Spangdahlem HS History
Opened: 2017
OPEN
Mascot: Sentinels
School Colors:Orange/Black
Configuration: Grades 9–12
School Motto: Sentinels Preparing to be Highly Successful
Spangdahlem High School is in the beautiful Eifel Region of Germany. It is a small high school, 150-160 students, which resides on Spangdahlem Air Base. The school opened for instruction in a temporary facility in 2017. The opening occurred about a year following the closure of nearby Bitburg High School. Spangdahlem High School is about eighteen miles from Trier, a city thought to be the oldest in Germany. It is also a short distance from the Mosel River, the picturesque villages along its banks, and the beautiful vineyards along the hillside. All are attractive destinations for students and their families. Mr. Jerry Ashby was the first-year principal.
The theme of the first-year school yearbook was “Make Our Own Mark.” The appropriateness of the theme was related to the opening of the school in the shadow of the closed Bitburg High School.
2017-18 school year clubs and activities:
- Creative Connection
- National Honor Society
- Student Conciliation
- Yearbook
- Educators Rising
- Culinary Arts
- JROTC
- FBLA
- Drama
- Art and Photography
- Student Council
- Avid
- Video Comm
- Model United Nations
2017-18 school year sports teams:
- Tennis
- Cross Country
- Football
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
- Track and Field
- Soccer
- Baseball
Students at the new school experienced their first Homecoming Dance at the Club Eifel. The theme for the evening affair was, “A Whole New World.”
School Year 2018-19
The theme of the 2018-19 yearbook was “Small School, Big Dreams”. In this, their second school year, the students desired to exhibit more of an identity as Spangdahlem Sentinels as opposed to the Bitburg Barons. During the initial school year, a few of the sport teams, due to a shortage of uniforms, had to wear old Bitburg Baron uniforms. On occasion some still referred to them as the Bitburg Barons.
- School clubs added the second school year included Student2Student and Choir.
- Added activities were STEMposium and the International Student Leadership Institute (ISLI).
- The Drama Club’s first performance was “Into the Woods”.
- The new sports teams were Golf and Marksmanship.
- The girls’ basketball team played in the championship round. Considering that many of the girls had played in four straight championships as Bitburg Barons, this meant a total of five championships played.
- The Spangdahlem varsity cheerleaders won the Spirit Award for Division 3 and placed second in the Division 3 competition.
A newly constructed school opened on January 30, 2020. It was the first 21st century school in Europe West Region. In honor of the history of the air base, neighborhoods within the school were named Sabre, Phantom, Eagle, and Falcon—names of the planes that flew and were maintained on the base. The official dedication of the school was held on September 17, 2021.
School Year 2019-20
Spangdahlem High School closed on March 16, 2020, due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus and moved to online learning. The first online class was held on March 19. Homecoming activities were held even though the football season was canceled. Spirit week activities, held virtually, included Fun Hat Day, (Distant) Twin Day, Costume Day, and School Colors Day. Through the involvement of the local Command, school administration, staff, and parents of the graduating class, with protocols in place, were able to have an in-person graduation. The graduation, held in a hangar, was closed to the public. Parents were required to stay in their cars.
Graduation-related Activities:
- Teachers put together senior treat bags that were delivered, by two teachers, to each senior’s home.
- Banners hung at the Exchange.
- Senior portraits lined the main road on the base.
- Stateside friends and family watched graduation live on Facebook.
- AFN televised graduation.
Sports:
- The girls’ volleyball team was undefeated and took first place in their division.
- The school’s first 6-man football team went undefeated and won the championship of their division.
- The girls’ basketball team was undefeated.
- The school won five championships during the 2019-2020 school year.
School Activities:
- School Spirit Week include Pajama Day, Vsco Girl Day, and 80s Day.
- Drama production Burglars, Bunglers and Neighborhood Thieves.
- Video Club created videos for the Technology Fair, participated in a ten-day tech challenge, and established partnerships with airmen at AFN.
- Robotics Club participated in their first Tech Challenge.
- JROTC cadets attended the ceremony in Luxembourg for the 75th anniversary of Luxembourg’s liberation.
- Model United Nations (MUN) students participated in MUN activities at Alconbury High School, Alconbury, England.
School Year 2020-21
Students returned to the school building with Covid-19 protocols in place. The seniors gathered on the school football field at 6:30 A.M on the Friday before the first day of the new school year to watch the sunrise on their Senior Year. With a few exceptions, all sports and other school-related activities were cancelled for the year.
- Homecoming Week was held without a football season.
- Spirit week consisted of:
- Decades Day where students dressed up in 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, attire.
- Pajama Day
- Homecoming
Other school activities:
- Halloween dress-up day.
- Middle and high school AFJROTB assembled on Veterans Day to honor veterans for their service.
- National Honor Society (NHS)
- In celebration of National Education Week, members of the NHS created personalized masks for all high school staff members, including the non-teaching staff.
- Returning from remote learning in February students were greeted with welcome back “H20” and “Happy to See You” bottles.
School Year 2021-22
The school year began with some sense of normalcy. The new school was finally dedicated. A highlight of the year was the visit by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ cheerleaders, who spent time working with the Spangdahlem cheerleaders.
The principal as of this writing, March 16, 2023, is Dr. Anneliese Hyde.