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West Springfield High School (Virginia)

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Coordinates: 38°47′10″N 77°14′25″W / 38.78611°N 77.24028°W / 38.78611; -77.24028
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

West Springfield High School
Address
Map
6100 Rolling Road

Springfield
,
Virginia
22152
Information
School typePublic, high school
Founded1966
School districtFairfax County Public Schools
PrincipalElizabeth Fawsett
Staff196.45 (on an FTE basis)[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment2,748 [1] (2023-2024)
Student to teacher ratio13.99[1]
LanguageEnglish
CampusSuburban
Color(s)Blue and orange ██
MascotSpartan
Feeder schoolsWashington Irving Middle School
Lake Braddock Secondary School
Athletic conferencesPatriot District
Northern Region
WebsiteOfficial Site

West Springfield High School is a public high school located in Fairfax County, Virginia, at 6100 Rolling Road, and is part of the Fairfax County Public Schools system. West Springfield (often referred to as WSHS) enrolls approximately 2,750 students from grades 9–12, ranked 10th within Virginia.[citation needed]

The facility has a Springfield postal address and is physically within the West Springfield census-designated place.[2][3]

History

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The school opened in 1966. The first principal was S. John Davis, who subsequently became Fairfax Superintendent of Schools and served as Virginia state Superintendent.

In 1988, a contract was awarded for a renovation project, which was completed in 1991. This was done after push from students for renovation of the school facilities. In the school newspaper, known as The Oracle, students both applauded and criticized the renovations, due to it being considered disruptive.[4] The project included the construction of new classrooms in a courtyard and the remodelling of the library, auditorium, Spartan Hall, and the Career Center.

Planning for a $75 million, 4-year renovation was started in 2012, with construction beginning in summer 2016.[5] The renovations concluded in September 2019, which included a new dance studio.[6]

Demographics

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For the 2023–24 school year, West Springfield High School's student body was 47.9% White, 18.2% Hispanic, 13.3% Asian, 12.1% Black, and 7.5% Other.[1]

Academic programs and courses

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  • Advanced Placement (AP) Program: West Springfield High School has an AP program, providing college-level coursework in various subject areas to prepare students for selective universities and colleges. As of the 2024-2025 school year, the school has a total of 23 AP classes.[7] The AP participation rate at West Springfield High School is 62%. Of those students who participated, 73% scored a 3 or higher on the AP exam.[8][9]

Athletics

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West Springfield's school mascot is a Spartan soldier, and school colors are orange and blue. The school competes in the Patriot District, which is in the 6A Region C (Occoquan Region) of the Virginia High School League (VHSL). The following sports are offered:[10]

  • Baseball
  • Basketball (boys and girls)
  • Cheerleading
  • Cross Country (boys and girls)
  • Dance Team (non-VHSL sport)
  • Field Hockey
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Gymnastics
  • Indoor Track and Field
  • Lacrosse (boys and girls)
  • Soccer (boys and girls)
  • Softball
  • Swim and Dive (boys and girls)
  • Tennis (boys and girls)
  • Track and Field (boys and girls)
  • Volleyball (boys and girls)
  • Wrestling
  • Crew (non VHSL sport)

Boys Indoor Track

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The team won state titles in 1996,[11] 1998,[11] 2023[11] and 2025.[citation needed]

Varsity softball

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The Varsity Softball Team won the AAA State Softball title in 1983.[12]: 61 

Debate and forensics

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Students from both Forensics and Debate compete in the Washington Arlington Catholic Forensics League (WACFL) tournaments in the Diocese of Arlington. Students also compete in invitational tournaments at universities along the East Coast, including Yale University, St. Joseph's University, and George Mason University.

The Forensics Team won its first Group AAA crown in 2006, and won again in 2009.[12]: 223  Debate also won the Group AAA in 2009.[12]: 212 

Dance team

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The West Springfield dance team, otherwise known as WSDT, are seven-time consecutive NDA National Champions.[13] 2010 in Medium Varsity Hip-Hop, and 2011–2016 in Large Varsity hip hop.[14] In 2018, they became DTU National Champions in Hip-Hop as well.[15] In the 2011 America's Got Talent YouTube auditions, WSDT qualified as one of the top 12 acts, earning them a spot to compete on the show. They advanced to the Final 10, but were eliminated.[citation needed]

In 2019, WSDT made it to television once again when they auditioned and were selected to compete on NBC's show World of Dance, as the very first public high school dance team to compete on the show.[16] They auditioned in New York City and were selected to appear and compete on the show. The team was eliminated in the second round.[citation needed]

Varsity baseball

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The Spartan baseball team won the Virginia AAA State Championships in 1991, 1998, and 2010, and the Class 6 title in 2018.[12]: 6 

The Spartan Baseball motto is "Season est de Tempore, tamen virtus Traditionis sustinet" (From Season to Season, the Tradition Continues).

