Established 1920 (1920) Staff 141 (as of 2006-07) Phone +1 303-982-8855 Colors Forest Green, Gold | CEEB code 061043 Grades 9-12 Mascot Bear | |
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School district Jefferson County Public Schools Enrollment 1,732 (as of 2015-2016) Address 9800 W Dartmouth Pl, Lakewood, CO 80227, USA District Jefferson County Public Schools | ||
Bear Creek High School is located in the southwest corner of Lakewood, Colorado, a suburb of the greater Denver metro area. It is one of 18 high schools in Jefferson County.
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The school colors are forest green, gold, and white. The mascot is a bear. The principal is Lynn Torr. There are 1,732 students as of July, 2015, along with 97 full-time teachers. It is a Class 5A Athletic Program and has over 34 clubs and activities.
History
Bear Creek High School was established in 1894 as the Montana School. The school was a single room that served elementary grades one through eight. It was not until 1920 that the neighboring community decided to consolidate, thus giving the region its first high school. Before the school was built, all students planning to continue their education either had to live in or commute to schools in Denver.
The Bear Creek Consolidated school combined five elementary school school districts. The four other schools were Montana School, Lakeview, Midway and Mount Carbon.
The first class in 1923 consisted of five graduates. From this point on, the school was known as the Bear Creek Consolidated School.
By 1950, all of the schools in Jefferson County had been consolidated and became the Jefferson County School District R-1.
The class of 1952 became the first to graduate in the newly named Bear Creek High School.
Although a fire in 1959 destroyed the original structure, classes were still held in the gymnasium. The new building was built just east of where the current school stands. This building stood for nearly 57 years until a new building, completed in 2009, was built where the original Consolidated School once stood.
During the construction of the new building, Bear Creek High School students experienced another major fire that destroyed a gym and damaged many classrooms. After further investigation, it was determined that the fire started on April 22, 2008, was arson by two Bear Creek students. The fire started in the school's small gymnasium used for gymnasts and wrestlers. An exercise mat caught on fire by a discarded cigarette. This was the second fire within a year at a Jefferson County school. On June 1 at Weber Elementary School a fire, also determined to be arson, caused nearly $65 million in damages.
Instrumental music program
The Bear Creek Instrumental Music Department includes a concert band, a wind ensemble, a marching band, a jazz band, a string orchestra, a chamber orchestra, winter percussion, and a winter guard, among other various small ensembles. It has participated in the Percussion Scholastic Concert Open since 2006. The ensemble has been in state championships twice.
The marching band has also been competitive in the state, being named a semi-finalist in 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2014. It was named finalist in 2010, after being named finalist numerous times in the 1990s and in 2000.