Archives High Schools: Academy @ Shawnee

Official Name: The Academy @ Shawnee 

Year Opened: 1930

1st Graduating Class: 1930 1/2

Shawnee opened as Western High School for Girls in 1929, sharing a building at Fortieth and Herman streets with Shawnee Junior High School. Within a year, the schools were consolidated into Shawnee Junior-Senior High School.  Soon thereafter the school became known simply as Shawnee High School.  Its first graduation occurred in February 1931.   Shawnee became coed in 1950.  A new building on Market Street opened in 1962.  The dedication program for that building includes a photograph of its library.  Another photo, circa the 1960's, shows the librarian and students in the library during Library Week.  In 1995 the team mascot was changed from the Shawnee Indians to the Shawnee Golden Eagles.  In 2006 Shawnee began to host the ESL (English as a Second Language) Newcomer Academy, then an one-year program aiding the integration of students new to the United States.  Newcomer Academy became recognized as a separate special school in 2014.  In 2009 the school became The Academy @ Shawnee.  It offers a Middle Academy, Prep Academy, and an Upper Academy.
With the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year, the school changed its official address and front entrance from 4018 West Market Street to 4001 Herman Street.