North Community High School
Encyclopedia
North Community High School, or simply Minneapolis North, is a public, four-year high school
located in Minneapolis, Minnesota
. The school has existed for over 120 years in several buildings all located on the North Side of Minneapolis. North once had a predominately Jewish student body but by 1982, the school and the neighborhood it is located in had become mostly African-American. Desegregation efforts, such as magnet school programs, have attempted to attract students from throughout Minneapolis and nearby suburbs. The neighborhood that North is located in is known for high levels of poverty and crime.
In recent years, the school has been known for its highly successful boys' and girls' basketball programs. Both teams have had numerous state tournament appearances and state championship titles. North offers several college preparatory classes and operates, Minneapolis Public Schools' radio station, KBEM-FM. The school has often struggled academically in terms of graduation rate and state standardized tests. The school's low academic performance has led to the school being labeled a "dropout factory" and suggestions by a Minneapolis City Council member to burn the school down.
In 1963 it was determined that for the building was "to be retained as a secondary educational facility over a long period of time by the Minneapolis Public School system, it needs extensive rehabilitation and modernization to meet present day health, safety and educational adequacy." It is filled with culture and for many alumni the memories that came from attending North High make most feel like it will always be home, and many found their lives transforming to the better due to North. Many loved and many lost. A new building was built on a new site and funded as part of a $18 million bond referendum in 1964, that funded improvements to North and several other Minneapolis public schools. The building was finished and opened in 1973. The building is described as "resembling a giant bunker
with few windows, double doors that are often locked from outside during the day to keep out unwanted visitors and painted-over graffiti
on outside walls." Another description calls it a "series of brick boxes arranged around a courtyard" that "doesn't allow it to connect well with the community". The building now also houses adult education classes, a school for teenage mothers and a separate charter school, Dunwoody Academy
As the North Side neighborhood has changed, so has Minneapolis North. During the 1920s and 1930s the North Side was the center of Minneapolis' Jewish population. In 1936 almost half of the students were Jewish. The North Side has since transitioned into a diverse working class neighborhood with the highest rate of housing foreclosure
s in Minneapolis. North used to be a very large school and was overcrowded with over 2800 students attending the school in 1931. Now, residents are able to choose which schools they attend, and as a result only about half of the North Side's students attend local schools such as North. Open enrollment has led to North's enrollment plummeting from 1,143 students in 2004-05 to 265 students today. On Monday, October 11, 2010 Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson recommend to the Board of Education the phasing out of North High Community High School beginning the 2011-12 school year.
North offers two languages: French and Spanish. The school has an Advanced Placement program that offers eight different courses. North is working on developing an International Baccalaureate diploma program. North has scored low on state standardized tests in recent years. In the 2006-2007 school year only 29.3% were considered proficient in reading and 8.61% were proficient in mathematics. North's high school graduation rate has been low in comparison to other local schools. Using an Adequate Yearly Progress
rate, 78.5% of students graduate high school while other measures, such as the formula approved by the National Governors Association
, give graduation rates as low as 39.8%. North as a 48% graduation rate and many of the women that attend to the school have one or more children.
North's low academic results have led to criticism. In February 2007 Minneapolis City Council
member Don Samuels suggested burning North down. "My children will not darken the door of a Minneapolis public school in this city at this time under these conditions. I've said burn North High School down! I can't be paying as a taxpayer for the education of my neighbors and 72 percent of them are failing—meaning black boys. Something worse than vouchers could come along. If it works, if it sacrifices the entire school system, fine! Get rid of the damn thing! It hasn't worked!" His suggestion caused uproar in the community, and his remarks were heavily criticized. Samuels later apologized for the "extreme language" but stated that he did not regret making the comments.
. The station was created in the 1960s but moved to North in 1983 as part of Minneapolis Public Schools' desegregation initiative. Students are responsible for the operation of the radio station and 35 hours of airtime a week is devoted to student programming. Approximately 150 students are involved in the radio station's operation, with the majority attending North. Students typically enroll into the program as ninth-graders and are prepared for on-air time by 11th or 12th grade.
The station broadcasts up to the minute traffic reports for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area. The reports are provided by the Minnesota Department of Transportation
. From 1989 to 2005 the station was paid around $400,000 by the Minnesota Department of Transportation to do so. MnDOT had planned to cancel the contract, but due to public demand, the state continued the contract.
. The school has a chapter of National Honor Society
.
