William Fleming High School is a public school, one of the only two

public high schools State schools (in England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand) or public schools (Scottish English and North American English) are generally primary or secondary educational institution, schools that educate all students without charge. They are ...

in the Roanoke City area school division, the other being the Patrick Henry High School. The edifice itself is located at 3649 Ferncliff Ave.

Roanoke, Virginia Roanoke ( ) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 100,011, making it the 8th most populous city in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the largest city in Virginia west of Richmond. It is lo ...

24017 and is positioned within the Miller/Arrowood neighborhood of the city. William Fleming along with the other public

elementary Elementary may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''Elementary'' (Cindy Morgan album), 2001 * ''Elementary'' (The End album), 2007 * ''Elementary'', a Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin album, 1977 Other uses in arts, entertainment, an ...

, middle, and

high High may refer to: Science and technology * Height * High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area * High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory * High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift ...

schools comprise the Roanoke City Public School System that is regulated by the representatives that serve on the Roanoke City School Board.

History

Namesake

The name William Fleming derived from a Scottish

immigrant Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...

who was a prominent physician and statesmen in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. Originally a native of

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

, Fleming migrated into Virginian borders and settled in

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

in 1755. After he relocated into Norfolk, he hurriedly began to involve himself in the war effort as an active physician, serving alongside the regiment of colonel and future president

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

against the French and the Indians. Then he was promoted to the rank of colonel and upheld his position while fighting in

Lord Dunmore's War Lord Dunmore's War—or Dunmore's War—was a 1774 conflict between the Colony of Virginia and the Shawnee and Mingo American Indian nations. The Governor of Virginia during the conflict was John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore—Lord Dunmore. H ...

until he was injured, ultimately ending his service in the military. His significance in relation to the school came about after his militant service. He continued to help nurse the ailing and was an active participant in the matters concerning both Roanoke City and Virginia. Then he served in the

General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...

as the

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

of Virginia and also as the

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

for an abrupt period. Along with the school, a national historical marker on the Monterey Golf Course, which denotes the former location where Colonel Fleming's

plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...

stood, was dedicated to his contribution.

School

In September 1933, 152 students began the school year in a newly constructed building on a 7.5-

acre The acre is a unit of land area used in the imperial Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imp ...

(30,000 m2) tract which is the present site of Breckinridge Middle School in Roanoke. The original William Fleming High School consisted of five high school classrooms, one elementary classroom, a library, a reception room, a chemistry laboratory, two locker rooms, an auditorium, and an office. In 1949, William Fleming became part of the Roanoke City School System through the

annexation Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...

of part of Roanoke County by the city. William Fleming was moved to its present location in 1961 near Hershberger Road NW. In 1989, eight auxiliary classrooms were added to accommodate the arrival of ninth graders on campus as middle schools were established in the city. A new $57 million building opened in 2009 next to the existing facilities, and the construction of the school's first on-campus football stadium was completed in 2010.

Academics

William Fleming High School is an institution that features grades 9-12, with a student enrollment of 1,664. The school offers the following curriculum/ courses for the students to take: *

Air Force ROTC The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) is one of the three primary commissioning sources for officers in the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, the other two being the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) ...

Business Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for pr ...

Electives In higher education a course is a unit of teaching that typically lasts one academic term, is led by one or more instructors (teachers or professors), and has a fixed roster of students. A course usually covers an individual subject. Courses gener ...

ELL An ell (from Proto-Germanic *''alinō'', cognate with Latin ''ulna'') is a northwestern European unit of measurement, originally understood as a cubit (the combined length of the forearm and extended hand). The word literally means "arm", and ...

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

Fine Arts In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwork ...

Fine Fine may refer to: Characters * Sylvia Fine (''The Nanny''), Fran's mother on ''The Nanny'' * Officer Fine, a character in ''Tales from the Crypt'', played by Vincent Spano Legal terms * Fine (penalty), money to be paid as punishment for an offe ...

/ Practical arts *

Foreign Language A foreign language is a language that is not an official language of, nor typically spoken in, a given country, and that native speakers from that country must usually acquire through conscious learning - be this through language lessons at schoo ...

