Northside High School (Roanoke, Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Northside High School is one of five high schools in Roanoke County, Virginia
.
in Vinton
and the former Andrew Lewis High School
in Salem
(currently, William Byrd High School is still in operation, but Andrew Lewis High School has been replaced by Salem High School
). NHS had no junior or senior classes its first year, so as to allow those students to graduate with the peers with which they had spent their scholastic careers. Two years later, in 1962, the first graduating class began the school year, and the entire student body consisted of grades eight through twelve. The first seniors from NHS received their diplomas in the spring of 1963.
When Northside Intermediate School opened in 1970, the rising Northside eighth graders were sent there, leaving the high school with grades nine through twelve. In 1973, the rising ninth grade class remained at the intermediate school (forming Northside Junior High School), and NHS became a senior high school. In the fall of 1994, the junior high returned to the middle school paradigm, becoming Northside Middle School
(NMS), and NHS switched back to its current format, containing grades nine through twelve.
In 1977, Roanoke City
annexed a portion of North Roanoke County, which resulted in a reduction in NHS’s enrollment. Since then, as a result of natural fluctuations in population as well as building new schools and redistricting, the student population has remained fairly stable at each grade level, with a graduating class of around 240 to 270. Today students from Glen Cove, Burlington, and Mountain View elementary schools attend Northside Middle School prior to coming to NHS. In 2007, Northside began renovations, which completed in the summer of 2009, to bring it onto a par with Hidden Valley High School
, the newest school in the school district. NHS is situated on a campus that also contains Northside Middle School, as well as a football stadium (Hickam Field in Viking Stadium), baseball stadium, softball complex, and new, modern gymnasium.
and competes in the AA Blue Ridge District
, a district in Region III
of Group AA. Northside formerly competed in the Group AAA Roanoke Valley District but dropped down to the Group AA Blue Ridge District in 1988. Northside won the 1995 Group AA state championship in Golf. However, the Vikings have been state runners-up two times in men's basketball and twice in women's basketball and wrestling. The Vikings also won three "unclassified" state titles in wrestling between 1967 and 1970. Most recently, in the 2007-2008 season, the Northside Viking wrestling team won the Region III wrestling championship. This championship was the first during coach Mark Agner's time as head coach. The NHS Baseball team appeared in the VHSL State Final Four in baseball in the years of 2006 and 2007. The school's track team has produced many outstanding athletes including many nationally ranked runners, most notably Catherine White, a record 15-time VHSL state champion. Recently, the Northside High School golf team finished third at the VHSL State Tournament in Bluefield, VA. Northside High School boy's soccer team made their second state final four appearance in 2007 and won the district title in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, Northside High School became the first team in AA Blue Ridge District
to use Nike
uniforms based on the uniforms of the Oregon Ducks
. Northside's football team won its first state championship on 12-12-2009, defeating Bruton High School 20-17. This is also notable as it is the first football championship for any high school currently in Roanoke County and the first football championship since the VHSL established playoffs. This was also the first time since 1995 that Northside won a state championship. It was also the first appearance by a Roanoke County school in the championship game since Andrew Lewis lost to T.C. Williams in 1971, a game that has become famous for being portrayed in the 2000 movie "Remember the Titans." In addition, Northside won its first Softball State title in 2010, and won its first Baseball State title in 2011. The Vikings went on a run, beating former state champion teams such as Jefferson Forest, Turner Ashby, Cave Spring, York, and Tunstall. Northside Vikings baseball team beat Tunstall in the State finals 4-0.
Roanoke County, Virginia
Roanoke County is a county located in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area and located within the Roanoke Region of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 85,778. As of 2010, the population was 92,376...
.
Location and History
Northside High School (NHS), located in the northern area of Roanoke County, Virginia, first opened its doors to students in December, 1960. Initially the student body consisted of grades seven through ten and pulled students from portions of those classes at William Byrd High SchoolWilliam Byrd High School
William Byrd High School is a public secondary school located in Roanoke County, Virginia. It is a part of the Roanoke County Public Schools system....
in Vinton
Vinton, Virginia
Vinton is a town in Roanoke County, Virginia, United States. The population was 7,782 at the 2000 census. It hosted teams by three names in the ECHL in a custom built facility known as the LancerLot; after the roof collapsed during the Blizzard of 1993, the franchise moved to the Roanoke Civic...
and the former Andrew Lewis High School
Andrew Lewis High School
Andrew Lewis High School is a former high school in Salem, Virginia, US which was named after Andrew Lewis, an American pioneer, surveyor, and soldier from Virginia. He served as a colonel of militia during the French and Indian War, and as a brigadier general in the American Revolutionary War. who...
in Salem
Salem, Virginia
Salem is an independent city in Virginia, USA, bordered by the city of Roanoke to the east but otherwise adjacent to Roanoke County. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,802 according to 2010 U.S. Census...
