North Atlanta High School
Encyclopedia
Buckhead (Atlanta)
Buckhead is the uptown district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States, comprising approximately the northern one-fifth of the city. Buckhead is a major commercial and financial center of the Southeast, and it is the third-largest business district in Atlanta, behind Downtown and Midtown...
, an upscale area of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The school is a part of Atlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools is a school district based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. APS is run by the Atlanta Board of Education with interim superintendent Erroll Davis...
.
The school was formed after North Fulton High School combined with Northside High School during the 1991–1992 school year. This merger resulted in North Atlanta High School being the only high school in Atlanta Public Schools (APS) to host two magnet programs: the International Studies Program and the Performance Arts. The Performance Arts program is now technically defunct but North Atlanta continues to encourage students' artistic abilities and talents in performance.
North Fulton High School (1920–1991)
The Fulton County School Board formed North Fulton High School in September 1920. Population grew rapidly during the 1920s along the Peachtree RoadPeachtree Road
"Porch Swing in Tupelo" is a song from British pop-rock performer Elton John's 2004 album, Peachtree Road. The song talks about Elvis Presley's childhood and upbringing and describes Tupelo, Mississippi....
corridor, which was considered north of the city at that time, and the census tract of Buckhead increased from 2,603 in 1920 to 10,356 in 1930. North Fulton was the first and for a number of years the only high school serving the urban and predominantly affluent Peachtree Road corridor. APS took control of the school when the area was annexed into the city of Atlanta.
North Fulton High School started out as a segregated school
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
under the state-mandated system that prevailed until the early 1960s. The school reached a racial balance under the majority-minority program. In the 1970s the school developed a more racially balanced faculty
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
as well.
Through the years, North Fulton acquired a large international student body, and ranked at the top academically. In 1981, North Fulton became the site for the School of International Studies, a magnet program
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...
that became nationally recognized. Today this program continues at North Atlanta High School.
Northside High School (1950–1991)
Fulton County School Board opened Northside High School in 1950 at the current location of the NAHS building. Northside High School became part of the APS when the property was annexed into the city of Atlanta. The school colors were purple and white and the school nickname was the Tigers. In 1969, APS opened a planetarium at the Northside campus. Originally, it was one out of three planetariums owned by Atlanta Public Schools (the other two being at Fulton and Harper High). It can seat 110 people. A magnet program in the Performing ArtsPerforming arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
was started in 1972.
North Atlanta High School (1991–)
In September 1991, by consolidating North Fulton High School and Northside High School, the Atlanta Board of Education formed North Atlanta High School. The students attended the North Fulton campus until June 1994, while the Northside campus underwent a $15 million renovationRenovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...
. In 1998, North Atlanta was designated as a Georgia School of Excellence from the Georgia Department of Education
Georgia Department of Education
The Georgia Department of Education is an American agency that governs public education in the state of Georgia. The department manages funding and testing for local educational agencies accountable for student achievement. The Department is managed by the State Superintendent of Schools, a...
. After the 2001–2002 school year, West Fulton High School and Harper-Archer High School closed. Since there wasn't adequate capacity at Douglass High School, the closest school, the students in the Scott and Boyd Elementary school districts were rezoned to North Atlanta. This area encompassed both Hollywood Courts and the former Perry Homes. Starting in 2004, Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
rated North Atlanta as being one of the best high schools in the country for three consecutive years. In Spring of 2008, the Aga Khan
Aga Khan
Aga Khan is the hereditary title of the Imam of the largest branch of the Ismā'īlī followers of the Shī‘a faith. They affirm the Imamat of the descendants of Ismail ibn Jafar, eldest son of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, while the larger Twelver branch of Shi`ism follows Ismail's younger brother Musa...
visited and gave a speech at North Atlanta as a part of the annual IB conference.
As of the 2008–2009 school year, the incoming 9th grade class will be zoned to Douglass High School (see Feeder Patterns). In 2008, North Atlanta began its partnership with the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
. Juilliard began its inaugural Summer Jazz program in June 2008, and it plans to continue the camp in future years. In the summer of 2009, APS is starting its $40 million renovation on the building. Phase 1 will include the expansion and modernization of the instructional classrooms, while Phase 2 will include the grounds and rooms such as the theatre and the cafeteria.
Future developments
North Atlanta High School will experience three major changes within the next five years. Phase Two of the SPLOST 3 renovation, which will occur in the summer of 2010, will include renovations and modernization of all non-instructional facilities such as the media center and athletic areas.Starting in the 2010–2011 school year, it will be transformed on the third wave of Atlanta Public Schools' High School Transformation Initiative. The new changes would include extending the IB Diploma Programme
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
to each SLC, eliminating the status of a Magnet program from the International Studies SLC, as well as various other initiatives aimed at increasing student achievement. A fourth SLC is tentative for the transformation.
In order to alleviate overcrowding at Sutton Middle School, APS is proposing to build a new state of the art high school in Buckhead and use the current NAHS building as a new middle school for Buckhead. Currently, Sutton is the only one. The new school is slated for completion for the 2012–2013 school year.
