John I. Burton High School
| John I. Burton High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
  John I. Burton High School  John I. Burton High School | |
|
109 11th St Norton, Virginia 24273 United States | |
| Coordinates | 36°55′47.4″N 82°38′2.7″W / 36.929833°N 82.634083°WCoordinates: 36°55′47.4″N 82°38′2.7″W / 36.929833°N 82.634083°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Public, high school |
| Founded | 1953 |
| School district | Norton City Schools |
| Superintendent | Gina Wohlford |
| Principal | Mike Goforth[1] |
| Grades | 8-12 |
| Enrollment | 252[2] (2009) |
| Language | English |
| Color(s) | Orange and black |
| Athletics | Basketball, football, baseball, wrestling, volleyball, tennis, cross country, softball, track, cheerleading, golf, marching band |
| Athletics conference |
Cumberland District (Region 1C) |
| Mascot | Raiders |
| Rival | Central of Wise High School, Union High School and Ridgeview High School |
| Website | Official site |
John Ira Burton High School is a high school located in the City of Norton, Virginia, United States. A part of Norton City Schools, it has an enrollment of approximately 330 students.
Building
The school was built in 1953 and named in honor of John Ira Burton, who served as principal of the local schools for 38 years. It has a classroom capacity of 615 students.
In 2008, major structural enhancements were made on the Lawson-Fitchko Stadium. They were completed on August 22 for the Raiders' first home football game of the season, against Rye Cove High School.
On September 18 the Rickie M. Harris Athletic Complex was dedicated. The facility was named in honor of an athletic standout and honor student who had died five years before as a result of an auto accident.
Athletics
The Raider football team made the state finals three years in a row (2003-2006), but came home empty-handed each time. Having won the state title in 1972, the team came close to a repeat in 2006 against the Riverheads Gladiators, with a score of 21-20. The game was marred with some controversy; there was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Ethan Stewart with less than a minute left on the clock in the 4th quarter, after he rushed in for a touchdown, cutting the lead to one and backing the Raiders up on the ensuing failed two-point attempt conversion.
There have been many wins for the team as well. The Raiders are 2007 Lonesome Pine District champions,and were Region D, Division 1 champions for the 2003-2006 seasons. Head Football Coach Jim Adams has won the LPD coach of the year title in seven out of the last eight years.
The John I. Burton Raider Marching Band has 61 members and usually competes in two local festivals per year. At the 2011 Lonesome Pine Band Festival they left with a Superior rating and several class places in Class AA. At the McChesney Band Festival they took first place in the parade, and first in class AAA, defeating Wise County Central. They also received all the class awards, first place drum major and guard, and a Division 1, Superior rating. In 2011, the John I. Burton Band defeated all other competition, received the overall top score, and took home the McChesney Cup, the school's first since 2004. The band is considered to be of the best in southwest Virginia, competing with the likes of Lee, Graham, Abingdon, and Patrick Henry.
The 2010-2011 school year marked a milestone for the school, as the Lady Raider Basketball team won its first state championship.
John I. Burton wrestler Colby Dean was a four-time VHSL A State Champion (2010-2013), becoming the third wrestler in the history of Virginia Single A division to win four state championships.
Academics
The 2010-2011 school was a year of great success for John I. Burton High School. The school was in one of only four school divisions in the state that made AYP (average yearly progress) as set by guidelines in the national "No Child Left Behind" act. Also, a sophomore student won a national art competition sponsored by Rep. Morgan Griffith, and her artwork was hung in the U.S. Capitol Building for a period of one year.
John I. Burton High School had an individual or a duo team win a state championship in the VHSL-sanctioned activity of forensics in 2011 and 2012. The Forensics Team has since seen continued success, with several individual and duo state wins, particularly in the humorous category.
The school offers a very limited AP course selection to its students.
References
External links
- Official site
- Official site at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
- Official site at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
- Norton City Schools