Lancaster High School (Lancaster, South Carolina)

Lancaster High School
Address
617 Normandy Road Lancaster, South Carolina, Lancaster County 29720 United States
Coordinates	34°43′16″N 80°46′24″W / 34.72111°N 80.77333°W / 34.72111; -80.77333
Information
School type	Public
Established	1923 (new campus 1993)
School district	Lancaster County School District
Superintendent	Gene Moore
Principal	Joseph C. Keenan
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	Approx. 1438 students (2014)
Color(s)	Blue and gold
Mascot	Bruin Bear
Rival	Andrew Jackson High School - Buford High School - Indian Land High School
Information	(803) 283-2001
Website	http://lhs.lancastercsd.com/

Lancaster High School is located in Lancaster, South Carolina, a small city approximately 35 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The school serves students in grades 9-12 with a program that provides AP and honors classes, college preparatory classes, a vocational/technical program, and range of classes and services for students with special needs. It is operated by the Lancaster County School District.^[1][2]

School's Recognition and Awards

Lancaster High School has received the Palmetto Gold Award in 2003, 2005, and 2009. The Lancaster High School Career Center (now part of LHS) received the Gold Award in 2003-2005. The Palmetto Gold and Silver Award recognizes the state’s schools with the highest levels of student academic achievement and the fastest rates of improvement. The award criteria are based on the absolute and improvement ratings assigned to each school on the school's report card.

The Palmetto Gold and Palmetto Silver awards program was created by the Education Accountability Act of 1998. Award criteria were developed by the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee.

Each winning school receives a banner, a certificate and a portion of the state lottery funds earmarked for the awards program. The financial award is determined by several factors, including the type of award received, student enrollment, student attendance, teacher attendance and dropout rates.^[3]

Palmetto Gold Award – LHS, 2004 – 2005 Palmetto Gold Award – LHS, 2002 – 2003 Palmetto Gold Award – Career Center, 2002 – 2003 Palmetto Gold Award – Career Center, 2003 – 2004 Palmetto Gold Award – Career Center, 2004 – 2005 Smaller Learning Community Grant, 2004 – 2005

History

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, education in the Lancaster County area depended upon itinerant teachers and private tutors. In 1825, the Franklin Academy was formed as the first unit of what was to become the Lancaster County school system. In 1923, the educational system expanded significantly with the formation of Lancaster High School and Lancaster Training School, later known as Barr Street High School.

The year 1970 marked the integration of Barr Street High School and Lancaster High School and the current campus was established in the fall of 1993. The combined heritage of these two schools lives on here at Lancaster High. The continued support of the Lancaster community, combined with the academic strength of a dedicated faculty, demonstrate that Lancaster continues “to keep faith with its children.” ^[4]

Athletics

State Championships

• Football: 1959 ^[5][6]

Region Championships

• Football: 1974, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1996

County Championships (Red Rose Classic)

• Boys' Soccer: 2010 ^[7]

Notable alumni

Official NASA portrait of astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr

• Charles Duke - astronaut and engineer for NASA
• Pep Harris - MLB baseball player
• Julie Roberts - country music singer

References