Monarch High School (Colorado)

History

Monarch High School opened in 1998 to relieve overcrowding at Centaurus High School, drawing students from the east Boulder County towns of Louisville and Superior. Monarch's first graduating class graduated in 2001 and was also the class to decide on the coyotes as Monarch's mascot. Monarch High School is named after Monarch Mine #2 which is located under part of the campus. Monarch was originally a closed-campus, but as the population of the school grew, the school became an open campus for upperclassmen. Each high school in Boulder Valley School District has an emphasis; when opened, Monarch's emphasis was as the technology school and today has expanded to be a business/technology school.

Campus

Monarch High School is located east of Boulder, in the small town of Louisville. Louisville has been ranked the best small city to live in by Money magazine.

Athletic achievements

Highlights:
In 2011, Monarch won the Girls' 5A Cross Country championship. That same year Kirk Webb won the boy's individual Cross Country championship. The following year, 2012, the girls' cross country team successfully defended its state cross country championship. In 2002, Monarch won the Class 4A State Football Championship by defeating the Golden High School Demons, 42-35. Since 2001, Monarch has produced All-American, professional, and multiple NCAA division I, II, and III student athletes.

State Champions:

Men's Volleyball State Champions (2002)
Drumline State Champions (2004)
Drumline State Champions (2008)
Drumline State Champions (2010)
Drumline State Champions (2011)
Drumline State Champions (2012)
Drumline State Champions (2013)
Hip-Hop State Champions (2012)
Girls' cross country (2011, 2012)
Football (2002) - def. Golden 42-35
Football (2012) - def. Denver South 17-14
Anthony Ferrera (2003) - wrestling - def. Jason Still of Gateway dec. 4-3, 275 lb division
Geoff Meng (2006) - wrestling - def. Kyle O'Brien of Rocky Mountain in fall 3:33, 110 lb division
Ultimate Frisbee Mixed Division Champions (2008) - def. Heritage 13-11
Ultimate Frisbee Mixed Division Champions (2010) - def. Denver East 15-12
Ultimate Frisbee Mixed Division Champions (2012) - def. CIVA 13-9
Ultimate Frisbee Mixed Division Champions (2014) - def. Littleton 11-9
Ultimate Frisbee Girls Division Champions (2011) - def. Denver East 10-6
Ultimate Frisbee Girls Division Champions (2012) - def. Broomfield 15-5
Ultimate Frisbee Girls Division Champions (2013) - def. Broomfield 15-7
Ultimate Frisbee Girls Division Champions (2015) - def. Fairview 9-3
Ultimate Frisbee Division I Open Champions (2013) - def. Fairview 15-12
Ultimate Frisbee Division I Open Champions (2014) - def. Lakewood 12-8
Ultimate Frisbee Division I Open Champions (2015) - def. Lakewood 13-10
Brooke Collins (2007) - Golf - 70/75 (-1) overall
Tom Kozacynski (2003–2005) - swimming - 200 Medley Relay, 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, 200 Free Relay, 100 Breaststroke
Kyle Miranda (2001–2004) - swimming - 200 Medley Relay, 100 Breaststroke, 200 Free Relay
Zach Ruske (2003–2005) - swimming - 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay
Kyle Gordon (2004, 2005) - swimming - 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay
Matt Lundy (2003, 2004) - swimming - 200 Medley Relay
Kirk Webb (2011) - cross country 5A
Kirk Webb (2012) - track - 800m (1:51.75 State Record All Classifications)
Kirk Webb (2012) - track - 1600m

Runner-up teams:
Football (2007) - 4A State Championship, Pueblo West def. Monarch 21-14
M. Swimming (2004) - 5A State Championship, 1. Regis Jesuit 451, 2. Monarch 251, 3. Arapahoe 224.5
M. Swimming (2003) - 5A State Championship, 1. Regis Jesuit 371, 2. Monarch 256, 3. Thompson Valley 253 W. Basketball (2012) 5A State Championship, Legacy def. Monarch 58-51
Ultimate Frisbee Mixed Division (2011) - Denver East def. Monarch 14-7
Ultimate Frisbee Mixed Division (2015) - Lakewood def. Monarch 13-12
Ultimate Frisbee Girls' Division (2014) - Littleton def. Monarch 8-3
Ultimate Frisbee Open Division (2011)- Denver East def. Monarch 13-9

Third-place teams:
In 2010, the Varsity Cheer team placed 3rd in the 5A Colorado State competition held by CHSAA. Varsity Cheer coach Cathy Greene was awarded the 2010 Colorado Spirit Coaches Association (CSCA) Cheer Coach of the Year.

Academic achievements

Each year Monarch students garner more than $6 million in scholarships. Nearly 95% of Monarch graduates pursue 2-year or 4-year degree programs in secondary education.

Club achievements

The school has had national award winners in forensics, art, robotics, mathematics, science and world language, and has a widely recognized Thespian Troupe. In 2004, the Colorado High School Press Association awarded Monarch High's 5A Yearbook First Place. Monarch has had national champion thespians and winners at ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair). The Monarch High School Ultimate Frisbee team won the Colorado Mixed Division State Ultimate Championship in the spring of 2008 and again in the fall of 2010. In the spring of 2011, the frisbee team won the Colorado Girls' Division State Championship, with the Open Team achieving runner-up to Denver East.

CU Succeed and AP Classes

Over half of Monarch students participate in CU Succeed or AP Courses.

