Fort Thomas Highlands High School, also known as Fort Thomas Highlands, is a public secondary school located in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. Operated by Fort Thomas Independent Schools, Highlands was founded in 1888. The school took its name from the original name of Fort Thomas, "The Highlands". It currently has around 900 students in grades 9-12.HistoryHighlands High School was built in 1802. In 1937 the school added the north building, which is still in use today. In 2001, a new middle school building was built just north of the original site, and the high school took over the space previously occupied by the middle school. The gymnasium was added in 1956. The library, along with a separate addition, was built in 1971. In 2006, a renovation project started on the entire high school. Phase 1, which included renovating the north building, started in 2006 and was completed in 2009. Then phase 2 started in the summer of 2011 which included replacing the roof and the facade on the south building. The facade was replaced once before in 1978. Phase 2 was completed in 2012. Phase 3, which renovated the second and third floor of the south building was completed in 2013. And Highlands is currently building a field house complex with a weight room and dance studio that is expected to be completed in 2015.AcademicsIn 2007, Highlands was ranked 832nd in the nation by Newsweek, and in the top 550 high schools by U.S.News & World Report. They boast ACT and SAT scores well above both state and national averages. Approximately 90% of the school's graduates go to college, and it is the only public high school in the state with a chapter of the Cum Laude Society. Highlands also has chapters of the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta. Twenty Advanced Placement classes are offered and the school is consistently a local leader in National Merit Finalists. Until 2009, Highlands won the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution State Championships in six out of seven years, and placed in the top 25 at the National Finals in 2007.
