Damascus High School

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Coordinates: 39°16′56″N 77°12′38″W / 39.28222°N 77.21056°W / 39.28222; -77.21056
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Damascus High School
Address
Map
25921 Ridge Road

Damascus
,
Maryland
20872

United States
Coordinates39°16′56″N 77°12′38″W / 39.28222°N 77.21056°W / 39.28222; -77.21056
Information
TypePublic high school
MottoQuid agis agas bene[1]
("Whatever you do, do it well")
Established1909; 115 years ago (1909)
School districtMontgomery County Public Schools
CEEB code210460
NCES School ID240048001455[2]
PrincipalKevin Yates[3]
Teaching staff86.60 FTE (2022-23)[2]
Grades9–12
GenderCo-educational
Enrollment1,414 (2022-23)[2]
Student to teacher ratio16.33 (2022-23)[2]
Campus typeSuburban[2]
Color(s)Green and gold[4]
   
Athletics conferenceMPSSAA 2A
MascotHornet[4]
NicknameSwarmin' Hornets[4]
RivalsSeneca Valley High School
Clarksburg High School
NewspaperThe Buzz
YearbookThe Scimitar
Feeder schoolsJohn T. Baker Middle School
Hallie Wells Middle School
Websitewww.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/damascushs/

Damascus High School (DHS) is a public high school in Damascus, Maryland, United States. It is part of the Montgomery County Public Schools system.

History[edit]

Damascus High School was first established in 1909.[5] The current building was constructed in 1950 and renovated in 1978.[6]

In 2020, MCPS approved a $127 million renovation of the high school. The renovation was originally planned for a 2025 completion date, but it was then delayed by a year due to county fiscal concerns,[7] and later delayed to completion in 2028.[8][9]

Athletics[edit]

Damascus' school colors are green and gold, and their mascot is the Swarmin' Hornet.[4] The school's biggest rivalries are with the neighboring Seneca Valley High School and Clarksburg High School.

Damascus has a prestigious football program which has won twelve Maryland state championships.[10][11] This is a state record that they share with Seneca Valley High School (which also has twelve, but last won in 2002). The team's dominance from 2015 to 2017 earned them a 53-game winning streak, also a state record.[12]

In 2018, the football program came under scrutiny after it was discovered that four players on the junior varsity team were sexually assaulted with broomsticks by teammates in the locker room. The school administration waited twelve hours after learning about the hazing before contacting the police.[13] The team members who were accused were initially tried as adults[14] before having their cases moved to juvenile court. As a result, the students were found guilty but later released on bond.[15] The victims' families received a settlement of $9.7 million from MCPS in 2023.[16]

State championships[edit]

Sport Years
Baseball 1998, 2000[17]
Basketball Boys 1949[18]
Cross Country Boys 1961, 1965, 2009[10]
Girls 1994[10]
Football 1981, 1992, 1993, 1996, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022[10][11]
Golf 1993[10]
Indoor Track Boys 2010[18]
Girls 1997, 2011[18]
Soccer Boys 2023[19]
Softball 1987, 1992, 1994, 2023[17][20]
Volleyball 2013[10]
Wrestling Single 1994, 1996, 1999, 2015, 2016, 2017[18]
Dual 1995, 1999, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020[18]

Notable alumni[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Damascus High School.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "DHS Parent Handbook 2016-2017" (PDF).
  2. ^ a b c d e "Search for Public Schools - Damascus High (240048001455)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  3. ^ "Damascus HS". Montgomery County Public Schools. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d "No Swarmin Hornet for water tower after Georgia Tech objects". WBAL. July 9, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  5. ^ "Damascus High School to Celebrate 100 Years of Education". MCPS Bulletin. February 17, 2010. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023.
  6. ^ Lewis, Kevin (November 12, 2013). "MCPS crumbling from within, say parents and students". WJLA.
  7. ^ "Damascus High School Renovation Approved; Project Scheduled to Be Completed August 2026". The MoCo Show. October 27, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  8. ^ Pollak, Suzanne (March 20, 2023). "Damascus High School Community Concerned Construction Project Will Be Delayed Again". MyMCMedia.
  9. ^ "Damascus HS - Major Capital Project". Montgomery County Maryland Capital Budget.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "2019 MPSSAA Fall Record Book" (PDF).
  11. ^ a b Errigo, Michael (December 3, 2022). "Damascus ends its short swoon, runs past Oakdale for Md. 3A title". The Washington Post.
  12. ^ Melnick, Kyle (December 5, 2019). "Damascus returns to the mountaintop, walks off with Md. 3A state title". The Washington Post.
  13. ^ "Football hazing and sexual assault case at high school in Maryland investigated - The Washington Post". The Washington Post.
  14. ^ "4 charged as adults in alleged Damascus High School broomstick hazing incident released on bond". Fox 5 DC. November 28, 2018.
  15. ^ "Court Proceedings Conclude in Two Damascus Locker Room Rape Cases, Report Says". Bethesda Magazine. August 19, 2019.
  16. ^ "Montgomery County to pay $9.7M to Damascus High School sex assault victims". NBC4 Washington. September 29, 2023.
  17. ^ a b "2020 MPSSAA Spring Record Book" (PDF).
  18. ^ a b c d e "2019/2020 MPSSAA Winter Record Book" (PDF).
  19. ^ Chornobroff, Shaun (November 17, 2023). "Damascus boys soccer wins first state title". MoCo360.
  20. ^ Steinberg, Jacob (May 26, 2023). "Reservoir softball's bid for a perfect season ends with 2-0 loss to Damascus in Class 3A state title game". The Baltimore Sun.
  21. ^ "Damascus' Bryan Bresee Drafted in the 1st Round of the 2023 NFL Draft". The MoCo Show. April 28, 2023.
  22. ^ "From Damascus To Super Bowl Champion, Rams RB Jake Funk Is Living The Dream". CBS News. February 18, 2022.
  23. ^ Wilson, Aaron (April 21, 2015). "Appalachian State cornerback Joel Ross invited to Ravens' local prospect day today, sources say". Baltimore Sun.
  24. ^ Singer-Bart, Susan (June 9, 2010). "Damascus High grads: Farewell, for now". The Gazette. Archived from the original on June 12, 2010.
  25. ^ Giblin, John (November 6, 1999). "Born to Lead". Daily Collegian.
  26. ^ "Mare of Easttown Actor, Joe Tippett, Graduated From Damascus High School". The MoCo Show. August 27, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
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