Amesbury High School
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| Superintendent of Schools | Charles L. Chaurette, Ed.D. |
| Principal | Leslie R. Murray |
| Dean of Students / Curriculum | Roy Hamond |
| Dean of Students / Activities | David Bailey |
| Teacher on Assignment | Donna Georges |
| Guidance Director | Mary Beth Exner |
| English Dept. Chair | Patricia Hoyt |
| Mathematics Dept. Chair | Barbara Leary |
| Educational Technology Director | Cynthia Yetman |
| Science Dept. Chair | William Donovan |
| Social Studies Director | William Claffey |
| World Language Coordinator | Denise Minnard |
| Library Media Center Director | Mia Rowlands |
| Health Education Coordinator | Donna Georges |
| Music Director | Thomas Horan |
| School type | Public |
| School District | Amesbury Public Schools |
| Grade levels | 9-12 |
| Student body | Coeducational |
| School choice | yes |
| Location | Amesbury, Massachusetts |
| Students | 830 |
| Faculty and Staff | Approx. 97 |
| Mascot | Indians |
| School colors | Red and White |
| Newspaper | The AHS Weekly (http://www.ahsweekly.org)' |
| Yearbook | Pow Wow |
Amesbury High School has a history of over 100 years and serves secondary education students from the towns of Amesbury, Massachusetts and South Hampton, New Hampshire. It also accepts choice students from other schools in the Merrimack River Valley region.
School Snapshot
Amesbury High School
5 Highland Street
Amesbury, MA 01913
Phone: (978) 388-4800
Fax: (978) 388-3393
Website: Amesbury High School (http://www.ci.amesbury.ma.us/home.nfs?a=amesbury&group=9)
History
Amesbury High School was originally housed in a wooden school building built in 1882. The growing school was allowed to expand in a new brick building built in 1917 and was designed by the Boston architecture firm Prescott & Sidebottom. That building served as a high school until a fire destroyed it on April 7, 1964. At the time plans were underway to build a replacement for the school, which had exceeded its 500-student capacity by 100. After lengthy discussion, a new school was to be built on Highland Street, designed by Walter Scott Brodie of Kilham, Hopkins, Greeley & Brodie of Boston. This school would have a capacity of 900 students. On September 28, 1969, the new school was dedicated.
The building included seven English classrooms, six social studies classrooms, five math classrooms, four language classrooms, and five business classrooms. It also had four general science labs, a chemistry lab, a physics lab, a metal shop, a wood shop, a mechanical drawing shop, music space, a home economics unit, an art classroom, gym and special education spaces, as well as library, cafeteria, auditorium, guidance, nurse and administration spaces, including eight department offices. Over the years, business classes were eliminated, computer labs were set up, and special education has been greatly expanded. There is also an continuing program of distance learning that students can take advantage provided by Northern Essex Community College.
The aging building and rising enrollments have spurred the a renovation and expansion project that will completely upgrade the entire facility. Overall, the project will add new science labs, music rooms, additional classroom space, modern computer labs, a new library/media center, new utilities and other modernizations. It will also expand administration, guidance and gym space. This should bring school capacity up to 1,000 students. The project, designed by the Mount Vernon Group architects, began in the spring of 2004, with completion expected by August 2006. The first phase is the building of the new library/media center and a complete renovation of half the school to be completed by fall of 2005. The other half of the school will be renovated in the next and final phase.
AHS Trivia
- Principal Forrest Brown served 44 years, from 1895 to 1939, after which he was named Principal Emeritus until his death in 1943.
- Amesbury High School has had fourteen principals since 1875, and sixteen assistant principals since 1893.
- Four principals, Brown (44 years), Carelton Skillings (15), Donald Lawliss (15) and Gerald Schrock (13), served more than ten years.
- One principal, Peter Houmere, served less than one year, having served nine months, from July, 1970 to April 2, 1971.
- The Francis E. Lawlor Auditorium is named for the school's music director who served from 1951 to 1985.
- Although rumors persist with every freshmen class, there is no third floor, or pool.
- The AHS Weekly is the only weekly student newspaper in the region. It has been published on-time, every week for over 25 years [as of 2004].
- Three assistant principals have served more than ten years, Sub-Principal Kent Walker (24 years), Sub-master J. Sandy Roy (21) and Assistant Principal William Chambers (24).
- The school has many after school activities, including Student Council, The AHS Weekly, Student Advisory Council, Drama Club, a TV newsmagazine, Literary Magazine, Interact Club, National Honors Society, Quill and Scroll Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta math honors society, Spanish honors society, Recycling Club, Gay/Straight Alliance, class officers, band, chorus, jazz band, Peer Leaders, Math Team, Ignite Mentor program, Art and Camera Club as well as many sports.
- One principal was a graduate of Amesbury High School, Forrest Brown.
- The schools yearbook, the Pow Wow, has been published every year since 1924.
- From August, 2004 to June, 2006 the schools 9th grade is being housed at the Amesbury Middle School on Main Street, the first time a high school class has been held on that site since 1964, while the new addition is being completed.