Johnson Senior High School (St. Paul, Minnesota)

Infobox secondary school
name=Johnson Senior High School

motto = Pride of the East Side
established = 1897
type = Public school
endowment =
staff =
faculty = 127
principal = Kathleen Arndt
student =
enrollment = 1647
grades = 9-12
city = Saint Paul
state = Minnesota
country = USA
campus = Urban
colors = Maroon and White
mascot = Governors
yearbook =
newspaper =
affiliations =
website = http://governors.spps.org/
footnotes =

Johnson Senior High School is a comprehensive high school for grades 9–12 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is one of seven high schools in the Saint Paul Public Schools district. The school, located on the East Side of the city, enrolls 1647 students making it the third largest high school in the district. The school offers Advanced Placement classes as well as the University of Minnesota affiliated College in the School's program.

It was the last high school that opened in the 19th century for the Saint Paul Public Schools district and is only surpassed in age by Central High School. The school is named for Minnesota governor John A. Johnson. The school is known for its successful sports programs especially its hockey program. The school's alumni include Governors, U.S. Supreme Court Justices and Olympic gold medalists.

History

Johnson opened in 1897 on the East Side of Saint Paul. The school has operated in three different buildings. The school's original name was Cleveland High School, after U.S. President Grover Cleveland, however some sources state the school was named after Horace Cleveland, a local landscape architect. [Citation|last=Karlson|first=Karl J.|date=2003-08-01|title=Does This East Side Story Ring A Bell ? - One Said To Come From Old Johnson High|newspaper=Saint Paul Pioneer Press]

The school was renamed to John A. Johnson High School during construction of the second building, after the Minnesota governor died in office. The current name was established in 1911. [cite web | title =A History of Johnson Senior High and the Surrounding Community | publisher ="Johnson High School" | url =http://governors.spps.org/8ecaccc3-4a7c-4271-83c1-39ada97a70c4.html | accessdate =2008-07-08] cite book |title=From the Past to the Present: An Inventory of Saint Paul Public School Facilities. |last=Sigvertson |first=Jene T |year= |publisher= "Saint Paul Public Schools" |location= |url=http://www.spps.org/sites/dd77441e-b117-423c-90a1-6fcbdcc68b6f/uploads/SPPSF.pdf |format=PDF|pages=212, 258, 288 ] The building on 740 York Ave. served as a maintenance facility and was used for storage for Saint Paul Public Schools after being vacated in 1963. In 2000 it was reopened as [http://johnsonel.spps.org/ John A. Johnson Achievement Plus Elementary.] [Citation|last=Tosto|first=Paul|date=2000-09-06|title=School Opens With Promise, Construction//New Elementary Warmly Embraced On The East Side|newspaper=Saint Paul Pioneer Press] [Sigvertson, 212.]

Overcrowding as a result of the post-World War II baby boom forced a new building to be built in 1963. [Citation|last=Kelly|first=Sean|date=1988-06-08|title=Johnson School Reborn As Administration Center|newspaper=Saint Paul Pioneer Press] The current building located on 1349 Arcade St. was built on the site of a former pond. Hastings Pond was filled in along with several other local ponds following construction of Interstate 94 through Saint Paul. [cite book |author=Don Boxmeyer; Donald Empson |title=The Street Where You Live: A Guide to the Place Names of St. Paul |publisher=University of Minnesota Press |location=|year= |pages= pp.120 |isbn=0-8166-4729-1 |oclc= |doi= ISBN 9780816647293] [Citation|last=Mohr|first=Elizabeth|date=2008-04-07|title=Organizing A 70-Year Reunion Takes A Special Person, And The Johnson High School Class Of 1938 Has One In Tenacious Dorothy Lynch.|newspaper=Saint Paul Pioneer Press] Mallards are still attracted to the location and several have raised families in the schools courtyards. [Citation|last=Boxmeyer|first=Don|date=1998-05-30|title=Ducking Out Of School //Each Year, St. Paul's Johnson High School Is Home To A Very Special Class.|newspaper=Saint Paul Pioneer Press] The land bought in 1960 for $119,250 and constructed at a cost of $3,663,529.78.

