Milford High School (Ohio)
Milford High School is a college preparatory, public high school in Milford, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Milford Exempted Village School District, the largest building of the district's eight school buildings, and the largest high school in Clermont County, Ohio. The high school and the Milford Exempted Village School District serve the City of Milford, Miami Township, Miamiville, and parts of Goshen Township and Union Township.
Milford High School | |
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Milford High School | |
Address | |
One Eagles Way , , 45150 United States | |
Coordinates | 39°10′49″N 84°14′28″W |
Information | |
Type | Public, coeducational high school |
Motto | "Wings up!" |
School district | Milford Exempted Village Schools |
Superintendent | Nancy House |
School code | 363430 |
Principal | Joshua Kauffman |
Grades | 9–12 |
Enrollment | 1,944 (2016-17)[1] |
Student to teacher ratio | 18:1[2] |
Color(s) | Red and White [3] |
Slogan | Milford Soars |
Athletics | Division I |
Athletics conference | Eastern Cincinnati Conference |
Team name | Eagles[3] |
Accreditation | North Central Association of Colleges and Schools [4] |
Newspaper | Reflector |
Yearbook | Droflim |
Website | http://www.milfordschools.org |
Academics
Based on its 2017 scorecard, US News recognizes Milford as 36th out of 890 Ohio high schools and 902nd out of over 21,000 nationally.[2] Private schools were not included because they lack state-recognized accountability measures. Milford Schools achieved the state rating of Excellent with Distinction from 2008 through the present.
School history
Beginnings
Milford Schools’ origins began in log houses and other single room buildings. The traditional schools formally organized in 1867 when voters approved the first board of education and established Milford Union School. An eight-classroom school that included the high school was constructed.
The newly organized high school graduated its first class in 1883. The Union School closed in 1913 when Milford Main, originally called the Main Street School, opened with a total student enrollment of 381.[5][6] The location in the city housed all grades and was a state-of-the-art building when completed before World War I.
In 1914, Milford High School issued its first yearbook: The Mirror is on file and available for viewing upon request at Promont along with every other yearbook ever issued. In 1919, the yearbook gained a new name, Droflim (Milford spelled backwards), which it continues to have to this day. The Milford Board declared its independence in 1917 when it passed a resolution that relieved the school of higher supervision. At that point, Milford Schools were born.[5] At a time when most schools were strictly segregated throughout the country, Milford was open to all area Ohioans, including Jessie Clark, regardless of ancestry in 1917. Students posed in front of the school for class photos in 1917. Overcrowding has been a problem for Milford schooling since the 1920s. The schools temporarily solved the problem by housing students in temporary buildings or by reducing school to half-day sessions. In 1923, Milford High School started a newspaper called the Hi-Letter, and the name changed to The Reflector in 1933 and has stayed all of these years.[5]
Expansion: 1950—1970
Milford education experienced growth following World War II. James H. Fley became Superintendent in 1952. Under Fley’s leadership, Milford expanded from one K-12 school to many different buildings. Milford also looked to neighboring school systems to find additional classroom space.[5] In the late 1950s to early 1960s, Ohio initiated a consolidation of school "districts" across the state. Milford merged with Miami Rural Schools and then Miamiville, encompassing education over much of Miami Township. Before the consolidations, Milford schooling covered five square miles.
In 1962, a new Milford High School, constructed on a bog, and Pleasant Hill Elementary, now called Charles Seipelt Elementary, joined Milford South Elementary to provide much needed space for the growing student body. Despite the new buildings, overcrowding continued to be a problem at the high school.
The growth and transformation of the schools continued for the next twenty years under the direction of Boyd E. Smith, who served as Superintendent from 1965 to 1985. The new Milford Junior High (current high school) opened in 1966. Milford Schools moved the ninth grade class to join grades 7-8 at the junior high. The high school handled grades 10-12.[5]
Centralization: 1970—2000
Student overcrowding continued into the 1970s as more families moved into the schools and Milford Schools struggled to find enough classroom space. In 1971, Milford Main became a middle school for sixth and seventh graders. Elementary grades were divided among the elementary schools while most kindergarten students attended classes in a variety of churches in the area.[5] In 1978, another bond issue became necessary for the construction of more schools. The plan called for the construction of Boyd E. Smith Elementary and renovations or additions to Main, Miami Elementary on St. Rt. 28, as well as the high school and junior high. In 1980, renovation work began at the high school (current junior high).[5] The high school enrolled grades 10–12, and the adjacent Milford Junior High School campus enrolled grades 8 and 9. The first major renovation at One Eagles Way occurred in 1986. By 1987, students needed more space at the high school level, so the decision was made to renovate the then junior high and convert it to the high school. The renovated high school on Eagles Way opened in 1989. After 1990, the concept of neighborhood schools was a recurring theme for renovations, socializing, and outlook for Milford’s schools.
2005 undercover drug operation
On April Fools' Day 2005, the high school was the site of a raid by Miami Township police and an undercover agent. Three students were charged with drug trafficking felonies as juveniles, three were expelled, two were jailed, and one arrestee was placed on suicide watch.[7]
Notable alumni
- Michael A. Banks - Class of 1969 - New York Times bestselling author
- John Van Benschoten - Class of 1998 - Former Major League Baseball Player
- Barry Bonnell - Class of 1971 - Former Major League Baseball Player of the Atlanta Braves,Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners
- Mark Fischbach - Class of 2007 - YouTuber and Internet Personality[8]
- Napoleon McCallum - Class of 1981 - Former National Football League Player of the Oakland Raiders
- Rick Razzano - Class of 1999 - Former National Football League Player of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Zach Strief - Class of 2001 - Former National Football League Player of the New Orleans Saints[9]
- Jim Terrell - Class of 1983 - US Olympic Canoeist; 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996
See also
References
- "Milford Sr High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
- "Ohio's Best High Schools". U.S. News & World Report. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- OHSAA. "Ohio High School Athletic Association member directory". Archived from the original on 2010-11-03. Retrieved 2010-02-17.
- NCA-CASI. "NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". Archived from the original on March 15, 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-17.
- Milford High School Centennial, A History of Milford Schools, 1883-1983. Joyce Snell. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- Bridge to The Past: The History of Milford. Milford Historical Society. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- L. Christopher Smith (1 June 2006). "Undercover Girl". GQ Magazine. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
- "MARCHING BAND MARKIPLIER - Reading Your Comments #16". Markiplier. YouTube. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
- "Milford High School Retires Zach Strief's Jersey". The Cincinnati Enquirer. January 7, 2009.