Fayetteville High School is a public high school located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The school is administered by the Fayetteville Public Schools headed by Dr. John Mulford.
The district, and by extension, Fayetteville High's attendance boundary, includes the majority of Fayetteville as well as the majorities of Goshen and Johnson and sections of Elkins and Farmington.
History
The school was first opened in 1908, and the previous building was built in 1950 with further renovations made in the 1990s. Phase 1 of the current building opened in 2012, Phase 2 in 2013, Phase 3 in 2014, and the final phase opening in 2015. The current building, built adjacent to the University of Arkansas and just off Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, is also located on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail as indicated by two roadside signs—one of them a government sign and the other a sign erected by the University. The school also has a TV studio from which they air the Bulldog Show on Channel 14. The school expanded to grades 9-12 in 2015.
The school was also the first school in Arkansas to voluntarily desegregate when, on September 11, 1954, African American students first attended the high school.
The school's marching band was selected to go to the Tournament of Roses Parade for 2006, which was only the second time an Arkansas band has attended.
The school recently underwent massive rebuilding and expansion with designs by architect Marlon Blackwell.
Academics
The assumed course of study follows the Smart Core curriculum developed by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). Students complete regular (core) and career focus courses and exams and may select Advanced Placement (AP) coursework and exams that provide an opportunity for students to receive college credit.
Band
The band has marched in many prestigious parades, including in 1989 the George H. W. Bush Presidential Inauguration Parade, the Fiesta Bowl, the Tournament of Roses Parade, the Hollywood Christmas Parade, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in both 1998 and 2008, and the 6abc Dunkin' Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Publications
In 2017, Connotations received the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown award, the highest award given to literary magazines.
In 2005, Connotations, the school's literary magazine, received a Superior award from the National Council of Teachers of English's Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazines.
In 1993, 1995, 1997, 2007 and 2013, Connotations won the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) Magazine Pacemaker Award. In 2006, Connotations was placed in the NSPA's Hall of Fame for receiving the highest rating that NSPA awards in its critique service twelve times in the schools' recent history
In 1994, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association awarded Connotations the CSPA's Scholastic Gold Circle Awards for its Overall Design, Cover Design (Two or More Colors), Title and Contents Page, and Typography.
Athletics
The Fayetteville Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs are highly competitive in the state's largest classification, 7A, and are members of the West conference of that classification. State championships include:
14-time Boys' Golf (1950–52, 1959–63, 2004, 2013-2017) 13-time Girls' Golf (1973, 1975, 1977, 1985, 2001, 2003, 2005–11) 12-time Boys' Cross Country Running (1965, 1969–75, 1983–86) 10-time Boys' Swimming (1972–74, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1985–86, 2000–01) 8-time Boys' Tennis (1970, 1972–73, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1989–90) 8-time Girls' Gymnastics (between 1998 and 2005) 7-time Baseball (1960, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013) 6-time Girls' Basketball (1979, 1993–94, 2009, 2011, 2015) 7-time Cheerleading (2000, 2006, 2007, 2010–12, 2017, 2019) 5-time Boys' Basketball (1948, 1975, 1978, 1987, 2009) 5-time Girls soccer, 4-time Runner-up (2002, 2004, 2006, 2009) 5-time Football (2007, 2011–12, 2015, 2016) 5-time Girls' Swimming (1976, 1981, 1999, 2002, 2018) 4-time Volleyball (2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020) 2-time Dance (2016, 2019) 2-time Softball (2006–07)
In 2006, Sports Illustrated ranked Fayetteville High School in the nation's Top 20 High School Athletic Programs, stating: