Theodore Roosevelt High School (Des Moines)


Theodore Roosevelt High School, usually referred to simply as Roosevelt High School or TRHS, is a secondary school located on the west side of Des Moines, Iowa. It is one of five secondary schools under the district of the Des Moines Public Schools, and was named after the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt.

History

The construction of the building in which TRHS is housed was initiated in 1922 by Proudfoot, Bird, and Rawson and opened in 1924 with 1,282 students. The final cost to build was $1,331,600. The building's design has won many awards and is considered one of 50 most significant buildings in Iowa by PBS. The building is on both the State and National Register of Historic Places.

Students

As of the 2008–2009 school year, there were 1,654 students enrolled at Roosevelt High School.

Enrollment figures

Curriculum

Students must be enrolled in physical education at least 1 semester each year while in high school and complete CPR certification. They are also required to, as before, take core academic courses in order to graduate and receive a diploma. These include Social Studies, English, Mathematics, Science, and Art, therefore leaving the two remaining blocks to be electives and/or release periods. Credits needed to graduate are currently 23, raised from 18 beginning with the graduating class of 2011.
All students are required by Des Moines Public Schools to enroll in four subject courses and a Physical Education course. The school district compels lower-class students to schedule a full day of classes, however, in order to ensure satisfaction with district graduation requirements. Juniors and Seniors have the option of having an "open period" during the first or last period of the school day. Juniors require parental permission to have an open period.

Athletics and activities

Roosevelt competes as a school in the Iowa High School Athletic Association 4A school. It is a member of the Central Iowa Metro League conference, or CIML, along with all four of the other DMPS high schools and Ottumwa High School.

Notable alumni