New Castle High School is a public high school in New Castle, Indiana whose name is commonly abbreviated to NCHS. It is part of the New Castle Community School Corporation and has an enrollment of approximately 1,200 students. NCHS is the largest high school in Henry County.
The present high school originated from the New Castle Academy in 1870. In 1895, New Castle High School was constructed. Because of its distinctive appearance, the building became known as "The Castle." In response to a significant increase in enrollment, a new senior high school was constructed in 1923-24 at 14th and Walnut Streets. Plans to construct an additional wing and a multi-purpose facility were never developed. Instead, physical education classes were conducted at the National Guard Armory across the street and basketball games were played at the YMCA in the "Church Street Gym." The Walnut Street location served as the senior high school until 1958 when the present high school facility was completed. The 1924 structure then joined the 1895 "Castle" building as a junior high school. In 1973, eighth and ninth grade students began attending the newly constructed Parkview Junior High School. The "Castle" was subsequently demolished, and the Walnut Street school exclusively housed seventh grade students until 1999. The location was home to the Raintree Education Center until 2010; the building was sold to a private owner in 2011.
Video New Castle High School (Indiana)
Present location
Located just west of Baker Park at the corner of Parkview Drive and Ross Street, the current facility opened in August 1958 The structure was modern for its era and featured an expansive facade of windows on the north and south sides. Two new cafeterias, a business wing, and a vocational wing were in place by the 1960s. Construction of Bundy Auditorium in 1972 as part of the adjoining Parkview Junior High School provided a place for school events and activities. A new swimming facility was put into use at this time.
When the current building opened, the school was renamed Walter P. Chrysler Memorial High School, after Chrysler Corporation founder Walter Chrysler. In 1979, the New Castle School Board voted to remove the Chrysler name from the school, but eventually decided to rename it New Castle Chrysler High School. The Chrysler name was eventually dropped from the school, but not until July 1, 2011. The name change had been approved by a 3-2 vote on November 12, 2007, restoring the school's original name, effective after that year's freshman class graduated in 2011.
The New Castle School Board began a $25 million project in 1998 to significantly renovate the high school, add air conditioning, and upgrade its technological infrastructure. The former business wing, or "C" wing, was demolished to make room for a new entrance and improved parking. A new three-story academic wing was built to provide more classroom space and improved science facilities. In 1999, freshmen students were moved from Parkview Junior High School to the newly expanded high school.
During the summer of 2011, most of the vocational (New Castle Area Career) programs that had been formerly housed at the Eder site in Knightstown (Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's Home campus) were moved primarily into the E and T-wings of New Castle High School. Only the student radio station, WKPW (90.7 FM), remained in Knightstown where it had been moved from the Eder site to Knightstown High School by early 2010.
Maps New Castle High School (Indiana)
Academics
Freshman Academy
Beginning with the 2007-08 school year, administrators implemented the Freshman Academy, a new program designed to help freshmen become better adjusted to the transition from middle school to high school. Program goals include increased attendance, reduction in disciplinary problems, and academic improvement. Freshman students are required to eat lunch together, enroll in study hall, and attend freshman--only classes in English, science and math. Students' classrooms and lockers are located in a designated hallway on the third floor. Holding students accountable as well as responsible for turning in regular assignments and homework is part of the expectation of the program. The percentage of freshmen passing all classes per semester steadily showed improvements three out of the first four years this statistic was tracked at NCCHS. The school's dropout rate began decreasing while its graduation rate started showing improvements the third and fourth year after the implementation of the Freshmen Academy. School officials believe this is at least partially attributed to the "failure is not an option" philosophy of its freshman academy that has generally followed these students into upper grades.
Extra curricular
New Castle High has many after school clubs.
Music
NCCHS performance groups include wind ensemble, concert band, jazz ensemble, jazz lab band, brass choir, woodwind choir, winter percussion ensemble, color guard, chorale, chamber singers, varsity choir, madrigals, jazz choir, show choir, and various other solo and ensemble groups. The band and choir travel out of state on a four-year cycle to experience a variety of musical performances.
The Trojan Marching Band is the school's largest performance group and has earned multiple awards throughout its history. The band is a frequent top finisher in the Indiana Marching Band State Finals at the RCA Dome. In 2005, the band received the ISSMA All-Music Award. Prior to 1979, the Trojan Marching Band participated in "track style" shows and was a regular performer at the Indiana State Fair, twice earning first place in the marching band contest held at the fair. During its history, the band has performed in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Disney's Magic Music Days.
Athletics
New Castle High School is a member of the Hoosier Heritage Conference and has programs in football, soccer, cross country, volleyball, tennis, basketball, gymnastics, wrestling, swimming, track, golf, softball, and baseball. The boys basketball team won the state championship in 1932 and the Class 3A state championship in 2006. In 2007, the volleyball team won the Class AAAA state championship. The volleyball team once again won state in 2017, this time winning the Class 3A championship.
New Castle Fieldhouse
The New Castle Fieldhouse is home of Trojan athletics and is billed as the largest high school fieldhouse in the world with a listed seating capacity of 9,325.
Notable people
- Steve Alford - college basketball head coach for UCLA Bruins men's basketball, player for Indiana Hoosiers and NBA
- Trey Ball - professional baseball player in Major League Baseball.
- Kent Benson - professional basketball player in NBA, center of Indiana Hoosiers undefeated 1976 national champions
- Marv Huffman - player for Indiana Hoosiers' 1940 national champions
- Vern Huffman - NFL player, basketball player for Indiana Hoosiers and New Castle's 1932 state champions
- Butch Joyner - professional basketball player in American Basketball Association
- Brandon Miller - former head coach for Butler Bulldogs men's basketball
See also
- List of high schools in Indiana
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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