Homestead High School is a four-year public
high school
A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
located in
Mequon, Wisconsin
Mequon () is the most populous city in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 25,142 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on Lake Michigan's western shore with significant commercial developments along Int ...
, United States, a northern suburb of
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
. Part of the
Mequon-Thiensville School District
The Mequon-Thiensville School District (MTSD) is a school district that serves the Milwaukee suburbs of Mequon and Thiensville, Wisconsin
Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Mi ...
, it serves a area including the city of Mequon and the village of
Thiensville
Thiensville is a village in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. Located on the west bank of a bend in the Milwaukee River, the community is bordered on all sides by the Mequon, Wisconsin, City of Mequon and is a ...
. The school opened in 1959 and educates nearly 1,300 students annually.
History
The area on which Homestead High School now stands originally belonged to the
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi (), also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American tribe of the Great Plains, upper Mississippi River, and western Great Lakes region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, ...
and
Menominee Indians
The Menominee ( ; meaning ''"Menominee People"'', also spelled Menomini, derived from the Ojibwe language word for "Wild Rice People"; known as ''Mamaceqtaw'', "the people", in the Menominee language) are a federally recognized tribe of Nat ...
. In 1838, the land was taken by the United States government. Sales of the land occurred in 1835. In 1841 and Peter and Anna Frank received a land grant for the area, and in the following years, the 80-acre land area was owned by their children.
Homestead High School opened in 1959 with just Freshmen and Sophomores. Dr. Merton Campbell served as the first superintendent, and Lauren Dixon served as the first principal. Originally the school consisted of four wings, two music rooms, a small theater, cafeteria, and a gymnasium. Homestead has undergone four renovations/additions. In 1962, another wing was added. Three additional wings, the library, a swimming area, another gymnasium, a lecture hall, and an auditorium were added in 1968. In 1978, the school added an orchestra room. In 1998, the biggest renovation added a wing, a new heating and cooling system, fine arts rooms, another cafeteria with a food court, an academic support center, a field house for athletics, and a conference room for the district.
Enrollment
Of the 1225 students enrolled in 2023–2024, 69.4% were White, 8.9% were Black, 8.9% were Asian, 7.3% were Hispanic, and 5.3% were two or more races.
[
]
Academics
Homestead High School teaches courses in business, computer science, cooperative education, engineering and technology, English, family and consumer education
Consumer education is the preparation of an individual to be capable of making informed decisions when it comes to purchasing products in a consumer culture. It generally covers various consumer goods and services, prices, what the consumer can ...
, fine arts, foreign language, mathematics, physical education, science, and social studies.
Honors Courses include Advanced Creative Writing and Reading Seminar, Advanced Mass Media and Communications, Programming 1, Advanced Programming, Business Organization and Management, French 4, Algebra 1, Algebra 2/ Trigonometry, American Literature, Biology, Chemistry, English 9, Geometry, Precalculus BC, Independent Studies, Introduction to Business, Latin 4, Latin 5, Mandarin Chinese 4, Multimedia 3, Multivariable Calculus, Personal Finance, Product Development Projects, PLTW: Civil Engineering and Architecture, PLTW: Digital Electronics, PLTW: Computer Integrated Manufacturing, PLTW: Introduction to Engineering Design, PLTW: Principles of Engineering, and Spanish 4
Recognition
In 2004 Homestead High School was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...
, the highest honor a school can receive from the U.S. Department of Education
The United States Department of Education is a United States Cabinet, cabinet-level department of the federal government of the United States, United States government, originating in 1980. The department began operating on May 4, 1980, havin ...
. It was one of 33 public high schools in the United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
to receive the honor that year. In 2009, ''BusinessWeek
''Bloomberg Businessweek'', previously known as ''BusinessWeek'' (and before that ''Business Week'' and ''The Business Week''), is an American monthly business magazine published 12 times a year. The magazine debuted in New York City in Septembe ...
'' magazine ranked Homestead as the top high school in Wisconsin. The magazine noted that Homestead offered the "Best Overall Academic Performance". In 2011, Homestead was named one of the top 500 schools in the nation by ''Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly news magazine based in New York City. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely distributed during the 20th century and has had many notable editors-in-chief. It is currently co-owned by Dev P ...
''.
Athletics
Homestead won a state championship in boys cross country in 1967.
Homestead's football team has won six state titles (1999, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2018)
Athletic Accomplishments at a Glance:
Fine Arts
The Homestead Fine Arts Department comprises five areas: Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater, and Visual Arts. Artists can select from courses in acting, directing, technical theatre, concert band, string orchestra, Highlander Choir, metals, ceramics, digital art, painting, photography, AP Music Theory, AP Research, etc.
References