreement expired as expected at the end of the 1985–1986 academic year while negotiations continued; its tuition terms continued under annual tuition agreements in the interim.

Cooperative High School era[]

A regional school district was proposed and put before the voters of all three towns in 1988. The proposal was defeated at the Milford School District's special deliberative session. Days later, the Amherst School District held its special deliberative session where Amherst voters established the Souhegan Cooperative School District. Mont Vernon followed suit within the week.

The school opened in 1992, on property previously owned by the Amherst School District, adjoining the Amherst Middle School and sharing some outdoor facilities. The school added a second building in 2003, called the Annex.

The school is part of the SAU-39 school district, which includes the middle and elementary schools in Amherst and Mont Vernon.

The current principal of the high school is Michael Berry.[1]

Recognition[]

In June 2009 Souhegan was listed #15 in "The Top of the Class", a ranking of the top 1,564 public high schools in the United States (approximately the top 6%) by Newsweek.[6]

In April 2016, officials from the U.S. Department of Education toured the school and met with students and staff to discuss Souhegan's involvement with P.A.C.E. (Performance Assessment of Competency Education), Competency Based Education and Deeper Learning initiatives.[7]

Souhegan consistently ranks as one of the best public high schools in New Hampshire:

  • #7 Overall in New Hampshire, U.S. News & World Report (2018).[8]
  • #4 Overall in New Hampshire, Niche (2017).[9]
  • #8 Overall in New Hampshire, SchoolDigger (2017).[10]
  • #9 College Readiness in New Hampshire, U.S. News & World Report (2017).[11]
  • Top Public High School for Student Athletes in New Hampshire, Niche (2017).[9]

Notable alumni and staff[]

Campus[]

Calvetti Field seating area
  • Main Building
  • Annex
  • Calvetti Field & Athletic Complex
  • Theater
  • Music Wing

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "2020-03-23-Michael-Berry-SouheganPrincipal.pdf". Google Docs. Retrieved 2020-05-17.
  2. ^ "SAU39 About US". Sau39.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "FY 20 SCSB Budget Presentation from Public Hearing January 10, 2019" (PDF). sau39. Blackboard, Inc. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  4. ^ Caduto, Michael J. (2003). A Time Before New Hampshire: The Story of a Land and Native Peoples. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England. p. 143.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Amherst New Hampshire 1881–1982: A Sleeping Town Awakens, The Historical Society of Amherst New Hampshire; Canaan (N.H.): Phoenix Publishing, 1983.
  6. ^ "The Top of the Class: The complete list of the 1,500 top U.S. high schools". Newsweek. June 8, 2009. Retrieved December 14, 2009.
  7. ^ Duffort, Lola (August 19, 2017). "New Hampshire's testing pilot, PACE, gaining ground".
  8. ^ "U.S. News Best High Schools in New Hampshire". U.S. News & World Report.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b "2018 Best Public Schools in New Hampshire". Niche.com. 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  10. ^ "New Hampshire High School Rankings". SchoolDigger.com. 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  11. ^ "New Hampshire High Schools, College Readiness". US News & World Report. 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  12. ^ Ashlock, Alex (21 July 2014). "New Hampshire Veteran Receives Medal Of Honor". WBUR. Boston. Retrieved 18 April 2018.

External links[]

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