Millbrook High School (North Carolina)

Millbrook Magnet High School, commonly known as Millbrook High School (MHS), is a public magnet high school located in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is one of thirty-two high schools in the Wake County Public School System. In 2006, Millbrook finished the renovation of its campus which includes a new three-level building, a courtyard for students, and a larger cafeteria making MHS one of the largest and up to date facilities in the area. In 2009, Millbrook High School was granted International Baccalaureate status by the North Carolina Board of Education.^[2] The school was named a Magnet School of Excellence by Magnet Schools of America in 2020 and 2024 for its innovative curriculum, strong community building, and success in removing barriers to student success.^[3]

Millbrook High School
Address
2201 Spring Forest Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27615 United States
Information
Type	Public
Established	1922 (102 years ago) (1922)
School district	Wake County Public School System
CEEB code	342620
Principal	Brian Saunders
Staff	127.97 (on an FTE basis)[1]
Enrollment	2,421 (2022–23)[1]
Student to teacher ratio	18.92[1]
Schedule	A/B Block, 8 classes
Hours in school day	Monday–Friday 7:25 A.M–2:20 P.M
Color(s)	Navy and white
Mascot	Wiley the Wildcat
Team name	Wildcats
Rival	Jesse O. Sanderson High School
Newspaper	Cat Talk
Yearbook	The Laurel
Website	https://www.wcpss.net/millbrookhs

History

Principals:

• A.E Fussel (1956-1957) ^[4]
• F.B Williams (1958-1966)^[5]
• John Rooks (1967-1969)^[6]
• Ronald E. Cobb Jr. (1970-1977)^[7]
• Linwood C. Johnson (1978-1981)^[8]
• Victor V. Langston (1982-1986)^[9]
• David Bryant (1987-1988)^[10]
• Roy Teel (1989-1993)^[11]
• David Rocefeller (1995-2003)^[12]
• Dana King (2004-2022)^[13]
• Brian Saunders (2023-Present)^[14]

Millbrook's first academic building, circa 1947

Academics

IB Programme

Millbrook is an International Baccalaureate world school. The program is a two-stage academic course that brings together highly motivated and engaged students and teachers in classrooms that dig deep into content critical thinking, and the impact of perspective on student understanding.

Middle Years Programme

All Millbrook students are automatically enrolled in the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) at the start of their freshman year. It was created to prepare students for the academic rigor of the IB Diploma Programme, but students may receive benefits regardless of their intentions to continue in the IB curriculum.^[15] The most notable aspect of the program is the Personal Project which students complete in their sophomore year English class. This year-long assignment invites students to explore an area of personal interest, document their progress, and present their final product to an audience of teachers and peers.^[16]

Diploma Programme

The IB Diploma Programme is a voluntary course of study that educates students with interdisciplinary practices and prepares them for the rigor and self-discipline of higher education.^[17] The curriculum includes the extended essay, a 4000-word student-directed research project on a subject of their choice.^[18] Those interested in participating in the IB Diploma Programme are encouraged to start taking a second language class as soon as possible for the program.^[19]

IB Courses Offered

• IB Anthropology
• IB Biology l & ll
• IB Chemistry
• IB Chinese l & ll
• IB Computer Science
• IB Dance l & ll
• IB Environmental Science
• IB French l & ll
• IB History of the Americas
• IB History SL
• IB Language and Literature l & ll
• IB Latin l & ll
• IB Math Applications and Interpretation l & ll
• IB Music l & ll
• IB Physics l & ll
• IB Spanish l & ll
• IB Theatre l & ll
• IB Theory of Knowledge l & ll
• IB Visual Arts l & ll
• IB World Religions

AP Courses Offered

• AP 2D Art & Design
• AP Biology
• AP Calc AB
• AP Calc AB/BC
• AP Chemistry
• AP Computer Science
• AP English Language
• AP English Literature
• AP Environmental Science
• AP United States Government and Politics
• AP Human Geography
• AP Physics
• AP Pre-Calculus
• AP Psychology
• AP Spanish
• AP Statistics
• AP United States History
• AP World History

Schedules

Millbrook operates on A/B day schedule, where, unlike traditional semester-long classes, students alternate between a set of four 90-minute long classes one day, and another four the next. This divides an eight-period day over two school days. Due to the modified schedule, all finals are taken at the end of year school year, instead of in the middle like traditional semester courses.

Athletics

Millbrook's athletics department houses 40 athletic teams^[20] including varsity, junior varsity, and freshman levels, who all compete in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. The school is classified into 4A, the highest division, due to their large population. Its historical rival is Jesse O. Sanderson High School.

