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Naperville North High School

Coordinates: 41°47′01″N 88°09′26″W / 41.7835°N 88.1573°W / 41.7835; -88.1573
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Naperville North High School
Address
Map
899 N. Mill Street

,
60563

United States
Coordinates41°47′01″N 88°09′26″W / 41.7835°N 88.1573°W / 41.7835; -88.1573
Information
School typePublic Secondary School
Opened1970
School districtNaperville Comm. Unit S.D. 203
SuperintendentDan Bridges[1]
PrincipalJay Wachtel
Staff183.60 (FTE)[2]
Grades9–12
GenderCoed
Enrollment2,553 (2022-23)[2]
Student to teacher ratio13.91[2]
CampusSuburban
Color(s)  blue
  orange[4]
Athletics conferenceDuPage Valley Conference
NicknameHuskies[4]
PublicationVertigo
NewspaperThe North Star[5]
YearbookReflections
WebsiteSchool website

Naperville North High School is a public four-year high school located at the corner of Ogden Avenue and Mill Street in the northern-central part of Naperville, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It’s a part of Naperville Community Unit School District 203. Naperville North is fully recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education and is a member of the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling.

History

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The building was constructed in 1970 comprising 152,347 square feet (14,000 m²). Additions to the building were made in 1974, 1986 and 1992, increasing the size to the current (as of 2005) 449,665 square feet (42,000 m²). From 1970-1974 Naperville North was limited to freshmen classes only, who were then transferred to Naperville Central High School to continue their education. From the time of its construction until the 1992-1993 academic year, Naperville North was the only high school in its district to have a swimming pool. Thus Naperville Central High School students who took Physical Education courses in swimming or desired to compete in swimming and/or diving would be bussed from Naperville Central to Naperville North. The stadium and pool underwent significant renovations during the 2008-2009 and 2010-2011 school years, with more renovations during 2015-2016 to change the Library into a Learning Commons area, respectively. There were further renovations to the Small Cafe and NPAC areas after the conclusion of the 2022-2023 school year.

Demographics

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In 2020, 59.1% of the student body identifies as White, 19.4% of the student body identifies as Asian, 12.4% of the student body identifies as Hispanic, 4.3% of the student body identifies as Black, and 4.8% of the student body identifies as another race.[6]

Academics

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In 2008, Naperville North had an average composite ACT score of 25.4, and graduated 100.0% of its senior class. Naperville North has not made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on the Prairie State Achievement Examination, which with the ACT, are the assessment tools used in Illinois to fulfill the federal No Child Left Behind Act. One student subgroup failed to meet expectations in reading and mathematics.[3]

In 2010, Newsweek ranked Naperville North #1332 in their annual list of the top 1500 American public high schools, based upon the total number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge tests given at a school, divided by the number of seniors graduating that year. In 2005, the school was ranked #1008, in 2007, #1082, in 2008 #926, and in 2009 #1331.[7] In 2018, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recognized Naperville North as one of the 349 National Blue Ribbon Schools.[8]

In 2020, Naperville North High School was accredited with an International Green Ribbon for Extraordinary Schools.

Naperville North is fully recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education,[9] and is a member of the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling.[10]

Athletics

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The Football Field and Track
The Athletic Entrance and Contest Gym

Naperville North competes in the DuPage Valley Conference (DVC). Naperville North is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), which governs most interscholastic sports and competitive activities in Illinois. The school's teams are stylized as the Huskies. The mascot's name is Buster.

From 1975–1987, Naperville North played its home football games at Naperville Central.[11] In 1988, Naperville North opened Harshbarger/Welzel Stadium as its new home field.[11]

The school sponsors multiple interscholastic athletic teams for young men and women under the IHSA: basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling. Along with this, young men may compete in baseball and football, while young women may compete in badminton, gymnastics, and softball. Cheerleading and dance are co-ed teams, often consisting both boys and girls on their respective rosters. They will offer girls’ flag football beginning in the 2025-2026 school year for the fall season.

