Hamilton High School is a public high school in Chandler, Arizona, United States. It is Arizona's largest high school and the 64th largest in the nation,[6][needs update] with approximately 4,000 students.
History
Hamilton's campus resides on land originally owned by the Hamilton family. Family patriarch, John Augustus Hamilton, helped found the city of Chandler serving as the sheriff for all of what is now considered southeast Phoenix Metropolitan Area. According to the Chandler Museum and the Chandler Historical Society, Jerry Loper Field marks the location of the Hamilton family's general store. During that time period, locals referred to what is currently the Arizona Avenue/SR 87 and Ocotillo Boulevard intersection as "Hamilton's Corner".[7]
As the Chandler area became more populated, Chandler High School was unable to handle the community's increasing educational needs. Voters in 1996 granted Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) a $33 million USD bond to purchase the 359,341 ft2 (3,338.3 m2) property and awarded Stantec the construction contract for the original Hamilton High School campus.[8] The school becoming operational in 1998 with Fred DePrez as principal and 1,600 freshmen through junior level students greatly relieved the pressure on Chandler High School.[9][10]
Academics
Hamilton's curriculum is aligned with the standards set by the Arizona Department of Education and implements the state's Education and Career Action Plan (ECAP)[11][12] required for all students grades 9–12 to graduate from a public Arizona with a high school diploma.[13] CUSD high schools also implements an open enrollment policy, meaning students from outside the intended school boundaries may attend without tuition or other penalties.[14]
Arizona requires that all high school students take 6 credit bearing courses during their freshmen through junior years, and provides the option for students on track for graduation the ability to reduce their course load to 4 credit bearing courses. However, CUSD requires all students must complete 22 credits whereas the public university system controlled by the Arizona Board of Regents requires only 16 credits in the following areas:[15]
English - 4 credits
Mathematics - 4 credits
Science - 3 credits
Social Studies. - 3 credits
Career and Technical Educator/Fine Arts - 1 credit
Community college credits can be awarded through a partnership with Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) and cooperative credits for vocational courses are provided by East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT). Students must be dually enrolled for the Arizona community college or the Arizona public university system to accept the credits towards a degree. CUSD Transportation Department provides routes between Hamilton, EVIT, and CGCC with after school hours transportation intended for students participating in activities.[15]
Separate from EVIT and CGCC, the University of Arizona implemented a pilot program to get university credits for students pursuing introductory engineering courses starting in 2014.[16]
Accolades
The Arizona Education Foundation awarded its A+ School of Excellence award to Hamilton in 2005, 2009, and 2013.[17] In 2014 it was the 15th highest scoring school on Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) tests and the top non-magnet school participating in the annual public school examination.[9] The Presidential Excellence Award in Mathematics and Science was presented to Deborah Nipar in 2019 for her work as an AP Chemistry and Honors Science Research instructor, one of five recipients from Arizona.[18]
Students have achieved many honors including: National Merit Honors, Western Governors Association's annual Spirit Award,[19] honorable mentions for the Governor's Celebration of Innovation Award,[20] and ASU Gammage High School Musical Theatre Awards.[21]
Statistics
US News reports in 2019 a 95% graduation rate, 51% reading proficiency, 51% mathematics proficiency, 35% passed an AP examination, and 44% attempting an AP examination with an overall rating is 90.78/100.[22] According to the report Hamilton ranked 15th in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, 23rd in the state of Arizona, and 1,590th nationally. Starting in 2019's Arizona Measurement for Educational Readiness to Inform Teachers (AzMERIT), which replaced the Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) testing, indicating students were 88.6% prepared.
Hamilton has also hosted multiple AzMBA (Arizona Marching Band Association) & ABODA (Arizona Band & Orchestra Directors Association) events. This includes the 2019 ABODA Division II & IV Marching Band Semifinals, 2021 ABODA Division I & III Marching Band Semifinals, and the 2023 AzMBA Division 2A & 5A Championships. They are slated to hold the 2024 AzMBA Division 3A & 4A Championships as well.
