Marion High School (Arkansas)

Marion Senior High School
Established	1970
Type	Public High
Principal	Hugh Inman
Students	834
Grades	10-12
Location	Marion, Arkansas, USA 1 Patriot Dr 72364
District	Marion School District
Campus	Urban
Colors
Mascot	Patriots
School Hours	8:00 am - 3:12 pm
Rival Schools	West Memphis High School
Website	Marion High School

Marion High School is a public high school in Marion, Arkansas serving the Marion School District. It averages about 864 students in grades 10-12. Marion High School is located on a two-acre campus just south of the town itself and adjacent to Interstate 55. The campus contains a total of fifty-four classrooms including eight portable classrooms. A separate shop for building and trades activities lies just southeast of the campus near the district's bus complex. Immediately east of the campus are sports facilities for football, baseball and track. Soccer and softball facilities are nearby.

Description

The main building, completed in 1970 and first occupied in 1971, houses nineteen teaching spaces, including a suite of rooms for family and consumer science; the media center; faculty lounge/workroom; four student restrooms; administrative offices for the principal, vice-principals, secretaries and a nurse; and a reception area for visitors. During the summer of 1998 the main building experienced a renovation project to completely replace HVAC, lighting, and dropped ceiling systems. Additional renovations have been completed including a new counseling center and reconfiguring classrooms for special needs students. A seismic upgrade was completed on the main building during the summer of 2006 to enhance earthquake preparedness. The media center is presently equipped with a variety of learning tools for students and teachers to use. A computer lab is available for classes to visit for internet research. Audio visual equipment along with compact disc players, film strips, microfiche, video tapes, video encyclopedia, periodicals on CD-ROM, and over 11,000 books equip the center.

The arts and sciences building, occupied in February 1995, is a 13,472-square-foot (1,251.6 m²) building. It contains three regular classrooms, three science lab classrooms, a journalism lab for the newspaper staff, and an art facility. Restrooms for each gender are also in this building. In the art facility, areas of glass are incorporated in the design to allow for utilization of natural light. The suite includes a separate area for kilns, along with office and storage spaces.

The newly expanded band building was initially constructed in 1974 and now contains 7,131 square feet (662.5 m²) of space. Besides one large practice hall, the building also contains four practice rooms, two offices, a percussion room, storage, and student restrooms. Between the band building and the arts and sciences building is a 1,050-square-foot (98 m²) structure, which provides space for self-contained special education classes. A ramp makes access possible for students who use wheelchairs or have other accessibility needs. The building is equipped with a restroom and consists of bedroom and kitchen areas where students can learn home living skills

An In-school suspension program was added in 1999. The building sits behind the area for self-contained special education classes. Students are assigned for various offenses that allows them to complete work but not within the regular classroom setting. It serves as an alternative to out of school suspension.

The 23,120-square-foot (2,148 m²) gymnasium building includes not only the basketball court, which also provides space for assemblies, but also includes two classroom spaces for junior high choir and health classes. Also included are four dressing rooms for physical education classes and basketball teams, dressing room for junior high football, two public restrooms, ticket booth, concession stand, and a lobby area. Plastic foldaway bleachers can seat approximately 1,000 patrons. The shop building is 4,000 square feet (370 m²) and includes a classroom, two bathrooms, an office, a tool room and a lab. Most of this structure was completed by the building and trades instructor and his students. The construction technology program provides the opportunity for students to study carpentry, electrical and plumbing skills providing enhanced employment opportunities for the students or the opportunity to further their education in post secondary programs.

A Humanities building was added in 1998 between the arts and sciences building and the self-contained building. It houses six regular classrooms for a total of 7,408 square feet (688.2 m²) and student restrooms.

