Dartmouth High School (Massachusetts)


Dartmouth High School is a four-year public high school located in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States.
As of the 201617 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,064 students and 78.4 classroom teachers, for a student-teacher ratio of 13.6.

History

The school began in 1902 on Russell's Mills Road in what is now the Salt-Marsh Pottery. By the 1930s the school had moved to a building on Slocum Road, which is now used as the town hall. In 1955 a new school was built next door, on the corner of Hawthorne Street, with the building being expanded twice, in 1965 and 1981. In 2003, the school was moved to its new location at the end of Bakerville Road, at the junction of Russells Mills Road, on the former farmland of the King family, with the former high school now being used as the middle school.
In 1993 during a social studies class a student was stabbed to death by classmates who barged into the classroom armed with baseball bats, billy clubs and knives. Karter Reed, Gator Collet, both 16, and Nigel Thomas, 15 were charged with first degree murder of Jason Robinson. The story gained national attention due to the severity of the crime and that it was the first of its kind in the school's history.

Music Department

The music department at Dartmouth High School has a long history of successes and is nationally well renowned. The music department includes the marching band, concert band, and jazz band, as well as the orchestra, chorus, and a cappella group Harmonix. It also includes the Winter color guard program and the Winter percussion program.

Marching Band

The band is under the direction of William Kingsland and has been a Division 5 winner of NESBA Championships in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. In 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019; the band has won first place at USBands National Championships in Annapolis, Maryland and East Rutherford, New Jersey. Additionally, they have many other titles in NESBA, where the marching band holds the highest score in NESBA history, 99.6, received in 2018 with the field show entitled "The Rainforest”. They also held the previous records of 99.1 scored in both 2014 and 2017. In USBands they tied the highest score of 98.575 that was set in 2008. The Band also holds many titles at MICCA, and formerly in EMBA. The group has also performed at the 1996 Tournament of Roses Parade, as well as several other festivals and Magic Music Days at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Winter Percussion

The Dartmouth High Winter Percussion performs in Winter Guard International where they consistently placed in the top 3 from 1998–2013. Today, they compete in Scholastic World Class at Winter Guard International championships held in Dayton, Ohio. The group won WGI Percussion Scholastic World Championships in 1998, 1999, 2008, 2009, and 2014, with 2nd-place finishes in 2000, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, and 2018 and 3rd-place finishes in 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2010 and 2015. In Winter Guard International world class competitions, they have consistently won fan favorite through the past three years. They have also held the record for the highest scoring group in the Percussion Scholastic World division for 15+ years. The group did not attend NESBA Finals or WGI World Championships in 2020 because of the global pandemic.

Winter Guard

The Dartmouth High School Winter Guard competed in the Scholastic A Class of WGI where they made WGI Finals three times – in 2014, 2016, and 2017. After their 2nd place finish in 2017 the group moved into the Scholastic Open Class where they received 13th place in their debut season in the division in 2018. The Winter Guard has been awarded the "Fan Favorite" award in 2016, 2017, and 2019. The Winter Guard did not attend NESBA Finals or WGI Championships in 2020 because of the global pandemic.

Orchestra

The high school's orchestra has also traveled to many places national as well as international places such as Ireland, the Azores, Canada, Austria and Germany, and New York. They traveled to Ireland again in April 2014, which included playing for the mayor, and getting critiqued by music professors there. On December 16, 2016, the high school performed a tribute concert to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, featuring both students and guest musicians on electric violin, cello, guitar, along with a drummer and a keyboardist., and hosted another Trans-Siberian Orchestra tribute concert at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center in New Bedford the next year. The orchestra also traveled to Scotland in July 2018.

Athletics

Dartmouth High School has a long and successful athletics history. The Indians have won numerous league and state championships since the school's establishment.

Football

Dartmouth's football team is regarded as one of the most successful teams in school history. The football team has won 4 MIAA State Championships in school history. The Indians won back-to-back state championships in both 1983 & 1984, and in 2014 & 2015. The Indians also advanced to the state championship in 2007, but were defeated in overtime by national powerhouse Everett by a score of 36-28.