Enrollment

Students are able to enroll from throughout the city, however most students live on the East Side.Cite web|url=https://mis.spps.org/REA/rea_custom_reports/230/230-07.pdf|format=PDF|date=2006-10-01|title=Johnson High School student enrollment|publisher="Saint Paul Public Schools"|accessdate=2008-10-05] Johnson is the third largest high school in the Saint Paul Public Schools district with 1647 students attending in the 2006-2007 school year. Of those, the plurality were Asian, at 31%, with Black and White students composing 29% and 26% of the student body respectively. Finally 12% of students identified as Hispanic and 2% American Indian. The majority of students, 70%, qualified for Free and Reduced Price Lunch, a measure of poverty. 36% of students have limited English Proficiency and 15% qualify for special education. cite web | title =JOHNSON SENIOR HIGH (230) | publisher ="Minnesota Department of Education" | url =http://education.state.mn.us/ReportCard2005/schoolDistrictInfo.do?SCHOOL_NUM=230&DISTRICT_NUM=0625&DISTRICT_TYPE=01 | accessdate=2008-07-08 ] cite web | title =Johnson Senior High School | publisher ="Saint Paul Public Schools" | url =http://choicecatalog.spps.org/johnson_sr.html | accessdate =2008-07-08 ]

Education

Quote box | quote = Small Learning Communities
*Arts, Communication & Humanities Academy
*Business, Marketing & Management Academy
*Architecture, Construction & Engineering Academy
*Education & Human Services Academy
*Health Sciences Academy
*Hospitality, Tourism & Recreation Academy
*Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences Academy
width =25%
source =
align =right45.43% of students were considered proficient in reading while only 13.21% were proficient in math. The school is currently meeting 81.3% of the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements but is not meeting AYP due to low proficiency in mathematics. Johnson has a AYP graduation rate of 88% and a National Governors Association rate of 65.9%. Johnson is a participant of the Advanced Placement program, or AP, for students seeking to be challenged while improving their resumé for getting accepted into college. Johnson also participates in the University of Minnesota's College in the Schools program. [cite web | title =College in the Schools - Participating Schools | publisher =College in the Schools | url =http://www.cce.umn.edu/cis/schools.html | accessdate =2008-07-08] Language classes in Spanish and French are offered.cite web | title =High School Comparisons | publisher ="Saint Paul Public Schools" | url =http://choicecatalog.spps.org/All_High_Schools.html | accessdate =2008-07-08 ]

In 2002 Johnson received $1.1 million in grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. Johnson used the money to create 8 smaller learning communities for the 2003–2004 school year. In the first five years the graduation rate at Johnson increased 19% with state required 10th grade reading and writing tests also seing double digit increases. [Cite web|url=http://www.centerforschoolchange.org/csc-in-the-news/st.-paul-pioneer-press-editorial-3.html|title= School Progress - Backed By Gates , Earned With Sweat| date=2006-06-27|publisher="Saint Paul Pioneer Press"|accessdate=2008-10-05] [Cite book | author=Ramsey, Robert D. | authorlink= | coauthors= | title=Don't Teach the Canaries Not to Sing: Creating a School Culture That Boosts Achievement | date= | publisher=Corwin Press | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=tjLMUEvbTrIC | isbn=978-1-4129-4893-7 | pages=119] [Cite web|url=http://www.centerforschoolchange.org/csc-in-the-news/minneapolis-star-tribune-editorial-4.html| title=Improving St. Paul's public high schools|date=2006-06-24|publisher="Star Tribune"|accessdate=2008-10-05] [Cite web|last=Walsh |first=James |date=2006-06-22| url=http://www.centerforschoolchange.org/csc-in-the-news/minneapolis-star-tribune-news-story-3.html|title= Restructuring brings gains for 3 St. Paul high schools|publisher="Star Tribune"|accessdate=2008-10-05] [cite news | first=Joe | last=Nathan | coauthors= | title=Possible Lessons from an Inner City High School | date=February 26, 2006 | publisher="Center for School Change" | url =http://www.centerforschoolchange.org/2006/possible-lessons-from-an-inner-city-high-school-4.html | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2008-10-04 | language = ] The money from the grants ran out before the 2006-2007 school year. [Belden, Doug (June 23, 2006) " [http://www.centerforschoolchange.org/csc-in-the-news/st.-paul-pioneer-press-news-story-3.html Schools picking up where grants left off - They seek ways to sustain improvements] " "Saint Paul Pioneer Press"] Currently, there are eight smaller learning communities within the school. All students start in the Freshmen FOCUS Academy and then choose one of seven other academies for the remainder of the their high school career based on their interests.cite web | title =Smaller Learning Communities | publisher ="Johnson Senior High School" | url =http://governors.spps.org/Smaller_Learning_Communities.html |date=2005-05-06| accessdate =2008-07-08 ] Beginning with the class of 2006, graduating seniors are required to engage in the Senior Project, a program designed for students to showcase the skills they have developed during their stay at Johnson and as a practice for building a resumé or portfolio when applying for jobs. [cite web | title =Senior Project information | publisher ="Johnson Senior High School" | url =http://governors.spps.org/Senior_Project.html | accessdate =2008-07-08 ] [cite news | first=Joe | last=Nathan | coauthors= | title=Senior projects make high school more effective | date=May 30, 2006 | publisher="Center for School Change"| url =http://www.centerforschoolchange.org/2006/senior-projects-make-high-school-more-effective-4.html | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2008-10-04]

