Mt. Hope High School

Mt. Hope High School is a regionalized secondary school that is located on 199 Chestnut Street in Bristol, Rhode Island, USA. Mt. Hope educates grade 9-12 students from both Bristol and Warren, Rhode Island, and is operated by the Bristol Warren Regional School District. Mt. Hope High School's seal contains a shield depicting two books and a torch to signify scholarship and an anchor, which is the symbol on the Rhode Island state flag. Below the shield is writing that says "E Duobus Unum" meaning "From two, one" which is to signify the regionalization of the school in '69.

Mt. Hope High School
Address
199 Chestnut Street

Bristol
,
Rhode Island

USA
Information
TypeUS Public Secondary
EstablishedSeptember 1993
PrincipalDr. Deborah Dibiase
Grades9–12
Enrollment889 (2015-16)[1]
CampusSuburban
Color(s)Purple, White, Black, and Silver
MascotHuskies
Websitehttp://www.bwrsd.org/pages/MtHope

History

Mt. Hope High School was founded in September 1993, when Warren High School and Bristol High School merged. During this time, both the Bristol and Warren Regional Districts were becoming combined. The school occupies the former Bristol H.S. complex.

Graduation Requirements

Mt. Hope High School implements four graduation requirements. First, students will need to acquire 23 Carnegie Units (Credits) throughout their education. Credits from specific content areas must be obtained that amount to the required 23 credits. Second, students will need to demonstrate proficiency in the PBGR's. Mt. Hope High has established a set of academic, social, and civic regulations known as the "Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirements". These academic expectations include listening, speaking, reading, writing, and problem-solving effectively. Each student must score a grade of "Proficient" or higher. These regulations tie in with the new diploma system of the school; any student graduating in 2008 or later must average a score of "Proficient" in all the rubrics to be able to officially graduate Mt. Hope High School. They also have to create a digital portfolio, which is an online showcase of the student's best work. The digital portfolio has been known amongst students to be largely ineffective; demonstrating nothing of value. Multiple unorganized attempts at forming a petition to abolish the digital portfolios have been staged and abandoned. In addition, effective fall of 2014, it will be a graduation requirement for Juniors to present their digital portfolios, regardless of completion status. As the third graduation requirement, Mt. Hope students in the Class of 2015 and higher must have completed the New England Common Assessment Program with at least a score of "Proficient" in Math, English, and Science. Starting with the Class of 2014, the NECAP is planned to be replaced with the PARCC as the graduation requirement. Last, students are required to create an Individual Learning Plan (ILP). This ILP is able to be accessed through the digital portfolio and includes such components as an assessment of skills, values, interests, creation of goals, and is used in the course selection process.

Sports

Fall season (September–November)

Cross Country, American football, Boys' Soccer, Girls' Soccer, Girls' Tennis, Girls' Volleyball. Varsity Cheerleading

Winter season (December–February)

Ice hockey, Boys' Basketball, Girls' Basketball, Boys' Indoor Track, Girls' Indoor Track, Boys' Swimming, Girls' Swimming, Wrestling and Gymnastics.

Spring season (March–June)

Baseball, Golf, Boys' Lacrosse, Girls' Lacrosse, Girls' Softball, Boys' Tennis, Boys' Track and Field, Girls' Track and Field, Boys' Volleyball.

Programs Offered

Mt. Hope High School offers a large assortment of clubs and activities that appeal to all types of students.[2] Students also have the freedom to propose their own club suggestions to Howlett if they so choose.

  • American Sign Language Club (ASL)
  • Art Honor Society
  • Band
  • Best Buddies
  • Chorus
  • Dance Team
  • Debate Team
  • D.E.C.A.
  • Executive Board
  • Flag Squad
  • Foreign Language Honor Society
  • Gender And Sexuality Alliance (formerly Gay Straight Alliance) (GSA)
  • Guitar Ensemble
  • Huskies News Network
  • Interact
  • Intramurals
  • Jazz Ensemble
  • Jazz Band
  • Jazz Improvisational Vocal Ensemble (JIVE)
  • Math and Science Help (MASH)
  • Masqueraders
  • Mathematics Team
  • Mt. Hope-Kickemuit Peer Helpers
  • National Honor Society
  • Students Take Action Against Negative Decisions
  • Science Olympiad
  • Student Council
  • Sustainability Club
  • Vocal Ensemble
  • Varsity Athletes Against Substance Abuse

Band
Mount Hope High School marches in the 2017 Bristol 4th of July parade

Mt. Hope High has a reputable marching band and music department. Every year, the MHHS Marching Band participates in several parades, including Bristol's Fourth of July Parade. The Mt. Hope High School Symphonic Band performs multiple concerts throughout the school year and has even played with the Navy Band Northeast. Mt. Hope also has a notable jazz program which consists of the Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Band, and the Jazz Improvisational Vocal Ensemble (JIVE). Mt. Hope's jazz groups have participated in many renowned festivals such as the Berklee Jazz Festival and the Somerset Jazz Festival. Every year, Mt. Hope High School holds a "Jazz Night"; a concert encompassing every jazz ensemble at Mt. Hope, the Kickemuit Middle School Jazz Band, and occasionally other ensembles who agree to perform.

