Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School

Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School is a public high school in the Westphalia census-designated place in unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, with an Upper Marlboro postal address.[1][2] A part of the Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS), it opened in the fall of 2006.[3]

Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School
Address
12650 Brooke Lane,
Upper Marlboro, Maryland

20772

United States
Coordinates38°49′59″N 76°47′16″W
Information
School typePublic, high school
Founded2006
School districtPrince George's County Public Schools
NCES District ID2400510
SuperintendentMonica Goldson
NCES School ID240051001542
PrincipalTaryn Washington (in 2023)
Staff128 (FTE)[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment2,208 (2021–2022[1])
Student to teacher ratio17.25[1]
CampusSuburban
Color(s)Blue and Yellow   
NicknamePumas
Feeder schoolsStephen Decatur Middle School
Drew-Freeman Middle School
James Madison Middle School
Walker Mill Middle School
Websitewww.pgcps.org/drhenrywisejr/
[1]

About

Its namesake was Henry A. Wise Jr., the first African-American doctor admitted to practice at Prince George's Hospital and a Tuskegee Airman.[3] Taryn Washington is the principal in 2023.[4]

In 2022, Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School has a 98.1% minority enrollment, the majority of students are Black.[5] In 2022, some 48% of students are economically disadvantaged.[5]

History

The total amount of money spent to build the school was $91.8 million, including $6.9 million for the gymnasium.[6] During the design process, PGCPS Chief of Schools Andre J. Hornsby successfully campaigned for the school district to add $6.5 million to the funding for the gym even though some of the members of the PG County Council believed that existing campuses should get the money for refurbishments.[2]

The school was scheduled to open in fall 2006, with 112 teachers and 1,900 students in grades 9-11. Monica Goldson was the schools first principal.[2]

From circa 2011 to 2014, the percentage of 9th grade students held back in grade declined by 15%.[3] In 2014 the Steve Harvey Neighborhood Awards gave Wise High the best high school award; the award winner is determined by a vote among a group of people.[3]

Safety issues

In 2021, a family sued Prince George's County Schools over their handling of an alleged campus sexual assault between a developmentally disabled 14 year old girl and six boys.[7] The sexual assault was filmed and shared on social media, further causing trauma.[7]

In January 2023, a Wise High teacher 'inadvertently' sent sexually explicit photos to students, and action was taken by the administration to retract the message.[4][8]

Campus

The school is on Brooke Lane, between Brown Station Road and Ritchie Marlboro Road,[2] in the Westphalia census-designated place in unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland, with an Upper Marlboro postal address.[1][9]

The campus had a cost of $92 million; the 55-acre (22 ha) campus includes a main building with 432,579 square feet (40,187.9 m2) of space.[2] The school has three computer laboratories, three lecture halls, and a greenhouse. Nick Anderson of The Washington Post wrote that many of the aspects of the design of Wise's campus were similar to that of Charles H. Flowers High School; he wrote that Wise's campus "far surpasses the other 21 major high school campuses in the county" and that only the Flowers main building "comes close to the quality of" the Wise high main building.[2]

The school also has the largest gymnasium of any non-university school in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. The gymnasium has a capacity of 5,000 seats, making it the largest of any PGCPS school; the gym's second floor has a running track.[2] The attached parking lot has 525 spaces as of 2012. In 2012 The Washington Post reported that area community members complained that the parking lot was too small for use for major events; there was a desire to have the Wise gymnasium used for such events so the county government would not have to rent venues of similar sizes, and therefore spend less money.[6] The students also have an auxiliary gym as well as rooms for cardio fitness, aerobics, weights, and dance; the dance room has mirrors.[2]

The fine and performing arts facilities include a black box theater, a performing arts center with 950 seats, and a room for vocal music; Nick Anderson of The Washington Post stated that the acoustic system in the performing arts center is "similar to the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda."[2]

