American Falls High School
Address
2966 South Frontage Road

American Falls
,
Idaho
83211

United States
Coordinates42°45′55″N 112°51′50″W / 42.76521°N 112.86384°W / 42.76521; -112.86384
Information
TypePublic
School districtAmerican Falls Joint School District#381
SuperintendentRandy Jensen
PrincipalTravis Hansen
Teaching staff23.97 (on a FTE basis)[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment401 (2018–19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio16.73[1]
Color(s)Red, white, black    
MascotOscar the Beaver
NicknameBeavers
AccreditationCognia (AdvancED) [2]
Websitesites.google.com/sd381.k12.id.us/american-falls-high-school/home
[3][1]

American Falls High School is a public secondary school located in American Falls, Idaho. It was established prior to 1909, and the most recent school building was completed in 2002 on the south west end of American Falls.

Description

American Falls High School houses grades nine through twelve. The newest building in the district, at approximately 142,000 square feet, it has 40 classrooms, a media center, a 1,477 seat gymnasium, and an auditorium that will seat 881 people.[4]

History

The first American Falls settlement was located on the west bank of the Snake River.[5] The first record of a school in that location credits pioneer Thomas Duncan, from Indiana, with helping to build the school there, sometime after his arrival in 1879.[6]

The town of American Falls was moved across the river in 1888, and a news report dated 1909 said an official representative of the University of Idaho was "much pleased with the work and very much surprised at the growth in attendance" at the school, ensuring accreditation and allowing graduates to enter the university without examination.[7] The same report quoted another visitor, who said: "I found a mighty good school in a mighty poor building."[7]

Settler W. T. McDermitt was reported to be working on another new school building in January 1909.[8] The fourth high school class in that building (of three students) graduated in 1913.[9] In 1917, at the start of World War I, there were eight graduates, all women.[10]

American Falls High School was first accredited in 1920.[2]

The enrollment in 1921 with a record-breaking freshman class was approximately 100 students, substantially higher than the 1920 enrollment of 75 students.[11]

To make way for the new American Falls Dam on the Snake River, the Bureau of Reclamation in 1925 began moving American Falls again: "344 residents, 46 businesses, three hotels, one school, five churches, one hospital, six grain elevators, and one flour mill were moved from the original town site, making this the largest government relocation project of its time."[12]

In 1935 a new high school building, built at a cost of US$100,000, was dedicated by Senator William E. Borah. It was described as "one of the best educational plants in the state".[13] By March 1964, a two-story addition for classrooms and science laboratories was begun, to be completed by the beginning of the following school year. The school board also approved plans for a "gymnasium – music room – cafeteria complex" at a cost of $420,000.[5]

In June 1996, school trustees prepared plans for a new school that would cost approximately $13 million, and planned for the old high school building to house primary grades three through five.[14] However, a seismic analysis conducted in 1997 revealed the old gymnasium and adjacent classrooms were not structurally sound enough to withstand an earthquake, and noted the front of the new section had sustained a 1.5 inch crack from the basement to the roof due to building settlement.[15] Structurally, there were also deficiencies with the roof and the walls, which were likely to collapse in a seismic event, making retrofitting unfeasible.[16]

Voters approved a 20-year bond for a new high school building that opened in 2002.[17] In June 2003, 103 seniors and their families were the first to celebrate graduation in the new gymnasium.[18][19]

Graduates in 2020 were celebrated with outdoor ceremonies on the football field of an elementary school.[20] The school had submitted a COVID-19 compliant plan to Southeastern Idaho Public Health to gain approval of the ceremonies and ensure the safety of participants.[21] Radio station KISU-FM of Idaho State University broadcast the ceremonies. To honor graduates, the event was followed buy a parade of vehicles from the field to the high school.[21]

Principal Travis Hansen said 44% of the 92 graduates in 2020 had already enrolled in college classes.[20]

