Buchanan High School

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Buchanan High School
Home of the Bears
Established 1991
School type Public
Principal Don Ulrich
Location 1560 N. Minnewawa, Clovis, California
Accreditation WASC
Enrollment 3,536
Colors Red and Blue
Mascot Bears
Yearbook Endeavor
School Newspaper The Scribe
Homepage BHS

Dr. Floyd B. Buchanan High School, colloquially called Buchanan High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in the Clovis Unified School District in Clovis, California. It was founded in 1991 and instructs grades 9-12. Buchanan is part of an expansive educational center, the Buchanan Educational Center, which houses approximately 5,000 students at Garfield Elementary School (K-6), Alta Sierra Intermediate School (7-8), and Buchanan High School with the bulk of the enrollment. The school graduated its first class in the spring of 1995, and is named for Clovis Unified's first district superintendent--who is responsible for the beginnings of the prestigious district--Dr. Floyd B. Buchanan, which makes it the only Clovis Unified high school that doesn't have "Clovis" in it.

Contents

[edit] Facilities

Buchanan has a very large campus, comprised of two two-story buildings joined by the Library, Library Media Center, and the Library Lecture Hall, which house the English, science, mathematics, and social science departments. The school also has a foreign language wing, a business wing, an arts wing (which houses the art department, band room, choir room, dance studio and drama room), a multi-purpose room (usually in the form of a cafeteria, although most students eat outdoors in the amphitheatre area), two gymnasiums, separate locker rooms, an outdoor swimming pool, basketball courts, tennis courts, and an administration building on the northeast end of the campus. Due to its fast growing enrollment, the issue of parking is fast approaching as more and more sophomores, juniors, and seniors begin driving to school.
Buchanan has great sports facilities including an Olympic-regulation Mondo track that is usually open to the community for jogging as well as a state-of-the-art softball complex which contains 5, fully-lit and ASA standard softball diamonds as well as two fully-lit baseball diamonds and one baseball stadium. A brand new state-of-the-art weight and training room and a high school football stadium that rivals that of a college stadium-in fact, most of the school's facilities rival many colleges. There are several frontage roads that traverse the middle of the center, notably Victory Lane, which has recently been opened to ease the horrendous traffic between 7 and 8 am and 2 and 3 pm when school begins and ends.

[edit] Feeder Patterns

At the start of the 2007-8 school year, when the new Clovis North Educational Center opens, Buchanan's overcrowded enrollment was reduced to the following feeder schools:

  • Alta Sierra Intermediate
    • Century Elementary
    • Dry Creek Elementary
    • Garfield Elementary
    • Woods Elementary
    • Tarpey Elementary

Even after the new boundary changes Buchanan's enrollment will still be very impacted.

[edit] Test Scores and Honors

Buchanan High School is a member of the College Board and offers 17 Advanced Placement courses which educate students to take their respective tests (It should be noted that the AP Economics and AP Physics classes educated for all of the economics and physics AP tests.). Buchanan is also accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and is a National Blue Ribbon and California Distinguished School. For the 2007 school year, Buchanan High School received a very impressive 133 Academic Performance Index (API) rating and has a rating of 9 out of 10 at GreatSchools.net.

Buchanan High School is quickly surpassing the other high schools in the district and has already been called Clovis Unified's best high school. Other achievements in the performing arts department include hundreds of awards given to the many excellent choirs, the outstanding concert and marching band, the first-class orchestra, the amazing drama department and others as well. The school's music program is considered one of the best in California and for great reason. So far in Clovis Unified history, the Buchanan High School Marching Band is the only high school to be accepted for review to play in nationwide parades such as the Rose Parade and other events.

[edit] Athletics

Buchanan competes in the Central Section of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and has won several titles. Its current athletic offerings include Cross Country (Boys and Girls), Volleyball (Boys and Girls), Football, Water Polo (Boys and Girls), Tennis (Boys and Girls), Gymnastics, Golf (Boys and Girls), Basketball (Boys and Girls), Wrestling, Soccer (Boys and Girls), Track, Baseball, Softball, Badminton, and Swimming & Diving (Boys and Girls). Buchanan was awarded "California Athletic High School of the Year" in 05-06.

