Affton High School

Affton High School
File:Affton High School.JPG
Address
8309 Mackenzie Road Affton, Missouri United States
Coordinates
Information
Type	Comprehensive high school
Established	1930
School district	Affton School District
NCES School ID	292067001118
Principal	Sue Jackson
Faculty	45
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	860
Color(s)	Purple and gold
Mascot	Cougar
Newspaper	The Cougars Tale
Website	Official web site
Affton High School
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Built	1936
Architect	George Ingham Barnett
Architectural style	Italianate
NRHP Reference #	10000551
Added to NRHP	August 12, 2010

Affton High School is a public comprehensive high school in Affton, St. Louis County, Missouri that is part of the Affton School District.

History

The first high school classes in Affton were offered in 1930 at 8701 Mackenzie Road in the basement of the former McKenzie School, in a building that now serves as the district administrative office building. The first section of the original building, which was later named W.F. Gaunt High School, was constructed in 1936 at 8520 Mackenzie Road, and 1937 marked the first class to graduate from the new high school. The building is currently the Sanders Work Activity Center.

The current high school building was built on a 22-acre (89,000 m²) plot in 1955. A classroom and cafeteria addition was added in 1958. Ninth grade students were temporarily moved to McKenzie School in the fall of 1958, back to the Senior High in 1959, and into a new ninth grade center at Gaunt School, after an addition was finished in 1961. The terra cotta cougar and bronze school seal, located in the lobby, were donated by the Classes of 1961 and 1962, respectively. An addition was added in 1963, and in 1965 a bond issue was passed to provide the high school with an auditorium, pool, library and additional classrooms. The "pod" area of the high school was added in 1969. Ninth grade students were moved back to the high school after the Gaunt school was closed in 1978.

Prior to the start of the 2002/03 school year, new science labs were added to the science classrooms. In addition, business computer labs, FACS classrooms, Science classrooms and administrative offices were upgraded. This work was made possible by the passing of Proposition A in 2000. A new student commons addition was built on to the existing cafeterias and opened for the 2004-05 school year. The commons was made possible by a million-dollar donation from Affton High School alumni Bill ('63) and Nancy ('65) Thompson. A new athletic complex, which included a new football field, bleachers, all-weather track and lights made its debut at the start of the 2004/05 school year, with contributions from actor and alumnus John Goodman.

Scenes from the 2009 film Up in the Air were shot at Affton High School.

On August 12, 2010, the original high school building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Activities

For the 2013–2014 school year, the school offered 18 activities approved by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA): baseball, boys and girls basketball, sideline cheerleading, dance team, 11-man football, boys golf, music activities, boys and girls soccer, softball, boys and girls swimming and diving, boys and girls track and field, boys and girls volleyball, and wrestling. In addition to its current activities, Affton students have won several state championships, including:

• Girls basketball: 1985

The school also has had two state individual champions in boys swimming and diving.

Notable Alumni

• Derek Blasberg: Fashion writer
• John Goodman: Actor
• Markus Golden: Arizona Cardinals linebacker
• Bruce Rittmann: Professor