Covington Holmes Junior/Senior High School in Covington, Kentucky, is the oldest public high school in Kentucky, founded as Covington Central High in 1853. It is a vital part of the Covington Independent Public Schools.
The original school started with 22 students. In 1919 the school moved to the mansion Holmesdale, built by Daniel Henry Holmes, who owned retail stores in Covington and New Orleans. Holmesdale was a 32-room mansion built on about 17 acres (69,000 m2). It was sold in 1919 by the Holmes family to the Covington Board of Education for $50,000. The site is now part of the Holmes High School campus. Holmesdale was used for a school cafeteria for a time, but was torn down in 1936 to make way for an administration building.
Holmes is a seven-year school, educating students from grades 6 through 12. The Covington Independent School System has succeeded in combining what was once Two Rivers Middle School, which educated 6th and 7th grade students, with Holmes High School. The new name of the middle school is Holmes Middle School. The two schools act as separate entities on the same campus.
The school offers a wide range of programs, including the International Baccalaureate program, the Advanced Placement program, and, until recently, technical and vocational courses. Its distinguished graduates include the mathematician Carl Faith, nuclear scientist Dick Lewis, Staples CEO Ron Sargent and Major League Baseball umpire Randy Marsh.
In 2009, the Holmes Bulldogs basketball team (boys) won its first state title.
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