Norwell High School

Its students consistently score above state and national averages on the SAT and other standardized tests, and on average, 97% of students from each graduating class at Norwell High School continue on to post-secondary education. NHS has been ranked as the 12th best secondary school in Massachusetts, and is ranked in the top 6% for best public education high schools in the country by Newsweek.

• Name — Norwell High School • Established — 1849 (1700 as part of Scituate) • Address — 18 South Street • City — Norwell • State — Massachusetts • Country — United States • Type — Public secondary • Enrollment — 596 (2023–2024) • Grades — 9-12 • Ratio — 11.74 • Staff — 50.77 (FTE) • Accreditation — NEASC • Website — https: nhs.norwellschools.org/ • Superintendent — Matthew Keegan • Principal — Marc Bender • Campus — Suburban, 100 acres • Newspaper — The Navigator • Publication — The Halyard (literary journal) • Colors — Blue & gold BlueGold • Nickname — Clippers • Rival — Hanover, Scituate, Cohasset Norwell High School is a public secondary school accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). It is located in Norwell, Massachusetts, United States. The school includes approximately 50 full-time teachers. Its students consistently score above state and national averages on the SAT and other standardized tests, and on average, 97% of students from each graduating class at Norwell High School continue on to post-secondary education. NHS has been ranked as the 12th best secondary school in Massachusetts, and is ranked in the top 6% for best public education high schools in the country by Newsweek.

On July 1, 2011, William Fish became the new principal of Norwell High School, replacing Matthew Keegan, who had been serving the school since 2006. Toward the end of the 1980s, Norwell High School lowered their grading system, as the numbers were higher than standard grading systems. For example, a final grade of 82 was a C+ versus a B−. The school's staff includes nine cafeteria workers and six custodians.

The school offers a wide array of academic courses in several departments. Students are required to take four years of English, History, Mathematics and Science courses. Students are required to take at least three years of a Foreign Language. Some students complete their first year of foreign language while in middle school, so they only have to complete two years at NHS; some choose to take their fourth and fifth year of a language and continue these courses into college. Students are required to take at least two years of Health/Physical Education. They may also take other courses, including classes in art, music and technology, as seen below. • Course name — Notes • English — Freshmen, sophomores and juniors take classes involving American and World Literature. Seniors may choose from English classes including a class on the study of Shakespeare's work, a creative writing class, Nonfiction, Adolescent in Literature and two AP courses. • Social Studies — Classes include World History, US History (including AP), European History (including AP), Psychology (including AP), Economics, Law, Gender/Race/Class, American Government (AP), The Holocaust and Human Behavior, and Modern War. • Mathematics — Classes include Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Statistics and Discrete Mathematics (including AP), Calculus (including AP) and Problem Solving. • Science — For science, freshmen take Biology. NHS also offers an AP course for biology that students may take after freshman year. Sophomores are required to take Chemistry. NHS offers an AP course for chemistry that students may take after their sophomore year. Juniors are required to take Physics. NHS offers an AP class for students to take after their junior year. Seniors are allowed to choose a science class, including Anatomy, Astronomy, Marine Biology and Renewable Energy. • Foreign Language — NHS offers four languages, which, as of 2015, are Arabic, Spanish, French and Latin. There are AP course offerings in each and courses specializing in Vergil, Horace and Catullus. • Art — Studio Art (Art 1, Art 2, Art 3, AP Studio Art: 2D design or 3D design). When students reach a certain level in their art studies they are allowed to paint a painting on a wall located somewhere in the school. The school also offers digital photography classes and a film class. • Music — NHS offers students Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, mixed Chorus, Jazz Ensemble, and Jazz Workshop. The ensembles usually perform at four to five major concerts a year, on special occasions including graduation, and dozens of other events each year in the community. • PE/Health — Students are required to take two years of Health/Physical Education. They can then choose from other Physical Education classes, such as Strength Training, Lifetime Activities, Yoga, Pilates and Lifetime Fitness. • Applied Technology — Classes include Publications and Presentations, Web Design, Computer Animation, Computer Repair, TV Studio, Robotics, CAD, Engineering the Future and Building Construction. • Special Education — Skills Program, Direct Academic Instruction, Life Skills, Work Experience, Life Skills Reading, Content Area Reading • Theater — No acting classes are currently offered at NHS, but there is an extracurricular theatre program, the Fourth Wall Players, directed by Samantha Kelly. In 2009, the school began Arabic classes after teachers requested them. As of 2015, 25 students take Arabic I, and 10 take Arabic II. As of 2015 few other high schools in Massachusetts offer Arabic.

The school's sports programs include: • Sport — Notes • Baseball — Boys' JV, boys' varsity • Basketball — Boys' freshman team, boys' JV, boys' varsity / girls' freshman team, girls' JV, girls' varsity • Cheerleading — Girls' game team, girls' competition team • Cross country — Boys' JV, boys' varsity / girls' JV, girls' varsity • Field hockey — Girls' JV, girls' varsity • Football — Boys' freshman team, boys' JV, boys' varsity • Golf — Boys' JV, boys' varsity • Gymnastics — Girls' varsity • Hockey — Boys' JV, boys' varsity / girls' varsity • EASHL — Varsity, JV • Lacrosse — Boys' freshman, boys' JV, boys' varsity / girls' freshman, girls' JV, girls' varsity • Skiing — Boys' & girls' co-ed varsity & JV • Spring track and field — Boys & girls' co-ed • Soccer — Boys' JV, boys' varsity, boys' freshman / girls' JV, girls' varsity, girls' freshman • Softball — Girls' JV, girls' varsity • Swimming and diving — Boys' & girls' co-ed • Tennis — Boys' JV, boys' varsity / girls' JV, girls' varsity • Volleyball — Girls' varsity, girls' JV • Winter track and field — Boys' & girls' co-ed • Wrestling — Boys' & girls' co-ed In 2014, Norwell added two synthetic turf fields and a track and field facility to their athletic complex.

The school includes clubs and activities, including: • ADL (Anti-Defamation League Club) • AFS & International Club • BioSTEM Club • Book Club • Clip Notes • Club and Activity Clearance form • Environmental Club • Film Club • Global Citizenship • Halyard literary & arts magazine • Investment Club • JSA (Junior Statesmen of America) • Latin Club • LEAD • Math Team • Medical Careers Club • Mock Trial • National Honor Society • Norwell Navigator ewspaper • Norwell Volunteer Corps • Peer Education • Pep Band • Robotics • SADD • Student Government • Theater - 4th Wall Players • Yearbook

• Name — Graduation — Notable for • Jennifer Coolidge — Class of 1979 — Emmy Award-winning actress, The White Lotus, American Pie, Click, For Your Consideration • Jeff Corwin — Class of 1985 — Host of The Jeff Corwin Experience and Corwin's Quest on Animal Planet; often visits Norwell to help at the Norwell Science Center • Susan Tedeschi — Class of 1988 — Blues and soul singer; received Grammy nominations in 2000, 2003, and 2007 • Laura Wilson — Class of 1957 — Photographer; mother of actors Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson