Centaurus High School (CHS) is a public secondary school in Lafayette, Colorado, United States, serving students in grades nine through twelve. It is part of the Boulder Valley School District and is a School of Opportunity. It offers International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, AVID and engineering programs.

Centaurus High School
Front entrance in 2007
Address
Map
10300 South Boulder Road

,
Colorado
80026

United States
Coordinates39°59′10″N 105°6′45″W / 39.98611°N 105.11250°W / 39.98611; -105.11250
Information
School typePublic high school
Established1971 (53 years ago) (1971)
School districtBoulder Valley RE-2
CEEB code060865
NCES School ID080249000107[1]
PrincipalDaniel Ryan[2]
Teaching staff77.56 (on an FTE basis)[1]
Grades912
Enrollment1,561 (2023–2024[1])
Student to teacher ratio20.13[1]
Color(s)Royal blue, red, white
   
Athletics conferenceCHSAA
MascotWarrior
NewspaperThe Warrior Scroll[3]
YearbookThe Iliad
Websiteceh.bvsd.org

Description

edit

Centaurus High School is located in a racially and socioeconomically diverse suburban community between Boulder and Denver.[4] It had an enrollment of 1,482 students in the 2020–2021 school year, with 39% minority enrollment (majority Hispanic),[5] lower than the state average enrollment of 48% minority enrollment.[6] Approximately 35% of the students at CHS are economically disadvantaged.[4]

Curricular offerings include an Engineering Academy, an International Baccalaureate Diploma program, Advanced Placement courses, and fine arts.[7]

In 2015, CHS received national attention for its "package of reforms designed to create a school community that is welcoming and caring as well as academically challenging and supportive".[4] As one of the Schools of Opportunity, Centaurus provides support for incoming ninth grade students, including "social and academic supports, hands-on learning, and extracurricular opportunities".[8] A support program, AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), serves students with potential for college success, but whose families may be economically disadvantaged or whose parents may not have graduated from college.[8]

In Schools of Opportunity, "Practices include effective student and faculty support systems, outreach to the community, health and psychological support, judicious and fair discipline policies, high-quality teacher induction and mentoring programs, and limiting or eliminating tracking and ability grouping."[9]

According to Carol Burris and Kevin Weiner, who wrote the first report on the CHS Schools of Opportunity project,

Many incoming students not brought into the AVID program instead participate in "July Warriors," which is a summer enrichment program that focuses on engaging students in reading, math, and science. The program uses interactive, hands-on learning opportunities that culminate with weekly trips and other life experiences that take place outside school. While students are developing these skills, they are building relationships with peers and teachers that will be important over the next four years.[8]

Students at CHS have also joined students and staff at University of Colorado Boulder to create an elective ethnic studies course.[10] Students wanted to explore other cultures, including their dance, food and the arts. Researcher have correlated ethnic studies courses with better attendance, graduation rates and academic performance.[11]

History

edit

The CHS building was constructed in 1974. By 2014, it was in need of major repairs to the HVAC system, the roof, the cafeteria, lighting, restrooms and tennis courts. In November of that year Boulder Valley School District voters passed a $576.5 million bond issue for renovations to district schools. Construction of a CHS addition, renovations, and the school's Spangenberg athletic complex were completed between June 2017 and September 2018, at a total cost of $25.2 million.[12][13]

Extra-curricular activities

edit

Athletic state championships

edit

Boys

edit
  • Wrestling – 1992, 1995, 1996, 1999[14]
  • Cross Country – 2012, 2018[15](video, 1:49 minutes)

Girls

edit
  • Basketball – 1991[16]

Music state championships

edit

Notable alumni

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d "Search for Public Schools - Centaurus High School (080249000107)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  2. ^ "Staff Directory - Centaurus High School". Boulder Valley School District RE-2. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  3. ^ "The Warrior Scroll". The Warrior Scroll. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Strauss, Valerie (May 20, 2015). "How one school created a healthy climate for students and teachers". Washington Post. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  5. ^ "School Detail for Centaurus High School". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  6. ^ "Centaurus High School (2022-23 Ranking) - Lafayette, CO". Public School Review. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  7. ^ "Centaurus High School, Boulder Valley School District". www.bvsdsupport.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c "Centaurus High School | Schools of Opportunity". schoolsofopportunity.org. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  9. ^ "Centaurus High earns 'School of Opportunity' gold designation". Boulder Daily Camera. May 8, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  10. ^ Barber, Randy (March 25, 2022). "'It is like a dream come true'". www.bvsd.org. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  11. ^ Kuta, Sarah (May 23, 2022). "Creating an inclusive curriculum at Centaurus High and beyond". CU Boulder Today. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  12. ^ "Boulder Valley School District – Centaurus High School Addition and Renovation and Spangenberg Field". GH Phipps Construction. October 20, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  13. ^ "Centaurus High School Renovation". Sway. 2013. doi:10.5040/9781350976146.
  14. ^ "Boys Wrestling Championship Archive". chsaanow.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  15. ^ Reyes, Bobby, Centaurus Interview | Colorado State Cross Country Championships, retrieved November 5, 2022.
  16. ^ "Girls Basketball Championship Archive". chsaanow.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  17. ^ "Centaurus marching band takes first-ever state title". Colorado Hometown Weekly. November 6, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  18. ^ "Centaurus Marching Band wins state for 4th year in a row". Colorado Hometown Weekly. October 27, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  19. ^ "Lafayette's Centaurus band takes first at state". Colorado Hometown Weekly. November 1, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  20. ^ "CompetitionSuite". recaps.competitionsuite.com. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  21. ^ "Centaurus Surges to Win Warriors Advance in 4a with 47-28 Run in Second Half". go.gale.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  22. ^ McGhee, Tom (August 25, 2007). "Louisville teen is USA's crown jewel". The Denver Post. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  23. ^ Bounds, Amy (September 17, 2012). "Astronaut, 1992 grad Jack Fischer inspires teens at Centaurus High School in Lafayette". Colorado Hometown Weekly. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  24. ^ Brennan, Charlie (June 1, 2018). "Astronaut Jack Fischer, Louisville native, returning to U.S. Air Force". UWIRE Text: 1.
  25. ^ McDevitt, Carter. "St. Louis Cardinals Beat Writer Derrick Goold Got His Start Writing at a Young Age". FHNtoday.com. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  26. ^ Brown, G. (June 8, 2022). "John Massaro". Colorado Music Experience. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
edit