Neshaminy High School

In 2003 the Neshaminy school board proposed the demolition of the current school building and construction of a new facility on current school grounds. This plan was priced at $100 million and would require the issuance of an $85 million tax funded bond. In April 2004 residents defeated the new building plan via referendum due in large part to the price.[3]

As an alternative plan, the school board decided to demolish sections of the school at a time and rebuild them as the school year proceeded. This major renovation project was estimated to cost $72 million and would replace 95% of classroom facilities, but will retain some existing structures like the auditorium, gym, cafeteria, and library. Unlike the rest of the school which has only received basic upkeep since the 1950s these facilities have already undergone major renovation as recently as 1995. The project was completed by September 2009.[3]

In 2015–2016 students at this school took Advanced Placement (AP) exams in the following areas:

• Biology
• Calculus AB
• Chemistry
• English Language & Composition
• English Literature & Composition
• Environmental Studies
• European History
• French
• Government & Politics: U.S.
• Human Geography
• Music Theory
• Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism
• Physics C: Mechanics
• Psychology
• Spanish
• Statistics
• Studio Art
• U.S. History [5]

Originally named "Expressions Literary Magazine", Howler Literary Magazine has received awards from Pennsylvania School Press Association.

The Playwickian is the high school's award-winning newspaper. The name "Playwickian" comes from one of the names of the Native American tribes who called the area on the Neshaminy Creek home. The Playwickian has received awards from Columbia University for outstanding performance.[7] Due to being a Pennsylvania student publication, the Playwickian is subjected to and granted certain rights by Section 12.9 of the Pennsylvania Code.[8] The newspaper is distributed once a month with all the articles written by the students who choose to take the journalism course. According to their mission statement, the Playwickian is, "Saving the world, one word at a time" and is dedicated to providing "the student body with a voice and exercise students First Amendment rights while remaining unbiased and truthful in the reporting of information and the quest for self-expression." Relations between the paper and administration are sometimes stressed, with censorship an ongoing issue.

The school has won several athletic championships.

Table Reference: Suburban One League

The soccer program has four state championship titles. The Boys' program won PIAA State Championships in 1982, 1984, and 1994. The Girls' program won the title in 2013.

The first football team was assembled in 1928 when the school was known as Langhorne-Middletown High School. Of notable success in the early years is when head coach Mike DeRisi led the team to a combined record of 14-4-2 in 1946 and 1947. The team became a traditional powerhouse when head coach Harry E. Franks took over the team from 1952 through 1959. Under the direction of Franks, the team compiled a 69-10-2 record (.792%), scored 2203 points for to 857 points against, and had undefeated seasons in 1954 and 1956. John Petercuskie took over the head coaching reins from 1960 through 1965 and led the team to a 59-1-5 record (.983%), scored 1925 points for to 410 points against, 26 shutout victories, undefeated seasons between 1960-65, except 1961, with a 51-game unbeaten streak starting in 1961 and lasting until 1965. Jack Swartz coached the team from 1968 through 1972 compiling a 43-11-1 record (.796%). The 1971 team, which had an 11–0 perfect record, is widely regarded as one of the best in Pennsylvania history, and by some as Pennsylvania's team of the century. In 1988, coach John Chaump took a team with an 11–0 regular season record to the semi-finals of the first ever Pennsylvania state playoffs (statewide). Head coach Mark Schmidt (1995–present) has continued the winning tradition with a 119–54 overall record, a regular season record of 102–38 (since 1996), and a state playoff record of 16–6. Schmidt's resume also includes 3 conference championships (01, 05, 08), 2 conference co-championships (02, 04), 7 state playoff appearances (01-09, except 03 and 06), 3 district-one championship appearances (01, 04, 08), 2 district-one championships (01, 04), 2 eastern PA championship appearances (01, 04), 2 eastern PA championships (01, 04), 2 PA state championship appearances (01, 04), and 1 PA state championship (2001). The 2001 team compiled a perfect 15-0 overall record while running back Jamar Brittingham carried the ball for 2,575 yards (2,355 m) in 14 games played. The team is regularly ranked among the best in the state and at times appear in the national top-25 including a USA Today national #7 finish in 2001.

The football team's biggest rivals are the neighboring Pennsbury Falcons who also have a strong football history and winning tradition. Neshaminy's record vs Pennsbury in the rivalry which began in 1930 is 35-36-7. The two teams play each other annually in the last game of the regular season in front of large crowds near 10,000. 15,000 were in attendance at the 1971 game at Neshaminy when both teams came in undefeated. Neshaminy won the game 21–17. The North Penn Knights, another annual powerhouse who won a state championship in 2003, is another big rivalry and was in the same conference with Neshaminy through 2007.

