Virginia High School, home of the Blue Devils, educates students grades 7-12 in Virginia, Minnesota. It is a public high school with open enrollment located across from the Saint Louis County District Courthouse on scenic 5th Avenue. Virginia High School has a strong music department known for the Marching Blues, the school's marching band. The high school also participates in Minnesota State High School League sports such as hockey, basketball, volleyball, tennis, football, track & field, cross country, baseball, swimming, golf, and soccer. Despite budget problems in the past decade due to declining enrollment, Virginia Secondary has had success in standardized state testing, graduation rates, and school pride. The enrollment has been at a slow decline for the last few decades (as has the city of Virginia's population) but enrollment has been increasing in the lower grade levels.
Students are unofficially divided into grades 7 & 8 and 9-12. The school day consists of 7 periods ranging from 51 to 52 minutes with 3 to 5 minutes passing time allowed. Every other Wednesday, students get out of school an hour early to allow for faculty professional development meetings. Junior high students have a closed lunch period between 3rd and 4th hours while grades 9-12 enjoy an open lunch after 4th hour.
School District History
The first school in Virginia was established in 1893. The cities of Eveleth and Virginia were originally in the same school district (No. 22) but the two separated in 1903. The first graduate of the Virginia High School was Orin H. Griggs in 1901. In 1904, Virginia dedicated the first Roosevelt High School building across from the courthouse on November 22. This building served students in grades 9-12 until the Technical High School was built directly south of Roosevelt. Roosevelt then became a grade school for Kindergarten through 8th grade. When the Technical Building was enlarged in 1921, it contained the Junior High, the Senior High, and Virginia Junior College. After being deemed unsafe, the old Roosevelt School was demolished in 1926. The new Roosevelt High School opened in 1930. This school served grades 10-12 until 1983, when it became Roosevelt Elementary.
Other portions of the high school campus include the Laboratory Annex, built in 1972, the Roosevelt Gymnasium, built in 1989, and Malone Hall, built in 2000. The old Malone Hall is located across from the Roosevelt Gym on 6th Avenue. Constructed in 1931, the building was named after band director Vernon Malone in 1951. The current campus contains three gymnasiums, two swimming pools (only one is operative), an industrial technology department, and the beautiful Goodman Auditorium, which has a seating capacity for approximately 1500.
Enrollment peaked in the 1960s, when Virginia instructed over 4000 pupils. Virginia operated ten different elementary buildings throughout its history: Central, Primary, Roosevelt, John A. Johnson, Jefferson, Horace Mann, Lincoln, Washington, James Madison, and Midway. Johnson, Lincoln, Washington, and Madison have been repurposed, while the others have been demolished. Parkview Learning Center, the district's newest free-standing facility, currently serves pre-Kindergarten students through second grade. It is undergoing remodeling and expansion during the 2015-2016 school year to accommodate increasing enrollment in the lower grade levels and to expand the district's Early Childhood Family Education and Head Start programs.
In the summer of 2007, new windows were added to the Roosevelt and Technical buildings, and security was increased with the addition of security cameras in every hallway. At the end of the 2007-2008 school year, the high school received new iMacs in every computer lab. In addition, projectors and interactive white boards have been added to most classrooms. All students enrolled in the Virginia Schools including Parkview have their own iPad tablets.
School Activities
Music Department
The Virginia School District has a 6th grade band, junior high band (grades 7-8), Concert Band (grades 9-12), and Wind Ensemble (grades 9-12, audition only). Each group generally plays concerts in the Goodman Auditorium three times a year. 9-12 grade students participate in the Virginia Marching Blues, the high school's marching band, which performs at the annual Land of the Loon festival, in 4th of July parades, and other events. Mr. Joshua Biles directs all high school bands as of the 2016-2017 school year. Virginia High School also has a large choir program under the direction of Mr. Matthew Krage. Available programs include 7th grade choir, 8th grade choir, Varsity choir (senior high), and a cappella Choir (audition only). Mrs. Sheila Wilcox directs the Junior and Senior High Orchestras. The orchestras are a cooperative program with the neighboring Eveleth-Gilbert School District. The junior high orchestra meets in Gilbert, while senior high students meet in Virginia. The orchestras perform three yearly concerts and participate in honor groups.
Beginning in 2013, VHS began producing full-scale musicals under the direction of Mr. Krage. So far, the high school has performed Anything Goes, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Guys and Dolls, and Aida.
Knowledge Bowl Teams
Virginia is part of Minnesota's northeast region of knowledge bowl. The competitive levels are elementary, junior high, junior varsity, and varsity. Varsity teams have a chance to make it to state in Brainerd, Minnesota; while the other divisions can win the regional tournament held at the Northeast Service Cooperative building in Mountain Iron. Virginia has sent teams to the State Tournament in 2009, 2010, and 2013.
The Urban Edge
The Urban Edge is a student-run coffee shop located on the ground floor of the Technical Building. The Urban Edge was originally located above the Virginia Teen Center downtown and later moved to the second floor of the Laboratory Annex. The shop is managed by Mr. Jeff Mauston, the economics teacher. Seniors and juniors can choose to work at the Urban Edge as part of a class on business.
Snow Week
Snow Week is a Homecoming-like celebration during January/February. The celebrations feature performances from student bands and dance groups. A Snow Week king and queen are crowned, as are a freshman prince and princess. Homecoming and Snow Week are hosted and organized by the Student Council.
Concurrent enrollment
Concurrent enrollment with Mesabi Range Community & Technical College and Vermilion Community College is an option many juniors and seniors consider when getting ready for college. The program (known at some institutions as College in the Schools) allows for qualified students to gain college credit without leaving the high school campus through challenging courses with collegiate formats in lectures, assignments and grading. Many of the credits earned transfer to 4 year institutions across Minnesota. Virginia Secondary also has partnerships with other eastern Iron Range school districts for vocational classes ranging from nursing to accounting.
See also
- List of high schools in Minnesota
External links
- Virginia Schools Home page
