Masuk High School

Masuk High School
150px Masuk High School Mascot Logo
Address
1014 Monroe Turnpike Monroe, Connecticut, Fairfiled 06468 United States
Information
Opened	1958
School board	Monroe Board of Education
School district	Monroe Public Schools
Grades	9-12
School colour(s)	Black, Red & White
Athletics conference	South West Conference
Mascot	Panther
Rival	Newtown High School
Accreditation	NEASC CSDE
Newspaper	Masuk Free Press
Budget	$13,075,217.02
Website	http://www.edline.net/pages/MasukHighSchool

Masuk High School is the only public high school of Monroe, Connecticut, United States, and includes grades 9 through 12. It is located on Connecticut Route 111 (Monroe Turnpike) in Monroe, between Old Coach Road and Pond View Road. Masuk is rare among high schools in that its monthly faculty meetings have been chaired by faculty members instead of administrators since 2002. The faculty elect a teacher as chair of their Faculty Assembly in May of odd-numbered years.

History

Since its founding in 1958, Masuk has cooperated with many other towns in the area. Students from Bridgeport, Connecticut and Oxford, Connecticut have attended Masuk in the past, although Oxford's last class of Masuk students graduated in June 2009.

In 1973, officials at the school allowed students to refuse to pledge allegiance to the American flag. The Connecticut Veterans of Foreign Wars objected to this decision.

In September 2011, the STEM program was brought to Masuk.

In 1958, Mr. and Mrs. Semyon Masuk read an article in the Bridgeport Post that the town of Monroe needed land to build a high school. They contacted the town and offered to give some land as they were grateful to America for the life they led after migrating from Russia. The town gladly accepted and Masuk High School was built. They had a grandson, Paul Kanter, who graduated in 1969, and a granddaughter, Pamela Masuk, who graduated in 1971.

Athletics

Masuk is part of the South West Conference. Masuk has had several conference champion teams: the boys' and girls' soccer teams, football, softball, ice hockey, and girls' indoor track & field. Masuk won the Class LL State Championship in softball in 2007, 2008 and 2009. The Masuk High men's volleyball team won the Class M state championship in the spring of 2009 in only their 3rd year as a varsity program. Masuk also has a respected rivalry with the bordering town of the Newtown Nighthawks. They have been dominated in this rivalry in recent years. The school has an indoor swimming pool.

Several boys basketball players from Masuk High School have played professional basketball in the National Basketball Association, including Mike Gminski ('77) and Courtney Alexander (played one year and transferred).

Football

Masuk's first boys' state championship came in 1998 as the football team, under the coaching of John Murphy, upset the heavily favored Falcons of Fitch High School. Masuk Football went on to win back-to back-to back SWC championships in 1998, 1999, and 2000. In 2003 Masuk Football again won the SWC championship, but eventually lost a heartbreaking state championship final to East Lyme, finishing the season 13-1. Masuk has been in the state championships since 1998, but lost in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, and finally won the title again in 2008 vs. Newington 56 to 13. In 2010 Masuk won the SWC championship game against Newtown with a score of 42-0, and won the state championship (Class L) against the New Canaan Rams 50-20. They finished the 2010 season undefeated and ranked #1 with a record of 13 - 0.

• Masuk cheerleading.jpg

  Cheerleaders at Masuk

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  Masuk Panthers High School football. Go Panthers!

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  Masuk Marching Band percussion

• Masuk Football at New Fairfield 2013.JPG

  Masuk football players at New Milford

Championship Appearance	Opponent	Outcome
State Championship (1998)	Fitch	Win
SWC (1998)	-	Win
SWC (1999)	-	Win
State Championship (2000)	-	Loss
SWC (2000)	-	Win
State Championship (2003)	East Lyme	Loss
SWC (2003)	-	Win
State Championship (2005)	-	Loss
State Championship (2007)	-	Loss
State Championship (2008)	Newington	Win (56-13)
State Championship (2010)	New Canaan	Win (50-20)
SWC (2010)	Newtown	Win (42-0)

Fall sports

• Cross Country (Boys and Girls)
• Field Hockey (Girls)
• Soccer (Boys and Girls)
• Swimming and Diving (Girls)
• Mr. Panther Competition
• Volleyball (Girls)

Winter sports

• Basketball (Boys and Girls)
• Cheerleading (Boys and Girls)
• Ice Hockey (Boys) - Won the inaugural SWC Championship in 1996 under Coach Jeff Semon.
• Indoor Track (Boys and Girls)
• Swimming and Diving (Boys)
• Wrestling (Co-ed)

Spring sports

• Baseball (Boys)
• Golf (Boys and Girls)
• Lacrosse (Boys and Girls)
• Softball (Girls)
• Tennis (Boys and Girls)
• Track and Field (Boys and Girls)
• Volleyball (Boys)

Masuk Arts Program

Theater Masuk's theater program features a newly renovated performance hall.

The Masuk Dance Team The team recently placed first in the large hip hop group and jazz divisions at the first state dance team championships at East Haven High School. Students trained in dance outside of Masuk are also given the opportunity to participate through the school's Dance Showcase, which has featured a wide range of dancing styles.

The Masuk Chorus The chorus has earned recognition at various competitions, and has performed at Carnegie Hall and throughout Italy in various churches. Advanced members may join the Chamber Choir and Camarata.

The Masuk Band This consists of the general band, marching band, wind ensemble, and jazz band in increasingly advanced difficulties. Recently the Masuk jazz ensemble has been cited for outstanding soloists.

The Masuk Strings Group Led by Lisa Homann, this is a newer group. The first class of seniors to complete the strings program from grades 4-12 graduated in 2007. They have performed at Carnegie Hall and recently have participated in musical competitions around the east coast of the United States, achieving numerous awards. They also received the highest rating of "Superior" at the Toronto Music Festival.

The Masuk Full Orchestra The orchestra was assembled in 2006. The program was dependent on the strings program's growth into the high school level. The Masuk Full Orchestra includes the full strings group and a selection of students from the Masuk Band.

Masuk Clubs

Masuk's clubs include:

• Art Club
• Anime Club
• Buddies
• Camarata
• Chamber Choir
• Chess Club
• Colorguard
• Close Up
• Crossword Club
• Culinary arts
• Dance Team
• Debate Club
• DECA
• FBLA (the largest chapter in CT FBLA and largest club in the school)
• Fire Brigade
• Fencing club (coed; not officially a sports team)
• Free Press
• French Club
• GAMES
• German
• Glee Club
• Guitar Club
• Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA)
• Health Club
• Interact
• International Relations Club
• Impact Club
• ISAA
• Jazz Ensemble
• Junior Classical League
• Literary Magazine
• Masuk Classical Society
• Marching Band
• MBC
• MCTV
• Medical Assistance Team
• Math Team
• Masuk Representative Assembly (MRA)
• Model United Nations (Model UN)
• Names
• National Art Honors Society
• National Honors Society
• PARTY (Prevent Alcohol Risks Today for Youth)
• Performing Arts
• Photography Club
• Physics Club
• Robotics Team
• SADD
• Spanish Club
• Spectrum
• Stagecraft
• Strength and Fitness Club
• Wind Ensemble
• Winterguard
• World of Warcraft Masuk Guild
• Video Game Club
• Young Writer's Guild
• League of Masuk

Scandals

In November 2014, a teacher from Masuk High School was placed on administrative leave for inappropriate sexual misconduct. The investigation, headed by the Monroe Board of Education and the Monroe Police Department. It was later found that no sexual conduct had taken place and the teacher has since returned to his or her job.

External links

• Masuk High School