| . | The 21st century begins with major worries about computers world-wide going haywire (Y2K) when the calendar rolls over to 01/01/00. Smooth transitions were the norm and the decade begins quietly. The "ought" years bring the high-tech information age, with an increasing speed of change in technology that affects all areas of life. War in the Middle East, world-wide terrorism, and the Trade Center attack in New York on 9/11 touch us all. Not just airport routines change with new passenger restrictions, but new inventions such as cell phones, reality TV and the personalization of society where websites like Google, My Space on-line social networking, blogs, and the ubiquitous iPods for customized music, become commonplace. Greenwich High school deals with enrollment increases, successfully completes the NEASC accreditation process, and addresses the requirements of No Child Left Behind legislation with a focus on closing the achievement gap. | . |
2000 2000
MP3 music sharing begins | Girls Swim team goes undefeated and wins the State Open Tournament.
GHS AIDS Awareness Club hosts first Community Awareness Night, where a section of the National AIDS quilt is exhibited.
Boys water polo team claims the Cardinal Tournament crown for the first time.
The GHS Mock election results in a win for the Gore/Lieberman ticket with 49.3% of the student body casting ballots. | . |
2001 2001
World Trade Center collapse | GHS band travels to London, England for New Year's holiday participating in Youth Music of the World events.
Names Day, a program conducted in conjunction with the Connecticut Anti-Defamation League debuts at GHS.
Model UN is victorious at CUMUNC and WESTMUNC conferences.
Lights are installed at GHS stadium, enabling night games.
The entire GHS community gathers in the Student Center (standing room only) for a 9/11 memorial service. | . |
2002 2002
American Idol debuts on TV
| Cantor House opens as the 5th house, on the site of the former International Center of world language classrooms. Cantor House is named in memory of beloved Clark Housemaster Phyllis Cantor.
Connecticut passes a law requiring that schools set aside a time for the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. Greenwich High school does so every school morning at 7:30 a.m.
New GHS redesigned website released.
GHS Theater wins Outstanding Production and sweeps virtually every award at Connecticut Drama Association Festival for an original play "Table for Nine" written and directed by GHS teacher Richard Kohn. | . |
2003 2003
U.S. invades Iraq | Scholastic Aptitude Test scores are the highest in 15 years.
A special exhibit presented by the UJA/Federation of Greenwich and Westchester Holocaust Eduacation Center "Anne Frank: A History for Today" features speakers and docents with a mini-museum display in the Media Center. It is held for a month and is open to the public.
Jazz Ensemble selected as one of top 15 bands in Lincoln Center's Essentially Ellington National Competition. | . |
2004 2004
Tsunami devastates Asia | GHS holds its 10th annual Diversity Week. Speakers and assemblies focus students and staff on the rich heritage of our community.
GHS Theater wins Outstanding Production at Connecticut
Band, Chorus and Orchestra programs sweep the competition in their divisions at the North American Music Festival in Norfolk, VA
Drama Association Festival and represents the state at the New England Theater Festival.
GHS creates a "Power Nap Club" under the expert guidance of teacher Tony Anderson. The local news story is picked up by the AP wire service and Jay Leno includes it in his late night TV show monologue: "Heard in Greenwich CT they have a power nap club, but that's nothing new. When I was a kid we called it history class." (sic) | . |
2005 2005
Hurricane Katrina floods New Orleans Lance Armstrong wins 7th straight Tour de France | Dr. Elaine Bessette retires, as the NEASC Accreditation self-study is completed in preparation for the visiting team. Alan J. Capasso concludes his one year appointment as Interim Headmaster, and is chosen by the Board of Education to be GHS Headmaster.
The NEASC Committee arrives to visit our school and review the self-study prepared by GHS staff, students and parents. Tri-chairs, Martha Taylor-Nobile, Mary Mediate, and David Ross thank the school for their multi-year work.
Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks with GHS students in Contemporary America classes.
Theater Arts Department is recognized as an Outstanding School by the Educational Theatre Association.
