Clover Park High School
Clover Park High School entrance.
Location
11023 Gravelly Lake Dr. SW Lakewood, WA 98499
Information
Type	Public
Established	1928
School district	Clover Park No. 400
Principal	John Seaton
Grades	9-12
Number of students	1500
Color(s)	Green and white, gold accents
Athletics	Football, Soccer, Volleyball, Cross Country, Swimming, Tennis, Golf, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Water Polo, Chess, Track, Wrestling
Athletics conference	WIAA
Mascot	Warrior
Rival	Lakes High School
Newspaper	Clover Leaves
Yearbook	Klahowya
Information	253-583-5500
Website	Link

Clover Park High School (CPHS), located in Lakewood, Washington, is one of two secondary schools within the Clover Park School District.

[edit] History

The high school was established in 1928 due to the rapid expansion of nearby military posts at Fort Lewis.

The cornerstone of the first Clover Park High School was laid June 28, 1928. According to the 1981 Clover Park yearbook, Odyssey, on February 23 of that year a fire destroyed the gym (where the fire had been started), the music center and the business department. Junior Alphred Shropshire was arrested and convicted for starting the fire. One wing of the original school is now used for the school district's Student Services Center.

The rival school of CPHS is Lakes High School. Approximately 1500 students are enrolled each year. Their school mascot is the Warriors and the colors are kelly green and white with gold accents. During the 2005/2006 school year the current principal, John Seaton, took the reins from the former principal, Paul Tytler, who is now part of Stanford University's School Redesign Network.

Recently, CPHS was listed in the OSPI (Washington State Office of Public Instruction) document The High Schools We Need: Improving an American Institution.^[1] The OSPI document states, "Clover Park is committed to maintaining high expectations for rigorous performance from students."

According to OSPI the evidence of effectiveness:

(1) Between 2002 and 2004, WASL scores increased by 17.4 percent in reading, 8.3 percent in math, 16.9 percent in writing, and 6.9 percent in science.
(2) Over the past seven years, student achievement increased and the gaps narrowed between the racial, ethnic, gender, cultural, and economic class groups within the school.
(3) The annual dropout rate declined from 14.1 percent to 10.2 percent between 2001 and 2004.
(4) The school successfully made adequate yearly progress in all areas in 2005 and was not mandated to do a plan for improvement.
(5) The college retention rate of students who received the Bill and Melinda Gates Scholarship as high school juniors averaged more than 75 percent in each year 2002-2004.
(6) Retention of highly qualified faculty has increased over the last five years.

[edit] Students

Aerial photo of Clover Park High School. The building in the upper left is part of the old high school, which now houses the Clover Park School District administrative offices.

Out of the approximate 1500 student body, 53 percent are minorities, and 57 percent receive a free or reduced lunch. Student enrollment is triple both the district and state average (1557 versus 421.9 and 458.8). The student to teacher ratio is 20.039:1 compared to district and state averages of 16.272:1 and 17.316:1, respectively.

[edit] Smaller Learning Communities Program

In August 2003, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation promised $540,000 over five years to the school to "support personalized learning environments where all students achieve."^[2] The school is thus sometimes referred to as a "Gates Grant school," in reference to the donation.

The highly diverse school used the grant to engage in major restructuring as part of the "Smaller Learning Communities Program" (SLCP) which is intended to help large schools create smaller and safer communities within themselves. The program has received criticism, as parents complained that dividing the school into separate "houses" limited the selection of courses, and that attempts to "Raise the Bar" for all students had the effect of "dummying down" the challenges available to more able students.^[3], ^[4]

CPHS is now recognized as a leader in high school reform by the School Redesign Network at Stanford University and OSPI for the improvements in student learning and for narrowing the achievement gap. (SRN case study/ OSPI High Schools We Need).

[edit] Daffodil Festival

Every year, Clover Park participates in the Pierce County Daffodil Festival. A competition is held in house to select the Clover Park Princess, who goes on to compete against other regional schools, for the Daffodil Festival Queen title. The Queen title is considered the highest honor of the regional festival. The Clover Park band accompanies the float of Clover Park's princesses every year in the parade, held annually in April. Jaymee Marty is the only princess from Clover Park to become queen, in 1985.

[edit] Notable alumni and staff

Notable Clover Park High School alumni and staff members include:

• John Greek and Rich Dangel, guitarists with The Wailers, who wrote "Tall Cool One" while at the school;^[5]
• John Kelly, Chairman and CEO of Alaska Airlines from 1995-2003.^[6]
• Bryan Monroe (1983 grad), former president of the National Association of Black Journalists^[7] editor of Ebony-Jet Magazine
• Matt Elisara, co-vice-principal during the 1996-1997 school year. Played for Denver Gold football team (now defunct).
• Jackie Kellogg (1989 grad), MLB draft pick of the Kansas City Royals and CFL Grey Cup Champion with the Calgary Stampeders
• Jane McCarthy (1990 grad) KING 5 Television Reporter/North Sound Bureau Chief.^[8]
• Ira Jarmon (2003 grad), Played at Eastern Washington University were he won two Big Sky Conference Championships
• Tavita Pritchard (2005 grad), current starting QB for Stanford University.

[edit] Fight song

The CPHS fight song is performed to the music of the Washington State University fight song.

Fight, fight, fight for Clover Park High
Win the victory
Come on and win the fight for our green and white
Best in the west, we know you'll all do your best
So on, on, on, we'll fight to the end
Honor and glory you must win,
So fight, fight, fight, for Clover Park High and victory

[edit] See also

• Clover Park Technical College

[edit] References

1. ^ http://www.k12.wa.us/research/pubdocs/HighSchoolsWeNeed.pdf
2. ^ http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Education/PastPrograms/WashingtonStatePrograms/Grants/Grant-26427.htm
3. ^ Smith (WA09) - Press Release - Smith Announces Education Grants
4. ^ http://www.wastatepta.org/regions/region10/Newsletters/reg10_march2003.pdf
5. ^ Wailers History 6
6. ^ Arches Unbound: Lofty Ideals
7. ^ CNN.com - Transcripts
8. ^ http://www.king5.com/about/bios/stories/K5bios-McCarthy.aab177be.html and 1989 CPHS yearbook

[edit] Additional references

• Daffodil Festival Queens
• Taylor, Jayme. Clover Park School District Community Relations. (253) 583-5042.
• Aden, Carlin B. A Schoolhouse That Grew Wings.
• The Sounding Board. Volume 12, Number 3, January, 1981. Published by Clover Park School District No. 400.
• Odyssey. 1981 Clover Park High School Yearbook.

[edit] External links

• Clover Park High School Web site
• Clover Park School District Web site

Coordinates: 47°09′29″N 122°31′08″W / 47.158°N 122.519°W / 47.158; -122.519