In addition to the sports listed above, the school also offers club sports in girls’ field hockey, boys’ gymnastics, ice hockey (co-op with Naperville Central), table tennis, and ultimate frisbee.[12]

The following teams have won a state trophy in their respective IHSA sponsored state tournament or meet:

  • Badminton (girls): 1st place (tie) (2011–12)[13]
  • Cross Country (boys): State Champions (2008–09)[14]
  • Cross Country (girls): State Champions (1993–94, 2001–02, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20)[15]
  • Dance: State Champions (2018-19)
  • Football: State Champions (1992–93, 2007–08)[16]
  • Golf (boys): State Champions (1989–90, 1994–95)[17]
  • Gymnastics (boys): State Champions (2000–01)[18]
  • Soccer (boys): State Champions (1998–99) (2016–17) (2017–18) (2018-19) [19]
  • Soccer (girls): State Champions (1987–88, 2011–12)[20]
  • Swimming & Diving (boys): State Champions (1995–96)[21]
  • Tennis (boys): State Champions (1993–94)[22]
  • Volleyball (boys): State Champions (1996–97)[23]

Activities

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The school is also host to a Certamen; a quizbowl-like team, placing first in the 2004 state Latin convention; the Northern Lights, a nationally competitive winter guard; the Marching Huskies marching band, who tied for second in the state championship in 2005 and took fourth in state in 2009; and a drama department that contributes regularly to the Illinois High School Theatre Fest. Notable recent IHSTF productions with North students in the cast or crew began with The Kentucky Cycle in 1999, ending a decade-long absence from the festival, and have since included West Side Story, Pirates of Penzance and Macbeth. In 2000, a Naperville North adaptation of 12 Angry Men (presented as Twelve Angry Jurors), was selected to perform as a showcase at the IHS Theatre Festival.[24] More recent selections taken to state include The Laramie Project, Angel's Fall and Wings. The Naperville North theatre recently received a technical over-haul, allowing for better lighting and control mechanisms. North's newspaper, the North Star, has won numerous local and statewide awards.

The Math Team at Naperville North has been the DuPage Valley Conference champions for 28 consecutive years and were Illinois state champions 14 of the last 16 years, and won ten consecutive Math Team state championships (1998–2007). Naperville North also participates in the North Suburban Math League. In 2008, the math team competed at the ICTM Regional competition at the College of DuPage and placed 1st overall. During the ICTM State competition at the University of Illinois in 2008, Naperville North lost to IMSA, which prevented North from winning their 11th consecutive state championship. They received 2nd place overall.[25] In 2009, Naperville North regained the state title, their fourteenth in sixteen years.[25][26] Naperville North again won the ICTM Division 4AA state championship in 2016.[27] The WYSE team won the state championship from 1999 to 2005, 2007 to 2009, 2012, and 2013.

In 2009, Naperville North created a FIRST Robotics Competition Team. Huskie Robotics is one of the school's largest clubs and is well known around the school and surrounding community for its outreach events. The student-led team builds competitive robots with support from teacher-coaches, mentors, and corporate sponsors. In 2013, Huskie Robotics was part of the winning alliance at the Midwest Regional, granting them a spot in the FIRST Robotics World Championship in St. Louis. In 2020 and 2021, Huskie Robotics won the Chairman's Award at the Midwest regional. In 2024, the Huskies won the Heartland regional, which granted them a spot in the World Championship where they placed 8th.

Naperville North has a Junior State of America (JSA) chapter. Naperville North's JSA chapter is well known, and has a high chapter membership in the Midwest state. They are debaters who form a tight knit group. The chapter is also involved in the state structure of JSA. Naperville North also has a DECA Chapter. The DECA chapter has grown in size and in caliber. In the past five years, Naperville North's DECA chapter has had over fifty different state qualifiers, ten state winners (top three), five national winners, including one taking the championship, and elected a State President, who leads Illinois DECA.

In the winter of 2011, NNHS announced they may have to discontinue print publication of "The North Star." This happened as a result of decreased advertising revenue and subscribers.

In 2018, NNHS announced a new esports club, hosting competitive teams in games such as Rocket League, Overwatch, and League of Legends. It quickly grew into one of the school's largest organizations. That same year the IHSA began laying the foundation for an Esports State Series and State Final (IHSEA). NHNHS esports went on to win the Illinois High School Esports Association in Overwatch championship in May 2019. In late 2019 as a rookie team they competed in the North America Scholastic Esports Federation Overwatch Tournament, eventually traveling to Santa Clara, CA where they lost in the championship finals to Rocklin High School.[28]

Partnerships

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The school offers an international exchange program with Steinbart Gymnasium in Duisburg, Germany. The partnership is part of the German American Partnership Program.

