Maconaquah High School is located at 256 E 800 South, just outside the city limits of Bunker Hill, Indiana. The building houses grades 9-12 and functions as the primary athletic building. It is the only high school in the Maconaquah School Corporation.
History
On July 1, 1962, Maconaquah School Corporation was formed by consolidating two high schools in southern Miami County, Indiana. The corporation is named after Frances Slocum, who was captured as a child by Delaware Indians in 1778 from her Pennsylvania home. She grew up with the Miami tribe and married a Miami Indian Chief. She lived in the area near Peru, Indiana, and became known as "Little Bear Woman" or Maconaquah. She is buried in a state historical site near the corporation boundaries. Maconaquah class of 1964 attended classes in the old Bunker Hill High School. The current high school facility, located approximately 2 miles from Bunker Hill, Indiana, proper, held its first classes in August 1965. The following year the building proper was finished and the class of 1966 was the first to attend in MHS. Three years later, the Industrial Arts/Agriculture Wing was added on, allowing students to gain insight into different trades and career paths. In 1977, the Fine Arts Wing was added, expanding the school, with the additions including a 900+ seat auditorium with a full scene shop, a band room, a choral chamber, a green room, a black-box theater, as well as numerous classrooms. The most recent addition is the remodeling of the Science and Business Department in 2005: The science laboratories were updated, and an additional lab was built. The building has two multi-purpose computer labs, CAD lab, accounting lab, Cisco Network Academy, and a graphic arts lab. Each teacher has a room computer with access to Internet, Web and various programs. Teachers also have access to video, digital cameras, VCR, laser disc, film strip, CD-Rom, still video, 35mm slides, 16mm film, satellite TV, in-house TV, and voice mail. The high school continues to serve constituents of six townships in southern Miami County. The district includes a farming community and nine small towns or communities and includes Grissom Air Reserve Base.
Demographics
The demographic breakdown of the 656 students enrolled in 2015-2016 was:
Male - 50.2%
Female - 49.8%
Native American/Alaskan - 1.1%
Asian/Pacific islanders - 1.4%
Black - 2.1%
Hispanic - 3.0%
White - 86.7%
Multiracial - 5.7%
45.0% of the students were eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch. In 2015-2016, this was a Title I school.
A full performing arts curriculum is offered including Music History & Appreciation, Music Theory and Composition, Advanced Concert Band, Advanced Chorus, Intermediate Chorus, Vocal Jazz, Theatre Arts, Technical Theatre, and Dance Performance: Ballet, Modern, Ethnic-Folk. The Maconaquah Performing Arts Center includes a 900+ seat auditorium and scene shop, choral chamber, green room, and television studio/black box theatre. The full-time Performing Arts faculty includes two band directors, one choral director, and one theatre/television teacher.
Speech and Debate
The forensics team has three Indiana High School Forensic Association Class A State Championships, in 2002, 2003, and 2008, and has qualified for the National Forensic League 's National Tournament 47 times as of 2008.
