 The school opened in 1954 as the North Allegheny Junior-Senior High School with 33 classrooms for grades 7-12.The design of the building was award-winning in its time, with distinct features include six letter-coded sloping hallways (or ramps) and most classrooms divided by outdoor courtyard spaces (unusual in school design for the time period).The building was expanded further in 1957 and 1963, adding classrooms in the rear of the building.