Manchester Valley High School was designed by Grimm and Parker Architects[3] and opened for students in August 2009 relieving overcrowding at nearby North Carroll High School in Hampstead, Maryland.

A new school community boundary was created to decide how to split students from North Carroll to Manchester Valley.

[4] The school's first principal is Randy Clark who served as principal at Francis Scott Key High School in Union Bridge, Maryland before being selected for the job.

The school's mascot, the Maverick, a wild horse, was licensed from Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

Manchester Valley uses the structured academy model that is already in use at Century High School in Sykesville, Maryland and Winters Mill High School in Westminster, Maryland.