CU Succeed

Monarch High School students can take University of Colorado courses taught by Monarch faculty during the school day. Grades and credits transfer to all University of Colorado campuses. If the student chooses not to attend CU, many other universities and colleges may accept the earned credits. In general, institutions that accept CU credits will accept CU Succeed credits. Students do not need to be in a special program or track to participate in these classes.

These are a few of Monarch High School's current CU Succeed classes:

Monarch High School's website contains course descriptions.

Advanced Placement (AP)

During the 2006-2007 school year, 60 Monarch students scored three or higher on at least five Advanced Placement exams in certain subject areas to earn Advanced Placement International Diplomas. In addition, 20 students were considered Scholars with Honor, 28 as Scholars with Distinction, and three as National Scholars. General info about AP can be found on the Monarch Website.

Monarch High School offers 20 AP courses:

High School of Business

Monarch became a pilot school for the High School of Business in 2008, offering national certification for college-bound students interested in pursuing a business major. An advanced-level curriculum introduces key business concepts, encourages entrepreneurial skills, requires critical thinking, and provides experiences that facilitate the transition to top business colleges. Students build valuable skills through academic courses and participation in Monarch’s DECA and FBLA chapters.

Competitive organizations

Drama

In 2010, Monarch Thespians won the national championship.

The drama department stages up to four performances annually. These four performances include the full-length Fall play, a spring musical in which the entire performing arts department collaborates on very large productions, as well as a weekend of student-directed one-act plays and scenes, and outreach performances of a children's show to the local middle schools.

Bands

The Monarch marching band has nearly 200 members. Drumline has earned six (2004, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) state championships. Monarch sponsors three jazz bands, the most advanced of which placed second in a national competition. Monarch also offers two concert band ensembles; Wind Ensemble (typically juniors and seniors) and Symphonic Winds (typically freshmen and sophomores). The advanced wind ensemble is considered excellent by national standards. In the spring of 2008 the Wind Ensemble traveled to Vienna, Austria and Salzburg, Austria along with the rest of the music department to play selections of American classical music. All three Jazz Band's went to New Orleans in April 2015.

In 2007, the Coyote Marching Band placed 5th in the State Marching Band Competition, and 2nd in the Metro-Denver Regional Competition. Marching students are required to spend time outside of school preparing for marching competitions. During the marching season, students spend about 300 hours outside of regular school hours practicing for competitions.

Orchestra

Monarch musicians have performed in the Colorado All-State Orchestra and the Western States Honor Orchestra. The Monarch High School orchestra was the only orchestra in Boulder Valley to be selected to perform at the Colorado Music Educators Association Conference in January 2009.

Choirs

Monarch's All-State choirs include mixed and same-gender choirs, small and large mixed ensembles, and after-school choirs. They perform a variety of musical styles, from Renaissance and classical, pop, rock and modern jazz.

The top mixed choir, Madrigals, is the diplomatic choir for the high school. The advanced women's choir, Chamber Choir, is an auditioned group. The men's choir, Chaos, is an after-school for-credit ensemble that performs for the annual men's middle level choir festival and other events, and at all four concert sets annually. The other choirs are open to all students, and include Concert Choir, the freshman choir, as well as Festival Choir, a grades 10-12 mixed ensemble.

Annually, the choirs sponsor festivals for the three feeder middle schools: Monarch K-8, Eldorado K-8 and Louisville Middle School. Outreach includes these festivals, as well as a men's middle level festival, and also a Madrigals tour to the three middle schools. Travel is an important component of the music experience at Monarch High School. Recent trips have included in-state locations such as Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Denver, and Grand Junction. Out-of-state travel has included New York City, Salt Lake City, Orlando, and Los Angeles, and international travel has included Vienna, Salzburg and most recently, London.

Drumline

Monarch Indoor Percussion (sometimes known as Drumline) participates in extra-curricular activity from November through April. This group competes with a show each year in approximately 5 competitions in the Denver metro area against other area high schools, and then takes their show to the state level. In the summer and fall, the majority of this group makes up the percussion group for marching band.

The group finished first in the state during the 2004, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons and has otherwise received a medal in the top 3 since 2003. Recently, Monarch competed in Dayton, Ohio for the world championships, and won tenth place in open class.

Athletic seasons offered

Monarch High School offers the following athletic programs:

Fall

Winter

Spring

School organizations

Monarch offers both curricular and non-curricular activities.

Curricular

Art Club, Festival Choir, Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Madrigals, Chaos (men's choir), Color Guard, DECA, Drama and Musical Theatre, FBLA, Robotics, Forensics, three Jazz Bands, Links Program, Music Theory, Guitar, Marching Band, Orchestra, Ecology Club, Science Fair (ISEF), Student Council, Symphonic Winds, NHS, Wind Ensemble, Yearbook, Invisible Children, and Thursday Announcements Club.

Non-curricular

Atheism Club, Bible Club, Climbing Club, Key Club, Evolving Equality (Gay-Straight Alliance), Mock Trial, SWED Club, Philosophy Club, SADD, Thespians, Creative Writing Club (Live Poet's Society), Ultimate Frisbee, Anime Club, Tech Club, and Rugby Team.

ACLU case 2007–09

In October 2007, the ACLU criticized the school's administration for actions in May 2007 when, allegedly, students' cell phones were seized and their messages read and transcribed. ACLU pointed to constitutional rights and to Colorado privacy laws that would make some of the alleged actions a felony. In April 2008, new guidelines to protect students' privacy were put in place, which were commended by the ACLU.