Robert Arsenault, current department chair of the performing arts department at Mt. Hope, had been the director of the Mt. Hope Marching Band, Concert and Symphonic Bands for years. Arsenault is also acting teacher adviser for the school's Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble. In 2008 Robert Arsenault stepped down as Marching Band Director and the position was given to Mt. Hope High School alumnus Christopher Lambert. The Marching Band was run under the direction of Chris Lambert with Melissa Labonte as the Assistant Director for a few years until when Labonte left the program. Shortly after, the position of Assistant Director was assumed by Lynn Sousa, who remains there to this day. Arsenault will continue conducting Mt. Hope's Concert Band and running the school's jazz program while Lambert will take over conducting the Symphonic Band.

Husky News Network (HNN)

The Husky News Network, also known as HNN, is a daily five-minute television program produced live weekday mornings by Mt. Hope High School students. HNN is currently run by the Broadcasting class under the advisory of Brian Latessa. The show was first broadcast in 2004 when it was conceived by former Junior, Evan Patton.

Initially, the show was operated using just a single camera in the then AV Room. In the summer of 2008 it began operating with three cameras, as well as full HNN specials throughout the year. A short-lived HNN Headline News show in 2009 consisted of news presented in a different light as well as student work demonstrated 24 hours a day 7 days a week. In late 2009, HNN moved its studios to a bigger space located on the first floor of Mt. Hope High School, in a space once occupied by the School Store. The new location consist of one half of the room is HNN, and the other half is the Husky Hut. Typical segments on the five-minute program include school news announcements, sports, and reports on school events by a pair of anchor news reporters.

Math Team

The Mt. Hope High School Math Team is coached by Mathematics Teacher, Anne Marie Fayan and is led by a student captain who is appointed by Ms. Fayan each year. Traditionally, a Senior student is elected as captain. However, in 2013, Thomas Aloysius O'Hare was made the first Junior captain of Math Team. The reason for this decision was Thomas's exemplary knowledge of Mathematics.

The Math Team participates in competitive math meets every year competing against local schools in the area. The competitions are held at Portsmouth High School. There are four meets at the school level. Schools are awarded points for correct answers in rounds. The two schools with the highest total scores by the end of the fourth meet will go on to the state level to compete.

In 2014, the Mt. Hope Math Team, under the leadership of Thomas O'Hare, came the closest to achieving the number two spot than they ever had, but ended up in third place overall. The Math Team continues to have weekly meetings and prepare for the following year.

School Accomplishments

Academics
  • Mt. Hope High School ranked #3 in Rhode Island for Best High Schools.

Music Arts
  • The Mt. Hope Marching Band always leads Bristol's Fourth of July Parade, USA's oldest Fourth of July parade/celebration.[3]
  • The Symphonic Band performed with the Navy Band Northeast, which is considered one of the greatest bands in the country.[4]
  • Many students from the music program participate in All-State Band Festival. (music competition).[5]
  • The Mt. Hope guitar ensemble won several awards at a competition at Pace University in New York City in 2006

Sports

Girls

  • Soccer - 2007 Division I State Championship against LaSalle Academy.
  • Lacrosse - 2008 Division I-A State Championship against Cranston West; 2015, 2016 Division II State Championship Runner-up.
  • Indoor Track - 2012 Division II RI State Championship.
  • Tennis - 2012 Division III RI State Championship & 2019 Division II RI State Championship
  • Softball - 2015 & 2016 Division III RI State Championship.

Boys

  • Football- 1998 Division II Super Bowl Champions; 2010 Division II Super Bowl Runner-Up.
  • Basketball - 2003 Division II State Championship.
  • Swim - 2004, 2005, 2006 - Swimming Division III State Championship.
  • Hockey - 2010, 2017 - Division III State Championship.
  • Lacrosse - 2005, 2009, 2010 Division II RI State Championship.

References
  1. "Mt. Hope High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  2. "List of Activities offered at Mt. Hope". Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  3. Szostak, Mike (June 4, 2006). "On the Courts by Mike Szostak: Winning in Bristol earns you a parade". The Providence Journal. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
  4. "Naval band to perform with students at Mt. Hope High School Thursday". Archived from the original on April 8, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  5. "Mt. Hope musicians headed to All-State Concert". Retrieved April 6, 2014.

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