Communities served

The school serves:[10] much of Westphalia CDP,[9] the towns of Upper Marlboro and Morningside,[11][12] a section of the city of District Heights,[13] the CDPs of Marlboro Meadows,[14] Marlboro Village,[15] Melwood,[16] and Queenland,[17] and portions of the Brock Hall,[18] Camp Springs,[19] Clinton,[20] Croom,[21] Forestville,[22] Kettering,[23] and Rosaryville CDPs.[24] In addition it serves the base housing of Joint Base Andrews/Andrews Air Force Base and the associated Andrews AFB CDP.[25] It serves sections of the former Greater Upper Marlboro CDP.[26]

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High (2021–2022 school year)". National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES).
  2. Anderson, Nick (2006-09-16). "A Brand-New Start at Wise High". The Washington Post. p. 1. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
  3. Wiggins, Ovetta (2014-09-12). "Wise High School receives 'Best High School' award from Steve Harvey". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
  4. "Wise High School teacher 'inadvertently' sent sexually explicit photos to students". FOX 5 DC. 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  5. "Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School (2020–2021)". U.S. News & World Report. 2022.
  6. Wagner, Erich (2012-03-21). "Host of plans for Wise High School curbed". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
  7. Fleischer, Jodie; Leslie, Katie; Jones, Steve; Piper, Jeff (May 25, 2021). "Family Suing Prince George's County Schools Over Handling of Alleged Campus Sexual Assault". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  8. "Wise High School employee 'inadvertently' sends sexually explicit photos to students". WJLA 7News. 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  9. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Westphalia CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 27, 2018. Pages: 1, 2, 3, and 4.
  10. "NEIGHBORHOOD HIGH SCHOOLS AND BOUNDARIES SCHOOL YEAR 2018-2019." Prince George's County Public Schools. Retrieved on August 26, 2018.
  11. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Upper Marlboro town, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 27, 2018.
  12. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Morningside town, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 29, 2018. Pages: 1 and 2.
  13. "Boundary Map." District Heights. Retrieved on March 1, 2018.
  14. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Marlboro Meadows CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 28, 2018. Pages: 1 and 2.
  15. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Marlboro Village CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 27, 2018. Pages: 1, 2, and 3.
  16. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Melwood CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on September 2, 2018. Pages: 1, 2.
  17. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Queenland CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 28, 2018.
  18. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Brock Hall CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 28, 2018. Pages: 1, 2, 3, and 4.
  19. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Camp Springs CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 29, 2018. p. 1 and 2.
  20. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Clinton CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 26, 2018. Pages: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Note the size of the census-designated place was previously smaller. 2000 Index Map: Pages 1, 2, 3, and 4. 1990 Maps of Prince George's County (Index) show Clinton on pages 28, 29, 34, and 35.
  21. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Croom CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 28, 2018. Pages: 1, 2, 3, and 4.
  22. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Forestville CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 29, 2018. Pages: 1 and 2.
  23. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Kettering CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 28, 2018. Pages: 1 and 2.
  24. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Rosaryville CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on September 2, 2018. The CDP previously had a different shape: "CENSUS 2000 BLOCK MAP: ROSARYVILLE CDP" with pages 1 and 2. The 1990 U.S. Census Bureau map for Prince George's County (index map) shows Rosaryville CDP on pages 23, 29, 30, and 35.
  25. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Andrews AFB CDP, MD." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on September 2, 2018. Pages: 1 and 2.
  26. "CENSUS 2000 BLOCK MAP: GREATER UPPER MARLBORO CDP." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 27, 2018. Pages: 1, 2, 3, and 4. 1990 U.S. Census maps of Prince George's County (index map) show Greater Upper Marlboro on pages: 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, and 31.
  27. Abedje, Tadi (2021-06-09). "Ryan Smith on his Journey from the DMV to Super Bowl Champion". Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  28. Flum, Alex (February 11, 2023). "Zach Pascal is second Wise graduate to play in Super Bowl". DC News Now.
  29. "Player Profiles: Marcus Allen". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
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