David Prouty High School

David Prouty High School is a public high school located in Spencer, Massachusetts. In the 2015 rankings of U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools, David Prouty High School was left unranked. The school serves grades 9-12 with a student to teacher ratio of 13:1.^[2]

Academics

The curriculum at David Prouty High School is designed to meet the future career goals of the student, with all major courses categorized as AP, Honors, or Standard College. The school uses a Weighted Class Rank System to determine class rank and G.P.A.

Students are tested via the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Clubs and extra curricular activities

The school offers a comprehensive program of clubs and activities for students.

British Exchange Club - In partnership with Christ the King School in Southport, England, they travel to England bi-annually. In the years that they don't travel to England, they host visiting students from Christ the King School.

Drama club - Open to all students who wish to audition or work on production, they put on two to three shows a year.

Envirethon - Team focused on the environment, they have compete in multiple competitions a year on a range of environmental topics.

Foreign Culture Club - The club is focused on promoting other cultures throughout the school year, and also takes a trip yearly, with recent trips including Italy and Costa Rica.

GSA (Gay/Straight Alliance) - School based support group that includes students and teacher advisers. Focus is on encouraging understanding from students and faculty and on planning activities to foster tolerance and acceptance.

Band - Open to all students and offered as a class, the team took home title of "Best Band" in the 2014-2015 season.

Mathletes - The team is chosen from four top ranking math students in the school by the team advisor.

National Art Honor Society - Membership is based on achievement in art, character, and scholarship.

National Honor Society - Students in grades 11 and 12 are allowed to apply, but must have a weighted GPA of at least an 89. Their applications are then reviewed by a board and chosen based on their credentials.

Peer Mediators - Specially trained by staff members, the Peer Mediators may be called in to perform mediation between their fellow students to help them resolve their problems, so that they don't have to go through the Principal and face potential detention or suspension.

Prouty Productions - Open to high school students. Focus is on taping school events such as committee meetings and different concerts and shows put on by the school.

Show Choir - Titled Shockwave, the Prouty Show Choir team is one of the school's most popular extra curricular activities. In the 2014-2015 school year, they won Grand Champion twice and also won a gold medal for their performances in competition.

Student Council - A member of both the Massachusetts Association of Student Councils and the Central District of the Massachusetts Association of Student Council, it consists of members elected by classmates or appointed as delegates by the executive board. Its members have attended conferences on regional, state, and national levels to increase performance within the school community. They are responsible for putting on the school's Homecoming Dance and Pep Rally, Powder Puff, Bunny Breakfast, Penny Wars, Dodgeball Tournaments, and they sell Carnation cards at Valentine's Day.

Tri-M Music Honor Society - National honor society open to grades 10-12 who have achieved an A- in music and met other general requirements.

Yearbook Club - Committee to produce the high school and middle school yearbooks.^[3]

Athletics

David Prouty High School offers sports programs throughout the school year. The fall sports season includes Golf, Soccer, Cheerleading, Cross Country, Football, and Field Hockey. Winter brings Cheerleading, Boys and Girls Basketball and Indoor Track. Spring sports offerings are Baseball, Softball, Tennis and Outdoor Track.^[4]

Student sit-in protest – 2015

On November 18, 2015, more than 200 students from David Prouty High School took part in a sit-in in protest of the district's administration. Protesting the lack of current textbooks, cuts in the music and theater programs, the band, and the Student Council, they walked out of class and spent the day in the gymnasium. Having not been satisfied with having their voices heard at the School Committee meeting the night before, they were targeting the superintendent, Tracey Crowe, whom the district's teachers had also given a vote of no confidence in.^[5][6]

References