Campus
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
. However, due to the distinct floor plan of the building, it has a grand total of 5 floors in the main section. In addition to these, there is a large hall that starts at the Northside Drive entrance (almost at grade with the third floor) and steadily decline down the length of the school to the second. In this section, there is the media center, main office, theatre, lecture hall, and the former planetarium.On the northeast side of the building, the curving wall is entirely composed of granite. At the lecture hall, there is a display of flags from around 20 different nations.
Outside of the building, North Atlanta has a track, a multi-purpose field, and a baseball field that APS uses for many of its games.
International Baccalaureate
North Atlanta's curriculum model is the International Baccalaureate program. In 1982, it became the first IB school to open in the Southeastern United States. All students in the 9th and 10th grades are in the IB Middle Years ProgrammeIB Middle Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is an educational programme intended for students aged approximately 11 to 16 . Thus, in the United States the programme is often taught throughout the middle school years and the first two years of high school...
. All students have the option of studying under the IB diploma, regardless of their SLC.
Foreign Language
Foreign language
A foreign language is a language indigenous to another country. It is also a language not spoken in the native country of the person referred to, i.e. an English speaker living in Japan can say that Japanese is a foreign language to him or her...
is one of the focal areas of study in the IB program. At North Atlanta, four foreign languages are available to all students: Spanish, French, Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, and Chinese. It was the first school in APS to offer Mandarin (five other schools, including Maynard Jackson High School and the New Schools of Carver, now offer it) and remains the only school in the City of Atlanta that offers Arabic.
The IB Diploma program at North Atlanta offers the following classes:
Standard Level
- Arabic (ab initio)
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Economics
- Mandarin (ab initio)
- Math Studies
- Mathematics
Higher Level
- Biology
- Chemistry
- English
- French
- History
- Spanish
- Visual Arts
- Theory of Knowledge (not a SL or HL class)
Small Learning Communities
Atlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools is a school district based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. APS is run by the Atlanta Board of Education with interim superintendent Erroll Davis...
high schools is Small Learning Communities. A Small Learning Community chooses an area of emphasis to teach (usually for a career or simply as an area of interest), but all of the state and district required classes are still taught. They each have approximately 400 students, and they are each led by an assistant principal and a coordinator. North Atlanta has three Small Learning Communities: the Center for the Arts, the Center for Business and Marketing; and the Center for International Studies
- Center for the Arts:The Center of the Arts was the former Performing ArtsPerforming artsThe performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
magnet program. Since it is no longer a magnet program, the enrollment for this SLC primarily consists of students zoned for North Atlanta. However, there is still a four year program emphasizing in the fine arts and the performing artsPerforming artsThe performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
. Apart from the state required classes, this SLC offers beginning, intermediate, and advanced instruction in band, orchestra, music technology, chorus, piano, guitar, dance, visual arts, drama, set design, and jazz band. Any student in the CFA is required to take a minimum of two arts classes every semester, with some opting for taking as many as four during junior and senior year. With the addition of IB in all SLCs next year, IB Dance and IB Music will be added to the list of courses offered. IB Visual Arts is already being taught at North Atlanta.
- Center for Business and Marketing: The Business, Leadership, and Hospitality includes the departments of Business EducationBusiness educationBusiness education involves teaching students the fundamentals, theories, and processes of business. Education in this field occurs at several levels, including secondary education and higher education or university education. Approximately 38% of student enroll in one or more business courses...
, Family and Consumer ScienceFamily and consumer scienceFamily and consumer sciences is an academic discipline that combines aspects of social and natural science. Family and consumer sciences deals with the relationship between individuals, families, and communities, and the environment in which they live...
(FACS), and JROTC. This SLC also houses a culinary studio as well as the technology department.
- Center for International Studies: The Center for International StudiesInternational relationsInternational relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
(CIS) was founded in 1982 by the Atlanta Board of Education. It serves as the magnet program for North Atlanta. For its first decade, the Center was located at North Fulton High School. In 1991, North Fulton and Northside High Schools merged to form North Atlanta High School. The Center for International Studies was incorporated into the curriculum of the new school and has continued to thrive. The International Studies magnet is a college preparatory program that seeks to develop foreign languageForeign languageA foreign language is a language indigenous to another country. It is also a language not spoken in the native country of the person referred to, i.e. an English speaker living in Japan can say that Japanese is a foreign language to him or her...
competence and to instill intercultural and global awareness through humanities-basedHumanitiesThe humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
, interdisciplinary study. IS students have the option to choose to pursue the IB Diploma Programme during their Junior and Senior years. The IB Middle Years ProgrammeIB Middle Years ProgrammeThe International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is an educational programme intended for students aged approximately 11 to 16 . Thus, in the United States the programme is often taught throughout the middle school years and the first two years of high school...
, which serves all NAHS students in the 9th and 10th grades, is also administered by this SLC. Any IS students who do not participate in the IB Diploma Programme learns under the International BusinessInternational BusinessInternational business is a term used to collectively describe all commercial transactions that take place between two or more regions, countries and nations beyond their political boundary...
