Conifer High School
Encyclopedia
Conifer High School is a secondary school
in Conifer
, a Unincorpirated town located in the foothills
of Jefferson County
, southwest of Denver, Colorado
. The school is located about 20 minutes southwest of SH 470 and a short distance north of U.S. Highway 285.
's matriculation area. The area encompasses a large part of southwestern Jefferson County, including the communities of Aspen Park
, Buffalo Creek
, Pine
and Pine Junction
, as well as parts of southern Evergreen and southwestern Morrison.
The land for the school campus was acquired in a county action of Eminent Domain
which gives landowners the choice of either a county purchase of the land or condemning the property. One parcel was a picnic area named "Rancho Lobo"; when it came time to choose a school mascot, the vote decided upon the Lobos.
The opening of the school coincided with changes in the divisions of secondary, junior high, and elementary schools for the district. This change meant that the first year of students consisted of eleventh grade students that had attended Evergreen High School during the previous year and two classes of "freshmen" in ninth and tenth grade students from West Jefferson Middle School. The first year had no senior class, as such the first graduating class was in 1998 .
The first principal was Barry Schwartz, who retired after the 2002-2003 school year.
Cyndi Whitlock was principal from 2003 - 2006.
Pat Termin was interim principal for the 2006 - 2007 school year.
Dr. Mike Musick is principal from 2007–Present.
. This relationship with Red Rocks allowed students to take some college courses, after normal school hours, and receive both college and high school credit. As of 2007 Red Rocks no longer operates this campus.
CHS shares its library with Jefferson County Public Library system. During school hours the library is restricted to only school staff and students. After school and on weekends the library is open to the public. The public library is open six days a week, being closed on Friday.
The building is also used for many events including health drives, holiday boutiques, and community festivals. During the wildfire season, the school has been used as a Red Cross shelter.
Class 4A in all sports.
Gymnastics
2002 Rachael Lehmkuhl, 4A State Gymnastics All Around Champion
Softball
2003 CHS Softball
team won the 4A state championship.
Girls X-Country
2003 Kristen Wakeman, 4A state champion.
Girls Track and Field
2004 4A state champions 4 x 800m relay.
2007 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 100m dash.
2007 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 200m dash.
2008 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 100m dash.
2008 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 200m dash.
2008 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 400m dash.
2009 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 100m dash.
2009 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 200m dash.
Boys Track and Field
2006 Bobby Potrykus, 4A state champion and state record holder, 800m run.
2007 Bobby Potrykus, 4A state champion, 800m run.
2008 Chris Carter, 4A state champion, high jump
won the 3A state championship. It was one of conifer's many times back to competing in 3A class where they took state, as previous marching seasons were competed in class 4A. The 2009 Lobo Regiment again competed in class 4A in the fall of 2009, and in the fall of 2010. They got 10th in 4A State in both 2009, and 2010.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Conifer
Conifer, Colorado
Conifer is an unincorporated town in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Conifer is located along U.S. Route 285 in the foothills West of Denver. The Conifer Post Office has the ZIP Code 80433.-History:...
, a Unincorpirated town located in the foothills
Foothills
Foothills are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills to the adjacent topographically high mountains.-Examples:...
of Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Colorado
Jefferson County , whose slogan is the "Gateway to the Rocky Mountains", is the fourth most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. Located along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, Jefferson County is adjacent to the west side of the state capital, Denver....
, southwest of Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. The school is located about 20 minutes southwest of SH 470 and a short distance north of U.S. Highway 285.
History
Conifer High School opened in the fall of 1996 to serve students in the southern portion of what had previously been Evergreen High SchoolEvergreen High School (Evergreen, Colorado)
Evergreen High School is a public secondary institution in the JEFFCO Public Schools district in Evergreen, Colorado, U.S. Until Conifer High School opened in 1996, it served students in both Evergreen and Conifer...
's matriculation area. The area encompasses a large part of southwestern Jefferson County, including the communities of Aspen Park
Aspen Park, Colorado
Aspen Park is a census-designated place in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 882 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Aspen Park is located at ....
, Buffalo Creek
Buffalo Creek, Colorado
Buffalo Creek is an unincorporated town and U.S. Post Office in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The ZIP Code of the Buffalo Creek Post Office is 80425.-History:The town of Buffalo Creek was established about 1877 along the stream of the same name...
, Pine
Pine, Colorado
Pine is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The Pine Post Office has the ZIP Code 80470....
and Pine Junction
Pine Junction, Colorado
Pine Junction is a small unincorporated community in central Colorado in the United States. Pine Junction is the first intersection with a traffic light on U.S. Highway 285 in the foothills...
, as well as parts of southern Evergreen and southwestern Morrison.
