Norwell High School is a publicsecondary school accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). It is located in Norwell, Massachusetts, United States. The school includes approximately 50 full-time teachers. Its students consistently score above state and national averages on the SAT and other standardized tests, and on average, 97% of students from each graduating class at Norwell High School continue on to post-secondary education.[3]
NHS has been ranked as the 12th best secondary school in Massachusetts, and is ranked in the top 6% for best public education high schools in the country by Newsweek Magazine.[4]
Administration
On July 1, 2011, William Fish became the new principal of Norwell High School, replacing Matthew Keegan, who had been serving the school since 2006.[5] The school's administration includes assistant principals Matthew Marani and Jennifer Greenberg.[6] The school's administration also includes four guidance counselors[7]
Toward the end of the 1980s Norwell High School lowered their grading system, as the numbers were higher than standard grading systems.
(For example, a final grade of 82 was a C+ versus a B−)
The school's faculty offers a wide array of academic courses in several departments. Students that attended NHS are required to take four years of English, History, Mathematics and Science courses. Students are required to take at least three years of a Foreign Language. Some students complete their first year of foreign language while in middle school so they will only have to complete two years; some students choose to take their fourth and fifth year of a language and continue these courses into college. Students are required to take at least two years of Health/Physical Education(Gym Class). Students are also allowed to take other courses including classes in art, music and technology, as seen below.
Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors take classes involving American and World Literature. Seniors are allowed for their final year school to choose through array of courses for their English class including a class on the study of Shakespeare's work, a creative writing class, Nonfiction, Adolescent in Literature and two other AP courses.
Classes offered for students include: World History, US History (including AP), European History (including AP), Psychology(Including AP), Economics, Law, Gender/Race/Class, American Government (AP), The Holocaust and Human Behavior, Modern War
Classes offered for students include: Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Statistics and Discrete Mathematics (including AP), Calculus (including AP) and Problem Solving.
For science freshmen take Biology. NHS also offers an AP course for biology that students are allowed to take after freshmen year. Sophomores are required to take Chemistry in their second year at the school. Like biology, NHS offers an AP course for chemistry that students are allowed to take after their sophomore year. Juniors are required to take Physics. Like that of biology and chemistry, NHS offers an AP class for students to take after their Junior year. Seniors are allowed to choose which science class they want for their final year at the school. These classes include Anatomy, Astronomy, Marine Biology and Renewable Energy.
Foreign Language
NHS offers four languages for students to choose from. As of 2015 the classes include: Arabic, Spanish, French and Latin,[8] including AP course offerings in each and courses specializing in Vergil, Horace and Catullus.
Studio Art (Art 1, Art 2, Art 3, AP Studio Art: 2D design or 3D design). When students reach a certain level in their art studies they are allowed to paint a painting on a wall located somewhere in the school. The school also offers Digital Photography classes and a Film class.
NHS offers students Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, mixed Chorus, Jazz Ensemble, and Jazz Workshop. The ensembles usually perform four to five major concerts a year, on special occasions including graduation, and for dozens of other events each year in the community.
PE/Health
Students are required to take two years of Health/Physical Education. After they complete course, students are allowed to choose between other Physical Educations classes. These classes include: Strength Training, Lifetime Activities, Yoga, Pilates and Lifetime Fitness
Applied Technology
Students are allowed to take other classes during their time at NHS. Students can take classes that include: Publications and Presentations, Web Design, Computer Animation, Computer Repair, TV Studio, Robotics, CAD, Engineering the Future and Building Construction
Special Education
Skills Program, Direct Academic Instruction, Life Skills, Work Experience, Life Skills Reading, Content Area Reading
Theater
Students may also take an Acting class taught by the school's current director of the Fourth Wall Players, Chris Lacy
In 2009 the school began Arabic classes after teachers asked for them to be established. As of 2015 25 students take Arabic I and 10 take Arabic II.[8] As of 2015 few other high schools in Massachusetts offer Arabic.[9]
Athletics
Norwell High School offers several sports programs for students that include:[10]
In 2014, Norwell added two synthetic turf fields and a track and field facility to their athletic complex.[11]
Co-curricular activities
The school includes clubs and activities, including:[12]
ADL : Anti-Defamation League Club
AFS & International Club
BioSTEM Club
Book Club
Clip Notes
Club and Activity Clearance form
Environmental Club
Film Club
Global Citizenship
Halyard Literary & Arts Magazine
Investment Club
JSA ( Junior Statesmen of America)
Latin Club
LEAD
Math Team
Medical Careers Club
Mock Trial
National Honor Society
Norwell Navigator Newspaper
Norwell Volunteer Corps
Peer Education
Pep Band
Robotics
SADD
Student Government
Theater - 4th Wall Players
Yearbook
Notable alumni
This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article AND are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations.(March 2021)