Neshaminy produces many players that go onto play football at all college levels. Some of the players that have gone onto Division-I and Division I-AA from 1988-2008 include (Year = HS Senior Season); 1988: RB/KR Brian Moser (D-I Penn State); 1989: OL/DL Mike Frederick (D-I Virginia); 1999: RB/DB Chris Vincent (D-I Oregon); 2001: RB/DB Jamar Brittingham (D-I Rutgers / D-II Bloomsburg), DB/WR Mike Loveland (D-I Temple); 2002: DE/TE Geoff Donahue (D-IAA Towson); 2004: K Kevin Kelly (D-I Penn State), RB/DB Georg Coleman (D-I Temple), RB Chris Eccles (D-IAA Iona), OL Maurice Jones (D-IAA Robert Morris), P Brett Arnold (D-IAA UMASS); 2005: DT/OT Tom McEowen (D-I Penn State), DB/RB Jared Kinney (D-I Temple), DB/WR Jason Kinney (D-I Temple), OT/DE Chris Daino (D-IAA Delaware), WR/S Doug Rosnick (D-IAA Colgate), DE/FB Josh Auerbach (D-IAA Stony Brook), OL Marcellous Jones (D-IAA Duquesne); 2006: RB/DB Kitt Anderson (D-I Temple); 2008: TE/DE Paul Carrezola (D-I Rutgers), OL/DT Dan Shirey (D-IAA Villanova), DE/FB Jay Colbert (D-IAA New Hampshire).

A few Neshaminy players who have spent time in the NFL and in the CFL include Steve Shull (Dolphins), Harry Schuh (Raiders, Rams, Packers), Bob Grupp (Chiefs), Matt Bahr (Steelers, Browns, Giants, Patriots, 49ers, Eagles), Chris Bahr (Bengals, Raiders, Chargers), Rick Eccles (Winnipeg Blue Bombers) Mike Frederick (Browns, Ravens, Titans), Jim Dumont (Browns), Chris Vincent (Lions, Cardinals), Jamar Brittingham (Falcons).

For the following table...
Reference: Neshaminy Football[9]
• = PIAA state playoffs began in 1988

For the following table...
Reference: Massey Ratings[10]
Bucks County ratings out of 16 teams.
District-1 ratings out of 67 teams.
Pennsylvania ratings out of 502 teams.

Neshaminy High School athletic teams are known as the Redskins. In 2012, a Neshaminy parent of Native American descent started a campaign to change the name because of its racially offensive and harmful nature. The parent spoke at numerous board meetings, with no progress being made. A complaint was filed with Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) in 2013. After a thorough investigation by PHRC a ruling was made against Neshaminy school district and they were told to change the name along with other terms of adjustment, a ruling that the school administration appealed. On October 23, 2013, the student editorial board of the high school's newspaper, the Playwickian, declared its intention to no longer reference the team with the term "Redskin" in its publications.[11] The school administration responded by declaring that the Playwickian editorial board lacks the power to decide to stop using the term "Redskins".[12] On April 2 of the following year, students Jackson Haines and Emily Scott received awards from the 2014 Scholastic Keystone Press Awards contest from articles published in the Playwickian on the issue.[13] Haines would also receive a Gold Circle Award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association later that year for the same article. In early July, the Pennsylvania High School Press Association awarded Journalism Teacher of the Year to Tara Huber, an adviser for the Playwickian for assisting the students on publishing publications for the Playwickian during the issue.[14]

Towards the middle of May 2014, a student submitted an opinion editorial containing the "Redskin" term. Principal McGee told the students that they would be required to run the piece in the paper or the final issue would not be allowed to be distributed. The Playwickian decided to run their last issue of the year without the piece a few days later. McGee and the school reacted by restricting access to the issue through confiscating the publication, calling for an emergency meeting with co-editor Gillian McGoldrick, and restricting access to accounts on social media and the website for the Playwickian.[15][16] McGee would later defended his actions in a statement on the website for the school.[17] On June 26, the school board allowed the Playwickian to ban the term "Redskin" in articles, but required that editorials and Letters to the Editor had to be published with the term present and uncensored.[18]

The PHRC made a preliminary finding in 2015 that the name Redskins is "racially derogatory" and creates a "hostile educational environment." The case will now proceed to a hearing by the full commission unless the school district takes steps to remedy the situation, which thus far they have refused to do.[19] After six years of controversy, a hearing was held by the PHRC in January, 2019.[20]

In November 2019, the PHRC ruled that the school could continue to use the name, but must cease using any imagery promoting negative stereotypes of Native Americans, and must educate its students about Native American history to prevent the use of stereotypes.[21]

In recent years Neshaminy High School has adopted numerous programs aimed at suicide awareness and prevention.

In October 2006, following a few tragic incidents, the SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) Club at Neshaminy High School implemented a Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program. The program is designed to empower youth by giving them permission and a way to ask for help through the Yellow Ribbon card. The Neshaminy High School staff has been trained in the purpose of the Yellow Ribbon card and is prepared to assist students if necessary.[22]