Coronado High School (Arizona)

Coronado High School is a public high school located in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA. The school enrolled 1,044 students in the 2016-2017 school year[2], who primarily come from feeder schools in the Scottsdale Unified School District.

Coronado High School
Address
7501 East Virginia Avenue Scottsdale , Arizona 85257 United States
Coordinates	33°28′32″N 111°55′13″W
Information
Type	Secondary public school
Established	1961
School district	Scottsdale Unified School District
Principal	Amy Palatucci
Faculty	51.84 (FTE)[1]
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	896 (2018-19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio	17.28[1]
Color(s)	Scarlet red and navy blue
Mascot	Don
Website

History

Coronado High School, named for the Spanish conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, opened in fall 1961 as a public comprehensive high school, grades 9-12, with emphasis on college preparatory and vocational/technical curriculum. The school mascot is the Coronado Don, don being the name for a Spanish nobleman.

Architecture

Mosaic of the Seven Arts

Ralph Haver, the noted Phoenix mid-century architect, designed the original school, mostly made of pre-cast concrete.[3] Haver also designed numerous public and commercial buildings, as well as tract homes and private residences in Phoenix and Scottsdale, during the 1950s and 1960s. The neighboring residential community of Town and Country, also featuring classic contemporary ranch style tract homes designed by Haver, was designated as historic by the City of Scottsdale in 2005.

Coronado High was overhauled by DLR Group for the 2008-09 school year, though the white folded plate motif was kept in the new structures as a nod to the former appearance.

Athletics

The Coronado baseball team has been one of the school's most successful programs for over 50 years. The program won four baseball championships, three Class 5A state titles led by coach Roy Coppinger (1961–88) in 1966, 1969, 1979; and runners-up in 1974, 1978, and 1986. The fourth state title was in 4A Division II led by coach Buck Holmes (1989–present) in 2007; and runners-up in Class 4A 1999 and 2003. The Dons baseball program has only been led by two head coaches since 1961.

The Coronado football program has been known for its small but powerful players. In 1976, head coach Ed Anderson led the program to a perfect season and its only 5A state championship.

The Coronado girls' basketball program led by head coach Jerry Smith won state titles in Class 5A in 1979 and 1981; and Runner-up in 1980. In Class 4A (Spring season) led by head coach Jim Ferrando won state titles in 1990, 1991, 1992; and Runner-up in 1993.

The Coronado boys' soccer program led by head coach Mike Tsorin appeared in back-to-back Division III state finals as runners-up in 2012 and 2013. On February 14, 2014, the boys' soccer team led by head coach Nick Barker won their first state title in Division III by defeating Northwest Christian, 3-1.

Shield

The Heart Shield, the original logo of the school

The Coronado Shield has been a symbol of the school for many years. It was originally designed by Joe Gatti, who also created another symbol of the school, the Seven Arts mosaic on the auditorium. Gatti was an art teacher at Coronado from its opening in 1961 until 1984. He felt that this shield design fit the idea of Coronado's namesake.[4]

Fine arts programs

Coronado's art classes include photography and 3D art.

The school's most well-known work of art, the Seven Arts mural that hangs above the school auditorium, was pieced together by some of the school's first art students and completed in 1964-1965. Recently, Coronado art students made a mosaic that stands between two of the art classes.

Theater

Shortly after the school opened in 1961, Coronado developed a thriving theater program under Jim Newcomer.

