North Pointe Preparatory
| North Pointe Preparatory | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
|
10215 North 43rd Avenue Phoenix, Arizona, 85051 USA | |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: 33°34′44″N 112°09′02″W / 33.578855°N 112.150486°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Charter |
| Principal | Richard Gow |
| Staff | 50 |
| Grades | 7 through 12 |
| Enrollment | 800 (490 high school students, 1 Oct. 2010)[1] |
| Color(s) | Purple and Black |
| Athletics conference | AIA 2A |
| Mascot | Falcons |
| Website | North Pointe Preparatory |
North Pointe Preparatory is a public charter school located in Phoenix, Arizona that serves students in grades 7 through 12.
History
North Pointe Preparatory was established in August 2001, with 130 students in grades 7 through 9. In eight years, it has grown to its current maximum enrollment of 750 students in grades 7 through 12. The school was founded by four families who wanted a high school that would support parents as they built character and leadership qualities in their teens, provide an excellent education, and be financially accessible to everyone. The Pointe Schools system also contains two elementary schools, Canyon Pointe Academy and Pinnacle Pointe Academy, both opened in 2002.
Academics
North Pointe Preparatory focuses on the 3 As: Academics, Arts, and Athletics. It provides secondary education for students who intend to pursue a college education. North Pointe offers dual enrollment and advanced placement classes, which give students an opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. North Pointe is one of only six public schools in Arizona accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools as a college preparatory school.
North Pointe Prep is a school that fulfills it's art expectations to a max. Every play North Pointe Prep puts on is hilarious and fulfilling with great characters and a good story behind it all. North Pointe Prep's Indoor Percussion team has only been competing for four years. In 2013 North Pointe Prep took second in WGAZ state championships, this being only their second year competing. In 2015, they took first in WGAZ Division and State championship. In 2015 Robotics has made it to the top ten in the state and made North Pointe Prep more smarter than ever before.
Athletics
The competitive cheer team at North Pointe competes within the 1A-3A region of the Arizona Interscholastic Association. They are currently the four-time defending state champions, capturing the title from 2008-2011. They have also won several Universal Cheerleaders Association events in the last two years, including the 2009 West Coast Championship in the small coed division.Also in 2012 the JH football team went undefeated and won the championship.[2]
Community service
North Pointe's emphasis on community service is exemplified by its program, Prep Cares. In the fall, the school has collaborated with US Vets to create a float for the Phoenix Veterans Day Parade, in addition to running several other events honoring members of the armed forces.[3] North Pointe also has a food drive every winter and helps stock boxes at local food banks. In the spring, Prep Cares focuses on providing mentoring for younger students, as well as working with the American Diabetes Association to help bring awareness to the cause of children's diabetes.
Controversies
2008 Suspensions
In the Spring of 2008, students heard a rumor that a teacher was leaving North Pointe. Though the students were misinformed, they staged a sit in. When the bell rang, the students(33 total) refused orders to go to class from the school's teachers, directors, and assistant superintendent to go to class. All the students were then suspended for insubordination.
WTF Shirts
In the Fall of 2013, the school released shirts which read "We're the Falcons" at the commencement of the School's Old School Spirit Week. The shirts drew attention immediately due to the fact that, in much larger font, the statement was abbreviated "WTF", a phrase which, usually, is explicit and obscene. The shirts were reported to the media by a parent who claimed her daughter had been dress coded for wearing a flower headband, although the student was only asked by a teacher to remove it during class and not officially dress coded.[4]
However, shortly after the initial report on the local ABC affiliate, and subsequent reports from Fox, NBC, and even the Today Show - though incorrectly labelled as a junior high school- , students, parents, and even individuals not affiliated with the school became interested and sales for the shirt drastically increased the following morning. A few days later, North Pointe actually ran out of WTF shirt. That Friday, students gathered for a large group picture(in their WTF shirts, of course)and the photo was later uploaded to the school's website. Prior and during the shot, students were chanting "deal with it", which appear on the reverse side of the shirt. Students even suggested making shirts which read "Stand Tall, Falcons Unite"(abbreviated "STFU")
References
- ↑ Arizona Interscholastic Association enrollment records
- ↑ "UCA 2009 Cheer Championships" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-05-06.
- ↑ "US Vets Nov 2009 Newsletter" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-12-29.
- ↑ Suratos, Pete (18 September 2013). "Parents upset about 'WTF' shirts at North Pointe Prep Junior High School". http://www.abc15.com. Retrieved 5 January 2015. External link in
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