Sports Teams^[21]

• Baseball
• Basketball (men's & women's)
• Cheer & Stunt
• Cross Country (men's & women's)
• Football
• Golf (men's & women's)
• Gymnastics
• Indoor Track (men's & women's)
• Lacrosse (men's & women's)
• Swim & Dive (men's & women's)
• Soccer (men's & women's)
• Softball
• Tennis (men's & women's)
• Track & Field (men's & women's)
• Volleyball
• Wrestling (men's & women's)

Club Sports

• Wildcats Hockey
• Men's Volleyball
• Women's Flag Football

State Champion Years^[22]

• Basketball
  • Men's - 2021
  • Women's - 2012, 2013, 2016
• Cheer & Stunt - 1992, 2009, 2011, 2016
• Cross Country - 1993
• Golf
  • Men's - 1985, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996
• Gymnastics - 1992, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2011, 2021, 2022
• Swim & Dive - 1995, 1996
• Soccer
  • Men's - 1994
  • Women's - 1989
• Tennis
  • Men's - 1999, 2009, 2013
• Track & Field
  • Indoor - 2020
  • Outdoor - 2021
• Volleyball - 1991, 1993, 1995, 2022

Arts

Choir

The current choir director is Mr. Eddie Adams, who has been teaching at Millbrook High School for more than a decade.^[23] Several different choir classes are offered and many of the higher level groups are award-winning.^[24] These are the current choir classes being offered:

• Novum: Beginning level non-audition choir for students with little to no experience in music
• Ingen: Beginning/intermediate level choir for baritones, basses, and tenors
• Chamber: Intermediate level audition choir for sopranos and altos
• Celeste: A select intermedate/advanced audition choir for primarily juniors and seniors. Members of this group take two choir classes, typically participating in Novum or Chamber in addition to Celeste.
• Madrigals: The most advanced audition choir offered at Millbrook consisting of sopranos, altos, tenors, baritones, and basses. This is a blocked class, so members will take choir everyday rather than every other day.

Band

Millbrook offers 3 types of band classes: Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Percussion Ensemble.

• Wind Ensemble: This is the highest level course that is for brass, wind, and percussion instruments. In the past, Millbrook's Wind Ensemble has won numerous awards, such as Presidents Cup, international Music Fesival, and Superiors at MPA (Music Performance Assessment)
• Symphonic Band: Mostly consisting of underclassmen, this course primarily uses brass and woodwind instruments. The class has fewer students than wind ensemble, but they have also won numerous Superiors at MPA.
• Percussion Ensemble: Only consists of percussion instruments, such as xylophone, snare, bass drum, and drum set. They help with Symphonic band, providing them with background music and tempo. (Created in the 2023-2024 school year)

Extracurriculars offered

• Marching Band: Starts in the Fall, they compete at various competitions throughout the season, and they perform at Millbrook Football games, providing music for Color Guard to perform to. In the past 2 years, have won Grand Champ a total of 5 times.
• Winter Guard: Just like Color Guard, but they perform without the marching band. They attend their own competitions, and use equipment such as flag, rifle, and sabre. In the 2022-2023 season, they won first place at Championships in their class.
• Jazz Band: Consists of Saxophone, Brass Instruments, Drum Set, and Bass Guitar. They are a small group that practices after school twice a week. They perform in the school's musical each year, providing background music. They also perform in their own concert with the rest of the band groups, and do special Christmas Performances during Spirit Week in the winter. They attend many Jazz Festivals and participate in MPA.

Theater

The Theater department offers students numerous course levels in Academic, Honors, and IB Levels. The courses are offered as follows:

1. Theatre Beginning (Honors)
2. Theatre Intermediate (Honors)
3. Theatre Proficient (Honors) / IB Theatre I (HL & SL)
4. Theatre Advanced (Honors) / IB Theatre II (HL & SL)

Throughout the year, students get prompts to act out, while practicing memorization and projection skills. Proficient and Advanced get to perform class plays in the middle of each school year. This is an evening event that parents, friends, and other students can attend.

Tech Theatre

Tech Theatre offers different level courses as well, but they learn technological skills behind performances on the stage, such as lighting and sound. Tech Theatre also helps to prepare for Millbrook's Fall Play and Spring Musical. The courses offered are as follows:

• Tech Theatre Beginning (Honors)
• Tech Theatre Intermediate (Honors)
• Tech Theatre Proficient (Honors)
• Tech Theatre Advanced (Honors)

Dance

Millbrook offers up to 4 courses for Dance. Each year, the classes perform in a winter and spring concert. The courses are offered as follows:

1. Dance Beginning (Honors)
2. Dance Intermediate (Honors)
3. Dance Advanced (Honors)
4. Dance Proficient (Honors) [Also called Company]

Dance Team

A small group of students who try out each year to perform in football games, pep rallies, basketball games. Occasionally perform at other athletic games if they are asked to. Starting in the 2025 season, Dance Team is expected to compete in various competitions. They have special jerseys that they wear for each performance, and exclusively do routines in the style of hip hop for athletic events, but are well versed in all genres of dance. Dance Team also does cheers in the bleachers alongside Marching Band and Winter Guard at Football games.