Show	Director	Performed
Bells are Ringing	N/A	Summer of 1963
Mouse that Roared	N/A	December 5-6, 1963
King and I	N/A	February 28-29, 1964
Gramercy Ghost	N/A	October 18-19, 1964
Mikado	N/A	1964-65
Madwoman of Chaillot	N/A	1964-65
Winnie The Pooh	N/A	1964-65
Rebel without A Cause	N/A	1964-65
The Music Man	N/A	1965
Harvey	N/A	October 11-12, 1965
The Miracle Worker	N/A	1965-66
The Rainmaker	N/A	October 20-22, 1966
Sound of Music	N/A	December 2-3, 1966
Taming of the Shrew	N/A	1967
Our Town	N/A	January 26 & 28, 1967
Diary of Anne Frank	N/A	October 19-21, 1967
The Pirates of Penzance	N/A	December 1-2, 1967
Inherit the Wind	N/A	February 2-3, 1968
Romeo and Juliet	N/A	March 22-23, 1968
Of Mice and Men	Judie Carroll	1970-71
Teahouse of the August Moon	N/A	1970-71
My Fair Lady	N/A	1970-71
Hamlet	Jim Newcomer	1971-72
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead	Gerald Carey	1971-72
You're a Good Man Charlie Brown	Janie Jones & Hope Silvestri	1971-72
Fiddler on the Rood	Jim Newcomer	1971-72
The Crucible	N/A	Summer 1972
A Midsummer Night's Dream	N/A	Summer 1972
Oklahoma!	N/A	1972-73
The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail	N/A	1972-73
We Bombed in New Haven	Gerry Carey	1972-73
The Miracle Worker	Judie Carroll	1972-73
The Trojan Women	N/A	1972-73
The Odd Couple	N/A	1973-74
Lil' Abner	Janie Jones	1973-14
West Side Story	Jim Newcomer & Judie Carroll	1973-74
Our Town	N/A	1973-74
By the Skin of Our Teeth	Ralph Bradshaw	1973-74
The Matchmaker	Judie Carroll	1973-74
Midsummer Night's Dream	N/A	1973-74
Twelfth Night	N/A	1973-74
You Can't Take it with You	N/A	Summer 1974
Man of La Mancha	Judie Carroll Pickrell	1974-75
Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The Moon Marigolds	Judie Carroll Pickrell	1974-75
The Man Who Came To Dinner	Jim Swan and Ralph Bradshaw	1975-76
Life With Father	N/A	1975-76
The Music Man	N/A	1975-76
Little Foxes	Judie Carroll Pickrell	1975-76
The Fantastiks	Deborah Carrick	1976-77
Romeo and Juliet	Dr. Glorianne Engle	1976-77
Barefoot in the Park	N/A	1976-77
Merchant of Venice	N/A	1977-78
The King & I	N/A	1977-78
Story Theater	Deborah Carrick	1978-79
Damn Yankees	N/A	1978-79
The Crucible	N/A	1978-79
The Importance of Being Earnest	N/A	1978-79
Twelve Angry Jurors	Pam High	1978-79
Rebecca	Deborah Carrick	1978-79
Kiss Me, Kate	John Waits	1978-79
The Music Man	N/A	Summer of '79
Shakespearean Greens Show	N/A	1979-80
My Three Angels	N/A	1979-80
Fiddler on the Roof	N/A	1979-80
The Madwoman of Chaillot	N/A	1979-80
Stage Door	N/A	1979-80
Scapino	N/A	1979-80
Oklahoma!	N/A	Summer '80
Guys and Dolls	N/A	1980-81
Clarissa's Closet	Deborah Carrick	1980-81
Up The Down Staircase	N/A	1980-81
The Water Engine	N/A	1980-81
Facades	Lon Boothe	1980-81
The Ups and Downs of Love	Jim Gates	1980-81
The Good Doctor	N/A	1980-81
Pirates of Penzance	N/A	Summer '81
The Passion of Dracula	Deborah Carrick	1981-82
Sound of Music	N/A	1981-82
South Pacific	N/A	1981-82
Comedy of Errors	N/A	1981-82
West Side Story	N/A	Summer '82
Skin of Our Teeth	N/A	1982-83
You Can't Take It With You	N/A	1982-83
110 in the Shade	N/A	Summer '83
Arsenic and Old Lace	N/A	1983-84
Carousel	N/A	Summer '84
Barefoot in the Park	Irma Griffin	1984-85
The Boyfriend	Irma Griffin	1984-85
Li'l Abner	Irma Griffin	1984-85
Once Upon A Mattress	Irma Griffin	1985-86
David and Lisa	Irma Griffin	1985-86
Hayfever	N/A	1987-88
Androcles and the Lion	Gerry Carey	2000-2001

Revival

Coronado High School's theater program had a revival in the 2008-09 school year with its first production to have all fine art departments collaborating in 20 years with the show Once Upon a Mattress. The show was a joint effort between all the fine arts departments, with the show directed by theater teacher Gerry Carrey, choreographed by dance teacher Irma Griffin, pit orchestra provided by band director, Dr. Schultz Bennet, and vocal direction provided by choir director Dr. Sammy Jo Brauer.

In the following years, there would be at least one major performance a year, predominantly helmed by Choir and Orchestra teacher Dr. Sammy Brauer and Coronado alumni Paul Townsend.

