Maplewood High School

PROUD PROWLING PANTHERS

Historical Background

Maplewood High School opened its doors in 1956 to a community that had a long-standing desire for a school. It is located barely one-fourth mile east of Nashville’s historic Dickerson Road and borders on Ellington Parkway on the west. The school faces Maplewood Lane from which it derived its name and sits on land once owned by Jere Baxter (1852-1904), a prominent Nashvillian who was both a strong supporter of public education and an entrepreneur. Where horse-drawn surreys and carriages once traveled down the lane to the home Maplewood, today, shiny automobiles and yellow school buses make their way on the same lane to Maplewood Comprehensive High School.

Maplewood originally opened with 13 teachers and 404 students enrolled in grades 7 and 8 and continued to increase with a grade each year. By 1961-62 the enrollment had reached 1468; that spring 84 students comprised of 51 girls and 33 boys were in the first graduation. The school grew rapidly because of the development of residential subdivisions including Gra-Mar, Hillhurst, Bellshire, Oak Valley, Shepherdwood, Kemper Heights, Haynes Heights, Haynes Manor, Parkwood, and Trinity Hills. In the meantime, zone changes and the construction of Ewing Park School also influenced enrollment. Another transition occurred when East High School was closed. In the spring of 2003, enrollment increased at Maplewood by nearly 300 students as a result of re-zoning two feeder schools. This re-zoning pattern still remains. In addition, a small English Language Learner student population was transferred from Maplewood to another high school.

At the beginning of 2005-2006, a guidance counselor, an attendance officer, and a social worker were new personnel additions. Other changes included a new head coach, a librarian, and two new assistant principals, one of whom had been a teacher at the school. Significantly, a new executive principal was welcomed, the eighth person to serve in this position in half a century had been assigned to Maplewood. The number and variety of trophies on display, the students who have received outstanding and unique recognitions as identified in the yearbooks, and the success of many of its graduates reflect a school environment that has enriched the lives of many students. More recently Maplewood has faced challenges, especially the graduation rate, not uncommon to some public high schools across the nation and will require much effort to overcome. Test scores indicate in some areas that progress is being made as the school moves forward and expects to show continued improvement.

Facilities

Maplewood High School is situated on nearly 47 (46.98) acres of gently rolling pristine acres and the close surroundings appear more rural than urban. Presently the two-story building with a lower floor (basement) underneath one wing has 566,280 square feet of floor area. Additions were made to the original building in 1959, 1960, 1970, and 1988. The second building, which is connected by a breezeway and referred to as the vocational addition, was built in 1978. This addition includes 55,505 square feet, and it was at this time that Maplewood High School became Maplewood Comprehensive High School. During the summer of 2006, extensive carpentry, masonry, and plumbing work has been done for the building to be in compliance with the American Disabilities Act.

Other characteristics of the building are a concrete foundation, flat roof, gas-fired heating, and fluorescent lighting. The walls, both exterior and interior, are primarily brick, concrete blocks, and some tiles. The total student capacity is 1500+, and the buildings have 33 restrooms, 25 water fountains, 54 classrooms, two gymnasia, cafeteria seating for 250, and auditorium seating for 450. The classrooms used for laboratories and/or work areas are designed to promote student hands-on activities and creative learning experiences. An inviting entrance, comfortable halls, a well-equipped clinic, adequate office space, a user-friendly spacious library housing an average of about 12 books per student, computer centers with 1 computer for every 4 students, and adequate parking facilities are among other amenities. During the spring and summer of 2004, a 3-COM NBX voice over Internet Protocol [telephone] system and Chancery, a student information system [computer] were installed. The main objectives are to improve and enhance school-wide communication, and to provide efficient parental access to pertinent information and student progress. Painting, some new carpeting, and cosmetic work have been done which greatly enhance the appearance of the facility. A new wall has been constructed between two classrooms that teachers believe to be most beneficial.