Henry Foss High School
 | This article may require copy editing for style & prose. (October 2013) |
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| Henry Foss High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
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2112 South Tyler Street , , | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public, Coeducational high school |
| Established | 1973 |
| Principal | Bonnie McGuire |
| Faculty | 140 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Number of students | 1,085 (2011) |
| Color(s) | Green, Gold, White |
| Mascot | Falcons |
| Newspaper | Foss Focus |
| Yearbook | Calypso |
| Website | www0 |
Henry Foss High School (commonly referred to as Foss) is a High school (United States) in Tacoma, Washington. Named after civic leader and tugboat tycoon Henry Foss, the school opened in 1973. It is a part of the Tacoma Public School District.
History
In 1982, Foss became the first high school in Washington State to introduce the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.[1][2]
In the spring of 2001, the school was selected by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as an Achiever High School in Washington State. The school received a $9 million grant to restructure college preparation efforts, and an additional $100 million in scholarships. [3] Among the efforts funded by these grants was a restructuring of the school into smaller "academies", a move unpopular with some faculty and students. In April 2004, a group of Foss sophomores threatened to boycott Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) standardized tests if the school board did not promise to retain pre-IB honors courses in English and history. The principal and school board promised to offer these honor classes in the academies, and the boycott was called off. However, the school ultimately removed the pre-IB classes and replaced them with Honors courses.[4]
In March 2006, the faculty voted by a 60-40 margin not to apply for a renewal of the Gates Foundation grant; those opposed argued that the grant "destroyed good programs" in the school, including the IB Program and the "team teaching" structure.[5] Shortly after, Tacoma Schools Superintendent Jim Shoemake directed the school's principal to override this decision and apply for a grant extension.[6]
In January of 2007, 17-year-old Samnang Kok was shot to death in the school's hallways. Student Douglas Chanthabouly was convicted of Kok's murder, and was sentenced to 23 years of prison.[7]
Notable alumni
- Brent Goulet, professional soccer player
- Lia Bardeen, contestant on Top Chef Season 3[citation needed]
- Jo Koy, stand-up comic, often a panelist on E!'s late night show Chelsea Lately.
References
- ^ "International Baccalaureate". Ibo.org. Retrieved 2013-10-25.
- ^ {{cite web|url=http://www.tacoma.k12.wa.us/Schools/hs/pages/Foss.aspx |title=Tacoma Public Schools |date= |accessdate=2013-10-25
- ^ "Gates opens college doors Education grants - 7 South Sound high schools among 16 in state to share $109 million for restructuring & scholarships". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
- ^ "Threat to boycott WASL test defused". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
- ^ "Faculty at Foss like the old way". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "Foss High School killer gets 23-year prison term". KOMO News. 2009-06-05. Retrieved 2013-10-03.