Reedsburg Area High School is a public
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
located in
Reedsburg, Wisconsin
Reedsburg is a city in Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States. Located along the Baraboo River, it was founded in 1868, and was named for early settler David C. Reed. The city is surrounded by the Town of Reedsburg. It is part of the Baraboo Mic ...
, and is a part of the
School District of Reedsburg
The School District of Reedsburg is a school district based in the city of Reedsburg, Wisconsin.
Covering approximately 264 square miles, the district serves the city of Reedsburg and the villages of Ironton, LaValle, Loganville, and Rock S ...
. The high school was built in 1998 by Kraemer Brothers. It serves more than 900 students in grades 9-12 from Reedsburg,
Loganville,
La Valle,
Ironton,
Rock Springs, and the surrounding communities. Reedsburg Area High School's mascot is Herbie the Beaver. The school's colors are navy and white.
Matt Terry and Katie Mathews are the current principal and vice principal, respectively. Bryan Yager is the activities director. The school offers 10
AP courses
Advanced Placement (AP) is a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board which offers college-level curriculum, curricula and examinations to high school students. American colleges and universities may grant placement ...
in five different departments and several
dual-credit classes with
Madison Area Technical College
Madison Area Technical College (Madison College) is a public technical and community college based in Madison, Wisconsin. It serves students in parts of 12 counties in south-central Wisconsin: Adams, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jeffers ...
. Reedsburg Area High School has six choirs, 3 bands and an orchestra, along with a fall musical or one-act play, and a play in the spring. There are over 14 different sports, and several clubs available to all students.
The school year is divided into two 18 week semesters. RAHS uses hybrid-
block scheduling
Block scheduling or blocking is a type of academic scheduling used in schools in the American K-12 system, in which each pupil has fewer classes per day. It is more common in middle and high schools than in primary schools. Each class is schedu ...
, and has an eight period day. Monday, Tuesday, and Friday each period is 47 minutes long, passing periods are five minute. On Wednesday and Thursday, each period is 85 minutes long, passing periods are 10 minutes, and the
FLEX period is 30 minutes long. The eight periods are split between Wednesday and Thursday
History
Early history
The first high school in Reedsburg was established in 1875. A new brick building was built in 1903 to better serve the larger population in Reedsburg.
The new building was able to accommodate 120 students, compared to the roughly 50 student capacity of the previous school. This new building was 3 storeys tall, and included many state of the art amenities, such as drinking fountains, full electrical lighting, and a large athletic field. Due to the growing population of Reedsburg, they built a large addition to the school building in 1923, doubling the capacity to 260 students. In 1937,
South School was built, and most grades were transferred to the new school.
It had become clear that Reedsburg would need a new high school building, as South School was beyond maximum capacity. The school board voted to purchase 22 acres of land on Webb Avenue, called the "
Hay Creek Site". Several community members disapproved of this action, claiming that the swampy grounds would not provide a stable foundation. With the recommendation of the Board of Education, they moved ahead with the Hay Creek Site, but only building a one storey structure due to the swampy conditions.
Using funds donated by Herbert H. Webb, they called this new school Webb High School.
Late 1900s - present
In 1957, Webb High School finished construction, north of Webb Park. Herbert H. Webb donated the rest of his remaining fortune to the city of Reedsburg for the new high school, on his death in 1954.
The Webb High School building was renovated and added to in 1962 and 1970. In the 1996 referendum, plans were made to build a new high school along South Albert Avenue, and repurpose Webb High School as the new middle school. The 1996 referendum passed, and the plans were set into motion. Reedsburg Area High School officially opened for the 1998–1999 school year.
The CAL Center opened in 1999 after the community donated over 2.3 million dollars towards its construction. In 2015, a new district storage room was added the side of the building, bordering the choir room. In 2020, the new fitness center was built, containing a new weight room, and new wrestling rooms.