. North offers eleven boys' and twelve girls' varsity sports. These include football (boys), wrestling (boys), tennis (boys and girls), basketball (boys and girls), baseball (boys), softball (girls), golf (boys and girls), soccer (boys and girls), volleyball (girls), swimming (boys and girls), gymnastics (girls), badminton (girls), ice hockey (boys and girls), cross country (boys and girls) and track and field (boys and girls). North has Adapted Bowling. Both boys' and girls' teams are called "Polars". All of the sports teams participate, like all public high schools in Minneapolis, in the Minneapolis City Conference
. North has won the state title in Boys' Track and Field in 1943 and 1948.
rules. He lost a battle to be rehired in U.S. District court. Queen was fired in 1990 for having sex with a student in the early 1980s. In the mid-1990s the boys' team had a dominating resurgence. Led by Khalid El-Amin
, North tied a state record with three state championships in a row, from 1995 to 1997. The boys' team won another championship in 2003.
The girls' team went to the state title game every year except for one from 1997 to 2005. They won in 1998, 1999, and had three straight wins in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. The school has existed for over 120 years in several buildings all located on the North Side of Minneapolis. North once had a predominately Jewish student body but by 1982, the school and the neighborhood it is located in had become mostly African-American. Desegregation efforts, such as magnet school programs, have attempted to attract students from throughout Minneapolis and nearby suburbs. The neighborhood that North is located in is known for high levels of poverty and crime.
In recent years, the school has been known for its highly successful boys' and girls' basketball programs. Both teams have had numerous state tournament appearances and state championship titles. North offers several college preparatory classes and operates, Minneapolis Public Schools' radio station, KBEM-FM. The school has often struggled academically in terms of graduation rate and state standardized tests. The school's low academic performance has led to the school being labeled a "dropout factory" and suggestions by a Minneapolis City Council member to burn the school down.
History
There have been four separate buildings in which North has operated. The first housed just three grades when North opened in 1888. Three years later the first class graduated in 1891. The building grew to be too small for the school and a new building was built, opening in 1896 at a new location. On June 18, 1913 a fire burned down most of the building, forcing a new building to be rebuilt. A new building was built over the destroyed one and was completed in 1914. Later additions were added in 1921, 1923 and 1939.In 1963 it was determined that for the building was "to be retained as a secondary educational facility over a long period of time by the Minneapolis Public School system, it needs extensive rehabilitation and modernization to meet present day health, safety and educational adequacy." It is filled with culture and for many alumni the memories that came from attending North High make most feel like it will always be home, and many found their lives transforming to the better due to North. Many loved and many lost. A new building was built on a new site and funded as part of a $18 million bond referendum in 1964, that funded improvements to North and several other Minneapolis public schools. The building was finished and opened in 1973. The building is described as "resembling a giant bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
with few windows, double doors that are often locked from outside during the day to keep out unwanted visitors and painted-over graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
on outside walls." Another description calls it a "series of brick boxes arranged around a courtyard" that "doesn't allow it to connect well with the community". The building now also houses adult education classes, a school for teenage mothers and a separate charter school, Dunwoody Academy
Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
s in Minneapolis. North used to be a very large school and was overcrowded with over 2800 students attending the school in 1931. Now, residents are able to choose which schools they attend, and as a result only about half of the North Side's students attend local schools such as North. Open enrollment has led to North's enrollment plummeting from 1,143 students in 2004-05 to 265 students today. On Monday, October 11, 2010 Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson recommend to the Board of Education the phasing out of North High Community High School beginning the 2011-12 school year.
Academics
When students enroll at North, they choose to join one of three Small Learning Communities (SLC). SLCs offer a variety of classes centered on a particular subject or interest area. Students remain in their SLC until graduation. Three SLCs are offered: Arts and Media, Information Technology, Engineering, Computers, and Construction and Summatech, a college preparatory program.North offers two languages: French and Spanish. The school has an Advanced Placement program that offers eight different courses. North is working on developing an International Baccalaureate diploma program. North has scored low on state standardized tests in recent years. In the 2006-2007 school year only 29.3% were considered proficient in reading and 8.61% were proficient in mathematics. North's high school graduation rate has been low in comparison to other local schools. Using an Adequate Yearly Progress
Adequate Yearly Progress
Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing academically according to results on standardized...
rate, 78.5% of students graduate high school while other measures, such as the formula approved by the National Governors Association
National Governors Association
The National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
, give graduation rates as low as 39.8%. North as a 48% graduation rate and many of the women that attend to the school have one or more children.