Notable alumni

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Notable faculty

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  • J. Glenn Schneider (1935-2017), history and government teacher; served in the Illinois House of Representatives[50]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "District Leadership". Naperville 203 Community Unit School District. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Naperville North High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Class of 2008 school report card; accessed 16 November 2013 Archived 17 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b "Naperville (North)". www.ihsa.org.
  5. ^ Activity Directory for NNHS; accessed 23 June 2009 Archived 2 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "Naperville North HS Report Card". Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  7. ^ "The Top of the Class - The complete list of the 1,500 top U.S. high schools; 8 June 2009; Newsweek.com; accessed 23 June 2009". Newsweek.
  8. ^ "NBRS Naperville North High School of Naperville, IL". National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
  9. ^ "Recognition Status of Schools". Illinois State Board of Education. 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  10. ^ "High School Members of IACAC". Illinois Association for College Admission School Association Counseling. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Bell, Taylor (9 September 2009). "Naperville North Huskies". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on September 5, 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  12. ^ "Naperville North HS - Home". www.athletics2000.com.
  13. ^ IHSA. "Records & History". www.ihsa.org.
  14. ^ IHSA. "Records & History". www.ihsa.org.
  15. ^ IHSA. "Records & History". www.ihsa.org.
  16. ^ IHSA. "Records & History". www.ihsa.org.
  17. ^ IHSA. "Records & History". www.ihsa.org.
  18. ^ IHSA. "Records & History". www.ihsa.org.
  19. ^ IHSA. "Records & History". www.ihsa.org.
  20. ^ IHSA. "Records & History". www.ihsa.org.
  21. ^ IHSA. "Records & History". www.ihsa.org.
  22. ^ IHSA. "Records & History". www.ihsa.org.
  23. ^ IHSA. "Records & History". www.ihsa.org.
  24. ^ 12 Angry Jurors by Sherman Sergel Archived February 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  25. ^ a b [1] Final seconds tell tale for mathletes Archived February 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  26. ^ Glenbrook North math team takes fifth at state Archived May 20, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  27. ^ "ICTM Contest State Reports". www.ilmathcontest.com.
  28. ^ Baker, Suzanne. "Naperville North esports team second in North America after just one year of play". Chicago Tribune. Naperville Sun. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  29. ^ "Pompei, Dan; Naperville natives together on Texans; 3 August 2008; Chicago Tribune.com; accessed 23 June 2009". Archived from the original on 2012-03-30. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
  30. ^ Goddard, Joe; Brown now leads the Rush; 23 March 2003; Chicago Sun-Times; accessed 23 June 2009
  31. ^ "NBA.com: Henry Domercant". www.nba.com.
  32. ^ Sotonoff, Jamie; Girl Talk; 21 July 2005; Daily Herald
  33. ^ "The Short List - June 2006".
  34. ^ Adams, Todd M; Hairston never given chance to show his worth in Cubby blue; 6 June 2006; The Sun - Naperville; accessed 23 June 2009
  35. ^ "Jerry Hairston - The Baseball Cube". www.thebaseballcube.com.
  36. ^ "Scott Hairston - The Baseball Cube". www.thebaseballcube.com.
  37. ^ Wanberg, D.J; Class in session; Scott Hairston learns plenty of baseball lessons as he aims for the major leagues; 17 August 2003; The Sun - Naperville; accessed 23 June 2009
  38. ^ Kushner, David (26 February 1998). "Young Editors Speak Up and Out". New York Times. Retrieved 12 June 2024. Adrian Holovaty, an editor from Naperville North High School in Illinois
  39. ^ Baker, Suzanne (April 26, 2019). "James Holzhauer is on track to surpass 'Jeopardy!' legend Ken Jennings in half the time: 'He has no weak point'". Naperville Sun. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  40. ^ Morrissey, Rick; McCareins comes up big on final drive for Titans; 11 January 2003; Chicago Tribune
  41. ^ "RotoWire Fantasy Football, Baseball, Basketball and More". RotoWire.
  42. ^ Voting page for "Naperville's Most Famous", sponsored by the Naperville Sun newspaper. Archived March 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  43. ^ Engel, Brad; Fire personnel weigh in about Naperville North graduate Plotkin; 7 July 2006; The Sun - Lisle; accessed 23 June 2009[dead link]
  44. ^ "Harmonica man Matt Prozialeck shines as member of Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers".
  45. ^ "Naperville North's Big Time Edge Rusher Bo Richter Talks Recruiting". Deep Dish Football. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  46. ^ Mio Tucker (March 24, 2023). "Andrew Santino Net Worth in 2023, Age, Bio, Wife, Family,". local8now.com. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  47. ^ Blake Baumgartner (August 21, 2019). "Naperville North alum Nick Solak makes MLB debut with Rangers". positivelynaperville.com. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  48. ^ Carlman, Susan Frick and Winfield, Paige; Naperville wife headed to White House? (Mrs. Jeri Kehn Thompson); 6 September 2007; The Naperville Sun
  49. ^ "Naperville's Lucy Westlake climbs into record books as the youngest U.S. female to summit Everest". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
  50. ^ 'Illinois Blue Book 1979-1980,' Biographical Sketch of J. Glenn Schneider, pg. 149
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