Buffalo Grove High School

Infobox Secondary school
name = Buffalo Grove High School

motto = "...and Back those Bison"
established = 1973
type = Public secondary
principal = Carol Burlinski
associate principal = Robert Hartwig, Mark Schaetzlein, Carol Burlinski
dean = Craig Kinkaid, Richard Carlson
faculty = 149 certified staff members [ [http://www.dist214.k12.il.us/shared/schools/bghs.php Buffalo Grove High School Profile] ]
students = 2161 (2007 Enrollment) [ [http://www.d214.org/shared/info/reportcards/BGHSreport07.pdf BGHS Report card] ]
grades = 9-12
address = 1100 W. Dundee Road
city = Buffalo Grove
state = Illinois
country = USA
district = [http://d214.org/ Township Highschool District 214]
accreditation = North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools
mascot = The Bison
colors = Navy Blue, Burnt Orange and White
yearbook = "Stampede"
newspaper = "The Charger"
testname = ACT
testaverage = 23.3 [ [http://www.d214.org/shared/info/reportcards/BGHSreport07.pdf BGHS Report card] ]
National_ranking = 1070 [ [http://www.newsweek.com/id/39380 "Newsweek Best High Schools"] ]
website = [http://bghs.d214.org/ http://bghs.d214.org/]
picture =

Buffalo Grove High School, or BG is a public high school located in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago. It is one of six four-year comprehensive high schools in Township High School District 214, serving portions of the Villages of Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, and Wheeling.

History and recent events

The first class

In 1973, drawing students and staff from Wheeling and John Hersey High School, and fed by Cooper Junior High, Rand Junior High, Saint Mary's Catholic School in Buffalo Grove, nearly half of the students at Thomas Junior High in Arlington Heights, and a smattering of students from Saint Peter's Lutheran School in Arlington Heights, BGHS opened for business with no seniors.

The school's colors were chosen as blue and orange combining Wheeling's blue and gold and Hersey's brown and orange. University of Illinois's alma mater was adopted as Buffalo Grove's school song, with slight changes to the wording.

Dr. Clarence M. "Chick" Miller, formerly assistant principal at Wheeling High School, was named the school's first principal. Richard R. "Dick" Schnell--who coined the phrase "Back Those Bison"--formerly at Wheeling as a social science teacher and coach, is named an assistant principal. Norman Patberg, formerly at Forest View High School in Arlington Heights, is named as the other assistant principal. Paul Mueller, a science teacher from Wheeling, is chosen as Director of Student Activities. Wayne Selvig, from the physical education staff at Wheeling is the first athletic director.

Notable events

On March 12th, 1976, President Gerald Ford, running a hard-fought campaign against former California Governor Ronald Reagan, made a March primary appearance in the gymnasium of Buffalo Grove High School. During the 1978-1979 school year, Bison varsity football placed second in the state 5A (then the largest division in Illinois football playoffs) championship game, played at Illinois State University, in Normal, Illinois. During the 1986-1987 school year, the Bison won the Division 6A IHSA Football State Championship. Two years later, the Bison were the IHSA Boys Soccer State Champions, led by future international soccer star Brian McBride. During the 1999-2000 school year, coach Tom Dineen led the Bison to a Class AA IHSA Girls Basketball State Championship.

Additions and Renovations

In 2003, new classrooms, a foyer, and offices opened as part of a six-million dollar new development. The "circle drive" on the west side of the school was greatly reduced in size to make room for the new classrooms and foyer. The new classrooms included new science labs and special-ed facilities. Additionally, room was made in old storage space on the second floor of the south side of the building for new foreign-language classrooms.

Ending a long stand against stadium lights, on August 27, 2004, the Bison hosted their first Friday night Game under the new lights at Bison Stadium as they hosted Glenbrook South. They were the final team in the Mid-Suburban League to switch from Saturday afternoons to Friday night games. [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ADHB&p_theme=adhb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=The%20AND%20sun%20AND%20sets%20AND%20on%20AND%20Saturday%20AND%20football%20AND%20as%20AND%20Buffalo%20AND%20Grove%20AND%20lights%20AND%20up%20AND%20the%20AND%20night&s_dispstring=The%20sun%20sets%20on%20Saturday%20football%20as%20Buffalo%20Grove%20lights%20up%20the%20night%20AND%20date(8/23/2001%20to%208/25/2006)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=8/23/2001%20to%208/25/2006)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no]

In summer 2008, Buffalo Grove renovated their gym with new blue and orange bleachers. [http://www.pioneerlocal.com/buffalogrove/sports/highschools/1013047,bg-clubvball-061908-s1.article] The bleachers read "BGHS".

Recent events

In 2005, openly gay and lesbian students became the homecoming king and queen, making news in the local community. [http://www.nbc5.com/education/5126635/detail.html]

On June 6, 2007 The boys varsity baseball team qualified for the state tournament for the first time in school history. They eventually lost in the quarter-final round by eight runs to a ranked New Trier team. The varsity girls basketball team also made it to state (for the second time in the past two years), however, they lost in the first game.

