Northridge Preparatory School
Encyclopedia
Northridge Preparatory School, or Northridge Prep, or NRP is an independent Roman Catholic preparatory school for young men, located in Niles, Illinois
. The school offers a recognized curriculum and a strong athletics program.
Northridge Prep was established in 1976 by a group of parents who envisioned a college preparatory school that would challenge their sons academically, socially and spiritually. Realizing the importance of the middle school years, they sought to include grades 6 through 12 in the Northridge curriculum. The founding parents entrusted the spiritual dimension of Northridge Prep to Opus Dei
, a Personal prelature
of the Roman Catholic Church
that was founded in 1928.
Northridge is the brother school of The Willows Academy
, a girls college preparatory school in Des Plaines, Illinois, and parents continue to foster a relationship with The Willows Academy
by organizing dances and social events throughout the school year.
The School is a member of The Independent School League
and Illinois High School Association
.
The Halls System at Northridge Prep helps foster a spirit of competition among the students through academics, athletics, and community involvement. Each hall competes in various events throughout the year in which students are able to earn points for their hall. This Point System provides a basis of motivation for all students in a peer to peer way as an addition to teacher or coach to student motivation. Each hall has a main leader, the “Hall Head,” but the advantage of the hall system is that there are numerous leadership positions available in each of the four halls, including head of tutoring, head of athletic competitions, and head of community involvement. These halls serve as the Northridge Prep’s student government. However, a student doesn’t have to hold any of these defined leadership roles to play a leading role in their hall. Any student is able to organize and institute ideas to earn their hall points, such as community service projects. This leads to even more leadership development among the students.
In the old model of student government, community service projects would be organized and instituted only through the student government leaders, leading to very few projects during the year. Through this Halls System, each hall organizes service projects that any student in any hall can participate in to earn points for their own hall. This has a great effect not only on the students, but on the community as well, since this leads to more community involvement.
. The Knights were Regional Basketball Champs in '03, '04, '08, '09, and '10. Sectional Basketball Champs in 2004. They were also Cross Country IHSA State Finalist in 2005, 2006, 2007, and most recently, 2011.
Will Rey, former Head Basketball Coach at Loyola University
is Northridge Prep's Athletic Director.
Niles, Illinois
Niles is a village in Maine and Niles Townships, Cook County, Illinois, United States. The 2010 population from the U.S. Census Bureau is 29,803.The current mayor of Niles is Robert M. Callero.-History:Niles was first settled in 1827....
. The school offers a recognized curriculum and a strong athletics program.
Northridge Prep was established in 1976 by a group of parents who envisioned a college preparatory school that would challenge their sons academically, socially and spiritually. Realizing the importance of the middle school years, they sought to include grades 6 through 12 in the Northridge curriculum. The founding parents entrusted the spiritual dimension of Northridge Prep to Opus Dei
Opus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
, a Personal prelature
Personal prelature
Personal prelature is an institutional structure of the Roman Catholic Church which comprises a prelate, clergy and possibly laity who undertake specific pastoral activities. Personal prelatures, similar to dioceses and military ordinariates, are under the governance of the Vatican's Congregation...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
that was founded in 1928.
Northridge is the brother school of The Willows Academy
The Willows Academy
The Willows Academy is an all-girls' private school in Des Plaines, Illinois, USA, with its religious education under the direction of Opus Dei. The school is divided into the Middle School and High School . There are approximately 316 students enrolled in grades 6-12, with about forty students...
, a girls college preparatory school in Des Plaines, Illinois, and parents continue to foster a relationship with The Willows Academy
The Willows Academy
The Willows Academy is an all-girls' private school in Des Plaines, Illinois, USA, with its religious education under the direction of Opus Dei. The school is divided into the Middle School and High School . There are approximately 316 students enrolled in grades 6-12, with about forty students...
by organizing dances and social events throughout the school year.