Curriculum

American Falls High School offers college preparatory coursework (English, math, foreign language, humanities, natural science, social science, and communication), as well as vocational courses, performing arts and studio arts classes.[22]

Extracurricular activities

Extra curricular activities include a variety of sports, instrumental and vocal music, debate, drama and speech.[23]

In the 1936 Portland Rose Festival, American Falls High School won prize in prep school division, class one, band competition, for their marching ability.[24]

Two seniors from the school's debate team became leaders on opposite sides of education reform in 2011, making the school "a font of activism", according to the Idaho Statesman.[25]

Marc Beitia, Idaho's Teacher of the Year in 2018, helped start the school's agriculture program in 1990, and has sponsored its national award-winning Future Farmer of America chapter.[26]

María Sánchez, a Mexican women's national team soccer player, started her career playing for the high school team because no club teams were nearby nor could her parents afford to get her on an elite club team. Her number was later retired.[27][28]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "American Falls High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Cognia - Institution Summary, American Falls High School". www.advanc-ed.org. Archived from the original on 2021-04-30. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  3. ↑ "IDHSAA School Information". Idaho High School Activities Association. Archived from the original on June 29, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
  4. ↑ "American Falls High School". ATS Inland NW, Energy Management. 2021. Archived from the original on 2020-09-29. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  5. 1 2 "History". City of American Falls. 2013-03-12. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  6. ↑ "Thomas Duncan". The Idaho Republican. 1907-01-11. p. 12. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  7. 1 2 "Praised Our Schools - Will be Place on the Accredited List". American Falls Press. 1909-03-13. p. 1. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  8. ↑ "W. T. McDermitt". The Idaho Republican. 1909-01-01. p. 5. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  9. ↑ "School Year Was Ended Thursday". American Falls Press. 1913-05-15. p. 1. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  10. ↑ "Graduation Exercises Draw Capacity House". American Falls Press. 1917-05-25. p. 1. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  11. ↑ "Largest Frosh Class in History". American Falls Press. 1921-09-09. p. 1. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  12. ↑ "The Moving of a Town" (PDF). American Falls, History. 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-30. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Idaho News Briefs - New High School Building". The Montana Standard. 1935-09-29. p. 1. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  14. ↑ "School Trustees Okay New building Plans". The Power County Press. June 26, 1996. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  15. ↑ "Seismic Analysis Says High School Damage May Be Serious in Earthquake". Power County Press. April 2, 1997. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  16. ↑ "Damage... continued from page 1". The Power County Press. April 2, 1997. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  17. ↑ Friesen, Josh (February 27, 2017). "American Falls tries again to pass bond to build new school". Idaho State Journal. Archived from the original on 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  18. ↑ "AFHS, Academy host commencement exercises". Power County Press. June 11, 2003. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  19. ↑ "Honoring Class of 2003". The Power County Press. June 11, 2003. p. 12. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  20. 1 2 Journal, Scott Kraus Idaho State. "Class of 2020 celebrated at American Falls High School graduation". Idaho State Journal. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  21. 1 2 "American Falls High School,KISU-FM collaborate for graduation ceremony broadcast May 30 at 7 p.m." Idaho State University. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  22. ↑ "AFHS Handbook - Course Selection and Planning". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  23. ↑ "American Falls High School | IHSAA - Idaho High School Activities Association". idhsaa.org. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  24. ↑ "Festival Is Held". The Billings Gazette. 1936-06-13. p. 9. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  25. ↑ "One small school, two gutsy kids". The Idaho Statesman. 2011-04-24. pp. Main1. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  26. ↑ Bodkin, Devin (2018-09-10). "East Idaho educator named Teacher of the Year". Idaho Education News. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  27. ↑ "Idaho State star creas surprising path to Worl Cup". The Idaho Statesman. 2015-06-04. pp. A8. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  28. ↑ "Sanchez (continued from A8". The Idaho Statesman. 2015-06-04. pp. A10. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
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