Ravenwood High School
Encyclopedia
Ravenwood High School is a public high school located in Brentwood, Tennessee
, which serves the eastern-most part of Williamson County
and is known for its high test scores, athletics, and fine arts programs.
Opened in 2002, the $245 million facility, designed by architect Charlie Johnson, progressively grew its student body, beginning with only 540 students in grades nine and ten, 32 teachers, and 7 staff members. Currently enrolling 1,915 students, Ravenwood aims "to become a model of successful community collaboration with the purpose of developing all learners to be able to work, learn and lead in the 21st century." The mission of Ravenwood is "to develop a community of learners that cultivates the intellect, ability, and character of each person within it." The school colors are red, black, and khaki. The mascot is the Raptor, a bird of prey represented by the Red Tail Hawk. Ravenwood High School was ranked in Newsweek
magazine's list of the top 1,000 public schools in the United States
.
There are 15 Advanced Placement (AP) courses that are offered at Ravenwood; however, right now there are no International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. AP classes are fairly popular among students as 33% of 10th though 12th graders are enrolled in at least one AP class. In 2005, 62% of students scored a 3 or higher on end-of-course AP tests, and in 2006, 77% of students scored a 3 or higher.
The Ravenwood Forensics team has gone undefeated in all of it last thirty plus tournaments, including Western Kentucky, Tennessee State forensics tournament, and many others. Some great accomplishments considered are their many sweepstakes wins, like 1st in I.E. and Overall Sweepstakes at the Smokey Mountain Invitational in February. In the 2011 National Forensics Qualifiers, the Ravenwood forensics team qualified three competitors to the National Forensics League Nation Tournament. In 2010/2011, their head captain is Lydia Phillips--- as well as IE captain Dalton Hughes and Speaking captain Maddie Mucci.
The Choral program at Ravenwood is also very active. Currenty lead by Mrs. Terri Godfrey, the department produces a show every quarter showcasing their talents. They also have had an enormous success rate with students earning spots in Tennessee's Mid State and All State choirs, as well as ACDA national choirs.
The 2005-2006 Ravenwood Mock Trial team was the first team ever to win both first and second place in the regional tournament, along with receiving the awards for Best Witness and Best Attorney. Ravenwood advanced on to the state competition and received sixth place. Harry Watson, a junior at the time, was also rewarded the Best Defense Witness Award for the state.
The Ravenwood National Forensics League competes at many local and district wide tournaments. Along with a two-time district-winning Reader's Theatre, individuals at Ravenwood have placed first in numerous events at state level, including Dramatic, After Dinner Speaking, and Duet Acting. The Duet Acting team of Mitch Miller and Lindsey Stegall placed in the top sixty in the national level with their piece "Bus Stop", the first time anyone at Ravenwood competed nationally.
The most notable senior prank the student body has seen was in the spring of 2010. The graduating class of 2010 released 25,000 crickets prior to the opening of school. Exterminators were called in but graciously did the extermination free of charge. Various news channels covered the story although the culprits were never caught.
State Champions Jazz Division-2003,2006,2008,2009, and 2010,
National Dance Team Championships 2010 6th place varsity jazz, 1st place all-star jazz
Ravenwood is home to many successful club sports, including:
is a graduation requirement, and students are urged towards a class ACT goal at an annual pep rally. The 2005 average ACT score of Ravenwood was a 22.5, and in 2006, the average score was 23.8. In addition, all sophomores are required to take the PLAN, a pre-ACT course. In 2006, the average composite PLAN score for the sophomore class was 21.4, compared to the state average of 18.2 and the national average of 16.5. PSAT and SAT testing is common, but not required. In the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program
(TCAP) writing assessment, the 91% of students passed in 2005 and 96% in 2006. In 2006, Tennessee Gateway scores were also very high, with 95.7% passing Algebra I, 99.7% passing English II, and 99.7% passing Biology. There were six National Merit Semi-Finalists in the class of 2006 and one National Merit Semi-Finalist in 2005.
Brentwood, Tennessee
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,445 people, 7,693 households, and 6,808 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 7,889 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.63% European American, 1.89% African American,...