(currently, William Byrd High School is still in operation, but Andrew Lewis High School has been replaced by Salem High School
Salem High School (Salem, Virginia)
Salem High School is a public high school in Salem, Virginia. It is the sole high school for the .-History:Salem High School was opened for the 1977-1978 school year by . The student bodies of Andrew Lewis High School in Salem and Glenvar High School in western Roanoke County were consolidated...
). NHS had no junior or senior classes its first year, so as to allow those students to graduate with the peers with which they had spent their scholastic careers. Two years later, in 1962, the first graduating class began the school year, and the entire student body consisted of grades eight through twelve. The first seniors from NHS received their diplomas in the spring of 1963.
When Northside Intermediate School opened in 1970, the rising Northside eighth graders were sent there, leaving the high school with grades nine through twelve. In 1973, the rising ninth grade class remained at the intermediate school (forming Northside Junior High School), and NHS became a senior high school. In the fall of 1994, the junior high returned to the middle school paradigm, becoming Northside Middle School
Northside Middle School (Roanoke, Virginia)
Northside Middle School is a large intermediate middle school located in Norfolk, Virginia....
(NMS), and NHS switched back to its current format, containing grades nine through twelve.
In 1977, Roanoke City
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
annexed a portion of North Roanoke County, which resulted in a reduction in NHS’s enrollment. Since then, as a result of natural fluctuations in population as well as building new schools and redistricting, the student population has remained fairly stable at each grade level, with a graduating class of around 240 to 270. Today students from Glen Cove, Burlington, and Mountain View elementary schools attend Northside Middle School prior to coming to NHS. In 2007, Northside began renovations, which completed in the summer of 2009, to bring it onto a par with Hidden Valley High School
Hidden Valley High School (Roanoke, Virginia)
Hidden Valley High School is a public high school in Roanoke County, Virginia. It is one of the five high schools in the Roanoke County Public Schools system. Hidden Valley High School is one of the two high schools, along with Cave Spring High School, that serve southwest Roanoke...
, the newest school in the school district. NHS is situated on a campus that also contains Northside Middle School, as well as a football stadium (Hickam Field in Viking Stadium), baseball stadium, softball complex, and new, modern gymnasium.
Athletics
Northside High School is a member of the Virginia High School LeagueVirginia High School League
The Virginia High School League is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unlike similar organizations in many other states, private or religious schools are prohibited from joining. Non-public schools belong to other organizations,...
and competes in the AA Blue Ridge District
AA Blue Ridge District
The AA Blue Ridge District is a district in the Region III of the Virginia High School League. The district is named for the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are nearby all of the schools. From the late 1980s through the early 2000s, the district steadily grew as four schools dropped in classification...
, a district in Region III
AA Region III
Region III is one of the four AA regions in the Virginia High School League. It is made up of three districts: the AA Blue Ridge District, the AA Seminole District, and the AA Valley District...
of Group AA. Northside formerly competed in the Group AAA Roanoke Valley District but dropped down to the Group AA Blue Ridge District in 1988. Northside won the 1995 Group AA state championship in Golf. However, the Vikings have been state runners-up two times in men's basketball and twice in women's basketball and wrestling. The Vikings also won three "unclassified" state titles in wrestling between 1967 and 1970. Most recently, in the 2007-2008 season, the Northside Viking wrestling team won the Region III wrestling championship. This championship was the first during coach Mark Agner's time as head coach. The NHS Baseball team appeared in the VHSL State Final Four in baseball in the years of 2006 and 2007. The school's track team has produced many outstanding athletes including many nationally ranked runners, most notably Catherine White, a record 15-time VHSL state champion. Recently, the Northside High School golf team finished third at the VHSL State Tournament in Bluefield, VA. Northside High School boy's soccer team made their second state final four appearance in 2007 and won the district title in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, Northside High School became the first team in AA Blue Ridge District
AA Blue Ridge District
The AA Blue Ridge District is a district in the Region III of the Virginia High School League. The district is named for the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are nearby all of the schools. From the late 1980s through the early 2000s, the district steadily grew as four schools dropped in classification...
to use Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
uniforms based on the uniforms of the Oregon Ducks
Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks refers to the sports teams of the University of Oregon, located in Eugene, Oregon. The Oregon Ducks are part of the Pacific-12 Conference in the Division 1 of the NCAA. With seventeen varsity teams, the Oregon Ducks are best known for their football team and Track and Field...
. Northside's football team won its first state championship on 12-12-2009, defeating Bruton High School 20-17. This is also notable as it is the first football championship for any high school currently in Roanoke County and the first football championship since the VHSL established playoffs. This was also the first time since 1995 that Northside won a state championship. It was also the first appearance by a Roanoke County school in the championship game since Andrew Lewis lost to T.C. Williams in 1971, a game that has become famous for being portrayed in the 2000 movie "Remember the Titans." In addition, Northside won its first Softball State title in 2010, and won its first Baseball State title in 2011. The Vikings went on a run, beating former state champion teams such as Jefferson Forest, Turner Ashby, Cave Spring, York, and Tunstall. Northside Vikings baseball team beat Tunstall in the State finals 4-0.