Since Hamilton started play, the team has amassed 7 Arizona State Championships in its first 20 years placing the school third behind St. David (12) and Scottsdale Chaparral (10) since 1985.[28][29] In 2020, the team climbed from a preseason ranking of #4 to #1 in the nation by MaxPreps' Xcellent 25 poll with an 8–0 record prior to the closing of all public schools and sports programs indefinitely because of the COVID-19 Pandemic.[30] The program has produced many collegiate and professional players, most notably the MLB's 2019 National LeagueMost Valuable PlayerCody Bellinger.
† denotes the inception starting during the 2022–23 season by the AIA.[31]
The varsity girls basketball team has won Arizona's 6A State Championships in the 2015–16 and 2018–19 seasons.
Flag Football
Starting in the 2022–23 season, the AIA officially introduced girls flag football for member schools to complete. Hamilton Athletics was amongst the first schools to adopt the newly approved sport.[32]
Football
Football is the largest athletic program at Hamilton consisting of hundreds of students, 35 paid coaches, and additional volunteer coaches. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization was established called the Hamilton Gridiron Club which funds the program. Between the Hamilton Gridiron Club and ticket sales, Hamilton football is a financially self sustaining program.
† denotes the inception starting during the 2022–23 season by the AIA.[31]
History
John Wrenn was the first employee hired from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Illinois and began building a staff consisting of local coaches and professional players for the program.[35] Hamilton began competing in 1998 in the 5A conference as a freelance team and despite their 7–2 record, they were not able to compete in the state championship playoffs. The following year, the AIA placed Hamilton into the Fiesta Region the following year where the team earned most of their region titles. The program gain more attention when Terrell Suggs, a future Arizona State University and NFL player, transferred from Chandler High School setting school and state records at the running back and defensive end positions. Local media acknowledged his success by anointing him as the best football player produced exclusively from Arizona[36] and among the first inshrined in the Chandler Sports Hall of Fame.[37]
Hamilton's dominance for the next 15 years would start in 2001 with their first appearance in the 5A State Championship game losing to Red Mountain 13–10. The first State Championship would come in 2003 going on to win 7 Big School State Championships, appear in an additional 8, and clinching 11 region titles.[38] During this time period, Hamilton football has been ranked nationally several times peeking at #4 nationally by USA Today's Super25 poll when the state record 53-game win streak was broken in November 2011 by Desert Vista High School.[33]
During the first 20 years of the varsity football playing against non-Arizona team, Hamilton has amassed a 5–5 record overall.
Hazing case
In 2017 an investigation into alleged hazing by members of the Hamilton football team became public. The investigation alleges several incidences starting in September 2015 that included sexual assault, assault, aggravated assault, molestation, kidnapping, and child abuse.[46] Ultimately three students were charged, two as minors and one as an adult.[47] CUSD officials reassigned the varsity football coach Steve Belles, the athletic director, and the principal to the district offices indefinitely in September 2017.[48][49] Investigators recommended child abuse and failure to report child abuse[50] charges as the case became convoluted with video and audio evidence of witness tampering and victim intimidation.[51]Maricopa CountyAttorney GeneralBill Montgomery later announce his office would not be seeking charges against the three administrators however none returned to Hamilton.[52] Families of five alleged victims filed civil lawsuits against Chandler Unified School District and the Hamilton administrators settling in 2019 for an undisclosed amount.[53] The 2018, CUSD relieved interim head coach Dick Baniszewski by hiring of Mike Zbedski varsity head coach marking the end of Belles' tenure. Belles left CUSD at the end of the school year for Juan Diego Catholic High School in Draper, Utah as a position coach.[54] After 3 years of criminal proceedings, the sole student charged as an adult accepted a plea deal in February 2020 for a single misdemeanor charge of aggravated assault where the sentence was credited as time served.[55]
Golf
Boys Team
The boys team has won the 2011 and 2019 National Championship at the Antigua National High School Golf Invitational.[56] They have also won 5 consecutive championships for a total of 7 championships in AIA's Boys Team Golf State Championships.[57][58]
Arizona State Championship: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, and 2019 [58][59]
