About Brooke High School

Brooke High School is a four year comprehensive high school providing for students in the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades. The school is designed with the intention of furnishing a smooth transition from middle school to high school and from high school to vocational-technical school, college, or work. Brooke High is divided into three Centers (smaller schools) within the larger comprehensive high school. All Centers have the following characteristics: comparable curriculum, approximately 375 students, all four grades represented, and students assigned alphabetically and at random to Centers providing a cross section of the entire student body. Once assigned to a Center, the student remains there until graduation.

Basic courses, such as English, Math, Social Studies, and Science are taught in each Center. Fine Arts, Music, Foreign Language, Industrial Arts, Trade and Industry, Home Economics, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Business Courses, and Physical Education are taught in specific areas of the building and to students from all three Centers.

This design originated so as to offer a wide variety of subjects and activities found in larger schools, yet enabling the students and teachers to develop close working relationships, as found in smaller schools.

The head principal, located in the Main Office, oversees the staff at Brooke High. Each Center has an assistant principal as its administrator. Their offices are located in the Center to which they are assigned. Center principals are assisted by a staff of teachers and a guidance counselor. Counselors’ offices are located in Center areas to which they are assigned

Brooke High School first opened its doors in 1969, after three (3) years of construction. At a cost of $6,653,130, Brooke was formed from the consolidation of Wellsburg High School, Follansbee High School, and Bethany High School. Homer S. Bodley, Brooke's first principal, stated that the theme of the school throughout the planning was "design for opportunity". Mr. Bodley stated, "We have tried to retain the benefits of a little school, yet offer the advantages of a larger institution." An important feature to Brooke's design was the placement of the library; the library is central to the school and easily accessible for all students.

Another outstanding feature is the on-site industial arts center (now known as the Career Technical Education). This vocational center was first designed with three (3) industrial labs; however, it now contains over six (6) labs with varying purposes. Having an on-site vocational center enables all students to take skill orientated classes within the school building, rather than having to be transported to an off-site career technical center.

Brooke High School's official colors are Forest Green and Old Gold. The school's nickname is the Bruins. The student body was consulted on the nickname, and by a majority vote of 67 precent, Bruins was selected as the nickname. Other considerations were The Big Green, Golden Eagles, Bengals, Briagadiers, Buccaneers, Golden Rams, Golddiggers, and the Packers. During the first year of operation, many traditions were formed: The Babbling Brooke School Newspaper, CrossRoads Yearbook, Talent Show, Spring Musical, Alma Mater, and Fight Song.