Lebanon High School (Virginia)

Prior to the opening of present-day Lebanon High School on September 3, 1985, the school was located at what is now Lebanon Middle School. The newly built school provided modern facilities and enhanced resources and capacity for students and faculty.^[3]

On September 9, 2008, then presidential candidate Barack Obama gave a speech from the Lebanon High School gymnasium in an attempt to connect with voters of rural Southwest Virginia. He elaborated and explained his plan to address economic issues, energy solutions, job losses, as well as universal healthcare if he was to become president. During his speech, he made it clear that he was not against gun rights and believed in the Second Amendment. In addition, he reiterated that he was "a friend of coal," a stable of Southwest Virginia's economy. During his event, he took several questions from both the youth and adults of the crowd. Before he took the stage, he was introduced by Virginia's former 9th district congressman, Rick Boucher (D-VA).^[4]

Ryan Potts is the current principal.^[5]

Lebanon High offers students the opportunity to enroll in dual enrollment courses from Southwest Virginia Community College. These courses are not online and are taught by the teacher in the student's classroom. If students prefer online learning, they have the ability to enroll in online courses through Virtual Virginia and A. Linwood Holton Governor's School. In addition to those options, honors and career/technical courses are also available to students wanting to learn in person.^[6]

During the 2022-2023 school year, 23.1% of students were classified as having chronic absenteeism, meaning they had missed 10% or more of the school year. In the same school year, 74.8% of students met one criterion of being College, Career, and Civically Ready (CCRI). Additionally, the Virginia Department of Education awarded the school Level One, the highest level, of academic achievement for all three measurable subjects: English, Math, and Science. Over the course of their education, 7.87% of the students in the Class of 2023 dropped out of school before graduating.^[2]

Lebanon High School is currently a member of the Virginia High School League and participates in the Southwest District as well as the Region 2D conference. They offer students the opportunity to participate in 17 different VHSL sports in the fall, winter, and spring.^[7] The school mascot is the Pioneer with red, white, and black being the school's team colors. The "Pioneers" have won several team and individual state championships.^[8]

*Separate 8th Grade, Junior Varsity, and Varsity Team, **Separate Junior Varsity and Varsity Team