2007 season

In 2007, the Indians football team was regarded as one of the most powerful, prolific, and highly regarded football teams in New England. The 2007 Dartmouth football team had 4 players who received Division 1 college football scholarships; two of which were eventually drafted by NFL teams. These players were running back Jordan Todman , tight end Arthur Lynch , quarterback/safety Sean Sylvia, and wide receiver Justin Mello. Todman was named the Massachusetts Division 1 Player of the Year by numerous sources in both 2006 and 2007, and was named to numerous All-State teams. He also finished his career at Dartmouth as the second-leading rusher in Massachusetts state history, behind only JoJo Goodine of New Bedford. At UConn, Todman was eventually named the 2010 Big East Offensive Player of the Year, an ESPN All-American, and an All-Big East First Team selection. Todman also led the Huskies to a Big East Conference Championship in 2010, and clinched a berth in the program's first BCS Bowl game, which was the 2011 Fiesta Bowl against the powerhouse Oklahoma Sooners, who defeated the Huskies, 48-20. Todman opted to forgo his senior year at UConn and declared for the 2011 NFL Draft. Todman was selected in the 6th Round by the San Diego Chargers. He has also played for the Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers, and Jacksonville Jaguars in his NFL career, and is currently playing for Pittsburgh Steelers. Coming into his senior season, Arthur Lynch was regarded as a 4-star recruit, and was listed as the #2 tight end prospect in the country in 2007, as well as the Top 100 high school football players in the country. Lynch received over 20 scholarship offers from top colleges across the country, and eventually committed to the University of Georgia. During his first three seasons with the Bulldogs, Lynch saw limited time, but had a breakout senior year in 2013, as he was a First Team All-SEC selection. Lynch was drafted in the 5th Round by the Miami Dolphins in the 2014 NFL Draft, and is currently a free agent. Both Sylvia and Mello received several scholarship offers, and both players produced successful college careers at Boston College and New Hampshire.
In 2007, the Indians finished the regular season with a 10-1 record and clinched a berth in the MIAA Division 1 State Playoffs. They routed perennial power Brockton in the semi-finals, and faced off against national power, Everett in the state finals. The game pitted two of the state's most highly regarded players against each other, Jordan Todman for Dartmouth, who was a UConn commit, and Isaac Johnson of Everett, who had committed to Boston College. The game ended in a 28-28 tie, and Everett scored a quick touchdown during the first possession of overtime. Unfortunately, Dartmouth was stopped short on fourth down and was defeated by the Crimson Tide. The Indians finished their historic 2007 season with an 11-2 overall record.

2014 season

In 2014, the Indians made a magical Cinderella run to the state championship, as they overcame fourth quarter deficits in two playoff games, including scoring 14 points in the final two minutes against Walpole in the state semi-finals to advance to the MIAA Division 3 State Championship game. In the state finals, the Indians faced off against Melrose. As the game remained tied at 7-7 late in the 4th quarter, Dartmouth running back Chris Martin marched the Indians downfield and scored a late touchdown to take a 14-7 lead. Dartmouth managed to hold Melrose on the ensuing possession and clinch their first state championship in 30 years. The Indians finished the 2014 season with an 11-2 overall record.

2015 season

In 2015, the Indians were regarded as one of the top teams in the state, led by senior All-State running back, Chris Martin. However, the Indians struggled during the first half of the season, as their record after two weeks stood at 0-2, and after six weeks, their record stood at 3-3. The Indians managed to win their final two regular season games and managed to qualify for the MIAA State Playoffs with a 5-3 regular season record. However, much like the previous season, the Indians rolled through the post season, as they won four straight playoff games against three Top 25 teams to advance to the Division 3 State Championship game for the second year in a row. Once again, the Indians would be facing off against undefeated Melrose in a rematch of last year's state championship game. In one of the best games of the season, Dartmouth managed to hold off Melrose in the final seconds once again, defeating the Red Raiders by a score of 26-21 to secure their second consecutive MIAA Division 3 State Championship. Senior running back Chris Martin was named the Massachusetts Division 3 Player of the Year by numerous publications, and was also selected to the All-State team. Dartmouth finished the 2015 season with an 11-3 overall record.
Football accomplishments