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Juanita High School (JHS) is a high school in King County, Washington, administered by Lake Washington School District. It was opened on September 4, 1971 as a result of a campaign driven by an education theory known as the "Juanita Concept", developed by John Strauss, who became the school's first principal.

History

The Juanita Concept called for a large warehouse-like open architecture. When JHS opened it had a large open area surrounded by a music area, art and industrial arts areas, and an auditorium, the KIVA, science room and main office, and photographic and business rooms. The Juanita Concept also included some at the time unorthodox principles of education, with individualized instruction intended mainly to nurture lifelong learning skills.

The building was not ready until mid-November, so for the first nine weeks of the school the students double-shifted with Redmond High School. For the first two years, the math, science, social studied and language arts curricula were contracted to Westinghouse Learning Corporation. Students were tested individually in a purpose-built testing center and were scored overnight by a computer in Iowa City. The computer became confused in many people's minds with "Chester", which was a blue plexiglass structure containing an audio and video tape retrieval machine, enabling students access to audio and video throughout the building via monitors and headphones located in carrels dotted around the large open space.

The teaching schedule was also unorthodox. The school day was divided into 17 20-minute "mods", and class sizes were usually small, 12-16 students. Student time was only 60% structured, and students were expected to use the unstructurd time to work on homework assignments and testing. Classes that were held in the open area were gathered around tables.

In 1973 the mod schedule gave way first to a seven-period schedule, and finally in 1981 to a six-period schedule which remains in 2005.

In the mid-70s, the Washington legislature passed the Basic Education Law which based school funding on students being in class for six 55-minute periods each day. Class sizes at JHS rose to 33, and the need for more teaching space led to the conversion of the central area to classrooms. By way of a 1984-86 remodelling project, JHS gradually took on the look of a normal school.

Sports

• AAA State Football Champions 1984, 1985
• AAA State Girls' Basketball Champions, 1981, 1986
• AAA State Boys' Basketball Champions,1984
• AAA State Baseball Champions, 1985, 1987, 1992
• AAA State Softball Champions, 1989, 1990

Current Day

Juanita High School got a brand new floor in their Field House during the 2004-2005 school year. The music program at JHS is stellar, the Concert and Symphonic bands almost always recieve superior ratings at fesivals. Juanita houses many tech prep courses, such as Biotechnology and Interior Design. Ask most kids at JHS and they will tell you that they love their school. Futures School is also held within JHS.

References

• A Brief History of Juanita High School by By Dave Vannet and Ruth Davis Tedder, teachers at the school from 1972 to the present day.

External links

• Juanita High School website

• High schools in Washington
• Schools established in the 20th century