Burncoat High School
Encyclopedia
Burncoat High School is a public high school
located in Worcester
, Massachusetts
, in the United States
. The school was formerly known as Burncoat Senior High School chiefly to distinguish it from the adjacent Burncoat Junior High School, now Burncoat Middle School.
Burncoat is known for its fine arts program, known as "Burncoat Fine Arts Magnet Program," which includes visual and performing arts such as theatre, music, dance, chorus and art. Principal William Foley has said the fine arts program "has been in existence for 23 years, and it begins at the middle school level and continues through high school... The fine arts program at Burncoat is unlike any other in that it provides students the opportunity to develop the techniques and skills that will allow them to express themselves through the universal mediums of the arts... No other school in our area can offer their students this type of opportunity.”
Burncoat High School offers an array of Advanced Placement (AP) courses and has a wide range of programs including AVID, COAST Program (7-12), Life Skills Program, Best Buddies, S.T.E.P.Science Program and offers Virtual High School (VHS) classes.
Burncoat is one of several Worcester Public Schools to be involved with the Massachusetts Math and Science Initiative (MMSI). MMSI drives a school culture of high expectations and dramatically increases participation and performance in Advanced Placement courses, particularly among underserved populations, to prepare students for college and career success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Burncoat plays a significant role in the Worcester community and Burncoat and Greendale neighborhoods. Students at Burncoat have helped to organize the Burncoat Beetle Battle, and have contributed to the Be Like Brit Foundation and Children's Hospital Boston, among other organizations. Burncoat has a long-lasting relationship with The Hanover Insurance Group, whom contributes to the school significantly.
The school has about 1,100 students, in grades 9 to 12, in the Worcester Public Schools
district. The school's principal is William P. Foley. Foley graduated from Burncoat in 1986 and taught there for 10 years. Most recently, before coming back to Burncoat in 2007 as principal, Foley was an assistant principal at Doherty Memorial High School. The school serves the north side of Worcester.
The partnership with Burncoat is the first step in creating a Center for Advanced Transportation Technology in Worcester.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located in Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The school was formerly known as Burncoat Senior High School chiefly to distinguish it from the adjacent Burncoat Junior High School, now Burncoat Middle School.
Burncoat is known for its fine arts program, known as "Burncoat Fine Arts Magnet Program," which includes visual and performing arts such as theatre, music, dance, chorus and art. Principal William Foley has said the fine arts program "has been in existence for 23 years, and it begins at the middle school level and continues through high school... The fine arts program at Burncoat is unlike any other in that it provides students the opportunity to develop the techniques and skills that will allow them to express themselves through the universal mediums of the arts... No other school in our area can offer their students this type of opportunity.”
Burncoat High School offers an array of Advanced Placement (AP) courses and has a wide range of programs including AVID, COAST Program (7-12), Life Skills Program, Best Buddies, S.T.E.P.Science Program and offers Virtual High School (VHS) classes.
Burncoat is one of several Worcester Public Schools to be involved with the Massachusetts Math and Science Initiative (MMSI). MMSI drives a school culture of high expectations and dramatically increases participation and performance in Advanced Placement courses, particularly among underserved populations, to prepare students for college and career success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Burncoat plays a significant role in the Worcester community and Burncoat and Greendale neighborhoods. Students at Burncoat have helped to organize the Burncoat Beetle Battle, and have contributed to the Be Like Brit Foundation and Children's Hospital Boston, among other organizations. Burncoat has a long-lasting relationship with The Hanover Insurance Group, whom contributes to the school significantly.
The school has about 1,100 students, in grades 9 to 12, in the Worcester Public Schools
Worcester Public Schools
Worcester Public Schools is a school district serving the city of Worcester, Massachusetts, United States.-Leadership:The district is led by a Superintendent, hired by the seven-member Worcester School Committee. Dr...
district. The school's principal is William P. Foley. Foley graduated from Burncoat in 1986 and taught there for 10 years. Most recently, before coming back to Burncoat in 2007 as principal, Foley was an assistant principal at Doherty Memorial High School. The school serves the north side of Worcester.
Competitive teams
Burncoat High School has varsity teams in robotics and sports including baseball, basketball, crew, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball and wrestling. The Burncoat football team won the Central Mass Super Bowl championship in 2004.Rachel's Challenge
In the fall of 2010 the Burncoat High School National Honor Society brought Rachel's Challenge to the school. Rachel Scott was the first person killed at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Her acts of kindness and compassion coupled with the contents of her six diaries have become the foundation for one of the most life-changing school programs in America. Powerful video/audio footage of Rachel's life and the Columbine tragedy holds students spell-bound during a one hour school presentation that motivates them to positive change in the way they treat others.Partnership with Quinsigamond Community College
Quinsigamond Community College has partnered with Burncoat High School for its automotive program. QCC has access to classroom, automotive shop, parking and storage space at Burncoat at the end of the high school day. In exchange, the college will pay the high school $15,687 annually, provide three seats each year for Burncoat graduates to enroll in the program and allow up to two high school students to participate as a dual enrollment program (in which high school students take college courses and earn credit in both schools). Quinsigamond will also provide upgraded equipment and tools that the high school can use during the day. The program does not disrupt Burncoat’s existing automotive program.The partnership with Burncoat is the first step in creating a Center for Advanced Transportation Technology in Worcester.
Instructional focus
At Burncoat High School, all students will experience a rigor based curriculum taught through instructional strategies meant to improve reading comprehension as measured by MAP, MCAS, PSAT, SAT, MEPA and AP scores as well as other formative assessments.Notable alumni
- Ron BraceRon Brace-2009 season:Brace was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. On July 17, 2009, he was signed to a 4-year contract with approximately $2.82 million in guaranteed money....
, defensive lineman for the New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
of the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing... - Michael BradleyMichael Bradley (basketball)Michael Thomas Bradley is an American professional basketball player and businessman. He is a 6 ft 10 in , 235 lb , power forward/center....
, NBA basketball player