The 2010 Spartans were led by The All-Met Player of the Year, Bobby Wahl.[17]

Cheerleading

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The Spartan Cheerleading squad won the fall AAA state title in 2003. There was also a winter champion as the sport was moved from winter to fall that year.[12]: 20 

Cross-country/track and field

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The West Springfield Boys Cross Country Teams won the AAA State Championship in 1989, 1993, 1994, and 1995, and the Class 6 championship in 2019.[12]: 21  The West Springfield Boys Track team won the AAA State Championships for both Indoor and Outdoor in 1996, and for Indoor in 1998.[12]: 95, 125  In 1997, a team with Sharif Karie took home The Penn Relays Championship of America in the 4 × 800 m Relay. At the time, Karie's split of 1:50 was a carnival record. Karie won the 1997 National Championship in the mile against future US Olympians John Riley and Gabe Jennings. With the win, Karie won Gatorade National Track and Field Athlete of the Year. The following year, West Springfield set a national record in 1998 in the distance medley relay with a time of 10:10.30, breaking a record that had stood for over 15 years.

Swim and dive

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The West Springfield Women's Swim and Dive teams won AAA State Championships in 1994, 1995, and 1996.

Crew

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In 1989, the team's inaugural year, the men's varsity 8 won the Northern Virginia Championship on the Fountainhead reservoir.

In 2023, the women’s 2-4 crew clinched the state championship.  

Scholastic Bowl

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The school's scholastic bowl team participates in It's Academic, a quiz show which is broadcast on national television. The team has participated in 2019 and 2023.

Music

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The school offers a variety of music programs, including band, chorus, and orchestra.[18]

In 2016, both the Wind Symphony and the Symphonic Band received "Superior" ratings, with the Wind Symphony competing in Grade 6, the highest grade possible in Virginia. The Jazz band has received "Superior" ratings in all of their recent competitions, and received several awards during their last spring trip. The Wind Symphony has also participated in concert band festivals such as the Virginia Music Educators Association Conference (VMEA) and the Music for All National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis. The school's marching band, the Marching Spartans, has won multiple USSBA Group 5 (A and Open classes) championships, and is are Virginia champions and All-States champions from 2015. The band has earned the title of Honor Band in 2000, 2006–2009, 2012–2020, 2022, and 2023. In 2024, the band was barred from being adjudicated at the VBODA assessment due to controversy over one of their pieces being ungraded by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Symphonic Orchestra played as an honor orchestra in the 2005 Virginia Music Educators Association. There is also a Concert Orchestra, an orchestra below the level of the Symphonic Orchestra. A third orchestra is the Chamber Orchestra, a level above the Symphonic Orchestra, which was established in the 2008 school year for the elite players.

WSHS has a Guitar program, with school-provided guitars for students to use. Their Jazz Guitar Combo is one of the few high school groups of its kind in the region. The Guitar Program is currently the largest music department in terms of population, with its 5 different levels of difficulty.

The choral program at WSHS features four classes, two of which require auditions. Cantus is an un-auditioned treble choir, and Spartones is an un-auditioned tenor/bass choir, while the two audition choirs are Bel Canto and Madrigals. Bel Canto is a treble choir that typically performs accompanied pieces, and occasionally a cappella pieces. Madrigals is the most musically advanced choir, is a mixed ensemble, and primarily focuses on a cappella pieces. In November 2022, the Madrigals were selected to perform at the VMEA conference in Richmond.[19]

Theatre

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The program is led by Ashton Schaffer, who was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award in 2024.[20]

The West Springfield Theatre Department has taken part in the Cappies Critics program since it began in 2002. The department is known for its high-quality shows that have garnered many positive reviews.[21] In 2013, West Springfield's production of "The Diary of Anne Frank" received a Cappie for Best Lead Actress in a Play; and in the same year, won the VHSL state one-act competition for its show "The Other Room."[22] In 2010, "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" won a Cappie for Best Make-up.[23] In 2022 West Springfield competed in the VHSL Theatre competition with "A Ballad of Dice & Disaster" and it would go on to place 3rd at the District Level, 1st at the Regional Level, and 3rd at the State Level for Class 6 Competition.[24][25]

