Needham High School

Students in Needham participate in athletic activities throughout the school year. Needham High School is a member of the Bay State Conference of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association and Needham competes with other towns in the state. The schools colors are gold, navy blue and white.[4] The Needham High School mascot is a rocket, chosen in the 1950s based on Cold War tensions.[5] Prior to that, the school's mascot was a pansy, based on the town flower.

• Football (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Boys' and Girls' soccer (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Field hockey (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Girls' volleyball (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Girls' swimming and diving (Varsity, JV)
• Cross country (Varsity, JV)
• Cheerleading (Varsity, Club)
• Golf (Varsity)
• Dance (Varsity, Club)

• Boys' and Girls' Hockey (Varsity, JV)
• Boys' Swimming (Varsity)
• Boys' and Girls' Indoor Track (Varsity, JV)
• Ski Team (Varsity, JV)
• Boys' & Girls' Basketball (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Cheerleading (Varsity, Club)
• Gymnastics (Varsity, JV)
• Wrestling (Varsity, JV)
• Squash (Club)

• Lacrosse (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Baseball (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Softball (Varsity, JV, Freshman)
• Tennis (Varsity, JV)
• Spring Track
• Boys' Volleyball (Varsity, JV)
• Boys' Rugby (Varsity, JV)

The Ultimate Team was founded in 2001. It was ranked 9th in the country in 2004, 7th in 2007, and again 7th in 2010. The team beat Amherst Regional High School March 24, 2007, ending ARHS' 4 year long win streak dating back to April 2003. The State Finals of Needham vs. ARHS in 2007 was named by the Ultimate Players Association as the best State Finals ever played because of an epic collapse by The Rockets. Needham took an early lead and held it throughout the game until reaching 11–8, but preceded to fold to a strong Amherst side which stormed back with a 6–1 run to win 14–12. The team reached the UPA High School Eastern Championships in 2007(T-3), 2009(T-7), 2010 (2nd), and 2011 (T-7). In both 2012 and 2013, the team came in second place at the USAU Northeasterns Championship losing to Amherst 13–2 and then Lexington 8–6. In 2013, the team beat ARHS in the semi-finals of the MA State Championship but lost again to Lexington, 11–9 in a rematch of the USAU Northeasterns Championship. The team is coached by alumni from the 2004 team, Dan Hourigan and Jimmy Foster, but throughout the fall and pre-spring seasons it is largely student run and directed. There is also a B-team which plays locally and Girls' Team formed in the spring of 2009.

The Needham Rugby team was established in 2007 by a group of male and female students interested in forming a rugby club at the high school. For the first year of the program, the club was only able to field a partial girls side, however since then, the program has grown and includes over 40 active members on the boys' roster. The boys' rugby team will be entering their sixth year as a Varsity sport, competing in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA). The boys' rugby club participates in the Division 1 Conference against BC High, St. Johns Prep, Bishop Hendricken, Xaverian, and Belmont High School. The girls' team that once folded is now trying to rebuild and establish themselves in the 2015 spring season as a club team. The head coach of the boys' team is Joshua Yankell. Joshua played Club Rugby for Brandeis University. He is a Rugby Certified Referee.

The football team is known as the Rockets. The school continues to participate in the oldest public high school rivalry in the nation, between Needham and Wellesley. The game is played every Thanksgiving and began in 1882 when Wellesley player Arthur Judson Oldman challenged the Needham team. The game was played at Wellesley's Morton Field and had little in common with modern football. The rivalry has continued uninterrupted since the event, with Wellesley maintaining the slight edge, 61–59–9. The Thanksgiving game of 2015, played at Fenway Park, resulted in the Rockets winning against the Raiders. The final score was 12–7.[6]

The Dance Team was formed in 2017 and was recognized as a Varsity Sport as opposed to a Club team sometime around the 2022-2023 school year. The team performs at football and basketball home games during halftime. In 2003 they came in first place at a National Competition in Orlando, Florida, and got to perform their routine before the Outback Bowl in front of 17,000 people. In 2009, the Dance Team won the state title, beating out fellow Bay State Conference rival Braintree.[7] The Dance Team recently took home 1st place in both the 2011 Bay State conference as well as the 2011 State competition, once again beating out fellow rival Braintree. Needham High School frequently sends students to District, All-State, and All-National music festivals each year.

The school has around 120 extracurricular clubs and activities[8]. The school newspaper was established in 1957 and is titled The Hilltopper. The Four Square Club is the current world record-holder for the longest continuous four square game.[9] The Robotics Club, consisting of four FIRST Tech Challenge teams: the HackHers, T-10, Delta V, and Liquid Oxygen, frequently reach state competitions. Delta V has not been active since sometime before 2021. T-10 attended the Australian invitational competition in 2014, and advanced to super-regional competition in the 2015-2016 season. The math team participates in GBML (Greater Boston Mathematics League)[10] and other competitions. Needham High School's extracurricular organizations are coordinated by faculty advisors, although they have are led by student-elected officials and are largely run by said students.

Classes are offered in French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Latin.[11] The foreign language program offers beginning courses in all the languages as well as logical continuation sequences from the middle school language programs. French, Spanish, and Mandarin courses extend from introductory levels to Advanced Placement courses. A program called INDEX, short for independent exploration, allows high-ability and highly motivated students to pursue languages or levels which are not offered.

The science department offers a laboratory-based science curriculum. The departmental sequence in science consists of biology in ninth grade, physics in tenth grade, chemistry in eleventh grade, and Advanced Placement and elective courses in the twelfth grade. AP courses are offered in chemistry, biology, and physics. Science elective courses offered at Needham High School include Environmental Science, 20th Century Physics, Marine Biology, Introduction to Astronomy, and Anatomy and Physiology.[11]

The social studies department requires students to complete a three-year sequence including World History (9th grade), World and American History (10th grade), and an American History course (11th grade). The social studies department also offers a several elective majors, available for junior and senior students. These include Psychology and Sociology, Economics, the World Since 1945, American Legal System, and Chinese Traditions. The department offers three advanced placement courses: AP United States History, AP United States Government, and AP Psychology.[11]

The mathematics department requires students to complete a three-year sequence including Algebra II (9th grade), Geometry (10th grade), and a pre-calculus (11th grade). Alternatively, students can complete the Algebra I (9th grade), Geometry (10th grade), and Algebra II (11th grade) sequence. AP level courses include AP Calculus AB and BC, and AP Statistics. In addition, Computer Science courses are offered at the introductory and AP levels. In 2013 an introductory robotics class was added as well.[11]

Along with elective fine arts courses in architectural design, graphic design, ceramics, photography, production printing, the school offers a four-year art sequence. Additionally, the school offers several courses in the performing arts, such as Orchestra and Chorus. Certain music courses at Needham High Schools, such as Concert Chorale and Jazz Ensemble require an audition and have practices and rehearsals after school; additionally, there is an after-school chorus course for students who are not able to take chorus during the day. The Fine and Performing Arts department offers two Advanced Placement courses: AP Music Theory and AP Studio Art. Certain courses (particularly the second, third, and fourth-year courses) in the art sequence, as well as the AP Music Theory course, are weighted into a student's GPA. As a graduation requirement, Needham High School requires that students complete the equivalent of two full year art courses.[11]

As a graduation requirement, students must earn two community classroom credits. Students may earn one credit by either completing thirty hours of community service or alternatively by at least twelve hours of work per week for one semester during the school year. Community service opportunities include volunteer service as well as internships. Only one credit may be earned through work experience.