Show	Directed by	Choreographed by	Music by	Produced by	Performed
Once Upon A Mattress	Gerry Carey	Irma Griffin	Sammy Brauer & Bennett Schultz	Coronado Performing Arts Departments	February 5-7, 2009
Grease	Paul Townsend	N/A	Sammy Brauer	Coronado Choir/Orchestra	November 19-21, 2009
The Madrigal: The Changing of the Guard	Sammy Brauer	N/A	Sammy Brauer	Coronado Choir/Orchestra	December 3 & 4, 2010
The Music Man	Gerry Carey	Irma Griffin	Sammy Brauer & Bennett Schultz	Coronado Performing Arts Departments	February 3-5, 2011
The Madrigal: The Peasant, The Prince, The Boot & the Mirror	Sammy Brauer	N/A	Linda Prideaux	Coronado Choir/Orchestra	December 2011
The Pirates of Penzance	Paul Townsend	N/A	Sammy Brauer	Coronado Choir/Orchestra	May 3-5, 2012
The Madrigal: Sleepless in the Castle	Sammy Brauer	N/A	Sammy Brauer & Linda Prideaux	Coronado Choir/Orchestra	December 6 & 7, 2012
The Possibilities are Endless!	Sammy Brauer	N/A	Linda Prideaux	Coronado Choir/Orchestra	April 24-26, 2013
The Madrigal: Jester “The Body” Ventures Forth	Sammy Brauer	N/A	Sammy Brauer & Linda Prideaux	Coronado Choir/Orchestra	December 12 & 13, 2013
Cinderella	Paul Townsend	Mary Townsend	Sammy Brauer	Coronado Choir/Orchestra	March 26-28, 2015
The Madrigal: The Changing of the Guard	Sammy Brauer	Peter Townsend	Sammy Brauer & Linda Prideaux	Coronado Choir/Orchestra	December 10 & 11, 2015
The Good Doctor	Paul Townsend	N/A	N/A	DEAL DramaDons Theater Club	February 4 & 5, 2016
G.I. Jive	Sammy Brauer	N/A	Linda Prideux	Coronado Choir/Orchestra	March 17, 2016
Guys and Dolls	Paul Townsend	Katie Hudnall	Sammy Brauer	Coronado Choir/Orchestra	March 29-31, 2017
The Madrigal: The Peasant, The Prince, The Boot & the Mirror	Peter Townsend	N/A	Jennifer McDaniel	Coronado Choir & Theater	December 7 & 8, 2017
You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown	Laney Townsend	N/A	Sam Brasen	Coronado Choir & Theater	April 5 & 6, 2018

Coffee House

In the 2015-16 school year, Dr. Brauer revitalized the Coffee House program and updated it to include students from both Coronado and its feeder schools, teachers, and alumni. The first year of this newly re-branded Coffee House ran November 4–6, 2015.

The 2016 Coffee House ran October 26-28, 2016 and continue to include Coronado students, alumni, faculty, community members, and students from various feeder schools in the district.

Thespians

Coronado High School is home to Thespians Troupe #1557.

Choir

Coronado's choir program is currently under the direction of Mr. Sam Brasen since 2018.

The Varsity Choir has participated in a number of heritage festivals in California

Festival	Award	Year	Director
Forum Festival	Silver	2007	Sallie Hyland
Anaheim Heritage Festival	Silver	2008	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Forum Festival	Silver	2009	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Anaheim Heritage Festival	Silver	2010	Dr. Sammy Brauer

In addition, both choirs have performed all over the country.

• In 2012 the Choirs and Orchestra traveled to New York City to perform in the Lincoln Memorial center.
• In 2013 the Choirs and Orchestra traveled to Anaheim
• In 2014 the Choirs and Orchestra traveled to Seattle
• In 2016 the Choirs and Orchestra traveled to Chicago
• In 2017 the Choirs and Orchestra traveled to Anaheim

Advanced Choral Ensemble

The Advanced Choral Ensemble (ACE) is a smaller choral ensemble of 14-15 members chosen by audition. Members must maintain high grade point averages, and display leadership qualities.

The ensemble has competed in the Northern Arizona University (NAU) Jazz and Madrigal Festival every year since 2010 where they receive ratings of Participant, Fair, Good, Excellent, or Superior for performances of Jazz and/or Madrigal pieces with "Superior" being the highest and "Participant" being the lowest.

Here are their scores for each category for every year they've competed:

Award	Category	Year	Director
Excellent	Madrigal	2008	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Excellent	Jazz	2010	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Superior	Madrigal	2010	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Superior	Jazz	2011	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Superior	Madrigal	2011	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Excellent	Jazz	2012	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Superior	Madrigal	2012	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Excellent	Jazz	2013	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Superior	Madrigal	2013	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Superior	Jazz	2014	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Excellent	Madrigal	2014	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Superior	Jazz	2015	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Superior	Madrigal	2015	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Superior	Jazz	2016	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Superior	Madrigal	2016	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Superior	Jazz	2017	Dr. Sammy Brauer
Excellent	Jazz	2018	Sam Brasen

Band

The Coronado Dons band program, currently under the direction of Bret Lee since 2017, has continued a longstanding tradition of excellence that includes symphonic band, marching band, and jazz band. During the 2009-10 marching season, the band was a Division II with almost 75 members and continued to be as successful, if not more so, than it was in previous years in Division III. At the ABODA[5] State Marching Festival on November 7, 2009, it was one of three bands to receive a rating of Superior with Distinction as well as four of five captions. At the 2010 ABODA State Marching Festival at Hamilton High School, the Dons Marching Band received a rating of Superior with 3 of 5 captions, and it qualified for the state championships on November 13, where it reached 2nd place for Division II with a score of 71.30. The band also received 3rd place for Division III in 2013 and 2014 and 8th for Division II in 2015.