Visual Arts

Millbrook High Schools offers many course levels for both visual arts and sculpture/ceramics. Typically, students progress in each course every year, and move up to the next class level. The course levels are as follows:

1. Visual Arts Beginning (Honors) / Sculpture/Ceramics VAS Beginning (Honors)
2. Visual Arts Intermediate (Honors) / Sculpture/Ceramics VAS Intermediate (Honors)
3. Visual Arts Proficient (Honors) / Sculpture/Ceramics VAS Proficient (Honors)
4. Visual Arts Advanced (Honors) [AP Art] / Sculpture/Ceramics VAS Advanced (Honors)

Clubs & Organizations[14]

Student Led

1. Art Club
2. Best Buds
3. Black Student Union
4. Chinese Club
5. Crochet Club
6. Culture Club
7. Gear Cats
8. Key Club
9. K-Pop Club
10. Latin Club
11. Millbrook Pride Dance Team
12. Multimedia Gaming
13. Muslim Student Alliance
14. Pickleball Club
15. Psychology Club
16. Service Club
17. Science Olympiad
18. Women's Health Outreach Advocates

Organizations

1. FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America)
2. Fellowship of Christian Athletes
3. Future Farmers of America (FFA)
4. Millbrook Executive Board (MEB)

Honor Societies

1. National Achievers Society
2. National Art Honors Society
3. Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honors Society)
4. National English Society
5. French Honors Society
6. National Latin Honors Society
7. Music Honor Society
8. Science National Honors Society
9. Spanish Honors Society

Demographics

As of the 2023-2024 school year:^[25]

2,421 total students

• 46.2% White
• 25.9% Black
• 20.7% Hispanic
• 3.6% Two or More Races
• 3.1% Asian
• Other <1%

127 certified teachers

Notable alumni

See also: Category:Millbrook High School (North Carolina) alumni

Name	Class Year	Notability
Robert L. Barker	1951	North Carolina Senator
George A. Fisher Jr.	1960	Former United States Army officer
Dean Debnam	1972	President and CEO, Public Policy Polling[26][circular reference]
Everett Lindsay	1988?	NFL offensive lineman
Paul Shuey	1988	MLB pitcher
Bucky Brooks	1989	Former NFL player who is a sportswriter covering the NFL for Sports Illustrated
Craig Keith	1989	NFL tight end[27]
David Merritt	1989	Former NFL player and current NFL coach
Evan Brown	2005	Professional soccer player[28]
Martha Nichols	2005	American choreographer and dancer
Ferrety Sousa	2008	Professional soccer player[29]
Keith Marshall	2012	NFL running back
Brian Miller	2013	MLB outfielder
Rickey Thompson	2014	American actor, comedian, and internet personality[30]
James Smith-Williams	2015	NFL defensive lineman[31]
Chris Clemons	2015	NBA player[32]
Larry Rountree III	2017	NFL running back for the Los Angeles Chargers
Tyler Snead	2018	CFL wide receiver for the Montreal Alouettes

References

1. "Millbrook High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
2. "Millbrook High School". International Baccalaureate®.
3. America, Magnet Schools of. "Magnet Schools of America Recognizes 45 Nationally Certified Schools". Magnet Schools of America. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
4. The Laurel, 1956-1957.
5. The Laurel, 1958-1966.
6. The Laurel, 1967-1969.
7. The Laurel, 1970-1977.
8. The Laurel, 1978-1981.
9. The Laurel, 1982-1986.
10. The Laurel, 1987-1988.
11. The Laurel, 1989-1993.
12. The Laurel, 1995-2003.
13. The Laurel, 2004-2022.
14. The Laurel, 2022-2023.
15. Various Authors. "Middle Years Programme". International Baccalaureate Organization. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
16. Various Authors. "Personal Project". International Baccalaureate Organization. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
17. Various Authors. "Diploma Programme (DP)". International Baccalaureate Organization. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
18. Various Authors. "Extended Essay". International Baccalaureate Organization. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
19. Various Authors. "Learning a Language". International Baccalaureate Organization. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
20. on, Nas Support (May 4, 2022). "About the Wildcat Club". Millbrook Magnet High School. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
21. "Millbrook Magnet High School". Millbrook Magnet High School. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
22. NCHSAA Banners
23. Various Authors. "Faculty Directory". Millbrook Magnet High School. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
24. The Laurel, 2010-2023.
25. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Millbrook High". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
26. Public Policy Polling
27. "CRAIG KEITH". profootballarchives.com. Archived from the original on March 19, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
28. Evan Brown - Men's Soccer - Wake Forest University Athletics. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
29. North Carolina: NCCA All-Star Rosters Announced - MaxPreps. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
30. Anderson, Summer. "Where are they now?". Cat Talk. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
31. "Senior Spotlight: James Smith-Williams". NC State Wolfpack football. September 3, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
32. By. "Former Millbrook star Chris Clemons withdraws from NBA draft, heads back to Campbell". newsobserver. Retrieved June 27, 2019.

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