Type Public Secondary Principal Mr. Joe Rubens, Jr. Grades 9-12 Mascot Cavalier | Established 1964 Faculty 94 (2013) Phone +1 240-740-0100 Color Gold | |
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School district Montgomery County Public Schools Address 1901 Randolph Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20902, USA District Montgomery County Public Schools Similar Montgom Blair High School, High Point High School, Montgom College, Our Lady Of Good Counsel, Eleanor Roosevelt High Sch | ||
John F. Kennedy High School is a public high school located in unincorporated in Montgomery County, Maryland. The school is within the Glenmont census-designated place, and has a Silver Spring mailing address.
Contents
- History
- Demographics
- Academics
- Broadcast Journalism
- Business Management and Administration Academy
- Creative Multimedia Academy
- International Baccalaureate Program
- Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps NJROTC
- Health Careers
- Public Communications
- Leadership Training Institute LTI
- Medical Careers
- Senior Naval Science Instructors SNSIs
- Naval Science Instructors NSIs
- Unit Achievements
- Athletics
- Championships
- Athletic rivalries
- Facilities
- Notable alumni
- References
The school is a part of Montgomery County Public Schools.
Over 1,700 students are enrolled at Kennedy. Since the 2004-2005 school year Kennedy has been part of the Down County Consortium, which includes Montgomery Blair, Wheaton, Einstein, and Northwood High Schools. Kennedy's mascot is the Cavalier.
Several middle schools are part of a consortium and feed into Kennedy. Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle School, Argyle Middle School, and Eastern Middle School are assigned specifically to Kennedy.
History
Opening its doors in 1964, Kennedy High School was originally going to be called "East Wheaton High School," but due to President John F. Kennedy's assassination in November 1963, the school took his name as its namesake. It initially enrolled students in 7th through 10th grades. By the fall of 1966, it enrolled students in 9th through 12th grades, and graduated its first full 12th grade class in the spring of 1967.
Kennedy's early history is that of an experimental school, with open classes, no grades, and no required attendance. The onus was on Kennedy's students to be self-motivated. Kennedy's rare approach to education gained international attention, but ultimately these trends did not become very popular in other schools. Kennedy itself ceased to use this format as some parents refused to send their children to Kennedy and demanded the school be shut down.
After the baby boom generation, many schools were forced to close. Kennedy absorbed the student bodies of Northwood High School. Their feeder schools were absorbed by Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle School and Eastern Middle School.
The Kennedy building was renovated in the 1996-98 school year. During that time, Kennedy's students attended classes at the then defunct Northwood High School. In 2004 Northwood was reopened, absorbing parts of Kennedy's student body through a new choice process.
Demographics
Of Kennedy's student body, 26% is African American, 10% is Asian American, 48% is Hispanic, 5% is Non-Hispanic White, 0.3% is Native American, and 2% is of two or more races.
Academics
Kennedy has five academies: The Leadership Training Institute (LTI), Management, and Medical Careers), The Navy Junior ROTC. Students are required to be a member of one of these four academies to attend Kennedy. LTI is in its 10th year, Tri-M was inducted along with the class of 06, and Cambridge and Mediacom both came along with the class of '08. Although, starting in the 2008-2009 school year, the Cambridge academy will become an IB program. Kennedy also has an JROTC program. Kennedy High School offers over 15 Advanced Placement courses, ranging from Studio Art to World History. The school also performed SAT (477 verbal, 493 math, 969 total) and requires 75 hours of community service for graduation.
The school sent 89% of its 2005 graduating class to two- and four-year universities.
69% of students take Advanced Placement classes. 13% of students take International Baccalaureate classes.
In 2014, Newsweek ranked John F. Kennedy High School as the 15th highest-rated school in Maryland.
Broadcast Journalism
The Broadcast Journalism Academy prepares students for careers in television, radio, podcasting, and other internet-based media. Students receive “hands on” experience running WJFK, Kennedy’s award-winning television station. Students work with career journalists, write news stories, produce shows, and intern with local and national media outlets. Students are required to complete the identified academy courses and participate in various career-based experiences that include an internship.
Business Management and Administration Academy
The Business Management and Administration Academy prepares students for careers as leaders in domestic and international commerce. Students will learn how to manage workers and lead companies in a global society. The Academy allows students to gain valuable skills in finance, entrepreneurship, visioning, problem solving, and productivity.
