Mt. Spokane High School

{{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox school | name = Mt. Spokane High School | image = MtSpokaneHighSchool.jpg | image_size = | caption = Mt. Spokane High School facing Mt. Spokane Park Dr. | address = 6015 East Mt. Spokane Park Drive | city = Mead | state = Washington | county = (Spokane County) | zipcode = 99021 | country = USA | coordinates = {{coord|47|47|19|N|117|19|22|W|type:edu_region:US-WA|display=inline,title}} | district = Mead School District | principal = Chelsea Gallagher | teaching_staff = 72.59 (FTE)<ref name=NCES/> | ratio = 20.07<ref name=NCES/> | ceeb = | us_nces_school_id = {{NCES School ID|530492002599|school_name=Mt. Spokane High School|access_date=December 28, 2024|ref_name=NCES}} | national_ranking = 1177 | type = Public High School | grades = 9-12 | campus_size = {{convert|77.80|acre|ha}} | campus_type = Suburban | athletics = WIAA 3A | athletic_conference = Greater Spokane League | fight_song = "Hail to Mt. Spokane" | motto = ''"Dignity, Class, and Respect. The Wildcat Way"'' | accreditation = | rival = | mascot = Wildcats | mascot image = | colors = Navy Blue, Cardinal & White {{color box|navy}}{{color box|#C41E3A}}{{color box|white}} | yearbook = Summit | newspaper = The Peak | established = 1997 | enrollment = 1,457 (2023-2024)<ref name=NCES/> | feeder_schools = Mountainside Middle School | website = {{URL|http://mtspokanehs.mead354.org/}} }}

'''Mount Spokane High School''' is a public high school located in Mead, Washington. It is located several miles north of Spokane and has a student body that currently enrolls 1,611<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-28 |title=Mt Spokane High School (2023 Ranking) - Mead, WA |url=https://www.publicschoolreview.com/mt-spokane-high-school-profile |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=Public School Review |language=en}}</ref> students in grades 9-12.<ref name="greatschools.org">{{cite news|url=http://www.greatschools.org/washington/mead/1018-Mount-Spokane-High-School/|title=Mount Spokane High School – Mead, Washington|work=greatschools.org|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> The school opened in 1997, and had its first graduating class in 1999.<ref name="khq.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.khq.com/Global/story.asp?s=6844853|title=GSL school information – KHQ Right Now – News and Weather for Spokane and North Idaho|work=khq.com|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> Mt. Spokane is one of two high schools in the Mead School District, the other being Mead High School.

Throughout its history, Mt. Spokane has shown excellence through its academics. In the 2007-08 school year, Mt. Spokane had an on-time graduation rate of 95.1%, beating the Washington state average of 72.0% during the 2007-08 school year.<ref name="reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us">{{cite news|url=http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/summary.aspx?schoolId=2763&OrgType=4&reportLevel=School&year=2008-09|title=Washington State Report Card|work=OSPI|accessdate=July 17, 2010}}</ref> In the first semester of the 2009-10 school year, Mt. Spokane had 478 of its students qualify for the honor roll, which required students to get a 3.5 GPA or higher.<ref name="mead354.org">{{cite news|url=http://www.mead354.org/page.cfm?p=12032|title=Celebrating Academic Success|work=Wildcat eNews|accessdate=July 18, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617062749/http://www.mead354.org/page.cfm?p=12032|archive-date=June 17, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Mt Spokane High School placed in the top 30% of all schools in Washington for overall test scores (math proficiency is top 20%, and reading proficiency is top 30%) for the 2020-21 school year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-28 |title=Mt Spokane High School (2023 Ranking) - Mead, WA |url=https://www.publicschoolreview.com/mt-spokane-high-school-profile |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=Public School Review |language=en}}</ref> The percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 50% (which is equal to the Washington state average of 50%) for the 2018-19 school year. The percentage of students achieving proficiency in reading/language arts is 84% (which is higher than the Washington state average of 61%) for the 2018-19 school year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-28 |title=Mt Spokane High School (2023 Ranking) - Mead, WA |url=https://www.publicschoolreview.com/mt-spokane-high-school-profile |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=Public School Review |language=en}}</ref>

== History == Mt. Spokane High School opened its doors in the fall of 1997 as "Mt. Spokane-Mead High School".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mtspokanehs.mead354.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=257304&type=d&pREC_ID=586091 |website=Mt. Spokane High School |access-date=13 December 2021 |title=About Mt. Spokane |archive-date=13 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213054011/https://mtspokanehs.mead354.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=257304&type=d&pREC_ID=586091 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The name was changed to Mt. Spokane High School by request of the attending students during the first two years of being open. Mt. Spokane saw its first graduating class in 1999. The class of 2012, with 413 students, is the largest class to attend the high school as of 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Graduating Seniors: Mt. Spokane High School - The Spokesman-Review |url=https://www.spokesman.com/grads/mt-spokane-high-school/ |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=www.spokesman.com}}</ref>

