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Granby High School
 

 

Our Mission:  

We prepare and empower all students to succeed in college, careers, and life by creating a school community built on respect, high expectations, and meaningful relationships. Every student is supported, challenged, and inspired through engaging instruction, real-world learning, and a commitment to doing what’s best for students every day. . 

2025-2026 Student Population:  1,958

HISTORY
Granby Street High School, now officially Granby High School, is located in Talbot Park, on the west side of Granby Street. Both the street and the school are named after John Manners, Marquess of Granby, a British Soldier who was seen as a hero of the Seven Years' War. The twenty-four-acre tract on which Granby was built was donated to the City of Norfolk by Winton W. Talbot. This land is part of what was once the historic Talbot Plantation, which extended northward from the Granby Street Bridge.

The school first opened in September 1939 with Lemuel E. Games as principal and E.L. Lamberth as assistant principal. They were faced with the task of welcoming and orienting 1200 new and confused students, who were easily accommodated in a school with a capacity of 1500. The first years brought the establishment of a school newspaper, the development of a successful football program, the broadcast of a weekly radio show and statewi

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de recognition on a major radio station. The manager of that station noted, “Granby was chosen not because it is a good school, but because it is an unusually progressive institution, doing things in an unusually interesting manner.”

 

In later years, Granby garnered national recognition for its wrestling program. Billy Martin, teacher and wrestling coach, won 21 state titles and was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame. Martin’s “Granby Roll” wrestling move is internationally known and utilized even today.   

 

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In 1954 the US Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that segregation in schools was unconstitutional.  On September 27, 1958, the Governor of Virginia opposed integration and used the Massive Resistance policy to shut down Norfolk schools, until being overruled on January 19, 1959, when the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals and the US District Court overturned the governor’s decision.  On February 2, 1959, 17 brave African American students, known as the “Norfolk 17” were admitted to Norfolk Public Schools.  Betty Jean Reed was the only African American student in the Granby School District, a trailblazer that epitomized the definition of courage.

 

In 1996, the school system invested $21 million in a construction project in order to expand and renovate the 57-year-old building. Because of this construction, the entire student body could not stay in the original building. To fix this problem, the 1100 freshmen and sophomores were sent to the former Norfolk Catholic High building a half-mile away from the building. Catholic High was vacant

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at the time since Catholic High moved to Virginia Beach. The Catholic High building was nicknamed “Granby 2″ while the original building was “Granby 1.” Under Principal Michael Caprio, the school had to double everything including scheduling, busing, orientation, and lunches. Several headaches later, the 20,000-square-foot (1,900 m2) expansion was complete with a comprehensive voice, video, and high-speed data network and a media resource management system for 110 classrooms and laboratories. In addition, the building gained three multimedia presentation rooms and an innovative CCTV security system.

 

Soon after opening the newly renovated building, Granby applied for and became a fully authorized International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme School in 1997.  There are only 41 authorized IB Diploma Programme Schools in Virginia.  During the 2023-2024 school year, Granby applied to be a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate Career related Programme.  In 2024, the school went through the full IB CP Authorization visit and is currently waiting for the results to become only the 8th school in Virginia with an authorized IB CP Programme.

The history of Granby High School can be measured by the success of its many students. Ushered in during the New Deal Era, the school immediately took on the responsibility of educating tens of thousands of our nation’s finest youth. Many of Granby’s alumni have grown to prominence. Graduate Joe Leafe served as Mayor of Norfolk. Tom Moss served in the Virginia House of Delegates as Speaker of that body. Other famous alumni include at least two superintendents of school systems, a renowned artist, a national newscaster and a Space Shuttle astronaut. For more information on the alumni, see the alumni pages and the Granby Hall of Fame by selecting their web page link HERE.

Navy Blue, Las Vegas Gold, and Silver are the school colors.  You will commonly see the Navy Blue and Gold Together, and Silver as an accent color. Blue representing the color of the Chesapeake Bay, which is in Granby’s vicinity. The gold and silver are derived from the proverb: ”A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” This quote is also hung on a plaque in the hallway.  Granby’s school symbol and mascot is the comet.  Granby often used the "G" logo which is similar to the University of Georgia logo used for athletics.  During the 2022-2023 school year, Principal Tommy Smigiel worked on a rebranding effort, which solidified Granby's school colors, introduced a new Comet, as well as a new "G" logo.  In addition, the Principal's Student Advisory Committee, through research, developed a new school crest and found that the school had a slogan - Ad astra per aspea or "through hardships to the stars."  It can now be found as part of the new school crest created by the students. 

 

 

 

 

 

Granby has a newspaper called “The Spectator,” and annually publishes a literary magazine called “The Cupola,” named after the structure on the top of the school’s roof. The weathervane on top of the cupola was bent as a result of tropical storm Ernesto, but was fixed within six months. 

WGHS News, our student-run news program, brings you the latest updates, events, and stories that matter most to our school community. In 2023-24, WTKR/Channel 3 partnered with Granby HS to revive our televised news program; that partnership has continued into the 2024-25 school year. From sports highlights to academic achievements, club activities to special interviews, we’re here to keep you informed, inspired, and connected. Tune in for daily broadcasts, exclusive features, and insights from the talented students of Granby HS. Our goal is to celebrate our community and give a voice to the stories that make our school unique. Stay informed, stay involved, and stay proud – with WGHS News! 

 

Granby High School Principals 1939-2020

Lemuel Francis Games    1939-1944

Edwin L. Lamberth    1944-1949

Herman M. Williams    1949-1951

Elmer Tarrall    1951-1957

William L. Harrell    1957-1962

Donald G. Griffin    1962-1969

John W. Brown, Jr.    1969-1981

Theodore R. Smith    1981-1994

Michael J. Caprio    1994-2002

Edward Daughtrey    2002-2016

Lynnell Gibson    2016-2020

Thomas Smigiel    2020 - Present

ALMA MATER

The Granby High School Alma Mater was created in 1942 by John W. W. Comming. Comming is a retired commander of the United States Navy. The Alma Mater is sung by the school’s elite choir, The Granby Singers.

Granby High, our Alma Mater, let the joyful welkin ring;
Hail to thee, our Alma Mater, ever praise to thee we’ll sing.
We all love thee, Alma Mater, thou hast led our steps aright.
Come weal, come woe, wherever we may go,
Will our memories of thee be bright.
O Granby High, O Granby high,
O morning star of life in our sky,
May our lives ever be pride and honor to thee,
O God bless thee, Granby High.

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SCHOOL QUALITY PROFILE

A detailed report of Granby High School’s Academic Success can be found HERE.