, which serves the eastern-most part of Williamson County
Williamson County, Tennessee
Williamson County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010 US Census, the population was 183,182. The County's seat is Franklin, and it is part of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is named after Hugh Williamson, a...
and is known for its high test scores, athletics, and fine arts programs.
Opened in 2002, the $245 million facility, designed by architect Charlie Johnson, progressively grew its student body, beginning with only 540 students in grades nine and ten, 32 teachers, and 7 staff members. Currently enrolling 1,915 students, Ravenwood aims "to become a model of successful community collaboration with the purpose of developing all learners to be able to work, learn and lead in the 21st century." The mission of Ravenwood is "to develop a community of learners that cultivates the intellect, ability, and character of each person within it." The school colors are red, black, and khaki. The mascot is the Raptor, a bird of prey represented by the Red Tail Hawk. Ravenwood High School was ranked in Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine's list of the top 1,000 public schools in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Administration & Faculty
Dr. Pam Vaden is the principal of the school,but. Five assistant principals, Dr. Reggie Mason, Leigh Webb, Robin Dickerson, Javier Nunez, and aid Dr. Vaden with the day-to-day administration of the school, which include strolling around for kicks and overreacting to minor rule-breaking.Academics
Most students at Ravenwood take four academic classes, two electives, one directed study, and a lunch/advocate period. Credits are distributed along a fairly standard path, with most students taking English, mathematics, foreign language, science, and social studies. One year of physical education is also required. The standard high school diploma requires twenty-two credits. In addition, two honors diplomas are offered, the Williamson County Honors Diploma and the Ravenwood Honors Diploma. Ravenwood ranks students using weighted GPAs.There are 15 Advanced Placement (AP) courses that are offered at Ravenwood; however, right now there are no International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. AP classes are fairly popular among students as 33% of 10th though 12th graders are enrolled in at least one AP class. In 2005, 62% of students scored a 3 or higher on end-of-course AP tests, and in 2006, 77% of students scored a 3 or higher.
Drama, Forensics, and Choir
Ravenwood High School holds many talents not only in sports but also in the arts as well, and the arts hold more accomplishments than athletics in general. The head of the theater department is the very talented Mrs. Kari Smith who has produced many professional class shows, practicing excellence in every Play and Musical. In 2010/2011, theatre had just finished the play "Metamorphoses" and the musical "Fame: The Musical", which was highly acclaimed by critics and fans alike.The Ravenwood Forensics team has gone undefeated in all of it last thirty plus tournaments, including Western Kentucky, Tennessee State forensics tournament, and many others. Some great accomplishments considered are their many sweepstakes wins, like 1st in I.E. and Overall Sweepstakes at the Smokey Mountain Invitational in February. In the 2011 National Forensics Qualifiers, the Ravenwood forensics team qualified three competitors to the National Forensics League Nation Tournament. In 2010/2011, their head captain is Lydia Phillips--- as well as IE captain Dalton Hughes and Speaking captain Maddie Mucci.
The Choral program at Ravenwood is also very active. Currenty lead by Mrs. Terri Godfrey, the department produces a show every quarter showcasing their talents. They also have had an enormous success rate with students earning spots in Tennessee's Mid State and All State choirs, as well as ACDA national choirs.
Extracurricular activities
In addition to sports, Ravenwood has numerous teams, clubs, and organizations covering many interests. Extracurricular activities include:- Africa Outreach Club
- Anime Club (still?)
- Art & Photography Club
- Astronomy Club
- Book Club
- Crash
- Coffee House Theology
- Color Guard
- Connect-R(avenwood)
- Culinary Arts Club
- Distributive Education Club of America (DECA)
- Drama & Forensics
- Environmental Club
- Equestrian Club
- Expolorer Post
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)
- Film Club
- French Club
- French National Honors Society
- Future Business Leaders of America Club (FBLA)
- German Club
- Golf Club
- Habitat for Humanity
- Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA)
- Indoor Drumline (Winter Drumline)
- Interact Club
- International Council
- Junior Classical League (JCL)
- Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC)
- Knitwits Club
- Latin Club
- Marching Band
- Mock Trial
- Model UN
- Mu Alpha Theta
- National Honor Society
- Newspaper Staff ('The Black & Red')
- Red Cross Club
- Science Club
- Sign Language Club
- SkillsUSA
- Spanish Club
- Students Taking a Right Stand (STARS) Student Executive Council (SEC)
- Student Council
- Songwriter's Club
- Techno Club
- Together Educators Are Children's Hope (TEACH)
- Ultimate Frisbee Club
- Victory Club
- Windows of the World Club
- Winter Guard
- Winter Running Club
- Yearbook Staff ('The Eye of the Raptor')
- Youth Legislature
The 2005-2006 Ravenwood Mock Trial team was the first team ever to win both first and second place in the regional tournament, along with receiving the awards for Best Witness and Best Attorney. Ravenwood advanced on to the state competition and received sixth place. Harry Watson, a junior at the time, was also rewarded the Best Defense Witness Award for the state.
