DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOL

STEPHEN DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL 

Stephen Decatur High School is the largest of the county’s three high schools, serving as a regional school for all of northern Worcester County. The school is located approximately one mile east of Berlin on U.S. Route 50 East. Keep driving and you’ll hit the ocean.

Since its opening day, Stephen Decatur High School has been seen as an institution with a progressive vision. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Ocean City had its own high school located at 2nd Street and Baltimore Avenue. Berlin, too, had a high school, Buckingham, located in town on Buckingham Road. Two other high schools in Worcester County were Snow Hill and Pocomoke. A fifth high school, Worcester, educated African-American students.

Education leaders were becoming interested in consolidation. This was a progressive idea and not without its detractors.  As the county sought to consolidate the high schools from Berlin and Ocean City, there was initial resistance from both communities. But the vision of a large, dynamic school able to broaden its curriculum and offer more to its students won the day. Construction on a new school began. The building would stand on land that had once been the Harrison Orchards, home of the Hale peach, developed by local farmer and entrepreneur Hale Harrison. Dedicated on December 5, 1954, SDHS would begin the task of uniting the many communities of northern Worcester County and  would dedicate itself to the same drive, ambition, and hard work that produced the exquisite Hale peach. 

Beginning as a junior-senior high school, Stephen Decatur served grades seven through twelve. Anticipated problems resulting from consolidation did not materialize. SDHS was on its way. In 1970, Worcester County saw the end of segregation and SDHS welcomed
African-American students from Worcester High School.  Once again, the transition was a relatively easy one. Though there were periodic tensions, Worcester’s students quickly
adjusted to Stephen Decatur High School and Stephen Decatur quickly adjusted to its new student population. There was none of the public discord here that marked the movement toward integration in many other areas of the nation. SDHS accomplished its backgrounds. From the outset, SDHS has been a school long on compassion and caring. 

By the 1970s, the school was beginning to see steady population growth. Double shifts were being run to accommodate the growing number of seventh to twelfth graders. A middle school was planned and its construction begun.  SDHS was restructured for grades nine through twelve. The moving of grades seven and eight to Berlin Middle School did not solve the growing problem of inadequate space, however. A rapidly expanding student population demanded more. A renovation plan was introduced.

In 1955, there were 30 teachers; by the 1970s, there were more than fifty. The much needed renovation increased the 1950s-era building to an expanded 145,690 square feet of classrooms, labs, and offices. The school was enhanced by a much expanded library, a
foreign language lab, a greatly improved auditorium, and even a drama room with a raised stage.

As the student population at SDHS continued to grow and the diversity of the student population increased, educators were working diligently to keep abreast of changing ideas in the field of education. The progressive idea that built Stephen Decatur High School had taken root and the teachers who came to work here became noted as a faculty
with a progressive vision.

Today there are more than 112 full-time professionals; and a total staff of more than 150.  The first graduating class numbered 70; by the 1970s more than a hundred students per class were graduating. The class of 2006 graduated 301 students.
 
In 1994, responding to an increased demand for curricular and instructional reform, SDHS adopted the four period day or ninety-minute block schedule. Classes would change at the end of a semester and students would enroll in four more courses.  This change provided students the opportunity to graduate in less than the traditional four years. It also allowed for a broadening of both curriculum and teaching strategies. Curricular offerings became diverse to reflect the needs of academic, arts-oriented, and vocational/technical students.

The northern end of Worcester County is experiencing significant growth, placing demands on the facility and the curriculum in meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse community. Central to the mission of Stephen Decatur High School is the provision of a rigorous, sequential, and balanced curriculum for all students in order that they may become  responsible lifelong learners and productive citizens.  This is to be accomplished through instructional excellence in partnership with family and community in a safe, caring, well-maintained environment.

A diverse curriculum offers students the opportunity to obtain career/technical skills or pursue courses toward preparation for college and post-secondary education.  In all core academic disciplines, courses are sequenced to meet the stratified abilities of the students.
Students are encouraged, however, to challenge themselves. Advanced placement courses are offered in English, mathematics, science, history, foreign language, psychology and art.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SCHOOL PROGRAMS 

SMALLER LEARNING COMMUNITIES

The Stephen Decatur High School Smaller Learning Communities Program focuses on improving the performance of and raising the academic achievement level of all students. The staff is committed to ensuring that all students attain the strong academic knowledge and skills necessary for future success in post-secondary education and adult life.

