Forestview High School

Forestview High School is a public high school in the Gaston County Schools school district located in Gastonia, NC. Its attendance range covers the central portion of southern Gaston County and includes the southern portions of the City of Gastonia, as well as the community of Boogertown, and the surrounding rural area. Chad Carper serves as principal. Assistant principals are Ron Brown, Jennifer Cabe, Janet Ramsey, and Angela Sorenson. Alan Stewart serves as athletic director.^[1]

History

Forestview was formed and founded via an effort by Gaston County Schools to ease overcrowding at Hunter Huss High School and Ashbrook High School. The school's mission is stated as follows: In partnership with the community, Forestview High School provides quality teaching and support to empower each student for a successful lifetime of learning and citizenship. When the school opened it allowed Gaston County Schools to switch from the Junior High School setup to Middle School setup; the added room created by opening the high school allowed enough room at all other high schools in the county to accept 9th grade classes. Consequently, 6th graders moved from the county's elementary schools to the newly re-branded middle schools, creating addition space at the county's elementary schools.

According to the tenth edition of Forestview High School's Jagged Edge Yearbook, on Monday, April 24, 1995, the Gaston County Schools Board of Education chose the name for Gastonia's newest high school. The school opened its doors in August 1998 without a senior class. The first ever senior class graduated in 2000. Eighty percent of Forestview graduates go on to attend college and, in the 2007-2008 school year, Forestview set a county record with $42 million in scholarships.

Gastonia native Chuc Clubb came up with the name of Forestview. Clubb decided on the name "Forestview" in 1994 while walking around the newly purchased land site for the new school.

Forestview's first principal, Robert Carpenter, was selected to serve in 1996. Forestview's second principal Audrey Devine was selected as Gaston County Principal of the Year for the 2008-2009 school year while serving as principal of Belmont Middle School. She was also named Southwest North Carolina Principal of the Year in 2009-2010. She was moved from Forestview to serve as the founding principal of Stuart W. Cramer High School.

Athletics

With vast community support, the Parent Teacher Organization was able to raise in excess of $1.6 million to build athletic facilities. Included in the Dan Gunter Athletic Facilities are the Joe Alala Football Stadium, baseball stadium, tennis courts, softball and soccer fields.

Forestview played their first football season away from their campus using East Gaston High School, South Point High School, and Ashbrook High School as home facilities. Their first game was against Bessemer City High School and was played at East Gaston's Arrowhead Stadium.

Foresview is currently a member of the Big South Conference and in the 3A classification by the North Carolina Athletic Association (NCHSAA). Forestview's athletic director is Alan Stewart.

Forestview has over 500 athletes that annually compete in over twenty sports.

Part of a Nazi leader's speech was played over the public address system before a high school soccer game, prompting an apology by the home team's principal. Forestview High School principal Robert Carpenter said neither he nor his team's coach knew about the speech before the 90-second excerpt was played during warmups Saturday, according to a letter he sent Monday to visiting Charlotte Catholic High School.^[3]

Men's Golf:

Forestview is widely known for its men's golf teams. The golf team has won 14 conference championships including 10 in a row (05'-14'). The golf team has also won 6 North Carolina 3A West Regional titles as well. The golf team is most recognizable for their dynasty of state championship titles. Forestview came in second in the North Carolina 3A State Championship three times (2007,2008,2010). Forestview finally pulled through winning their first state title in 2012, the second state title in school history (women's basketball 2010). Forestview's golf team followed up their first state championship win by winning the state title again in 2013 & 2014, making it a dynasty. Ken Beaty coached all of the golf teams at Forestview High School. Ironically he was the head coach for all of Forestview's state championship titles including women's basketball. Beaty retired from being the head coach for women's basketball in 2011. He would later retire from teaching in 2013, that same year retiring as the head coach for the women's golf team. The following year in 2014 Beaty retired from being the head coach for the men's golf team following their state championship win.

Notable golfers and alumni:

Will Long-

          2011 Big South Conference Champion
          2013 Big South Conference Champion
          2013 North Carolina 3A West Regional Champion
          2013 North Carolina 3A State Champion
          2013 Forestview High School Wall of Fame Inductee
          2013 Forestview High School graduate

Will Blalock <3's Bailey Goforth

             2012 Big South Conference Champion
             2014 North Carolina 3A State Champion
             Forestview High School record of runner up finishes in a career (9)
             2014 Forestview High School Wall of Fame Inductee
             2014 Forestview High School graduate

Harold Varner III-

                  2006 Big South Conference Champion
                  2007 Big South Conference Champion
                  2008 Big South Conference Champion
                  2007 North Carolina 3A State runner-up
                  2008 North Carolina 3A State runner-up
                  2008 Forestview High School graduate
                  2014 Forestview High School Wall of Fame Inductee

Special programs

Forestview is home to the Jag Rag newspaper. According to the paper, the Jag Rag serves as a "forum to promote the expression of ideas and opinions." This newspaper is aimed to inform the community as well as the students and staff of Forestview High School. The Jag Rag's awards include: All Tarheel Award (1999, 2000, 2002), All North Carolina Award (1999, 2000, 2001, 2004), Clara Cartrette Award of Excellence (1999, 2000), North Carolina Scholastic Media Association Paper of Distinction (2005), Overall Honor Distinction (2007, 2008), and First Place in Advertising for Large Schools (2007, 2008)

Forestview is known for its Renaissance Program. According to the school's website, Renaissance cards are awarded each semester and reflect data collected from the current year's GPA and attendance.

Gold Card

   * 4.0 weighted GPA in all courses
   * No more than 3 absences per semester (daily total), in addition 3 tardies =1 absence

Gold Card Incentives

         o 5 minutes early dismissal from school every day
         o 3 minutes early dismissal to lunch every day
         o Free admission to 3 identified home ball games
         o 3 free tardies to class
         o Reserved parking space
         o Discounted parking fee ($3 a semester)
         o Renaissance T-shirt

Silver Card

   * 3.0 weighted GPA in all courses
   * No more than 4 absences per semester (daily total), 3 tardies = 1 absence.

Silver Card Incentives

         o 5 minutes early dismissal from school Thursday and Friday
         o 3 minutes early dismissal to lunch Thursday and Friday
         o Reserved parking
         o Discounted parking fee ($5 a semester)
         o Free admission to 2 identified home games
         o Restaurant and business discounts
         o 2 free tardy to class
         o Renaissance T-shirt

Bronze Card

   * 2.0 weighted GPA in all courses
   * No more than 6 absences per semester (daily total) 3 tardies = 1 absence.

Bronze Card Incentives

         o 5 minutes early dismissal from school Friday
         o 3 minutes early dismissal to lunch Friday
         o Reserved parking
         o Discounted parking fee ($6 a semester)
         o Free admission to one identified home games
         o 1 Tardy pass
         o Renaissance T-shirt

Other programs are Mister and Misses Forestview pageants, and Tailgate. Forestview also serves as the home for Gastonia's Relay for Life.

Special achievements

One special event that Forestview participates in every spring is the Gaston County Special Olympics. A.J. Mennear, an upcoming 2009 graduate of Forestview, participates in the Special Olympics every year and won Special Olympic Athlete of the Year for Gaston County in 2008. A.J. was also one of five Special Olympics athletes chosen to participate in a basketball skills clinic held at UNC Chapel Hill and conducted by the UNC basketball team.

References

External links

• Forestview High School web page