Menwith Hill ES/HS (formerly Harrogate American School, K–8) History
Opened: 1972
Closed: 2015
Menwith Hill Elementary/High school was originally known as Harrogate American School. Harrogate American School was located at Menwith Hill Station about seven miles from the city of Harrogate.
The school was originally opened in 1972. It was composed of converted barracks and four porta-cabins. As well as classrooms, the facility consisted of a library, audio/visual room, lunchroom, kitchen, primary playground, woodworking shop, science laboratory, sick room, two staff rooms plus the offices, and storage rooms. Students used play areas adjacent to the school, the base gymnasium, and the Harrogate swimming pool for physical education classes. The school was renovated and expanded in 1985 and added to in 1993. The facility then included ten classrooms, media center, and multipurpose room.
The school mascot was the Mustang, and the school colors were red and white.
The enrollment for the school was between 100 and 150 students in grades kindergarten through eight. In the 1988-89 school year the ninth grade was included. Normally, there were five to seven teachers, a principal, and a learning disabilities teacher. Most classes were combination classes. French was a curriculum offering during the mid-nineties.
A high school was added to Menwith Hill for the 1998-99 school year. Dr. Thomas Smith was the principal and David Morris was the assistant principal. The school was now called Menwith Hill Elementary and High School. The additional four grades added seventy-five students to the enrollment. The high school program included a full extracurricular program with sports, drama, Model United Nations, Model Senate, and participation in regional and district programs such as the annual Speech and Drama Festival.
The administrative team for 2003–2005 were principal Eugene Perillo and assistant principal Rhonda Spruiell. A full athletic program included football, cross country, girls’ volleyball, cheerleaders for fall and winter, boys’ and girls’ basketball, wrestling, track and field, and boys’ and girls’ soccer. Later, girls’ softball was added. The school’s football team were the 2005 Division III North Champions. Extracurricular activities included drama, chorus, band, student council, National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, karate, Future Teachers of America, and the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. A preschool developmental program was added in the 2000s.
By the 2005-06 school year, the school enrollment was over 325 with 200 students in the middle/high school (grades six through twelve). The technology curricular program included courses in video production, computer animation, web design, and 3D design. Les Bryan became the principal for the 2007-08 school year and Rhonda Spruiell continued as assistant principal. By the 2009-10 school year, the enrollment had dropped to 260 students in preschool through twelfth grade.
The school was closed in 2015.
Information from school yearbooks and DoDDS School Information Guides