A high-profile rivalry developed between Chandler High School and Hamilton High School which are separated by 4 miles (6.4 km) along Arizona Avenue/SR 87. Local media has since daubed this high-profile competition as the "Battle of Arizona Avenue".[67] The annual varsity football matchup gains the most attention where the highly rated players are often recruited by college football coaches from across the nation.[68] Spectator turnout can exceeded 10,000[69] with NFL players like Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, Matt Leinart, Hamilton alumni Terrell Suggs also in attendance.[70] As a consistent Top 25 rivalry, the High School Bowl Series[71] Series has been instrumental in broadcast the game nationally by ESPN, ESPNU,[72][71] and the NFHS Network. Every year the game would alternate form Chandler's Austin Field to Hamilton's Jerry Looper Stadium. Hamilton began matchup with a 17-game win streak of until the 2013 regular season matchup gave Chandler their first win 26–16. Chandler would later fall in a 2013 5A Division I State Semifinal matchup to Hamilton 21–17 at the AIA's approved neutral field at Highland High School. Since 2014 Chandler has won 6 consecutive games. As of 2020, Hamilton leads the series 18–8 with a potential rematch during the 2020 Open Bracket, which contains 8 of the highest ranked teams. Together, the two schools account for 12 Big School State Championships in football and 9 runners up honors.[73]
The annual game during the regular season alternates form Chandler's Austin Field to Hamilton's Jerry Looper Stadium. Hamilton began matchup with a 17-game win streak until the 2013 regular season matchup gave Chandler their first win 26–16.[73][69] Chandler would later fall in a 2013 5A Division I State Semifinal matchup to Hamilton 21–17 at Highland High School the neutral field approved by the Arizona Interscholastic Association.[69] Since 2014 Chandler has won 6 consecutive games. As of 2020, Hamilton leads the series 18–9 with a number of rematches during the big school playoffs. As the rivalry developed beyond football, both school's athletic teams and other activities have become very competitive. Chandler city officials and other organizations have help facilitate and advance the rivalry. The most notable addition was the Chandler Rotary Club providing the trophy where brass plate are inscribed with the victors name and date with a custom street sign labeled "Arizona Ave Champions" affixed on top.[74][75] A luncheon is also hosted by the Rotary Club with school staff, administrators, and inductees to the Chandler Sports Hall of Fame.[69][76]
Since the rivalry garners so much attention, security is a constant concern within the stadiums and surrounding areas. CUSD enlists all School Resource Officers as well as privately contracted security throughout the entire school district along with extra resources from city, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Additional officers, including SWAT teams and K-9 units, are integrated throughout the city. Digital surveillance like social media monitoring to temporary surveillance cameras are also used.[69]
Other extracurricular activities
Academic Decathlon
The Academic Decathlon has accumulated numerous team and individual awards including Division IV Arizona State Championship and region titles during the 2018–19[77] and 2019–20 seasons.[78] The team won an Arizona State Championship Runners Up trophy during the 2017–18 season.[77] During the 2018–19 season, they would compete at The United States Academic Decathlon Nationals against 73 schools from the United States, China, and the United Kingdom placing 4th overall in Division IV[79] and 3rd in the Academic Decathlon's Super Quiz competition.[80]
Robotics
Hamilton High School Robotics Team, known as the "Microbots" and registered as "Team 698", has built award-winning robots for the FIRST Robotics Competition.[81] In its inaugural year of 2001, the team won a Regional Award at the Southern California Competitions. The Arizona Regionals selected the team for Judges' Award in 2003 with the Industrial Safety Award and the Entrepreneurship Award in 2014. The 2017 Arizona West Regional would award a FIRST Dean's List Finalist Award. Several technology companies within the city of Chandler sponsor and mentor the students during all phases of the competitions.[82]
Campus
The indoor section of the Hamilton cafeteria.
Hamilton was constructed by Stantec on a $33 million USD bond issued to CUSD on a 359,341 ft2 (3,338.3 m2) property on the northwest corner of Arizona Avenue/SR 87 and Ocotillo Boulevard.[8] The main building is two stories tall with an administrative wing (A-wing) on the bottom floor next to the main entrance. Students have the option of eating indoors or in a shaded patio. Food services are located along the south end of the indoor eating area with supporting facilities directly behind them (B-wing) offering students 6 styles of food.[83]
The traditional classrooms are found in three 2-story wings (C-wing, D-wing, and E-wing) in a square formation with classrooms on both sides of the hallways and one independent staircase located in a rear corner per wing. The main corridor has two staircases and an elevator for disabled or injured students.