North's low academic results have led to criticism. In February 2007 Minneapolis City Council
Minneapolis City Council
The Minneapolis City Council is the governing body of the City of Minneapolis. The City Council is composed of 13 single member districts, called wards. Barbara Johnson is president of the council. The council is dominated by members of the DFL Party with 12 members. The Green Party has one member...
member Don Samuels suggested burning North down. "My children will not darken the door of a Minneapolis public school in this city at this time under these conditions. I've said burn North High School down! I can't be paying as a taxpayer for the education of my neighbors and 72 percent of them are failing—meaning black boys. Something worse than vouchers could come along. If it works, if it sacrifices the entire school system, fine! Get rid of the damn thing! It hasn't worked!" His suggestion caused uproar in the community, and his remarks were heavily criticized. Samuels later apologized for the "extreme language" but stated that he did not regret making the comments.
Radio station
North High School is home to KBEM-FM, a radio station controlled by Minneapolis Public SchoolsMinneapolis Public Schools
Minneapolis Public Schools or Special School District Number 1 is a school district that covers all of the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Minneapolis Public Schools enroll 36,370 students in public primary and secondary schools...
. The station was created in the 1960s but moved to North in 1983 as part of Minneapolis Public Schools' desegregation initiative. Students are responsible for the operation of the radio station and 35 hours of airtime a week is devoted to student programming. Approximately 150 students are involved in the radio station's operation, with the majority attending North. Students typically enroll into the program as ninth-graders and are prepared for on-air time by 11th or 12th grade.
The station broadcasts up to the minute traffic reports for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area. The reports are provided by the Minnesota Department of Transportation
Minnesota Department of Transportation
The Minnesota Department of Transportation oversees transportation by land, water, and air in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The cabinet-level agency is responsible for maintaining the state's trunk highway system The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT, pronounced "min-dot") oversees...
. From 1989 to 2005 the station was paid around $400,000 by the Minnesota Department of Transportation to do so. MnDOT had planned to cancel the contract, but due to public demand, the state continued the contract.
Extracurricular activities
North offers a variety of musical programs. A beginning band, concert band, Jazz ensemble and drum line are offered. Choir, varsity choir, vocal ensembles and a gospel choir are available. Other extracurricular activities include a variety of academic competitions, a chess club, culture-specific clubs including an award winning Asian Club, debate and mock trial teams, a school newspaper and yearbook, science club and student government. North's Math team competes in the Minnesota State High School Mathematics LeagueMinnesota State High School Mathematics League
The Minnesota State High School Mathematics League is the premier high school mathematics league in the state of Minnesota. It was founded in 1980 by Macalester College professor Wayne Roberts...
. The school has a chapter of National Honor Society
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
.
Sports
North is a member of the Minnesota State High School LeagueMinnesota State High School League
The Minnesota State High School League is a voluntary, non-profit association for the support and governance of interscholastic activities at high schools in Minnesota, United States. The association supports interscholastic athletics and fine arts programs for member schools...
. North offers eleven boys' and twelve girls' varsity sports. These include football (boys), wrestling (boys), tennis (boys and girls), basketball (boys and girls), baseball (boys), softball (girls), golf (boys and girls), soccer (boys and girls), volleyball (girls), swimming (boys and girls), gymnastics (girls), badminton (girls), ice hockey (boys and girls), cross country (boys and girls) and track and field (boys and girls). North has Adapted Bowling. Both boys' and girls' teams are called "Polars". All of the sports teams participate, like all public high schools in Minneapolis, in the Minneapolis City Conference
Minneapolis City Conference
Minneapolis City Conference is the high school sports league for schools in Minneapolis, Minnesota.*Edison High School*North Community High School*Patrick Henry High School*Roosevelt High School*South High School*Southwest High School...
. North has won the state title in Boys' Track and Field in 1943 and 1948.
Basketball
The boys' basketball team was dominant in the 1980s. Coached by Tony Queen, the team won eight of ten Minneapolis City Conference championships and went to the state tournament eight times, winning in 1980 and placing second in 1984 and 1985. In 1988 Queen was suspended from coaching for one year following attempts to recruit basketball players, which is illegal under Minnesota State High School LeagueMinnesota State High School League
The Minnesota State High School League is a voluntary, non-profit association for the support and governance of interscholastic activities at high schools in Minnesota, United States. The association supports interscholastic athletics and fine arts programs for member schools...
rules. He lost a battle to be rehired in U.S. District court. Queen was fired in 1990 for having sex with a student in the early 1980s. In the mid-1990s the boys' team had a dominating resurgence. Led by Khalid El-Amin
Khalid El-Amin
Khalid El-Amin is an American professional basketball player. He was a member of the 1999 UConn men's basketball team that won the NCAA championship. He is originally from Minnesota where he played for North High School in Minneapolis...