Additions
CAL Center
The CAL Center is a building adjacent to Reedsburg Area High School that hosts music and drama performances, as well as other events. The 598-seat auditorium opened in 1999. The CAL Center was funded entirely by private donations by individuals and local businesses that totaled over 2.3 million dollars. The auditorium includes a control booth, in-house sound console, and an orchestra pit. The CAL Center has a large
green room
In show business, the green room is the space in a theatre or similar venue that functions as a waiting room and lounge for performers before, during, and after a performance or show when they are not engaged on stage. Green rooms typically have ...
and a scene shop.
The CAL Center was conceptualized during the 1996 referendum to build the new high school. The 2.3 million dollar CAL Center was left off of the 1996 referendum because the committee members didn't think it would pass. In just three years, the community had come together to donate a collective 2.3 million dollars to the CAL Center. It opened in September 1999.
Fitness Center
The Reedsburg Athletic Club has been fundraising since March 19, 2019, in order to get a new fitness center built at Reedsburg Area High School. They had a fundraising goal of $600,000, and as of September 18, 2019, the Reedsburg Athletic Club has received $120,000 in donations, and grants. As of February 5, 2020, the school board approved the addition of the new facility. The School District of Reedsburg will be using $1.8 million leftover
2017 referendum funds, $1 million in a 10-year loan, and the $600,000 fundraiser from the Reedsburg Athletic Club, in order to pay for the new fitness center.
Extracurricular activities
Athletics
RAHS offers over 14 different sports available to its students. The list below shows the 2019–2020 school year.
The school's varsity football team won the division three state championship on November 20, 2009, defeating West De Pere 34–27.
Clubs
RAHS offers 18 different clubs available to all students. The list below shows the 2019–2020 school year
* Archery Club
* Art Club
* Drama Club
* Esports Club
*
FBLA
The Future Business Leaders of America, or FBLA, is an American career and technical student organization headquartered in Reston, Virginia. Established in 1940, FBLA is a non-profit organization of high school ("FBLA"), Middle Level ("FBLA ...
*
FFA
* Forensics
* French Club
* Gleaner
* History Club
* Jazz Band
*
Key Club
Key Club International, also called Key Club, is an international service organization for high school students. As a student-led organization, Key Club's goal is to encourage leadership through serving others. Key Club International is the hig ...
*
Mock Trial
A mock trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting ...
*
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society (NHS) is a nationwide organization for high school students in the United States and outlying territories, which consists of many chapters in high schools. Selection is based on four criteria: scholarship (academic achi ...
* Pep Band
* Spanish Club
*
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and physical disabilities, providing year-round training and activities to 5 million participants and Unified Sports partners in 1 ...
*
Student Council
A student council (also known as a student union, associated student body or student parliament) is an administrative organization of students in different educational institutes ranging from elementary schools to universities and research or ...
RAHS has a competitive
show choir
A show choir (originally known as a "swing choir") is a musical ensemble that combines choral singing with choreographed dance, often with an overarching theme. It is most relevant in the Midwestern United States and was popularized by the America ...
, named the "Choraliers", and previously had a women's-only group, "Corodonna". During the 2020 season, Choraliers took home the Best Vocals, Best Band and Grand Championship awards at the Monona Grover Silver Stage Invitational.
Drama Club
RAHS offers Drama Club available to all students. In the fall, the club gets together to perform a musical on odd numbered years, and a one-act play on even numbered years. In the spring there is a play. In 2019, Reedsburg Area High School was selected to perform their "
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' (often colloquially known as ''Joseph'') is a sung-through musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the character of Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis. Thi ...
" musical for the Wisconsin High School Theatre Festival in the
Milwaukee High School of the Arts
Established in 1895, Milwaukee High School of the Arts (MHSA), formerly West Division Sr. High School, is a high school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It is a part of the Milwaukee Public Schools system. It specializes in preparation for ...
.
Notable alumni
*
Edward Brooks, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
See also
*
List of High Schools in Wisconsin Adams County
* Adams-Friendship High School, Adams
Ashland County
* Ashland High School, Ashland
* Butternut High School, Butternut
* Glidden High School, Glidden
* Mellen High School, Mellen
Barron County
* Barron High School, Barron
* Cameron H ...
References
{{authority control
Public high schools in Wisconsin
Education in Sauk County, Wisconsin
1957 establishments in Wisconsin
Reedsburg, Wisconsin