Past Band Directors:

• Dr. Schultz Bennett
• Leslie Rich
• Kerwin Forest
• Chris Reidy
• Jon Gomez
• Ed Meier
• Eugene L. Hanson

Clubs

Coronado has a variety of clubs and organizations, which, in cooperation with student government, sponsor dances and other activities. Except for their sizes and specific requirements, all clubs and organizations are open to all students as per board policy. These organizations are under the authority and approval of the school administration and student government.

Listed below are the clubs and student organizations that are active at the school:

• A.C.E. (Achieving a College Education)
• Advance Choral Ensemble (ACE)
• Anime Club
• AVID Club
• B.A.C.H. (Bands at Coronado High)
• Ballet Folkorico
• Best Buddies
• C.A.S.E.
• C.H.A.N.T.
• Chess Clubs
• Children 1st
• CHSazz
• CORE Club
• DonX
• DramaDons
• Explorer (newspaper)
• FCA
• FIDM[6] Fashion Club
• Future Educators of America
• Computer Gaming Club
• Global Citizens Club
• Hackey Sack Club
• HOSA club
• International Club
• J.A.G.
• Key Club
• Kawaii Club
• Library Club
• Lookout Club
• National Honor Society
• Pride Club (Unitown)
• Robotics Club
• Rap Club
• Science Club
• Service Learning
• SOHA (Fine Arts)
• Student Government
• Thespians
• Trail (yearbook)
• VISIONS
• Voice of *Seniors*
• Voice of *Juniors*
• Voice of *Sophomores*
• Voice of *Freshmen*
• Women's rights club
• Young Life

Coronado hymn

All hail to Coronado scarlet and navy blue
We pledge to you allegiance,
we Dons forever true
May each year bring more glory,
hold your banner high
Thy praise we sing and vict'ries bring to
Coronado High

Fight song

Coronado Dons go marching on,
Go marching on,
To this, their song.
Ever faithful, loyal, valiant be
Bring victory,
We proclaim it proudly!
Coronado win this game,
Fight on to fame,
Uphold the name.
Take it on the chin and never give in
Coronado Dons fight on!!!

Notable alumni

• J. D. Durbin, minor league baseball pitcher
• Hugh Hallman, former mayor of Tempe, Arizona
• Beth Maitland, actress, The Young and the Restless
• Lou Marson, Major League Baseball catcher with the Cleveland Indians
• Jesse Valenzuela, lead guitar player and vocalist of The Gin Blossoms
• Kia Zolgharnain, former indoor soccer player

Filming location

In the late 1980s, Coronado was used as a film location as a less-expensive alternative to filming in California. It was used as the high school that Bill and Ted attended in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, although the high school in the movie was named San Dimas High School (San Dimas was actually the site of the Bill & Ted sequel). The movie finale (Bill and Ted's final on-stage report with historical figures) was filmed in Coronado's auditorium which was torn down for remodeling in 2006.

Disney used the school twice, as Coronado was the site of filming for ABC's Not Quite Human, a film featuring Jay Underwood, Robyn Lively and Alan Thicke. Another movie, Just Perfect (featuring Jennie Garth), was filmed for the Mickey Mouse Club in 1989. The final football game shown in the movie was actually between Coronado's varsity and junior varsity teams.

The 1985 movie Just One of the Guys, starring Joyce Hyser, was filmed at the now-demolished Scottsdale High School as well as at Coronado High School.

Scenes for the made-for-TV movie "Down Will Come Baby" starring Meredith Baxter was filmed on the campus in 1998.

References

1. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Coronado High School". nces.ed.gov.
2. "Coronado High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
3. http://www.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/2011/09/20/20110920scottsdale-coronado-high-school-50th-anniversary-quiz-prog.html
4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-04-18. Retrieved 2017-04-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
5. "ABODA".
6. Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising

External links

• Coronado High School's home page
• Coronado's Facebook Page
• Coronado's Twitter Account
• Coronado High School Alumni home page
• List of clubs at Coronado