The land for the school campus was acquired in a county action of Eminent Domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
which gives landowners the choice of either a county purchase of the land or condemning the property. One parcel was a picnic area named "Rancho Lobo"; when it came time to choose a school mascot, the vote decided upon the Lobos.
The opening of the school coincided with changes in the divisions of secondary, junior high, and elementary schools for the district. This change meant that the first year of students consisted of eleventh grade students that had attended Evergreen High School during the previous year and two classes of "freshmen" in ninth and tenth grade students from West Jefferson Middle School. The first year had no senior class, as such the first graduating class was in 1998 .
The first principal was Barry Schwartz, who retired after the 2002-2003 school year.
Cyndi Whitlock was principal from 2003 - 2006.
Pat Termin was interim principal for the 2006 - 2007 school year.
Dr. Mike Musick is principal from 2007–Present.
Community use
The building houses a substation of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. It also housed a campus of Red Rocks Community CollegeRed Rocks Community College
Red Rocks Community College is a community college located in Lakewood, Colorado and Arvada, Colorado.- History :The college was established in 1969 as a campus of the Community College of Denver and opened at a temporary site until the Colorado legislature appropriated funds for construction of a...
. This relationship with Red Rocks allowed students to take some college courses, after normal school hours, and receive both college and high school credit. As of 2007 Red Rocks no longer operates this campus.
CHS shares its library with Jefferson County Public Library system. During school hours the library is restricted to only school staff and students. After school and on weekends the library is open to the public. The public library is open six days a week, being closed on Friday.
The building is also used for many events including health drives, holiday boutiques, and community festivals. During the wildfire season, the school has been used as a Red Cross shelter.
Architectural distinction
Designed by architectural firm LKA Partners, Conifer High School's architecture has been awarded several honors:- Project of Distinction, Council of Educational Facilities Planners, 1996
- The James D. McConnell Award, Council of Educational Facilities Planners InternationalCouncil of Educational Facilities Planners InternationalThe Council of Educational Facility Planners International is a non-profit association of a diverse, worldwide group of individuals interested in the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of schools and higher educations facilities...
, 1997 - Citation Award, American Association of School Administrators, 1998
Sports
When it opened, CHS competed in the Colorado High School Activities AssociationColorado High School Activities Association
The Colorado High School Activities Association is the governing body for all high school activities throughout the state of Colorado. It was founded in 1921, and currently has a membership of 328 full-time high schools, plus more than 50 middle and junior high schools, for a total of almost 400...
Class 4A in all sports.
Gymnastics
2002 Rachael Lehmkuhl, 4A State Gymnastics All Around Champion
Softball
2003 CHS Softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
team won the 4A state championship.
Girls X-Country
2003 Kristen Wakeman, 4A state champion.
Girls Track and Field
2004 4A state champions 4 x 800m relay.
2007 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 100m dash.
2007 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 200m dash.
2008 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 100m dash.
2008 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 200m dash.
2008 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 400m dash.
2009 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 100m dash.
2009 Emily Blok, 4A state champion, 200m dash.
Boys Track and Field
2006 Bobby Potrykus, 4A state champion and state record holder, 800m run.
2007 Bobby Potrykus, 4A state champion, 800m run.
2008 Chris Carter, 4A state champion, high jump
Marching Band
The 2006 CHS Marching BandMarching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
won the 3A state championship. It was one of conifer's many times back to competing in 3A class where they took state, as previous marching seasons were competed in class 4A. The 2009 Lobo Regiment again competed in class 4A in the fall of 2009, and in the fall of 2010. They got 10th in 4A State in both 2009, and 2010.
Notable alumni
- Meagan Hoffman, forward for the Rhonda Rebels and UWIC Archers(English Basketball LeagueEnglish Basketball LeagueThe English Basketball League is a semi-professional and amateur basketball league in England. It forms the second-tier of competition below the professional British Basketball League....
) Plays Professional basketball in European Leagues since 2005, after setting scoring, rebounds, and steals records at Adams State CollegeAdams State CollegeAdams State College is a small state-supported liberal arts college in Alamosa, Colorado, U.S., in the San Luis Valley.-History:Adams State was founded in 1921 as a teacher's college but now offers a variety of programs including masters degrees in many fields...
. Member of Great Britain's National Team British Basketball. - Andrew Brand, 2006 NCAA All-American in swimming at the University of North DakotaUniversity of North DakotaThe University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
Spirit Rock
Conifer's Spirit Rock is painted on a regular basis. This is a means to reflect school spirit. Conifer has had 2 rocks after their first was destroyed, by a student at that time.External links
- Conifer High School official website
- Conifer Senior High School on GreatSchools.net
- Conifer Senior High School on Public Schools Report