Vicenza HS History
Opened: 1957
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In the autumn of 1955, when the Southern European Task Force was established, families coming to Italy settled at Leghorn. Camp Darby had SETAF's only high school. When the decision was made to settle in the towns of Verona and Vicenza, families came to the northern area only as housing and dependent services became available. High school–age students stayed at Camp Darby, either with their own parents or with families of their schoolmates. By 1956, the school population in the northern area had grown equal to that of Camp Darby. Since SETAF's size authorized only one high school, no plans existed for another one, although moving the high school from Camp Darby to Vicenza was contemplated. That June, General Michaelis took up this problem with a visiting Department of the Army Dependent Education Panel, and they, seeing SETAF's geographical difficulty, promised to support a request for a second high school for the northern area. The next month SETAF G-l formally requested a high school in Vicenza pointing out to Washington the saving not only of government funds but also of students' time. That fall the Vicenza American High School opened in the Borgo Milano (Shoe Factory) School in Verona.
To protect the high school students from accreditation penalties, SETAF invited an inspection by the North Central Accreditation Association of the United States. This team came to Verona, and after inspecting both the embryo high school at the Shoe Factory and the plans for Vicenza's new school, the NCA team guaranteed the accreditation of SETAF's new high school. Meanwhile, plans for Vicenza's high school building proceeded rapidly, using money from welfare and other non-appropriated funds to equip the new high school. The deadline, September 1957, was met. The high school in Vicenza was a two-story modern building and had a dormitory building nearby, the use of the dormitory was deferred until absolutely necessary. High-level decisions were won that permitted daily commuting from Verona, rail transportation being chosen to circumvent the vagaries of north Italy's fog and traffic hazards. The school complex was shared by the elementary and the high school.
In the autumn of 1959, resident students enrolled at the dormitory which housed approximately fifty students from Aviano, Milano, Torino and those students from Verona who did not commute. The residence halls operated on a five-day basis. The school had accreditation since 1956 from the North Central Association. The second visit from the North Central Accrediting Committee was in November 1959, and the school was given an excellent rating.
According to the 1960 combined yearbook for the high schools in SETAF, the school principal was Jack Warden and there were twenty-eight faculty and staff. The high school had four seniors, fifty-one juniors, forty-nine sophomores, and thirty-six freshmen. There were three sections each for seven and eighth grade. Extracurricular activities for the students included student council, band and chorus, language club, Junior Red Cross, library club, coin and stamp club, and a science club. Two clubs that met the unique needs and opportunities at Vicenza were the commuter club and the ski club. Athletics for boys were JV football, varsity football and basketball. The yearbook recognized Sheila Warnack who had only attended DoD schools and graduated from Vicenza in 1960.
Another unique event for the Vicenza students was graduation at Teatro Olympico. The theatre was the final design by the Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. The Teatro Olympico is only one of three Renaissance theatres remaining in existence.
The school mascot is the Cougar, and the school colors are black and yellow. The school’s Alma Mater is
Far across Atlantic water,
‘neath Italian skies
Here we found our Alma Mater
In Vicenza High.
Ne’er memories be forgotten
When we all must part here
We keep those treasured moments
Safe within our hearts.
The original yearbooks for the school were combined yearbooks for all the schools that were operated by SETAF: Livorno, Verona, and Vicenza. Vicenza High School published its first solo yearbook, Nostra Italia, for the 1960-61 school year.
At the beginning of the seventies, the school enrollment reached over 400 students with about 200 students in the junior and senior classes. These large classes were due to the dormitory students. For the 1970-71 school year the school administrators were Joe Bressler and Norman Friedman. There were twenty-six faculty and thirteen dorm counselors. The dormitory closed in 1974, and the enrollment dropped to 370 students. Several new activities were added in 1972-73 including a golf team, a literary magazine and HEAD (Help Educate About Drugs). This activity worked with elementary students regarding general health programs and did presentations and discussions about drugs at the high school. The school continued its sponsorship of a local children’s orphanage and visits to a local home for the elderly.
Vicenza High School in the 1981-82 school year had a total of thirty educators. In addition to a strong academic program the high school had an extensive vocational career program which included industrial arts, home ecology, electronics, auto mechanics, business, and cooperative work experience. A learning development specialist and a speech therapist were shared with the elementary school. Co-curricular and extracurricular activities included varsity and junior varsity sports, a ski club, an outdoor education club, a teen involvement program, forensics, and drama.
The boys’ and girls’ volleyball and basketball teams won championships in the 1983-84 school year. The principal was Dr. Leo Browne, and the assistant principal was Mr. Drakalich. Both administrators were at the school for several years.
Students from Verona continued to commute by train and only took five classes a day since their commute was two hours each way.
A major school event occurred in January 1985 when the school was closed for a week due to snow. The entire base was even closed for three days. This was the most snow in the area for over fifty years. The school newspaper, Cougar Scene, was able to publish pictures for the first time due to new equipment. The newspaper was published semi-monthly. The school had a computer club for the first time and COWEX – cooperative work experience – was added to the curriculum. Gymnastics was a yearlong sport for women and the boys’ basketball team was undefeated.
The student enrollment for school year 1987-88 was 380 students in grades seven through twelve. Two years later the enrollment was 410 pupils.
By the 1993-94 school year there were 310 students enrolled. The school now was recognized as a small school and the sports teams were in a new division. Dr. Pete Price became the principal for the 1994-95 school year and the assistant principal was Jimmie Jeffcoat. During the 90s, the school participated in the Knowledge Bowl and the Geography Bowl, and a Video Club was started. JROTC was begun at the school. For the 1997-98 school year, Steve Sanchez was the assistant principal.
Dr. Kathleen Cummings and David Rudy were the school administrators for the 2001-2002 school year.
In 2019 Vicenza High School was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. School administrators for the 2021-22 school year are Dr. Kirsten Warner and Ms. Cheryl Tibbs.
Information from school yearbooks, website and DoDDS school information guides