Aitkin High School (AHS) is a public high school in Aitkin, Minnesota, United States. The school serves students in grades 7–12. The school enrolls approximately 600 students per year, with 400 students in the high school and 200 attending middle school. The school is a combined middle and high school, since the town does not have the needed population of adolescents to include a separate middle school. Class sizes are around 100 students, while some classes, such as the Class of 1978, have enrolled up to 160 students at one time. The Class of 2010 is one of the smallest Aitkin High School classes in history, with a class size at graduation of 83. The class entered with 102 students in 2004. Though the more recent class of 2020 graduated with less than 70.
The school is a member of Minnesota's Independent School District 1 (Aitkin School District), and is affiliated with the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL). The school is a member of the Mid-State Conference. The AHS mascot is the Gobbler.
History
Aitkin High School was established in the year 1894 and the oldest school building was completed in 1901. Many additions have been added to the school since. When the school was first built, many children that lived outside the city of Aitkin attended local country schools, and then attended AHS after they graduated from 8th grade. At that time, Aitkin High School served grades 9–12 only. In 1928, an addition to the school was built and it became a 7–12 school, even though many students were in country, primary and parochial schools (particularly Catholic) until 8th grade. Several modifications took place during the following decades, including a new cafeteria, band area, and auditorium. The old gym and auditorium was created in a 1941 project and the west wing was added in the 1950s. The most major change after 1928 took place in 1976, when the school was remodeled and the old school building was demolished. The west wing still remains. Not many major modifications took place after that until the year 2000, when a new band area was established. The 1941 auditorium was remodeled in 1994 while keeping most of the classic features. In 2005, a new weight room was built. The school was modified once again in 2006 with a newly added commons area, in the 9th grade locker area, and a new 7th grade locker area built on the second floor of the school, along with an LED sign in the front of the building. In 2007, a more advanced security system was installed and a speed limit regulation was implemented around the school. In 2008, a wall was removed in the cafeteria which will enable more students to have lunch in one lunch period, and signs were posted on all entrances of the school. Paintings by students were placed on the walls to give it a more friendly atmosphere. A new student parking lot was added to the school in 2009. Pavement was planned to take place in Summer 2010 but never occurred. In circa late 2014 to early 2015, plans for remodeling the high school were considered once again. Some of the plans include an expansion of the new gym area and an addition for collaborative learning/special education program, along with a few other minor updates and modifications. The plans were voted down in a county wide election on January 6, 2015, although alternative plans are still being contemplated. Some plans include minor remodeling projects along with the possibility to building a brand new school. Throughout the 2015–2016 school year, a few modifications were taken place throughout the high school and the athletic fields. On September 11, 2015, the Aitkin football field was named "Veterans Field" in honor of local veterans with a dedication ceremony proceeding the football game. New bleachers were added in the new gym as well as some other minor modifications. Debate is still taking place about the future of the high school, such as whether to continue modifications, build a new school, or leave the school as it is. On August 9, 2016, the public has voted against the referendum in a landslide. Starting in the 2016-2017 school years, with a grant from Apple, the school provided MacBook computers for each of the students to assist them with assignments, research, and communications. After years of debate, the first phase of major remodeling of the high school took place during the summer of 2018, which involves creation of a new special education area as well as relocation of classrooms and modifications to the library/media center.
School
In Fall 2009, AHS had 900 students.
The Aitkin School District's Superintendent is Dan Stifter. Stifter was a former Social Studies teacher in Aitkin. The high school principal is Paul Karelis, a 1980 graduate of Aitkin High School.