A. R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet High School
Encyclopedia
Augustus R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet Middle and High School is a public six-year magnet
school in downtown Augusta, Georgia
, drawing students from grades seven through twelve from all parts of Richmond County
.
.
Aside from the standard college preparatory academic courses, Johnson offers specialized training in health sciences and engineering
, and the opportunity for vocational training and dual high school/college
enrollment for health science students. The school has consistently been regarded as one of the best in the state of Georgia
, regularly ranking among the top three best schools in the state.
in 2003 and received the 2005, 2006, and 2007 Georgia Achievement Platinum Award. In 2007and 2009, it received a silver medal and was listed as one of the top schools in the nation by US News & World Report.
On September 7, 2008, the school opened a new building that includes an open-air cafeteria
, and observatory
deck that overlooks the school's library, and its first elevator
. The new building features a dome skylight and modern layouts. The old gymnasium was converted into an auditorium
. The expansion project of the school will be completed in the fall of 2008. Seventh and Eighth graders will start attending the school in August 2009.
teacher in Augusta during the late 19th century.
and Davidson
, Johnson participates in several district competitive sports, among them track
, cross country
, soccer
, golf
, tennis
, and volleyball
. The school does not participate in the more traditional high school sports of football
, basketball
, and baseball
.
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
school in downtown Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
, drawing students from grades seven through twelve from all parts of Richmond County
Richmond County, Georgia
Richmond County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is one of the original counties of Georgia, created February 5, 1777. As of 2010, the population was 200,549. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 199,486....
.
Academics
A. R. Johnson is accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission and the Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
.
Aside from the standard college preparatory academic courses, Johnson offers specialized training in health sciences and engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, and the opportunity for vocational training and dual high school/college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
enrollment for health science students. The school has consistently been regarded as one of the best in the state of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, regularly ranking among the top three best schools in the state.
Awards and recognition
The school received the Blue Ribbon AwardBlue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
in 2003 and received the 2005, 2006, and 2007 Georgia Achievement Platinum Award. In 2007and 2009, it received a silver medal and was listed as one of the top schools in the nation by US News & World Report.
History
The school opened in 1892 as Mauge Street Grammar School, taking on the name A.R. Johnson Junior High School in 1937. From 1945 to 1949, it served as a senior high school and in 1956, a new building was erected to serve as the junior high school. In 1980, the school was established as a examination school. In 1980-81, A. R. Johnson Junior High School became “A. R. Johnson Health Professions High School”. Under its new name, the school served as a pilot program, using funds from a Magnet Implementation/Planning Grant. http://arjohnson.rcboe.org/site_res_view_template.aspx?id=4fdb1267-5c29-495e-87ad-0ac76bb783d9 In 1984, feasibility studies were undertaken to introduce an engineering program at the school, which went ahead in 1985.On September 7, 2008, the school opened a new building that includes an open-air cafeteria
Cafeteria
A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
, and observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
deck that overlooks the school's library, and its first elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
. The new building features a dome skylight and modern layouts. The old gymnasium was converted into an auditorium
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
. The expansion project of the school will be completed in the fall of 2008. Seventh and Eighth graders will start attending the school in August 2009.
Namesake
The school is named for Augustus Roberson Johnson (1853–1908), an African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
teacher in Augusta during the late 19th century.
A.R. Johnson's Mascot
The school's mascot is the panther. When referring to their sports members, the male team is known as simply the Panthers while the female team is known as the Lady Panthers. During the latter half of the school year, a mural of the mascot was painted on the wall on the hall nearest the office at the front of the building. It is finished and is visible from the street. The mural was painted and initially sketched by a student from the Class of 2009, Corey Harris.Athletics
Unlike other local magnet schools C.T. WalkerC. T. Walker Traditional Magnet School
Charles Thomas Walker Traditional Magnet School is a public examination school located in the Laney-Walker district of Augusta, Georgia that draws students from kindergarten through eighth grade from all parts of the Richmond County School System...
and Davidson
John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School
John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School is a public magnet school for the fine and performing arts located in downtown Augusta, Georgia, USA. It draws students in grades 6 through 12 throughout Richmond County...
, Johnson participates in several district competitive sports, among them track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
. The school does not participate in the more traditional high school sports of football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
.
Clubs
- HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America)
- FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America)
- Literary Competition Team
- Math Team
- Academic Decathlon Team
- Video Team
- Ecology Club
- TSA (Technology Student AssociationTechnology Student AssociationThe Technology Student Association is an international Career and Technical Student Organization made up of over 150,000 Middle School and High School Technology Education Students. TSA is the premier CTSO dedicated to STEM Standards: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics...
) - NSBE (National Society of Black EngineersNational Society of Black EngineersNational Society of Black Engineers , founded in 1975 at Purdue University, is one of the largest student-run organizations in the US, centered on improving the recruitment and retention of African-American engineering students.-History:...
) - Foreign Languages Club
- Golf Team
- Soccer Team
- Tennis Team
- Track Team
- Cross Country Team
- Volley Ball Team
- Prom Committee
- Ring Committee
- Chorus
- Yearbook/Journalism Staff
- Student Council
- Art Club