Creative Multimedia Academy
The Creative Multimedia Academy allows students to develop skills in visual, performing, instrumental, and choral arts. Students prepare for careers in graphic design, performance arts, music, and theater. Students can choose to take courses in the arts or performance. In order to complete the academy pathway, students must successfully complete three elective classes.
International Baccalaureate Program
The International Baccalaureate Academy is a small learning community that provides highly motivated students an opportunity to pursue a rigorous, comprehensive curriculum based on a global perspective. It replaced John F. Kennedy High School's similar Cambridge Academy in the fall of 2010. The academy offers an internationally recognized course of study that is designed to prepare students for the university experience. Students are encouraged to participate in the Pre-IB courses beginning in Grade 9. The IB Diploma Program begins in Grade 11.
Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC)
The NJROTC curriculum combines academic studies and leadership development. The program introduces the historical, scientific, and technical aspects specific to each military branch. Leadership development concentrates on the following areas: cadet activities, drill and ceremonies, improving study habits, maintaining time management skills, developing effective communication skills, and learning sound problem-solving techniques.
Health Careers
The Health Careers Academy is an academic career development program that enables students to explore careers in the health care industry and to develop skills related to patient care practiced in hospitals and long term facilities.
Public Communications
The Public Communications Academy prepares students for careers as public relations specialists, press secretaries, media directors, speech writers, lawyers, teachers and other advocates. Academy courses build skills in creative writing, advocacy, and public speaking skills.
Leadership Training Institute (LTI)
John F. Kennedy High School’s signature program empowers students through rigorous interdisciplinary experiential learning, community service projects, and leadership theory and application. It is an application-only program.
Medical Careers
The Medical Careers program is an academic career development program that enables students to explore careers in the health care industry and to develop skills related to patient care practiced in hospitals and long term facilities. Successful students will receive cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Training and certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) with the Maryland Board of Nursing. The medical careers program is an application only program in during grades 11-12.
Senior Naval Science Instructors (SNSI's)
2001-2007 CAPT Kenneth Trass, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
2007–2016 LCDR Leonard C. Greig, U.S. Army/U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.)
2016-Present LTCOL Gregory Grunwald, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)
Naval Science Instructors (NSI's)
2001-2004 GySgt Gregory Bowman, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)
2004-2005 1stSgt Russell Steward, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)
2005–2011 MCPO Tommy Brady, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
2011–2012 SCPO Kenneth Montgomery, U.S. Marine Corps/ U.S. Navy (Ret.)
2012–2014 MCPO Tommy Brady, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
2014–present CPO Sharon Rogers, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Unit Achievements
In 2003, the Kennedy High School NJROTC Drill Team was invited to the Area Five Regional Championship in Norfolk, Virginia where they placed first in armed and second place unarmed standard Drill.
Kennedy's NJROTC Unit has received the "Unit Achievement" award five times; 2004–2005, 2005–2006, 2007–2008, 2011-2012 and 2015-2016.
In the 2008-2009 year, the Area Five manager awarded JFK NJROTC with "Distinguished Unit", a first in its 8-year history.
Athletics
Ken Cudd is the recently retried Athletic Director. He retired after working many years as an English and LTI teacher. Walter Hardy is the new Athletic director.
Championships
All tournaments and finals are conducted by the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) --- An incomplete list of a few Championships:
Kennedy's football team was noted in The Washington Post for a lengthy losing streak in 2005 which had since been broken.
Athletic rivalries
Kennedy's main rival is Wheaton High School due to the schools' close proximity to one another. The Wheaton-Kennedy rivalry is one of the oldest rivalries in Montgomery County.
Other smaller rivalries include those with Albert Einstein High School and for Lacrosse; Rockville High School (Maryland).
Facilities
Kennedy's Football stadium is named in memory of Brady Straub, who coached the 1984 football team to the state championship. The following year, he bravely led the team while battling cancer, succumbing shortly after the end of the season. The field was redone in the spring of 2007 after being condemned by the county for poor conditions.
The gymnasium hallway bears the last name of former Kennedy all-star basketball player and captain Jeremy Herring. Herring, who was the lead scorer for Montgomery County in 2007, was slain along with his brother Justin Herring (also an alumni) in the summer following his graduation.