== Location and structure == thumb|upright|left| Mt. Spokane High School's courtyard. You can see four of the five sculptures in the picture. [[File:Mshscourtyardhdr.jpg|thumb|upright| Mt. Spokane's courtyard in HDR.]] The school is located several miles from Mount Spokane among the many wheat fields populating the Mead area. The school itself has a functional, quarter-circle design with a courtyard in the center. The sculptures within the courtyard, known as "The Circle of Friends", were designed by local sculptor Harold Balazs, also known for designing the Rotary Fountain at Riverfront Park.

== Band == The Mt. Spokane High School Band comprises five ensembles, including two concert band ensembles, one percussion ensemble, and two jazz bands.<ref name="Mt. Spokane Band Program">{{cite web|url=http://mshsbandstand.com/ensembles.html|title=MSHS Ensembles|publisher=Mt. Spokane Bandstand|accessdate=August 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203213333/http://www.mshsbandstand.com/ensembles.html|archive-date=December 3, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since its inception in 1997, the band program has received dozens of awards at local, regional, national, and international levels.<ref name="Mt. Spokane Band Program Awards">{{cite web|url=http://mshsbandstand.com/about.html|title=About the Mt. Spokane Band Program|publisher=Mt. Spokane Bandstand|accessdate=August 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203213307/http://www.mshsbandstand.com/about.html|archive-date=December 3, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> A majority of the funding for the program comes from the Mt. Spokane Bandstand, which is a parent-run organization that raises funds to provide uniforms, instruments, equipment, and travel expenses for the program.<ref name="Mt. Spokane Bandstand">{{cite web|url=http://mshsbandstand.com/bandstand.html|title=Mt. Spokane Bandstand|publisher=Mt. Spokane Bandstand|accessdate=August 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203213322/http://www.mshsbandstand.com/bandstand.html|archive-date=December 3, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> An annual craft fair is the main fundraiser for the program and includes a raffle for baskets that are designed by the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior classes.<ref name="Craft Fair">{{cite web|url=http://mshsbandstand.com/newsletter/MSHS_Bandstand_Newsletter_August2011.pdf|title=August 2011 Newsletter|publisher=Mt. Spokane Bandstand|accessdate=August 22, 2012}}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== Athletics == Mt. Spokane offers a wide variety of athletics, including sports such as: baseball, football, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, softball, track and field, wrestling, and volleyball.<ref name="http://www.mead354.org/page.cfm?p=265">{{cite news|url=http://www.mead354.org/page.cfm?p=265|title=Mead School District: Athletics|work=Mt. Spokane Athletic Director|accessdate=July 19, 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928105249/http://www.mead354.org/page.cfm?p=265|archivedate=2012-09-28}}</ref> The current Athletic Director is Bobby Lee.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Staff - Mt. Spokane High School |url=https://mtspokanehs.mead354.org/contact/our-staff |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=mtspokanehs.mead354.org |language=en-US}}</ref> They play football at Union Stadium (Mead)

== Notable alumni == *Jess Roskelley, class of 2001, became the youngest American to reach the summit of Mount Everest, via the North Col route in 2003. *Julianna Peña, class of 2007, winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate, sister of Grace Pena.<ref name="Julianna Pena">{{cite web|url=http://www.inlander.com/spokane/article-17338-ladykiller.html|title=Ladykiller|work=Inlander|accessdate=23 March 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.krem.com/sports/Local-contestant-makes-waves-on-The-Ultimate-Fighter-224292491.html?ref=next |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-10-10 |archive-date=2013-12-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203041305/http://www.krem.com/sports/Local-contestant-makes-waves-on-The-Ultimate-Fighter-224292491.html?ref=next |url-status=dead }}</ref> *Sam Sicilia, Class of 2004, mixed martial artist currently competing in the featherweight division, formerly with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Competed on The Ultimate Fighter: Live.<ref name="Sam Sicilia">{{cite web|url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/mar/09/blanchette-local-men-get-shot-on-the-ultimate/|title=Blanchette: Local men get shot on 'The Ultimate Fighter'|work=Spokesman.com|accessdate=23 March 2016}}</ref> *Drew Rasmussen, Class of 2014, pitcher for the Oregon State Beavers baseball team. Threw the only perfect game in the team's history, and was drafted 31st overall in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft by the Tampa Bay Rays

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070115050921/http://www.mead354.org/page.cfm?p=99 Mt. Spokane High School website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mount Spokane High School}} Category:High schools in Spokane County, Washington Category:Mead School District Category:Public high schools in Washington (state) Category:Educational institutions established in 1997 Category:1997 establishments in Washington (state)