Big Lake High School is located in Big Lake, Minnesota in Sherburne County. It is part of the Big Lake Public School District, 727. The District was founded in 1900. The first high school was established in 1917. The current high school building was built in 1994, and after the population growth and census in 2000, it was expanded in 2002, adding 22 classrooms (some of which are on a second floor), and another gymnasium. The building replaced the old High School, now Big Lake Middle School. The school currently hosts its capacity of 1100 students. The school's current Principal is Robert Dockendorf, Angela Folch is assistant principal.
The school offers 117 courses in 14 different departments. "BLHS" hosts 30 different co-curricular activities throughout the year. Big Lake also offers three foreign language courses, Spanish (classroom), French (online), and German (online).
Athletics
Big Lake's mascot is the "Hornet", its school song is a modified version of "You're a Grand Old Flag". Big Lake has a variety of athletic/co-curricular activities in all seasons of the year. Big Lake is a member of the Mississippi 8 Conference.
Fall sports
Soccer
Cheerleading
Football
Tennis
Swimming & Diving
Volleyball
Cross Country
Winter sports
Gymnastics
Cheerleading
Hockey
Wrestling
Basketball
Dance
Knowledge Bowl
Spring sports
Track & Field
Golf
Tennis
Softball
Baseball
Other activities
Big Lake High School has a daily announcement TV program, "Live at the Hive", which operates under the student run "Hornet Broadcasting Network". Students also have the opportunity to webcast events (sports, concerts, etc.) during and after school, on High School Cube and Webcast America.
Big Lake also has a full band and a full choir program.
Band groups
Wind Ensemble
Freshman Band
Concert Band
Honor Band (Mississippi 8)
Pep Band
Marching Band
Choir groups
Chamber Singers (performed at a Minnesota Gophers Basketball game in Williams Arena in December 2013)
Treble Choir
Concert Choir
Varsity Choir
Honor Choir (Mississippi 8)
Bands
The Big Lake High School music department has had band leadership under 13 different conductors since it began in 1957.
School spirit / motto
Big Lake High School's motto is "The Hornet Way", a policy that stresses Respect, Honesty, Kindness, Responsibility, and Fairness. A select amount of students who set an example of this standard of conduct are awarded as a "Hornet Hero" or Student-of-the Month.
Two times a year, Big Lake High School has a week of "dress-up days" and activities to promote school spirit. The first of the two weeks is Homecoming Week (usually in October), and the second of the two is "Sno-Daze" (usually late January or early February). For both students hold a coronation ceremony for the Homecoming of Sno-Daze king and queen (senior class only). This is usually the Friday before the week of events. The Senior class nominates students in their own class, then the entire student body votes for the candidates for king and queen. Dress up days vary year-to-year and are decided by the high school's Student Council. Tradition has Friday as "Blue and Gold Day" (Big Lake's school colors). Awards are given to students that are voted to have the "best costume" and "most school spirit", usually one male and one female student from each day.
Other dress-up days
Every Friday students and staff are encouraged to wear some blue-and-gold to support school spirit. Occasionally "Hat Days" are promoted if students donate to an organization being sponsored for that day of "Hat Day". During the last week in December, students and staff are encouraged to participate in "Ugly Sweater Day", where students and staff would wear an "ugly" holiday sweater.
Other notable events
Big Lake's chapter of the National Honor Society hosts an annual "Dance-a-Thon" in the spring. This all-night event is hosted for the purpose of donating money to selected charities each year, students must raise money in order to attend, the money is then donated. Students participating can watch movies, have open-gym, play games, and of course, dance. During a regular NHS meeting in January 2014, it was voted to change the name of the "Dance-a-Thon" to its new name, the "Lock-IN", with various titles to support the charity it is being held for. In 2014, a large snow storm closed school on the selected day of the event, it was the first time the "Lock-in/Dance-A-Thon" had ever been rescheduled and reorganized. The 2014 event was rescheduled just over a month later (to avoid conflict with prom) and set for a late-night event, instead of an all-night event like originally planned.
In December 2013 and 2014, The Blenders music group made a stop in Big Lake for their annual holiday tour, the concert was hosted in the High School's auditorium.
Big Lake's Auditorium (capacity of about 500) also hosts Big Lake Middle School music groups, it also hosts plays and is the background for the school's yearbook group photos. Academic awards (both High School and Middle School) take place here. Plays and other performances take place here, such as "One Act Play" and "Poetry Out Loud".
Other facts
The Big Lake School District (ISD #727), is addressed on "Minnesota Avenue", successfully renamed the street "Hornet Way" to promote School pride. This change, was led by the 2013-2014 Student Council with permission of Big Lake's city council. The street hosts apartment complexes as well as the public library and driving school. The street also hosts Spud Fest each June, with a parade during the Saturday of the 4 day event (Thursday - Sunday).
Every year Big Lake has at least 10 students (of various sports) participate in State events.
Big Lake is the smallest district of 10 in the Mississippi 8 Conference.
2017 will mark the 100th Graduating class of the Big Lake School District and the centennial year for the high school.
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