John Glenn High School (Westland, Michigan)

John Glenn High School
Address
36105 Marquette Street
Westland, Michigan 48185
United States
Coordinates 42°18′57″N 83°23′45″W / 42.31583°N 83.39583°W / 42.31583; -83.39583Coordinates: 42°18′57″N 83°23′45″W / 42.31583°N 83.39583°W / 42.31583; -83.39583
Information
Type Public secondary
Opened 1964
School district Wayne-Westland Community Schools
Superintendent Shelley Holt
Principal Lawrence Rudolph
Teaching staff 81.40 (on a FTE basis)
Grades 9-12
Enrollment 1,840 (2014-2015)
Student to teacher ratio 22.60
Color(s) Red, white and blue             
Athletics conference Kensington Lakes Activities Association
Nickname Rockets
Newspaper Explorer
Yearbook Satellite
Website www.wwcsd.net/schools/high-schools/john-glenn-high-school/
[1][2]

John Glenn High School is a public high school in Westland, Michigan in Metro Detroit. It serves portions of Westland, Canton Township, Inkster, and Dearborn Heights.[3] It is a part of the Wayne-Westland Community Schools district.

History

One of two traditional high schools serving the Wayne-Westland Community Schools, John Glenn High School is located in the city of Westland, Michigan. The school, which opened in 1964, was named for astronaut John Glenn, who just two years prior had become the first American to orbit the earth. The "space" theme dominates at JGHS, including the nickname (Rockets), yearbook (the Satellite), newspaper (the Explorer, formerly the Echo), and school store (the Gantry).

When John Glenn High School opened its doors in 1964, it did not have its own football field, having to play home games on the field of rival Wayne Memorial High School for the better part of its first decade. The building was only a fraction of its current size. To keep up with expanding enrollment in the 1970s and 1980s, new wings were added for Fine Arts and Special Education, as well as a new gymnasium and its own football and baseball fields. Fitting for a school named for an astronaut, JGHS is one of the few high schools in the state to feature a planetarium.

When John Glenn High School opened under principal Frank Higgins, it served students in grades 7-11, expanding to grades 8-12 from 1965-67. After a brief stint as a four-year high school (9-12), it stabilized as a 10-12th grade school in 1970, finally returning to its 9-12 status in 1995 when the Wayne-Westland district adopted a middle school format.

Demographics

The demographic breakdown of the 1,840 students enrolled in 2014-2015 was:

  • Male - 51.3%
  • Female - 48.7%
  • Native American/Alaskan - 0.2%
  • Asian/Pacific islanders - 1.5%
  • Black - 41.5%
  • Hispanic - 3.9%
  • White - 51.6%
  • Multiracial - 1.3%

54.3% of the students were eligible for free or reduced lunch.[1]

Athletics

The John Glenn Rockets are members of the Kensington Lakes Activities Association. The school colors are red, white and blue. The following MHSAA sanctioned sports are offered:[2]

  • Baseball (boys)
  • Basketball (boys and girls)
  • Bowling (boys and girls)
  • Competitive cheer (girls)
  • Cross country (boys and girls)
  • Football (boys)
  • Golf (boys and girls)
  • Soccer (boys and girls)
  • Softball (girls)
  • Swim and dive (boys and girls)
  • Tennis (boys and girls)
  • Track and field (boys and girls)
  • Volleyball (girls)
  • Wrestling (boys)

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for John Glenn High School". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  2. 1 2 "MHSAA > Schools". mhsaa.com. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  3. ↑ "johnglenn.pdf." (Archive) Wayne-Westland Community Schools. Retrieved on October 21, 2017.
  4. ↑ Blum, Andrea. "Inkster councilman chosen to run to replace late state representative". pressandguide.com. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
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