Health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...

/ PE *

Mathematic Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

* Plato Lab * ROTEC *

Science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...

* Social Studies *

Special Education Special education (known as special-needs education, aided education, exceptional education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, or SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates th ...

Photography Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed ...

In 2009, the credibility of William Fleming's faculty and institution at large were challenged when some of the assistant principals, under the direction of head principal Susan Willis, manipulated 30 schedules of

special education Special education (known as special-needs education, aided education, exceptional education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, or SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates th ...

students to prevent them from taking the SOLs. The state-mandated exams test student's abilities in mathematics, English, and science to ensure that the

curriculum In education, a curriculum (; : curricula or curriculums) is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur in the educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to a view ...

of the school aligns with what the state believes the students should be learning. Thus, by preventing certain students from taking the tests, it increased the overall scores of the school. This infringement made the local and state news, making a spectacle of William Fleming. As a result, Willis was given

paid leave The labour law concept of leave, specifically paid leave or, in some countries' long-form, a leave of absence, is an authorised prolonged absence from work, for any reason authorised by the workplace. When people "take leave" in this way, they are ...

and the assistant principals who worked in conjunction with her were fired. Since the dilemma Fleming has struggled to maintain its

accreditation Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

with regard to its SOLs, and was at risk of losing it during the school year 2010-2011 after being

audit An audit is an "independent examination of financial information of any entity, whether profit oriented or not, irrespective of its size or legal form when such an examination is conducted with a view to express an opinion thereon.” Auditing ...

ed by the state of Virginia.

Athletics and extracurricular activities

William Fleming High School is a member of the

Virginia High School League The Virginia High School League (VHSL) is the principal sanctioning organization for interscholastic athletic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The VHSL first sponsored debate and also continues to sponsor sta ...

and competes in the 4A competition within conference 24 and the Blue Ridge District. Fleming formerly competed in the now defunct Group AAA Roanoke Valley District and the

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 centered around the Roanoke Valley in Southwest Virginia and is named for the Blue Ridge Mountains, which feature prominently in the reg ...

. William Fleming won the Group AA state title in men's

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

in 2007, and also captured two titles in the 1950s. Fleming has also in 1985 won the Group AAA state

championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this system ...

in men's outdoor

track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...

. The Colonels have two state runner-up finishes in men's AAA basketball and in AAA and AA

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

over the past 15 years. William Fleming offers the following

sport Sport pertains to any form of Competition, competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and Skill, skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to specta ...

s: It also offers the following

extracurricular activities An extracurricular activity (ECA) or extra academic activity (EAA) or cultural activities is an activity, performed by students, that falls outside the realm of the normal curriculum of school, college or university education. Such activities a ...

: Beta Club, DECA, free dance, FBLA-PBL, Forensics, French Honor Society, HOSA, Key Club, SGA, SkillsUSA, Thespian Club

In the press

During spring break 2009, 7 students from William Fleming accompanied by students from

James Madison University James Madison University (JMU, Madison, or James Madison) is a public research university in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the institution was renamed Madison Coll ...

and representatives from Aid for America took a

community service Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always performed ...

trip to

Welch, West Virginia Welch is a city located in McDowell County in the State of West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,590 at the 2020 census, however the 2021 census estimate put the population at 1,914, due to the McDowell Prison complex in the north ...

. The area is one of the poorest in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The students help to renovate a dilapidated house so that a man, who lost all of his fingers in a mining incident, could gain custody of his child. Also in 2011, Melissa Poff, an instructor at William Fleming, was named "Teacher of the Year." She was also publicly recognized and commended by the media of Roanoke City for "demonstrating unwavering commitment" to both the school and its students. To generate

school spirit School spirit is the sense of identity and community shared by members of an educational institution. This can apply to any type of school, from elementary schools to universities. Members of a school can manifest spirit in the exhibition of sc ...

amongst the whole student body, in 2011 of the school year 2011-2012, the entire school participated in a videoed '

lip dub A lip dub is a type of music video that combines lip synching and audio dubbing to make a music video. It is made by filming individuals or a group of people lip synching while listening to a song or any recorded audio then dubbing over it in p ...

