Miami Beach Senior High School (Beach High, MBSH) is a secondary school located at 2231 Prairie Avenue Miami Beach, Florida, across from the Miami Beach Convention Center and Botanical Garden. It is located at the corner of Prairie Avenue and Dade Boulevard. The school is in Miami-Dade County and is part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the fourth-largest school district in the United States. In addition, Miami Beach Senior High is the second oldest in Miami-Dade County (after Miami Senior High School). In 2009, the school was recognized as a magnet school.
In 2010, Miami Beach Senior High was recognized as an International Baccalaureate World School, meaning a select group of students get to attend a two-year program that allows them to graduate with a special diploma. The school was the first in the city of Miami Beach to receive the designation.Miami Herald
History 20th century Miami Beach High School opened in 1926. It was originally located at 1424 Drexel Avenue, in the heart of the South Beach district. It is the second-oldest high school in Miami-Dade County behind Miami Senior High School, which was founded in 1903. It was designed by August Geiger.
Carl Fisher provided the funds for the purchase of the land. For the first nine years of the school, it was named after Carl's mother, Ida M. Fisher. (Mrs. Fisher's middle initial was not "M", and the use of that letter was due to a typographer's error. Carl did not care and was so pleased that the school had been named for his mother that he stated the incorrect letter did not make a difference to him.)
The school's first principal was C. C. Carson. The first class motto was: "Let us be known for our deeds." At that time, the school's nickname was the Typhoons, but this name was changed after its 1960 move to its new location at 2231 Prairie Avenue, about a block north of the South Beach district.
Under a forced desegregation order from the Florida Supreme Court, Miami Beach High underwent desegregation efforts.
Prior to the opening of North Miami Beach High School and Dr. Michael Krop High School, students from North Miami Beach were assigned to Miami Beach High School and Miami Norland High School.Bramson, Seth. From Farms and Fields to the Future: The Incredible History of North Miami Beach. Arcadia Publishing, June 1, 2012. , 9781614236412. Google Books PT 125. "[...] and then on to North Miami Beach Senior High, [...] or Dr. Michael Krop Senior High, [...] to complete their secondary educations. (Prior to the opening of NMB and Krop, North Miami Beach's high school-age students went to North Miami or Norland High Schools.)"
The original building at 14th and Drexel Avenue is now part of the Fienberg-Fisher K-8 Center compound. The school is being renovated and new buildings added to replace the demolished ones.
In the late 1990s, Beach High adopted ID numbers for every student in the school along with school ID cards following an incident in 1995 with a gang member on campus who was not a student at the school. Soon after, every other school in Miami-Dade followed suit.
A new building that opened in 1999 was plagued with defects in the construction. Students were not permitted to use the lockers, and rain caused damage to school equipment.Cenziper, Debbie. "At Beach High, when it rains it pours" (Archive). Miami Herald. Tuesday, February 11, 2003. Retrieved on January 10, 2016.
21st century
Miami Beach Senior High School did not make AYP in 2006. Under the No Child Left Behind program, a school makes Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) if it achieves the minimum levels of improvement determined by the state of Florida in terms of student performance and other accountability measures.
Since the 2006–2007 school year, the school has gone with a block schedule consisting of an A-Day (Odd - 1, 3, 5, 7) and B-Day (Even - 2, 4, 6, 8) on alternating school days. It consists of three classes before lunch under Secondary School Reform.
The 2007–2008 school year began with a new principal, Dr. Rosann Sidener, who improved the school's overall grade from a "D" to a "B" in her first year. This school year also saw the move from the old Beach High to the new Beach High in January 2008 with a new library and two new wings (2 and 3).
2008–2009 was the first year in which Miami Beach Sr. High students wore uniforms. In a two-to-one vote by some students' parents and guardians, the vote was ratified. Students now wear red or white shirts with the school logo or no logo, along with any shorts or jeans below the knees. The parents and faculty also voted to retain the Hi-Tide name and colors over going back to the Typhoons (former name).
Beginning with the 2009–2010 school year, Miami Beach Senior High is recognized as a magnet school, becoming the tenth magnet high school in Miami-Dade. Beach High was selected by the school district to apply for the MSAP grant, which is reserved for schools with high minority populations like Beach High, whose student body is 70% of Hispanic origin, compared to the state average of 25%. The district agreed to sponsor Miami Beach High because there are no other magnet schools in the area, and because of the expected increase of school size to nearly 3,000 students as a result of new construction. Beach High will now be able to receive students beyond its attendance boundaries along with those who live within them.
In early 2012, Principal Sidener was named the 2012 Principal of the Year by the Florida Association of School Administrators.Miami Herald
In May 2012, the school held its prom next to an XXXotica Porn Convention at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The two events were held side-by-side, separated by a wall. The prom was held at the convention center to avoid students' drinking at hotels. It was the subject of national jokes, especially on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! late-night show.