Several classrooms have technology upgrades including SMART Board interactive whiteboards that will enhance the learning opportunities for our students. The cafeteria was built in 1970 and remodeled in 1974. The modern kitchen area is equipped with dishwashers, trash disposal units, a walk-in freezer, hot and cold storage facilities, and industrial ovens and cooking facilities. Breakfast is served to students in grades eight through twelve at 7:30 each morning. Lunch is served in three shifts: two for junior high and one for senior high, between 10:45 and 1:20. Students have the choice of the main or "hot" meal or an ala carte line including a variety of sandwiches, pizza and other items. The cafeteria was expanded in 1998 to double its original size with new windows and exits on the east and west sides. The dining hall is equipped with an ice cream machine and two water fountains for the students.

All of the buildings mentioned above are situated around a commons area in the middle of the campus called "the mall." It is a landscaped area with picnic tables close to the cafeteria and low brick walls around raised burms where students can congregate during lunch. A sprinkler system keeps the grass and trees watered. Sidewalks cross the area to provide access from building to building. The sidewalk which follows the perimeter of the mall is covered to provide shelter on rainy days.

East of the main campus is a 3500-seat stadium which was completed in 1993. The visitor’s side was enlarged by 1500 seats and a band shell was added during the summer of 2006. The complex includes metal, handicap-accessible bleachers for home and visitor seating, a concession stand that serves both sides, four restrooms, two ticket booths, and an electronic scoreboard. The pressbox is divided into four sections for coaches from both sides, media personnel, and announcers. A chain-link fence separates spectators from participants on the urethane track and the playing field, and the entire complex is illuminated by large collegiate lamps. Special features of Marion High include central air conditioning and heating in the main buildings. (The gym has two large fans that cool and circulate the air and a gas furnace for heat.) The media center, administrative and counselors' offices, one room in the business department, and the living room in the home economics suite are carpeted. There are 850 student lockers in the main building and 100 lockers in the gym. Other useful features are a school-wide intercom system, copy machines, Scantron graders, an alphabet cutter, a laminator, microwave ovens, and overhead projectors. Most of the classrooms are equipped with televisions on the closed-circuit system provided by Channel One News. There are portable televisions with VCR's available in the media center. In case of emergencies, the school has a generator to provide electrical power. The Simplex Five Zone fire alarm system has a reset key.

In addition, evacuation sites and emergency procedures have been designated in case of an earthquake. A crisis plan was rewritten in 1999. Crisis kits are available in each building along with two-way radios.

Academics

With the continuing goal of helping students assume the responsibility for reaching their fullest academic and social potentials, Marion High School's curriculum offers over ninety courses in eight areas: fine arts, health and physical education, language arts, foreign language, mathematics, science, social studies, and practical arts and vocational education. Jobs for Arkansas Graduates is a work study program allowing students to earn high school credit while maintaining employment in the community. Advanced placement classes are offered in English, math, science and social studies. Students are also afforded the opportunity to take college classes and vocational courses at Mid South Community College. College classes count for concurrent credit both for high school credit and semester hours. These hours will transfer to all state colleges and universities in Arkansas and most private schools. Twenty-four credits are required for graduation.

A career action planning program (CAP) provides students with an advisor and the opportunity to develop a comprehensive plan to ensure effective preparation for success after high school. Meetings and conferences are held with the goal to make sure decisions made and course selections will serve the students in the most positive way. Special programs include gifted and talented coursework and exceptional students programs. Several clubs and organizations are available for student participation: Student Counsel, National Honor Society, French Club, French National Honor Society, Spanish Club, Spanish National Honor Society, FCCLA, Drama Club, Palette Club, Mu Alpha Theta, VICA, FBLA, Quiz Bowl, Disciples Bible Study, Patriot Band, and MHS Choir.

Athletics

Marion High School is classified at the AAAAAA level n Arkansas and is a member of the 6A East Conference. Athletes may participate in basketball, football, tennis, track, cross country, baseball, softball, volleyball, soccer and golf. Marion students are granted scholarships from various organizations and programs, including the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program.

References

External links

1. Marion High School
2. Marion School District