In the 2007/2008 school year, the school hosted two Exchange Students from Germany and one Exchange Student from Italy.

In the winter of 2007, senior Joshua Golden produced a parody of NBC's "The Office" to open the school's film festival. Not long after its completion, Golden sent the video to the cast and crew of the "The Office", earning him and the rest of the video's cast a trip to the show's set in Los Angeles. Fact|date=September 2008

In March 2008, Buffalo Grove's girls basketball team made its third consecutive trip to the state tournament. Leaving with a third place overall finish. It was a 66-50 win over Marist High School. [http://www.pioneerlocal.com/buffalogrove/sports/highschools/828074,bg-bgstatefri-030608-s1.article]

In spring 2008, Buffalo Grove's boy's volleyball team competed in the state tournament championship game against Wheaton Warrenville South High School. They lost to the Tigers, receiving the runner-up title. [http://www.pioneerlocal.com/buffalogrove/sports/highschools/987978,bg-bgvbfinal-060508-s1.article]

Academics

Buffalo Grove High School was a 1999-2000 Blue Ribbon Award for Excellence winner presented by the United States Department of Education.

Standardized Test Results

In 2008, BGHS failed to meet Adequate Yearly Progress of the No Child Left Behind Act because of scores below the minimum target on the Prairie State Achievement Examination by Hispanics.

In 2008, BGHS had 3 National Merit Scholarship Finalists, 1 National Merit Semifinalist and 5 National Merit Commended Students [ [http://www.dist214.k12.il.us/shared/schools/bghs.php Buffalo Grove High School Profile ] ] .

Buffalo Grove High School has consistently scored above the District 214, Illinois and National averages on standardized tests.

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Clubs and Activities

Notable alumni

*The first selection in the inaugural MLS draft in 1996, Brian McBride, graduated from Buffalo Grove High School. He has since played in three FIFA World Cups for the US men's national soccer team and was named MVP in the 1998 MLS All-star game. He currently plays for the Chicago Fire of the MLS, after 5 years of playing for Fulham in England's prestigious Premier League. He is considered a U.S. soccer legend.

*Baltimore Raven Tom Zbikowski graduated from Buffalo Grove High School with the class of 2003, and started for the Bison for three years. He starred as an option quarterback and strong safety for BG. As a standout at the University of Notre Dame, he played safety and returned punts for the Fighting Irish. At ND, he was a two-time 2nd team All-American. He was drafted 86th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. [http://espn.go.com/recruiting/bluechipdiaries/index.html]

*Don Thorp was an All-State Defensive Tackle at Buffalo Grove as he lead the Bison to the State Championship Game his Junior Year. He accepted a scholarship to play football at the University of Illinois. He got the Fightin' Illini to the Rose Bowl his senior year and won the Big Ten MVP, the first defensive player to do so since the great Dick Butkus. He was drafted in the sixth round by the New Orleans Saints in the 1984 NFL Draft. In his career, he also spent time on the rosters of the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, and Kansas City Chiefs. [http://ww1.footballdb.com/players/thorpdo01]

*Three Major League Baseball players have graduated from Buffalo Grove High School: Mike Marshall, Tim Bogar and Josh Paul. [http://www.thebaseballcube.com/high_school/high_school_476.shtml]

*NHL Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brett Lebda attended Buffalo Grove High School. He won the Stanley Cup in 2008.

* Michael Terson, public address announcer for the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Wolves graduated from Buffalo Grove High School with the class of 1988.

* Actress Jessy Schram graduated from Buffalo Grove High School with the class of 2004.

* 1988 Olympic Short Track Speed Skater Brian Arseneau graduated from Buffalo Grove High School with the class of 1983.

*The Simpsons writer Larry Doyle graduated from Buffalo Grove High School. In May 2007, he published his first novel, "I Love You, Beth Cooper," set at Buffalo Grove High School. [http://www.larrydoyle.com]

*Threadless Creative Director Jeffrey Kalmikoff graduated from Buffalo Grove High School with the class of 1997. [http://www.callmejeffrey.com]

References

External links

* [http://bghs.d214.org/ Official Website]
* [http://www.dist214.k12.il.us/shared/schools/bghs.php School profile from the district website]
* [http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=42.141728~-87.981772&style=h&lvl=17&scene=2364791&sp=aN.42.140296_-87.983595_Cafeteria_~aN.42.139723_-87.984379_Library_~aN.42.141299_-87.984346_Fieldhouse_~aN.42.140988_-87.983617_Gym_~aN.42.141211_-87.983327_Pool_~aN.42.139930_-87.982984_Theatre_~aN.42.142198_-87.981267_The%20Basin_~aN.42.140813_-87.984529_The%20Circle%20Drive_ Windows Live Local satellite photo of school campus with labels]
* [http://buffalogrove87.myevent.com Class of 1987 Reunion Website]