[edit] Co-Curricular Activities

Buchanan has a very expansive co-curricular program including an award-winning marching band which has won hundreds of awards and trophies in the WBA and Northern California Band Association including an invitation to audition for the Rose Parade in 2008. The music program is considered by many to be one of the most comprehensive and disciplined in the Central Vally of California. Buchanan H.S., Clovis West H.S., Clovis East H.S., and Clovis H.S. all are considered to have music programs that soar far above the standards and competition of the surrounding area schools. Buchanan has also been known for it's drum line and enjoys winter percussion competitions in the SJVCGPR circuit which invites schools from throughout the whole valley and some from other regions of California to compete in a Winter Percussion competition.The school's concert band played has also played in Carnegie Hall, as well as taking groups of students to China, Australia, and New Zealand. Buchanan's choirs travel extensively and perform all over the country including Florida and New York City. The school also has an award-winning National History Day team, an award-winning robotics team and pep & cheer squads. Buchanan has also implemented a groundbreaking new strategy group called the Link Crew that helps to ease the transition for freshman entering from junior college. Buchanan has many school-sponsored events such as the Ambiance Fashion Show, in which students model current fashions and donate all of the proceeds to Children's Hospital of Central California as well as the Harmony Talent Show which showcases cultural talents and diversity, and the Matt Mueller Memorial Blood Drive, among many other various charities and events. The science olympiad team won the Fresno County Regionals in 2007 and did well at State. Buchanan has a reputable, award winning, mock trial team, coached by the Wikipedia-hating Honors English 10 teacher Mrs. Riley.

[edit] Controversy

Buchanan High School, like many other Clovis Unified High Schools, has been often accused of promoting a conformist culture among its students. Lacking the major social problems that most high schools in the region face, the administration has turned to areas such as dress code to strictly enforce. One of the major criticisms of this remains the argument that students are not allowed to fairly express themselves through their personal appearance.

Buchanan High remains a bit of a phenomenon due to its suburban and middle-upper class location thus allowing the school freedoms not usually enjoyed by other high schools. Academic excellence has been maintained over the years and this has led the school to encourage its students to apply and attend the various University of California schools as well as other prestigious schools across the country. Between the homogeneous demographics of Buchanan and its academic ability, there is very prevalent push for students to fit into a mold of well behaved and intelligent students.

In May of 2008 a student body election was held, however with much controversy, many students were not permitted to even apply to be a candidate. The advisers in charge said that this by-law was enforced to insulate the ASB [Associated (All) Student Body] election from popular will and those who would run on a "whim". Over 500 signatures were collected within two days in petition against this by-law, and the issue was declared a "misinterpretation" and was not enforced. However, the candidates who attempted to run for office lost overwhelmingly, not only due to a lack of preparation time, but perhaps also due to intervention on a higher level.

The same election has been called into question as some candidates collected personal information to boost "voter turnout" for themselves, people who wouldn't have voted otherwise. Posters have appeared on campus protesting this unfairness; however, the district's response has only been to crack down on the exercise of free speech. Efforts must be made to remedy this situation and restore fairness to Buchanan's electoral system. Paper ballots, anyone?

Backlash effected the canidate accused of cheating the system, as many fliers were poste don student cars in the parking lot, legal actions were taken to resolve this harrasment. Yet another student led movement is fighting the legality of the "case", as the mere statement of the truth does no harm but to one's reputation, one of which that appears to be rapidly waning. The school appears to be stirring as even the smallest controversies ignite, as the end of the 2008 school year looms ahead, one student even kidded that perhaps next year there wont be a student council for 2009. Perhaps in part to the growing motion of students who will refuse to vote next year as their "all-important" voice was ignored.

Additionally, Buchanan High School's stadium, which it shares with rival Clovis West High School, has recently been renamed Veterans Memorial Stadium, which has displeased numerous Buchanan students and faculty. Buchanan students and faculty have blamed both Clovis West boosters and an unresponsive school board for the name change. Strangely, a petition with over 200 student signatures, and widespread outcry of Buchanan parents, failed to give rise to even one dissenting school board vote. Those against the name change have cited that there are many stadiums across the nation already named Veterans' Memorial Stadium. However, Dr. Floyd Buchanan, who the stadium was named after, has expressed his wishes in favor of the name change. Many students and faculty still refuse to call the stadium by its new name. In fact, in preparation for a recent Clovis West vs. Buchanan football game, signs, streamers and balloons were posted from the stadium to Clovis West, stating such things as "This is Bear Territory" and " BUCHANAN Stadium," some at heights unreachable except by ladder or an exceptionally tall individual. This, however, is perfectly acceptable and promoted by teachers.

Also the student restrooms have come to public attention; student Cody Ashford's editorial regarding the filthiness of the facilities was acclaimed by the local newspaper The Fresno Bee. The school apparently did not take kindly to this and is "seeking" ways to solve the problem, which ultimately is an issue the student body will need to fix.

[edit] Casualties

Buchanan High gained national media attention in recent years with the deaths of Tony Butterfield, Nathan Hubbard, Jared Hubbard and Nick Eischen, all Buchanan graduates, the latter to be the 6th death in Operation Iraqi Freedom suffered by Buchanan. In honor of all of Buchanan's fallen soldiers, the nationally-recognized Buchanan Leadership class, as part of a school improvement project, created a memorial garden with donations from the community. A plaque for each fallen soldier commemorates their sacrifices.

Rowen Walter, also a Buchanan High School Graduate,died in iraq.

[edit] Notable Alumni

[edit] External links