McGavock High School

McGavock High School is a public high school located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school is very notable for its strong band program, having won the state championship 24 times: 1972-1979, 1982, 1987-1991, 1993-1994, 1997-2000, 2002-2005. This includes being grand champion at the annual Contest of Champions 12 times, more than any other high school since the contest began in 1962.HistoryMcGavock Comprehensive High School opened in 1971. It initially served students in grades ten through twelve who had previously attended Cameron, Donelson and Two Rivers high schools. McGavock added ninth grade in 1978.McGavock is a part of the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools system. It sits on a part of the McGavock plantation that was purchased by Metro Parks in 1968 for $68,000. The land is still the property of the park service. The school was named for the antebellum Two Rivers mansion built by David H. McGavock.McGavock was the first truly comprehensive high school built in Nashville. Planning for the school took place during the administration of Superintendent Dr. John Harris. Dr. James Burns, the resident consultant for secondary development for Metro-Nashville Public Schools, developed a structure that would serve as a model for other comprehensive high schools.A leadership team, consisting of Chester LaFever, Executive Principal, Charles Hailey, Coordinator of Program and Staff Development, and Charles Adwell, Coordinator for Vocational and Technical Education, was formed in the fall of 1970. The team incorporated many comprehensive programs including theater, horticulture, library learning center, astronomy, music and 23 vocational labs. McGavock was the first high school in Nashville that combined the academic program with extensive vocational training.