', a fusion of a song and

lip-sync Lip sync or lip synch (pronounced , the same as the word ''sink'', short for lip synchronization) is a technical term for matching a speaking or singing person's lip movements with sung or spoken vocals. Audio for lip syncing is generated thr ...

ing. The goal was to promote school spirit and activity amongst the students. The song of choice was "

Firework Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices in ...

" by

Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...

; the intended message of the song is to encourage people to be themselves. Communally, the school has also helped in the retention of dropout students by hosting the Western Virginia Education Classic, a football game between two

historically black colleges and universities Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. ...

. The proceeds from the game go toward the local TAP's Project Recovery Program that serves as a partnership with Roanoke City Schools to target and help students at risk of dropping out of school. After the demolition of

Victory Stadium Victory Stadium was an American football stadium located in Roanoke, Virginia, built in 1942 and demolished in 2006. History Victory Stadium was constructed in 1942. The name was meant to be a rallying cry for Allied victory in World War II. ...

, Roanoke's premier football stadium, the classic was no longer being held. However, with Fleming's stadium the classic can proceed and the revenue can continue to help

at-risk students An at-risk student is a term used in the United States to describe a student who requires temporary or ongoing intervention in order to succeed academically. Richardson, Val, comp. "At-Risk Student Intervention Implementation Guide." The Education ...

Notable alumni

* Calvin Bannister (Class of 2002)

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

defensive back *

Beth A. Brown Beth A. Brown (February 4, 1969 – October 5, 2008) was a NASA astrophysicist with a research focus on X-ray observations of Elliptical galaxy, elliptical galaxies and Black hole, black holes. She earned a Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University ...

(Class of 1987)

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

astrophysicist *

Troy Daniels Troy Daniels (born July 15, 1991) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Olimpia Milano of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), whe ...

(Class of 2009)

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

player for the Los Angeles Lakers *

Jermaine Hardy Melvin Jermaine Hardy (born March 20, 1982) is a former American football defensive back for the National Football League, NFL's Carolina Panthers. References

1982 births Living people Sportspeople from Roanoke, Virginia Virginia Cavalier ...

(Class of 2000)

defensive back *

Nidal Hasan Nidal (in Arabic نضال meaning warrior in Arabic) is a given name in Arabic. It may refer to: *Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar (born 1956), Syrian politician and government minister *Abou Nidal, Côte d'Ivoirian singer *Umm Nidal (1948–2013), Palestin ...

(Class of 1988) —

2009 Fort Hood shooting On November 5, 2009, a mass shooting took place at Fort Hood, near Killeen, Texas. Nidal Hasan, a U.S. Army major and psychiatrist, fatally shot 13 people and injured more than 30 others. It was the deadliest mass shooting on an American mi ...

killer * Ashlee Holland (Class of 1997) winner of ''

I Wanna Be a Soap Star ''I Wanna Be a Soap Star'' is a reality television series which debuted on the cable channel SOAPnet in 2004. The show is hosted by '' All My Children'' star and ex-'' Dancing with the Stars'' participant, Cameron Mathison. It is based on the Brit ...

'' * Pete Johnson (Class of 1954)

running back * Steve Robinson (Class of 1978) assistant men's basketball coach at

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

, former head coach at

Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma and List of United States cities by population, 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

and

Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...

and former assistant coach at

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

John St. Clair John Bradley St. Clair (born July 15, 1977) is a former American football offensive tackle of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virgini ...

(Class of 1995)

offensive tackle *

Lee Suggs Lee Ernest Suggs, Jr. (born August 11, 1980) is a former American football coach and former player. He played college football as a running back at Virginia Tech and professionally for the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins in the National Footb ...

(Class of 1998)

running back

References

External links

Virginia Department of Education Report CardGreat Schools site
{{authority control Educational institutions established in 1933 Public high schools in Virginia Schools in Roanoke, Virginia International Baccalaureate schools in Virginia 1933 establishments in Virginia