, North tied a state record with three state championships in a row, from 1995 to 1997. The boys' team won another championship in 2003.
The girls' team went to the state title game every year except for one from 1997 to 2005. They won in 1998, 1999, and had three straight wins in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
Notable alumni
- Farrell DobbsFarrell DobbsFarrell Dobbs was an American Trotskyist and trade unionist.He was born in Queen City, Missouri where his father was a worker in a coal mine. They moved to Minneapolis, and he graduated from North High School in 1925. In 1926, he left for North Dakota to find work, but returned the following fall...
(1907-1983), American Trotskyist and trade unionist - William GallagherWilliam GallagherWilliam James Gallagher was a Representative to the U.S. Congress from Minnesota; born in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota; attended the public schools, and was graduated from North High School in 1894; engaged as an editorial employee and proofreader in Minneapolis, MN, in 1895 and 1896;...
(1894), former U.S. Representative from Minnesota's 3rd congressional district - Roy WierRoy WierRoy William Wier was a U.S. Representative from Minnesota; born in Redfield, Spink County, South Dakota; moved with his parents in 1896 to Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota; attended the public schools and North High School; learned the telephone and electrical trade, later going into...
(1906)?, former U.S. Representative from Minnesota's 3rd congressional district - Floyd B. OlsonFloyd B. OlsonFloyd Bjørnstjerne Olson was an American politician. He served as the 22nd Governor of Minnesota from January 6, 1931 to August 22, 1936. He died in office from stomach cancer. He was a member of the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party, and was the first member of the Farmer-Labor Party to win the...
(1909), 22nd Governor of Minnesota - Irving S. ShapiroIrving S. ShapiroIrving Saul Shapiro was an American lawyer and businessman, best known for being the first lawyer, and the first person outside the Dupont family, to become CEO of DuPont. Shapiro served as Dupont chairman from December 1973 to 1981...
(1924)?, former chairman and CEO of DuPont - Sid GillmanSid GillmanSidney "Sid" Gillman was an American football player, coach, executive, and innovator. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, was instrumental in...
(1930), professional football coach - The Andrews SistersThe Andrews SistersThe Andrews Sisters were a highly successful close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews , soprano Maxene Angelyn Andrews , and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie "Patty" Andrews...
(1930s), singing group - Sid HartmanSid HartmanSid Hartman is an American sports journalist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the WCCO 830 AM radio station.-Background and early career:A high-school dropout, Hartman received no formal writing training...
(1939), sports journalist - W. Harry DavisW. Harry DavisW. Harry Davis, Sr. was an American civil rights activist, amateur boxing coach, civic leader and businessman in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He overcame poverty, childhood polio, and racial prejudice to become a humanitarian...
(1942), civil rights activist, amateur boxing coach, civic leader and businessman - Robert VaughnRobert VaughnRobert Francis Vaughn, , is an American actor noted for stage, film and television work. His best known roles include the suave spy Napoleon Solo in the 1960s television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., wealthy detective Harry Rule in the 1970s television series The Protectors, Albert Stroller in...
(1950)?, actor - Tom BarnardTom BarnardThomas 'Tom' Barnard is an American talk radio host and former voice-over talent. He is currently the host of The KQ92 Morning Show broadcast in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.-Personal:...
(1969), radio talk show host - Terry LewisJimmy Jam and Terry LewisJames Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
, Morris DayMorris DayMorris E. Day is an American musician and composer. He is best known as the lead singer of The Time.-1970s and 1980s:...
and other members of Flyte TymeFlyte Tyme (band)The band known as Flyte Tyme began life as a Minneapolis funk unit, taking its name from the Donald Byrd song. The group featured Alexander O'Neal on vocals, Jellybean Johnson on drums, Tony Johnson on lead guitar, Jimmy "Jam" Harris and Monte Moir on keyboards, and Terry Lewis on bass. It also had...
/The TimeThe Time (band)The Time is a funk and dance-pop ensemble formed in 1981. They are close Prince associates and arguably the most successful artists who have worked with him.-Prince, Formation and Success:...
, musicians - Khalid El-AminKhalid El-AminKhalid El-Amin is an American professional basketball player. He was a member of the 1999 UConn men's basketball team that won the NCAA championship. He is originally from Minnesota where he played for North High School in Minneapolis...
(1997), professional basketball player, his jersey, number 42, has been retired