North High School (Des Moines, Iowa)

Coordinates: 41°37′4.4″N 93°37′23.4″W / 41.617889°N 93.623167°W / 41.617889; -93.623167
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
North High School
Address
Map
501 Holcomb Avenue

,
50313

United States
Coordinates41°37′4.4″N 93°37′23.4″W / 41.617889°N 93.623167°W / 41.617889; -93.623167
Information
TypeComprehensive Public High School
Established1875
School districtDes Moines Independent Community School District
SuperintendentDr. Ian Roberts
CEEB code161205
PrincipalDr. Christopher Maniece
Staff66.00 (FTE)[1]
Grades9 to 12
GenderCoed
Enrollment1,458 (2022-23)[1]
Student to teacher ratio22.09[1]
Campus typeUrban
Color(s)Pink and green    
Athletics conferenceIowa Alliance Conference
MascotPolar bear
RivalsEast Scarlets
Hoover Huskies
WebsiteDes Moines North

North High School is a public secondary school located in Des Moines, Iowa. It is one of five secondary schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District.[2]

History[edit]

North High School was originally founded as Forest Home School in 1875 and became a high school in 1889.[3][4] The school was incorporated into the Des Moines School District in 1907.[4] The school moved to a new location in 1896.[3][4] In 1957, the school moved again.[3][5][6] The school was renovated in 2011.[6] A student was injured in a drive-by shooting in 2014.[7][8] Another student was injured in a shooting connected to a confrontation at the school in 2021.[9]

On December 17th, 1965, John Tinker was kicked out of the school for wearing a black armband in protest of the Vietnam War.[10] His parents sued in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, which went to the Supreme Court and set a legal standard for free expression in American schools.[10][11]

Academics[edit]

North High School is ranked 212th to 317th within the state of Iowa and 3rd to 5th in the Des Moines Independent Community School District by US News.[12]

Athletics[edit]

North High School was a member of the Central Iowa Metro League until its exit in 2021[13] when it formed the Iowa Alliance Conference with 10 other schools.[14] It is also a part of the Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. It participates in football, volleyball, cross country, golf, swimming, basketball, bowling, wrestling, track and field, soccer, tennis, baseball and softball in the school year.[15] The high school's football team was featured in an ESPN documentary in 2016.[16]

Awards[edit]

  • 6-time State Cross Country Champions (1944, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1952, 1953)[17]
  • 2-time State Boy's Swimming Champions (1938, 1942)[18]
  • Boys' 7-time State Track and Field Champions (1917, 1919, 1934, 1948, 1953, 1954, 1959)[19]
  • 3-time State Champions (1931, 1934, 1936)[20]

Extracurricular activities[edit]

North High School's Academic Decathlon team placed 4th in the state in 2011.[21] The Academic Decathlon team placed 5th in the state[22] and 7th in the Medium School e-Nationals in 2012.[23] In 2024, the school also has the first team to enter a NASA competition from Iowa.[24][25] The NASA competition team advanced to the interview phase of the competition.[24]

Notable alumni[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "North High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  2. ^ "High Schools - Des Moines Public Schools". www.dmschools.org. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  3. ^ a b c "History of North - North High School".
  4. ^ a b c Denny, Robert R. (1976). Bicentennial Reflections: History of Des Moines Public Schools, 1876-1976. Des Moines Public Schools. p. 15.
  5. ^ Denny, Robert R (1976). Bicentennial Reflections: History of Des Moines Public Schools, 1876-1976. Des Moines Public Schools. p. 90.
  6. ^ a b "Des Moines North High School". OPN Architects. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  7. ^ Des Moines Register Staff (2024-01-04). "A history of Iowa school shootings". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  8. ^ S., D. E. (2014-02-01). "Witness to North High shooting: 'It takes you a second to realize if it's real or not'". Des Moines Register.
  9. ^ "Police: Two metro shootings stemmed from confrontation at North High School". KCCI. 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  10. ^ a b Shackelford, Kelly (2014-11-02). "Mary Beth and John Tinker and Tinker v. Des Moines : Opening the schoolhouse gates to first amendment freedom: TINKER (1969) AND STUDENTS' FREE SPEECH". Journal of Supreme Court History. 39 (3): 375–377. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5818.2014.12054.x.
  11. ^ "Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)". The Free Speech Center. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  12. ^ "North High School". US News. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  13. ^ "Change on the horizon: Marshalltown, others reveal CIML departure plans". Times Republican. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  14. ^ Mollenbeck, Andrew (2021-11-19). "11 schools join new Iowa athletic conference". KCCI.
  15. ^ "Central Iowa Metro League". Central Iowa Metro League. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
  16. ^ #FTTTP Polar Bear Way: ESPN Outside The Lines Football Forever?, retrieved 2024-02-11
  17. ^ Record Book Cross Country 2023. Iowa High School Athletic Association. 2023-10-14. p. 3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  18. ^ Record Book Swimming 2023-2024 Complete Edition. Iowa High School Athletic Association. 2024-01-01. p. 3.
  19. ^ "2020 IHSAA Track & Field Stat Book" (PDF). Iowa High School Athletic Association. 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
  20. ^ "2020 IHSAA Baseball State Tournament Stat Book" (PDF). Iowa High School Athletic Association. 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
  21. ^ "State/Iowa/2011 - AcaDec Scores and Information Center". acadecscores.gilslotd.com. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  22. ^ "State/Iowa/2012 - AcaDec Scores and Information Center". acadecscores.gilslotd.com. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  23. ^ "E-Nationals/Medium/2012 - AcaDec Scores and Information Center". acadecscores.gilslotd.com. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  24. ^ a b "Mentored North High School Team Advances in NASA Challenge – Marshall Science Research and Projects Division". science.msfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  25. ^ Werner, Kyle (2023-12-08). "North High School students shoot for the moon in NASA's App Development Challenge". Des Moines Register.
  26. ^ Armstrong, Herbert W. (1957). Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong (1st ed.). p. 12.
  27. ^ McGrane, Bert (March 25, 1951). "Ed Beisser, Des Moines, 1951; Chuck McConnell, Mason City, 1951; Murray Wier, Muscatine, 1951". The Des Moines Register. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
  28. ^ Naughton, John (2016-09-08). "North's football revival: Coach offered a promise, kids believed". Des Moines Register.
  29. ^ "yearclass1968.html". 2007-07-12. Archived from the original on 2007-07-12. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  30. ^ Resolution of 2000. Iowa State House.

External links[edit]