The School is a member of The Independent School League
Independent School League (Illinois)
The Independent School League is an athletic league comprising nine private secondary schools in the Chicago metro area. All of the schools are also full members of the Illinois High School Association; the governing body for most high school athletics and competitive activities in the state...
and Illinois High School Association
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High...
.
Academics
The academic program is grounded in the classical liberal arts tradition. The curriculum coupled with an all-male student body, small class sizes, and a dress code that emphasizes personal dignity and a seriousness toward studies creates an ideal learning environment for students. Academically, the program has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report, the Chicago Sun Times, and Chicago Magazine. The school graduates numerous AP Scholars, National Merit Scholarship recipients and students whose ACT and SAT scores rank among the top in the state.The Halls System
Northridge Prep students are divided into four halls: Cavalier, Riddervon, Paladin, and Vytis.The Halls System at Northridge Prep helps foster a spirit of competition among the students through academics, athletics, and community involvement. Each hall competes in various events throughout the year in which students are able to earn points for their hall. This Point System provides a basis of motivation for all students in a peer to peer way as an addition to teacher or coach to student motivation. Each hall has a main leader, the “Hall Head,” but the advantage of the hall system is that there are numerous leadership positions available in each of the four halls, including head of tutoring, head of athletic competitions, and head of community involvement. These halls serve as the Northridge Prep’s student government. However, a student doesn’t have to hold any of these defined leadership roles to play a leading role in their hall. Any student is able to organize and institute ideas to earn their hall points, such as community service projects. This leads to even more leadership development among the students.
In the old model of student government, community service projects would be organized and instituted only through the student government leaders, leading to very few projects during the year. Through this Halls System, each hall organizes service projects that any student in any hall can participate in to earn points for their own hall. This has a great effect not only on the students, but on the community as well, since this leads to more community involvement.
Advisory Program
A key element in the Northridge approach to education is the advisory system. Every student has a faculty mentor who meets with him regularly throughout the year for all seven years, and who is always "on call." These regular sessions are meant to help each student pinpoint his academic, personal, and social strengths and weaknesses. They help him get to know himself and to follow through on resolutions to improve. Through these sessions and the support of a faculty mentor, each student is better able to grow in faith & virtue, manage & improve his studies, and discuss his family & social life. Often the advisor's job is simply to listen, to understand and to encourage. In addition to this personal help, all upperclassmen receive intensive college and career counseling. The advisor is also the key link between parents and the school, so that helping each student mature properly is truly the joint effort it should be.Relationship With The Archdiocese of Chicago
Northridge Prep was founded by parents as an "independent school" that is guided by the teachings of the Catholic Church and therefore is not financially tied to the Archdiocese as diocesan Catholic schools are. The school is not listed in the Archdiocese of Chicago school list, and so does not require the Chicago Catholic Schools Placement exam. In 2008, Northridge Prep was awarded the Catholic Honor Roll, which distinguishes it as a "Top 50 Catholic High School in America" under the three criteria of standardized test scores, Catholic Identity and academic curriculum.Athletics
Northridge Prep offers a number of athletic activities and plays in the Independent School LeagueIndependent School League (Illinois)
The Independent School League is an athletic league comprising nine private secondary schools in the Chicago metro area. All of the schools are also full members of the Illinois High School Association; the governing body for most high school athletics and competitive activities in the state...
. The Knights were Regional Basketball Champs in '03, '04, '08, '09, and '10. Sectional Basketball Champs in 2004. They were also Cross Country IHSA State Finalist in 2005, 2006, 2007, and most recently, 2011.
Will Rey, former Head Basketball Coach at Loyola University
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
is Northridge Prep's Athletic Director.
External links
- Northridge Preparatory School — official website
- The Willows Academy — sister school of Nortridge Prep
- Illinois High School Association record for Niles (Northridge Prep)
- "The Ways of Opus Dei" — Time magazineTime (magazine)Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
article about Opus Dei's methods of operation, and noting Opus Dei's use of Northridge Prep as one of its school names (on page 4) - Opus Dei – Opus Dei's official U.S. website
- Opus Dei — explanation on EWTN website