Bloomington High School North

Bloomington High School North
Bloomington North
Location
3901 N Kinser Pike
Bloomington, Indiana, Monroe County 47404
United States
Coordinates 39°11′56″N 86°32′57″W / 39.19889°N 86.54917°W / 39.19889; -86.54917Coordinates: 39°11′56″N 86°32′57″W / 39.19889°N 86.54917°W / 39.19889; -86.54917
Information
Type Public high school
Established August 1, 1972
School district Monroe County Community Schools
Superintendent Dr. Judith A. DeMuth
Principal Jeffery M. Henderson
Faculty 96
Grades 9-12
Enrollment 1537 (2013-2014)
Color(s)                         
Athletics conference Conference Indiana
Team name Cougars
Rivals Bloomington High School South
Website Official Website

Bloomington High School North (often referred to as BHSN or simply North) is a comprehensive four-year public high school located in the northern part of Bloomington, Indiana, United States. The school is accredited by the Indiana State Department of Public Instruction and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

About

Preliminary data for the 2013-2014 academic year shows BHSN has an enrollment of 1,537 students, which are fed predominantly by Tri-North Middle School, and Lincoln Akerman School as well as Batchelor Middle School, Jackson Creek Middle School, St. Charles School, Harmony School, Lighthouse Christian Academy, and Pinnacle School.

It operates on a block schedule with students taking four 85-minute courses on some days and four 85-minute courses on the alternating days. The curriculum includes over 140 different course offerings and allows students to design academic programs to meet their individual needs. Graduation requirements are based on work completed in grades nine through twelve. Accelerated programs enable students to complete high school requirements in seven semesters. Special features of the curriculum include AP and Accelerated Learning courses, vocational/technical training, work-study programs, interdisciplinary studies, and independent study.

Academics

Bloomington High School North is noted for its academic achievement in several areas. It has consistently ranked in the 95th percentile in ACT, PSAT and SAT scores, well above the Indiana state average. Its Advanced Placement program is above the state average, with 76% of students earning a score of 3 or above in 2004 and students chosen as Advanced Placement Scholars each year. Many seniors choose to take courses at Indiana University, with some courses taught by BHSN faculty during the day. The average percentage of students who pass the ISTEP English and Math state-mandated assessments for NCLB has been above the Indiana state average since at least 2000.[1]

During the 2005-2006 school year, the school's students showcased their talents and abilities throughout the state and nation:

School life

The school is known for its eclectic student body, composed of students from many nations around the world. Students are active with performing arts opportunities in Bloomington, including the Rhino's Music Club and the Bloomington Playwrights Project. The school's service learning programs include cadet teaching, community service, and internship opportunities for seniors. The school's service organizations and student clubs are active fundraisers. The school's Habitat for Humanity chapter co-sponsored and built its ninth house in nine years house for Habitat for Humanity, the only high school in the nation to accomplish this undertaking.

Music department

Bloomington North's Music Program is known to be one of the best music programs in Indiana. The Music Program includes the Bloomington High School North Cougar Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Advanced Jazz, Wind Ensemble, Studio Jazz, Advanced Concert Band, Beginning Concert Band, Intermediate Jazz, Beginning Jazz, and Orchestra. Bloomington North also offers a variety of style in their music program, especially in the choral program with three different choirs; Vocal Jazz, Intermediate, and Advanced. All three choirs have a variety of styles, from Jazz to Broadway tunes. Recently the Marching Band has placed 9th twice in 2008 and 2009 and 5th in 2006 at ISSMA Marching Band State Finals in Indianapolis and the Symphonic Band placed 4th in 2010 at the ISSMA Concert Band State Finals. The Symphonic Band also traveled to Chattanooga, Tennessee to participate in the National Adjudicators Invitational, where they placed first. This year, the Orchestra performed in Washington D.C. at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Thomas Wilckan, the schools band director, remains the tallest man in the Bloomington.

Theater department

Bloomington North has a new black box theater and a refurbished auditorium. Recent theatrical productions have included My Fair Lady, A Christmas Carol, You Can't Take It with You, West Side Story, The Dining Room, The Fantasticks, Damn Yankees, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Pajama Game, & Anything Goes. The theater director's students also perform as Living Statues each fall at the Bloomington Farmers' Market.[2][3]

The Jets sing along in the BHSN production of West Side Story in April 2006.

National championships

Cross Country

Bloomington North High School was awarded the 1980 National Cross Country Championship through the XC Legacy series published through Milesplit.us in an effort to begin filling in the national rankings from 1980-1988. The Harrier Magazine, operated by Marc Bloom formerly of Runners World Magazine began keeping official rankings in 1989. "At the state xc championships Bloomington North annihilated the field with an impressive 34-149 point showing over defending state champion Carmel,"[4][5][6] Carmel would rebound the following two years to claim the 1981 & 1982 National crowns.[6][7] "A team who stormed through Indiana in epic fashion culminating in a state championship in which they would average 15:13 for 5000 meters with a 32 second 1-5 spread. The top four were perhaps the best 1-4 spread in US history, Marty Bassett and Keith Sharpless were individual title favorites with Jeff Grove competing against the top runner from any team in the state."[8] "Our average 5k time of 15:12.7 for the top 5 runners remains, to this day, the fastest average 5k time ever run by a high school team in a state meet."[9]

Cheerleading The Bloomington High School North cheerleading team won a national championship at the 2010 National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida. The team has also placed third, fifth, seventh, and ninth at this national competition in past years.

Sports & Extra-Curricular Activities at BHSN

In the 2005-2006 school year, BHSN earned several athletic honors, including:

Girls Cross Country

Boys Cross Country

Girls Track & Field

Boys Track & Field

Wrestling

BHSN has also won multiple individual state championship in wrestling.[11]

The school tries to assist its students and the guidance counselors and social workers are trained to offer the following support services:

Cougar Wall of Fame

In 2006, the BHSN parent organization Cougars for Better Education,[12] which was founded 10 years prior, started the Cougar Wall of Fame, with nomination by application, which recognizes and honors alumni of BHS North and the schools that consolidated into BHS North upon opening in 1972.

Notable alumni

See also

References

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, April 29, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.