All of the performing arts like concert band, orchestra, gymnastics, dance, and art are located on the southeast portion of the main building (H-wing) surrounding the 600-seat auditorium. Locker rooms and a small weight lifting room surround the gym (G-Wing). In the northern parking lot and near the N Wing are mobile classrooms (M-Wing) with 2 classrooms per building due to the large student population.
CUSD was granted a $192 million USD bond in November 2015 for district wide construction and updates. Hamilton was allocated $4.5 million for a two-story building (N-wing) with 20 classroom and additional administration offices 27,530 ft2 (2,557.6 m2) located on what was the original outdoor concrete basketball courts.[85][86]
Sports facilities
The largest sports facility on the Hamilton property is Jerry Loper Field which host all football, soccer, track and field, and other events. The field's namesake is for the late Chandler High School football coach Jerry Loper who was killed by an impaired driver in 1996.[87] Stands are available on the east and west side of the field with an initial capacity of 6,000 fans, however CUSD has installed temporary stands for high-profile events like the "Battle of Arizona Ave".[67] Within Jerry Loper Field are two field houses, the first was built during the construction of the school and the second is a $2.3 million USD 9,585 ft2 (890.5 m2) weightlifting facility for student athletics completed 2019.[86] Concession stands, restrooms, and ticket facilities are also within the gates.
Dale Hancock Gymnasium inside the school is capable of seating 3,000 fans with collapsible stands on either side of the main basketball court which is sunk a few feet lower. The namesake is for the late CUSD Board of Education member Dale Hancock in 2011.[88] The gymnasium houses several events including basketball, volleyball, badminton, pep-rallies, the Hamilton Invitational Science and Engineering Fair (HISEF), and other events.[89]
The original campus layout included Hamilton Bus Yard, run by CUSD's Transportation Department. In 2005, it was closed and replaced with new asphalt providing a practice area for the Hamilton Marching Band during the fall season and serves as an auxiliary parking for large events. The remaining original sports facilities are 4 baseball diamonds, 3 softball diamonds, 2 practice football fields, 10 tennis courts, and batting cages with auxiliary facilities like bathrooms and ticket sales buildings. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in CUSD closing ticket sales buildings district wide therefore all tickets are sold digitally using QR code contracted online vendor.
Public facilities
Public Library
Along the northeast corner of the campus is a branch of the Chandler Public Library operated and funded by the City of Chandler. There are doors that allow people direct access to the library from inside the school, however doors with automatic locking prevent people from accessing the school through the library.[90]
There are no classes or dedicated quiet spaces but the library does offer computers, faxing, printing, scanning and Wi-Fi access free of charge. Meeting rooms exist however they must be reserved in advance for a fee.[91]
Aquatic Center
The Hamilton Aquatic Center is an open air multipurpose community pool opened to the public during the spring and summer months. It does serve as the home of Hamilton's Swim and Dive team featuring a regulation lap pool and moveable stands for fans.[92]
Charity
During a November 2005 football practice wide receiver Joe Jackson was involved in a helmet-to-helmet hit rendering him paralyzed from the waist down.[93] As a result, the Hamilton athletic community started a fund to pay for the immediate medical bills. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization was established on October 26, 2006, called the Joe Jackson Foundation (JJF) which provides children with athletics, recreational, medical, and academic opportunities suffering from Spinal Cord Injuries.[94] Hamilton's football Gridiron Club remain a supporter of JJF by participating in fundraisers and other capacities.
^ abArdaya, Fabian; Kurland, Brett; Jackson, Victoria; Hawken-Collins, Denise; Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication; Barrett, The Honors College (2016), "The Battle For Arizona Avenue: The History of the Chandler-Hamilton Rivalry", Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection, Academic Year 2016-2017, hdl:2286/R.I.40905
^Hamilton Public Library (Hamilton, Ont.) (1994). Catalogue of books in the Hamilton Public Library, July, 1897. City of Chandler. ISBN0-665-94631-7. OCLC53616526.
.jpeg)
