Stow–Munroe Falls High School (SMFHS) is a public high school in Stow, Ohio, United States. In the 2014–15 school year, the school had an enrollment of approximately 1,650 students and a staff of more than 160. It is the only high school in the Stow–Munroe Falls City School District and serves students in grades nine through twelve, mostly from the cities of Stow and Munroe Falls, but also neighboring parts of Cuyahoga Falls, Franklin Township, Hudson, and Tallmadge. In recent years, academic recognition has come from the Ohio Department of Education, Newsweek, and U.S. News & World Report.
Established in 1907, Stow High School (SHS) graduated its first class in 1909. The school has operated at four different sites, all of which lie within roughly a stretch along Graham Road in Stow. The first dedicated high school building opened in 1924, followed by a new facility in 1963. During most of the 1970s and 1980s, classes were held on two separate sites to relieve overcrowding. The current building was opened in 1987 and the school was officially renamed Stow–Munroe Falls High School in 1991.
Academically, SMFHS offers dozens of courses, including 16 Advanced Placement classes. Many vocational education programs are available through the Six District Educational Compact with neighboring high schools. In addition, clubs and activities are offered in a number of different areas, including the visual and performing arts, foreign languages, speech and debate, science and social causes. Athletic teams are known as the Bulldogs and the school colors are maroon and gold. SMFHS competes in the Ohio High School Athletic Association as a member of the Suburban League. Notable alumni include figures in the entertainment industry, broadcast media, and professional sports.
History
Stow High School was established in 1907 with classes held at the new centralized school building at the northwest corner of Hudson Road (later Darrow Road) and Graham Road in Stow. Early classes were much smaller than they are today; as such, the first class did not graduate until 1909, and there was no class of 1915. The school received full accreditation in 1914 and the village of Munroe Falls joined the school district in 1916. Enrollment growth necessitated construction of a separate high school building, which opened in 1924 across the street at the southwest corner of Darrow and Graham Roads. This structure was later renamed in 1968 for Velma Workman, who retired in 1967 after teaching in the Stow schools for 37 years. Continued enrollment growth in the 1950s and into the 1960s led to construction of an addition to the building in 1953, followed by a new high school at 1819 Graham Road, approximately west of the Darrow-Graham intersection. This building, known as the Lakeview building, opened in 1963 as "Stow Senior High School".
Even with the opening of the new Kimpton Junior High School in 1970, overcrowding continued to be an issue. To alleviate the problem, grades nine and ten were sent back to the Workman building in 1971, which became known as Workman High School, while grades eleven and twelve remained at Lakeview. This setup remained in place until the current facility opened in 1987. It is located at 3227 East Graham Road, just over east of the Darrow-Graham intersection. The name of the school was officially changed to Stow–Munroe Falls High School in 1991. Commencement for the high school's 100th graduating class (2009) was held at E. J. Thomas Hall in downtown Akron, long the traditional venue. In 2013, commencement was moved to the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center in Kent.
Academics
Stow–Munroe Falls High School offers a broad curriculum designed for students with varying strengths and interests, from college preparatory to intensive career-technical. College bound students opting for a more rigorous schedule may select from 16 Advanced Placement (AP) courses: Art History; Biology; Calculus; Chemistry; Computer Science; English Language; English Literature; European History; Macroeconomics/Microeconomics (combined); Physics; Spanish Language; Statistics; Studio Art Drawing; Studio Art 2D Design; U.S. Government; and U.S. History. Although no AP course is offered in Music Theory, students enrolled in Music Theory 2 do have the option of taking the AP test. The high school is also part of the Six District Educational Compact, a joint program of six area school districts (Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, Kent, Stow-Munroe Falls, Tallmadge and Woodridge) which share access to each of their vocational training facilities and career resources.