The two primary goals of the program are: (1) To raise expectations and academic achievement for all students at Stephen Decatur High School by implementing Smaller Learning Communities throughout the school; (2) To create small, safe, and personalized learning environments at Stephen Decatur High School through Smaller Learning Communities (page 20 of the Implementation Grant).

The restructuring of curriculum, course offerings, and scheduling practices to enable students to take more rigorous courses, especially in the areas of math, science, English, and social studies are on-going.  The goals of the program are to (1) promote high expectations for all students, not just some, (2) motivate all students to excel, not just some, and (3) teach all students, not just some, what they will need to become productive workers, and responsible citizens and family members in an increasingly complex world.  The basic philosophy of the Smaller Learning Communities program is to promote high academic standards by adding rigor to all courses and to individualize and personalize learning for all students.

FINE ARTS PROGRAM

The fine arts program at Stephen Decatur High School includes the fine arts and the performing arts.  The visual arts program offers substantial variety with courses in Advanced Placement Art, crafts, and photography, as well as studio art.  New studio-classrooms offer excellent facilities enhanced by a large, well-designed, state-of-the-art darkroom.
           
The music program features both instrumental and choral instruction.  The band program features a marching band, concert band, and jazz band.  The choral music program allows students to participate in concert or show choir.  Both programs are award- winning and offer numerous performance opportunities for student participants.  In addition, courses in music theory and the history of music are also offered.

The theater program is also an active program, with both Introduction to Theater and Theater Production producing shows for public audiences.  Introduction to Theater focuses on the study of theater history, as well as basic instruction in acting and technical theater.  This introductory class prepares three shows for performance.  The Theater Production class concentrates on production and performance.  Students produce four shows a year, beginning with an annual children’s theater that is now in its  30th year. Last year’s children’s theater was seen by an audience of more than 9,000. The year ends with a production of a Shakespearean play in an outdoor courtyard theater built and maintained by the Theater Department. The Theater Department has excellent facilities, including three theaters ~ a mainstage (proscenium arch), a Black Box Theater, and the Gladys C. Burbage Courtyard Theater. In addition, large dressing rooms, a commodious wardrobe, and well-equipped stagecraft room offer excellent spaces for theater instruction.

 CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT

Seniors who are on track for graduation may take classes for college credit at neighboring universities or colleges for part of the school day.  Historically, students have enjoyed the opportunity to attend college during their senior year through concurrent enrollment at  Wor-Wic Community College and Salisbury University. Students must pass all diagnostic tests to be eligible for concurrent enrollment.  Students must meet the following additional requirements:

1. be at least 16 years of age
2. have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and an attendance rate of 94 %
3. be enrolled in a Worcester County Public High School
4. be certified as meeting all eligibility requirements
5. have successfully completed Algebra II
6. take four major subjects during the senior year
7. have written request from a parent or guardian

EXTRACURRICULAR AND CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Stephen Decatur High School has a wide array of extracurricular and co-curricular activities ranging from academic to athletic in nature.  Club activities include American Field Service (Student Exchange Program), Band, Band Front/Colorguard, Drama, Future Business Leaders of America, Future Homemakers of America, Legal Intern Program, Newspaper, Student Government, Yearbook, Future Educators of America, Art Club, Future Medical Professionals, and Key Club. 

Athletically, Stephen Decatur fields over 38 teams: 16 fall season, 10 winter season, 12 spring season.  Approximately 692 athletes participated in competition on these teams during the 2005-2006 school year Inter-scholastic teams which are fielded include:  varsity football, JV football, varsity men’s soccer, JV men’s soccer, varsity women’s soccer, JV women’s soccer, cross country- men, cross country-women, co-ed JV and varsity golf, varsity field hockey, JV field hockey, varsity volleyball, JV volleyball, varsity cheerleaders, JV cheerleaders, varsity men’s basketball, JV men’s basketball, varsity women’s basketball, indoor track-men, indoor track-women, varsity wrestling, JV wrestling, varsity baseball, JV baseball, varsity softball, JV softball, JV men’s lacrosse, varsity men’s lacrosse, JV women’s lacrosse, varsity women’s lacrosse outdoor track-men, outdoor track-women.