Attendance zone Areas of Miami Beach served by the school include Biscayne Point and Normandy Island. Additionally the school serves Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Indian Creek, North Bay Village, and Surfside.
Campus
Building 1 Building 1 includes the main office, counselors' offices (second floor), and the foreign language wing (second floor).
Buildings 2 and 3 Building 2 is made up of three floors and includes the library (first floor), 12 student restrooms (all floors), and a variety of different classrooms. Connected by an outdoor catwalk, Building 3 includes the Academy of Entrepreneurship (second floor), Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (first floor), and Academy of Information Technology (first and second floors) classrooms. Building 3 also includes the auditorium, as well as drama, chorus, band, guitar, and MIDI lab rooms.
Buildings 4 and 5 Formerly the 9 Building, Building 4 includes the Academy of Hospitality and Tourism classroom, three science classrooms, and two student restrooms. Located across from Building 4 and formerly the 4 Building, Building 5 was remodeled as part of the ongoing construction of the new Miami Beach Senior High. Building 5 houses the NJROTC and Academy of Information Technology in its two floors. It has various classrooms and computer labs, including a remodeled weight training room.
Buildings 6 and 7 Building 6 is a brand new wing that includes the physical ed classrooms, the SCSI room, and the gymnasium. Building 6 consists of two floors and also includes the Varsity and Junior Varsity locker rooms. Building 7 includes the Scholars' Academy wing. It has various classrooms throughout the two floors. Buildings 6 and 7 are located next to the cafeteria, which has six serving bays and a holding capacity of 1,100 people.
Football and soccer field The football field is located behind Buildings 4 and 5 beside the back parking lot. It is currently not in use.
On May 28, 2010, it was announced that the Miami Dolphins and the National Football League had contributed towards the renovation of the field. A former alumnus, majority owner Stephen M. Ross, donated half of a $164,000 grant to the school. The field was expected to be renewed by that September, and named after Ross. His $82,000 grant matched an equal donation by the Dolphins, NFL Youth Football Fund and Local Initiatives Support Corporation.
The team plays its games at Flamingo Park's Memorial Field. It is expected to continue to play there, but could move to playing games at the school in the future.Miami Herald
Athletics
Miami Beach High School has a gymnasium which is used for basketball, volleyball and wrestling. The baseball and soccer field is in Flamingo Park, located about a mile away from the school. The current athletic director is Edgar Botto. Miami Beach High offers these athletics:
Fall schedule Boys' and girls' cross country Junior varsity football Varsity football Boys' and girls' bowling Boys' and girls' golf Boys' and girls' swimming & diving Girls' junior varsity volleyball Girls' varsity volleyball
Winter schedule Boys' varsity basketball Boys' junior varsity basketball Girls' junior varsity basketball Girls' varsity basketball Boys' varsity soccer Girls' junior varsity soccer Girls' varsity soccer Boys' varsity wrestling
Spring schedule Boys' varsity baseball Girls' junior varsity softball Girls' varsity softball Boys' varsity tennis Girls' varsity tennis Boys' varsity track Girls' varsity track Boys' varsity water polo Girls' varsity water polo
Year-round Boys' and girls' cheerleading team
Athletic achievements
The school's sports history and achievements include: In the 1930s, the volleyball team won its first state championship. This was followed by district championships in 1990, 1998, 2002 and 2011. In 1946 and 1962, the basketball team won the state championship. In 1955, the football team was Gold Coast Champs. In 1965, Coach Chuck Fieldson was the Miami Heralds Coach of the Year. In the 1970s, the school won their first baseball championship, as well as two state runner-up finishes, all under future College Baseball Hall of Famer Skip Bertman. They also won the 2018 district championship. In 1974, the football team reached the state title game but lost to Leon High School, in Tallahassee. In 1995, the football team became district champions for the first time after 10 years in 1986. In 1985, 1986, 1989, 1996, and 2000, the school's wrestling team were district champions. in 1988 the school's boys water polo team won its first of three state championships. In 1990, 1993, 2011 and 2013, girls' cross country won district championships. In boys' soccer, Miami Beach Senior High has won the district titles in 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2018, and 2023. GMAC Champions 1999 and 2023. Regional Champions in 1991, 1994, and 2018. They were state runner-up in 1994 and 2018. In the 2006–2007 football season, the varsity football team finished with a 0–10 record overall (0–5 District), the worst record in school history. The school has gone through its losing ways, with a 7–23 record since the start of the 2004 football season and has lost 15 of their 17 football games dating to 2005. The football team won its first game since 2005 when it beat rival Miami High 10–7, and won the following game after that, finishing the 2007 season with two wins and the 2008 season with four wins. In 2008, Junior Francisco "Hunter" Becerra won the state championship in the diving competition. In 2019, MBSH cheerleaders brought home their first 3 trophies. They won first place and most spirit at a FCDA competition and ended third place in the nationals.