Morton High School (Morton, Illinois)

Morton High School
Morton High School crest
Location
Map
Morton
,
Illinois

United States
Coordinates40°36′42″N 89°27′12″W / 40.61167°N 89.45333°W / 40.61167; -89.45333
Information
TypePublic
Established1904
CEEB code143-010
PrincipalDeidre Ripka[2]
Faculty71.73 (on an FTE basis)[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment1,061[1] (2022–23)
Student to teacher ratio14.79[1]
Color(s)Cherry and gray     [3]
Team namePotters[3]
Websitehttp://mhs.morton709.org/

Morton High School is the four year public high school of Morton Community Unit School District 709 in Morton, Illinois.

Band

The Morton High School marching band has become very well known regionally in recent years. The marching band website reports they have done well, both in local competitions and in national competitions sponsored by the Bands of America association.[4] The high school band was also invited to play at the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, becoming the first band in central Illinois history do so.[5][6] The high school also hosts a band invitational that ran for the thirteenth year in September, 2018. The band competes at the State of Illinois Invitational Marching Band Championship, where it has won Class 2A since 2005. In 2010, the band placed 3rd in Class AA at the Bands of America Grand National Championships and advanced to national semifinals for the first time. In 2012, the band received the honor of being class 2A champions in the St. Louis Super Regional.[7]

The band has been the recipient of many honors and awards, including:[8]

  • 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023 Illinois State University Invitational Marching Championships Class 2A Champions[9][10]
  • 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016 University of Illinois Grand Champions - Governor's Trophy
  • 2012 Bands of America St. Louis Super Regional Class 2A Champions
  • 2010 Bands of America Grand National Semifinalist and 3rd in the nation in Class 2A
  • 2008, 2012, 2017, 2018 Bands of America St. Louis Super Regional Finalist
  • 2017 Bands of America Toledo Regional Finalist
  • Recipients of the Sudler Shield Award (2017), "an international award recognizing high school, youth, and international marching bands of world class excellence" from the John Philip Sousa Foundation.
  • 2018, 2021 Bands of America Grand National Semifinalists
  • 2021 Bands of America Iowa Regional Finalist, placing 2nd place in finals. The highest ranking the band has placed in a BOA finals.
  • 2024 Illinois state champions on Saturday October 19 after winning all captions at preliminary rounds in their class.

Math Team

The Morton High School Math Team won the 2012 State Math Championship at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign over the incumbent University of Chicago Lab School.

Campus

The building housing Morton High School was built in three stages between 1954 and 1976. Additionally, a 450-seat arts theater, the Bertha Frank Performing Arts Center, was built in 1997.

Athletics

The school competes as a 2A team in the Illinois High School Association. Its team name is the Potters.

State titles

[11]

  • Bass fishing: 2012–13
  • Boys' Baseball: 1983–84 (2A), 2017–18
  • Boys' Golf: 2014–15 (2A), 2015–16 (2A)
  • Girls' Basketball: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19

References

  1. ^ a b c "Morton High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  2. ^ "Administration". Morton Community Unit School District 709. Retrieved March 9, 2021. .
  3. ^ a b "Morton". School Directory. Indiana High School Association. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  4. ^ "Morton High School Band website". Morton Community Unit School District 709. 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
  5. ^ Barwacz, Sarah (2009-01-18). "Marching into History". Central Illinois Proud. Nexstar Broadcasting. Retrieved 2009-01-20. [dead link‍]
  6. ^ Long, Blake (2009-01-20). "Morton band addresses rumors". Creve Coeur, Illinois: WHOI (TV). Archived from the original on 2016-01-20. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
  7. ^ "St. Louis Super Regional Championship". BOA Marching Championships. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  8. ^ Bands, Morton. "Morton High School Marching Band". www.mortonbands.com. Morton Bands. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  9. ^ bands.illinoisstate.edu http://bands.illinoisstate.edu/youth/festivals/ISU%202015%20finals%20Oct17.pdf. Retrieved 2 April 2016. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ^ "Morton High School Marching Band takes Class 2A title at Super Regionals; sets up for Grand Nationals". Courier Newspapers. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Team Titles". Illinois High School Association. Retrieved 17 December 2019.