West Springfield's 2024 production of Sweeney Todd School Edition won multiple Cappies Critics Awards including recognition for Special effects and/or Technology, Hari and Make-Up, Lighting, Orchestra, Ensemble in a Musical, Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Musical, Song, and Musical.[26]

Student publications

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West Springfield High School has three printed publications produced by Journalism and Photojournalism students: The Oracle, The Olympian, and The Symposium. They are the student-led school newspaper, yearbook, and literary magazine, respectively. In 2023, the school would be recognized with the First Amendment Press Freedom Award.

Started in 1966, The Oracle is West Springfield High School’s award-winning school newspaper. In 2022, the printed paper would win first class in VHSL, with the digital version of the publication, The Oracle Online placing second. The Olympian is West Springfield High School’s yearbook. This publication is led by students in Photojournalism classes. The Symposium is West Springfield High School’s literary and art magazine. All students can submit writing, music, or art to the publication, which is then voted on by the staff anonymously. The magazine is distributed annually with the Olympian.[27]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "West Springfield High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  2. ^ "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: West Springfield CDP, VA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
    2000 Map: "CENSUS 2000 BLOCK MAP: WEST SPRINGFIELD CDP" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 5, 2020. - Pages 1 and 2
    1990 Map: Fairfax County index, with West Springfield CDP on pages 24, 25, and 31.
  3. ^ "Home". West Springfield High School. Retrieved December 5, 2020. 6100 Rolling Road | Springfield, VA 22152 - Compare whole street address to the CDP maps.
  4. ^ "WSHS 1980s - Renovations | West Springfield High School". westspringfieldhs.fcps.edu. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  5. ^ "West Springfield High Renovations Nearly One-Third Complete". August 2, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  6. ^ "West Springfield High Celebrates Renovation". September 21, 2019. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  7. ^ "Advanced Placement (AP) | West Springfield High School". westspringfieldhs.fcps.edu. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  8. ^ "10 Reasons That West Springfield Stands Out | West Springfield High School". westspringfieldhs.fcps.edu. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  9. ^ "West Springfield High School in Springfield, VA". US News Best High Schools. January 1, 1970. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  10. ^ "Athletics". West Springfield High School. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c "VSHL Record Book: 2024-25". Virginia High School League. p. 98. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g "Virginia High School League Record Book 26th Edition". Virginia High School League. January 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  13. ^ Pieroni, Leanza (October 27, 2017). "West Springfield Performs Thrilling Tribute To The King Of Pop". FloCheer. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  14. ^ https://www.varsity.com/nda/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/NCA_NDA_Wall_of_Fame_DN.pdf. Retrieved April 4, 2025. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. ^ "West Springfield HS Dance Team | West Springfield High School". westspringfieldhs.fcps.edu. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  16. ^ "From Springfield to 'World of Dance'". m.burkeconnection.com. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  17. ^ West Springfield Spartan 2011 Baseball Media Guide
  18. ^ "1. VPA COURSE MAPS" (PDF). Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  19. ^ "About the WSHS Music Program". Property Manager. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  20. ^ "Meet the Director". Spartan Theatre. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  21. ^ "Reviews". Cappies Critic Program.
  22. ^ Germanos, Janelle (February 14, 2014). "'Nerdicus' Advances to State Finals". Connection Newspapers. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  23. ^ "Cappies Critics Awards Winner 2010".
  24. ^ "National Capital Area > Critic Awards > 2022 Season". www.cappies.com. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  25. ^ "VHSL Theatre". VHSL Theatre.
  26. ^ "National Capital Area > Critic Awards > 2024 Season". www.cappies.com. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  27. ^ "Student Publications | West Springfield High School". westspringfieldhs.fcps.edu. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  28. ^ "Tony Muskett - Football". Monmouth University Athletics. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  29. ^ Williams, Preston (June 7, 2010). "West Springfield's Bobby Wahl owes his love of baseball to his grandfather". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved March 3, 2014.

38°47′10″N 77°14′25″W / 38.78611°N 77.24028°W / 38.78611; -77.24028

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