The Ravenwood National Forensics League competes at many local and district wide tournaments. Along with a two-time district-winning Reader's Theatre, individuals at Ravenwood have placed first in numerous events at state level, including Dramatic, After Dinner Speaking, and Duet Acting. The Duet Acting team of Mitch Miller and Lindsey Stegall placed in the top sixty in the national level with their piece "Bus Stop", the first time anyone at Ravenwood competed nationally.
Facilities
Ravenwood includes 51 classrooms, 7 computer labs, 10 science labs, a TV production facility, band and choral rooms, art rooms, counseling center, state-of-the art media center, full production theater, weight room, practice gymnasium, and a full-size gymnasium, as well as a bank, retail store, and cafeteria. Outdoor facilities include a football stadium with a surrounding track, practice football field, baseball and softball fields, tennis courts, and several multi-purpose fields for soccer, lacrosse, and rugby.Student body
Ravenwood High School is populated primarily through Woodland and Sunset Middle Schools, which are in turn populated by Kenrose, Nolensville, Sunset, Edmonson, and Crockett Elementary Schools.The most notable senior prank the student body has seen was in the spring of 2010. The graduating class of 2010 released 25,000 crickets prior to the opening of school. Exterminators were called in but graciously did the extermination free of charge. Various news channels covered the story although the culprits were never caught.
Sports
Ravenwood provides many various athletic teams in which students are invited to participate. TSSAA-sponsored sports include:- Baseball
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Cheerleading - 2009, 2010 State Runner-up
- Cross Country
- Dance-
State Champions Jazz Division-2003,2006,2008,2009, and 2010,
National Dance Team Championships 2010 6th place varsity jazz, 1st place all-star jazz
- Football - 5A State Champions 2005, Runner-up 2006
- Golf - Girls Golf 2009, 2010 TSSAA State Runner-ups
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis - 2010 TSSAA State Champions
- Track & Field
- Volleyball - 2010 TSSAA State Champions, 2009 - TSSAA State Runner-up
- Wrestling
Ravenwood is home to many successful club sports, including:
- Hockey - 2006, 2010 State Champions
- Lacrosse
- Rugby - Multiple Girls and Boys State Champions
- Swimming
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Ping Pong (Table Tennis) Club
Testing
The ACT examACT (examination)
The ACT is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the United States produced by ACT, Inc. It was first administered in November 1959 by Everett Franklin Lindquist as a competitor to the College Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test, now the SAT Reasoning Test...
is a graduation requirement, and students are urged towards a class ACT goal at an annual pep rally. The 2005 average ACT score of Ravenwood was a 22.5, and in 2006, the average score was 23.8. In addition, all sophomores are required to take the PLAN, a pre-ACT course. In 2006, the average composite PLAN score for the sophomore class was 21.4, compared to the state average of 18.2 and the national average of 16.5. PSAT and SAT testing is common, but not required. In the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program
Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program
The Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program is the standardized testing program used in public schools in Tennessee.Tennessee schools administer a comprehensive exam to their students at the end of each school year beginning in the third grade. Tests are intended to reflect what each child...
(TCAP) writing assessment, the 91% of students passed in 2005 and 96% in 2006. In 2006, Tennessee Gateway scores were also very high, with 95.7% passing Algebra I, 99.7% passing English II, and 99.7% passing Biology. There were six National Merit Semi-Finalists in the class of 2006 and one National Merit Semi-Finalist in 2005.