Program. In addition to core classes, there are electives such as Multicultural Literature, Comparative Religions, Anthropology, and US & World Affairs. Any student in this program is also allowed to take one of the classes offered by the Arts or Business SLC.
- Center for Broadcast Communications and Journalism: The Center for Communication and Journalism is expected to open in August 2010. It is a component of the High School Transformation at North Atlanta.
Advanced Placement
In addition to IB classes, the following AP classes are at North Atlanta: AP StatisticsAP Statistics
Advanced Placement Statistics is a college-level high school statistics course offered in the United States through the College Board's Advanced Placement program...
, AP Calculus
AP Calculus
Advanced Placement Calculus is used to indicate one of two distinct Advanced Placement courses and examinations offered by the College Board, AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC....
, AP English Literature and Composition
AP English Literature and Composition
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.-The Course:This course is designated for motivated students with a command of standard English, an...
, AP English Literature and Composition
AP English Literature and Composition
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.-The Course:This course is designated for motivated students with a command of standard English, an...
, and AP Music Theory
AP Music Theory
Advanced Placement Music Theory is a course and examination offered in the United States by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program to high school students who wish to earn credit for a college level music theory course.-The course:Some of the material covered in the course...
.
Clubs
There are several dozen extraxurricular activities open to North Atlanta students. Among these are:List of Extracurricular Activities at North Atlanta High School |
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The North Fulton Quiz Bowl team won the 1990 AA state title in the tournament sanctioned by the Georgia Academic Team Association, and Northside won the 1991 AAA title. In 1998, the North Atlanta Quiz Bowl team won the state championship before going on to finish with a No. 16 national ranking at the Tournament of Champions in Chicago, Illinois. The team also earned a berth in the 2000 Tournament of Champions.
Athletics
North Atlanta High School has many athletic organizations as well. The school has the following teams during each season:Fall sports
- CheerleadingCheerleadingCheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
- Varsity & JV - Cross CountryCross country runningCross 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...
- Varsity - Fastpitch SoftballFastpitch softballFast-pitch softball is a form of softball played commonly by women and men, though coed fast-pitch leagues also exist. The International Softball Federation is the international governing body of softball...
- Varsity - FootballAmerican footballAmerican 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...
- Varsity & JV
Winter sports
- Basketball- Varsity & JV
- CheerleadingCheerleadingCheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
- Varsity & JV - Competitive Cheerleading- Varsity
- Riflery- Varsity
- Swimming- Varsity
- Volleyball- Varsity
- WrestlingWrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
- Varsity & JV
Spring sports
- Baseball- Varsity & JV
- Golf- Varsity
- Soccer- Varsity & JV
- Tennis- Varsity
- Track and Field- Varsity
State championships
Northside- Football: 1957 (AAA)
- Boys' Track: 1956 (AA)
North Fulton
- Girls' Swimming: 1957, 1958, 1959
- Football: 1966 (AA)
- Boys' Cross Country: 1953–54, 1955, 1956, 1966 (Div. II), 1971 (AA), 1972 (AA), 1973 (AA), 1974 (AA), 1975 (AA), 1979 (AA)
- Boys' Basketball: 1953 (AA)
- Boys' Track: 1954 (AA tie w/ Griffin), 1967 (AA), 1974 (AA)
North Atlanta
- Girls' Basketball: 2000 (AAA)
Feeder schools
Elementary Schools: Bolton Academy, Brandon Elementary, Garden Hills ElementaryGarden Hills Elementary School
Built in 1938, Garden Hills Elementary School is on the National Register of Historic Places. The brick school building is nestled among the older homes and stately trees of Atlanta’s historic Garden Hills neighborhood. It is a beautiful example of the work of famed Atlanta architect Philip...
, Jackson Elementary, Smith Elementary, and E. Rivers Elementary.
Middle School(s): Sutton Middle
Notable alumni
- David CrossDavid CrossDavid Cross is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian perhaps best known for his work on HBO's sketch comedy series Mr...
, American actor best known for his role in Arrested Development and the sketch comedy show Mr. ShowMr. ShowMr. Show with Bob and David is an American sketch comedy series featuring former Saturday Night Live writer/actor Bob Odenkirk and stand up comedian/actor David Cross... - Jasmine GuyJasmine GuyJasmine Guy is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is best known for her starring role as Whitley Gilbert in the television sitcom A Different World.-Biography:...
, American actress best known for her role as Whitley Gilbert in A Different World - Bobby Valentino, American R & B singer
- James DickeyJames DickeyJames Lafayette Dickey was an American poet and novelist. He was appointed the eighteenth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1966.-Early years:...
(North Fulton High School), author of DeliveranceDeliverance (novel)Deliverance is a 1970 novel by James Dickey, his first. It was adapted into a 1972 film by director John Boorman. In 1998, the editors of the Modern Library selected Deliverance as #42 on their list of the 100 best 20th-Century novels... - RuPaulRuPaulRuPaul Andre Charles , best known as simply RuPaul, is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, and singer-songwriter, who first became widely known in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums. Previously, he was a fixture on the Atlanta...
Andre Charles (Northside High School), American drag queen/musician/actor