Jazz Ensemble takes first place at Heritage Musical Festival in San Francisco, CA.
7 students selected for All Eastern Band and Chorus perform at festival held in the Baltimore Convention Center.
Students start "Former Attire", a volunteer club that collects gently used prom dresses to resell and benefit a local shelter for the homeless.
Media Center catalog and research databases become available at school and at home 24/7. |  Alan J. Capasso is appointed Headmaster after serving one year as Interim Headmaster and five years as Assistant Headmaster of GHS. He was an educational technology director for CES, Bridgeport and Trumbull Public Schools and has a B.S., M.A. in Math and CAS from Fairfield University in Administration and Computers. Before becoming an administrator, he was a math teacher and program leader for math and computers. He has also been an adjunct professor at Sacred Heart University.
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2006 2006
Pluto loses status as planet | The NEASC report states that "Greenwich High School is a remarkable school."
Chinese course offered by the recently renamed World Languages department.
GHS Concert Band, Symphony Band, and Wind Ensemble win first place at the Festivals of Music competition.
Stand By Me program launched to pair 9th and 10th graders in need of academic support, with upperclassmen who assist with homework, getting organized and study skills.
Podcasting, prerecorded audio for online or downloading to a computer, begins with samplings of student music composed in GHS electronic music classes.
Girls Soccer makes it to the FCIAC Championships for the first time. | . |
2007 2007
Nancy Pelosi becomes first woman Speaker of the House Scientists confirm global warming | GHS Band with almost 200 students travels to China for a 13 day musical and cultural exchange.
Science Bowl teams win at Northeast Regional Competition and 2 students also win first place in hydrogen car design.
Research science class students take first places in both the life and physical science categories in the Connecticut Science Fair and the Junior Science Symposium.
American Sign Language course offered for the first time.
New athletic playing fields open with 4 artificial turf and one natural surface.
Jazz Ensemble again selected as one of top 15 bands in Lincoln Center's Essentially Ellington National Competition.
Yearbook club publishes first all-color 560 page Compass. | . |
2008 2008
Barach Obama elected President in the worst global financial crisis since the Great Depression | Students access homework and digital resources online 24/7 through the Greenwich Public Schools Portal.
Four GHS Choirs sweep every major award at the Festival Disney competition in Orlando, Florida.
GHS bands garner top awards at the Festivals of Music competition in Washington, D.C. Wind Ensemble wins Revelli trophy as highest scoring instrumental group.
Football, Girls Swim, Boys Swim, Girls Ski, Boys and Girls Tennis, Girls Swim and Rugby teams are all state champs. Boys Water Polo claims Eastern championship. | . |
2009 2009
Hybrid cars replace SUVs in popularity | Anthony Mullen, teacher at the ARCH alternative high school, is selected as the 2009 Connecticut Teacher of the Year, and goes on to be chosen 2009 National Teacher of the Year.
Student Government sponsors the first House Olympics. Cantor House wins after fun and fierce competition.
We the People: Simulated Congressional Hearing Team finishes in top 10 at national competitition in Washington, D.C.
GHS 3 concert bands and 2 jazz bands win first place in their divisions at the North American Music Festival in Norfolk, VA. After the competition an unusual opportunity to visit the USS George HW Bush, a newly commissioned aircraft carrier is arranged for the students.
Eliza McNitt and Charlie Greene win first place in the C-SPAN "Student Cam" Documentary film contest for Requiem of the Honeybee. Over 3,000 documentaries were submitted nationwide. The film also won a Cablevision award.
Boys Swim team wins state championship
Competitive Math team wins state championship
In April, Alan Capasso announces his retirement effective June 30. Chris Winters, Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Learning, is selected as Interim Headmaster.
50% of classrooms have interactive SmartBoards and wireless internet is available in Sheldon House and the Media Center. |  Anthony Mullen named 2009 National Teacher of the Year
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10 Hillside Road, Greenwich, CT 06830