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

Johnson is a member of the Minnesota State High School League. [ cite web | title =Saint Paul Johnson High School | publisher ="Minnesota State High School League" | url =http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/schoolpage2.asp?school=409 | accessdate =2008-07-08 ] The school was a founding member of the Saint Paul City Conference in 1898 when the school was still Cleveland High School. [ Cite web|url=http://www.stpaulathletics.org/history.html|title=History] |publisher="Saint Paul City Conference"|accessdate=2008-03-05] The school has been well known for producing talented athletic teams, primarily in football and basketball.

In 2004, the boys basketball team placed fourth in the class AAAA state tournament. They made another state tournament appearance in 2007, but lost in the quarterfinals to eventual state AAAA champion Buffalo. [Citation|last=Reusse| first=Patrick |date=2006-10-12| title=The competitive obstacles keep piling up, but Governors still will give teams a game - St. Paul Johnson coaches and athletes are proud of their new artificial turf field, but they're even more proud of how they overcome many disadvantages to field good squads| publisher=Star Tribune] The Governors have won the Saint Paul City Conference title for football 13 times, their last conference title coming in 2006. Its chief rival is Harding Senior High School, and the two football squads play each other annually for the Hatchet trophy. [Citation|last=Long|first=Hank |date=2003-09-25| title=High Schools - East Side Rivalry Has City Title Implications|newspaper=Saint Paul Pioneer Press] The rivalry is the oldest continous one in the Saint Paul City Conference with the teams meeting each year since 1932. [Citation|last=Wells|first=Jim |date=2003-09-23|title=Harding , Johnson Still At It|newspaper=Saint Paul Pioneer Press] As of 2007, Johnson is 44-26-6 all-time against Harding for football.

Hockey

Johnson also has a long history of hockey glory including 4 State Championships (1947, 1953, 1955, 1963), second in state 3 times and 3 third places in 22 State Tournament appearances.Citation|last=Richardson|first=Ray|date=2006-12-21|title=High School Boys Hockey - Battling Extinction - Johnson And Como Park, The Sole Hockey Participants In The St. Paul City Conference, Don't Want To See Their Programs Fade|newspaper=Saint Paul Pioneer Press] Johnson was the only Twin Cities high school to win the Minnesota high school boys hockey tournament for the first 25 years.Citation | last1 = Rippel | first1 = Joel A. | last2 = Killebrew | first2 = Forewords by Harmon | last3 = Hartman | first3 = Sid | year = 2003 | title = 75 memorable moments in Minnesota sports | isbn = 0873514750 | publisher = Minnesota Historical Society Press | location = St. Paul, Minn. | oclc = 52312367 |pages= 129] Citation | last = Rippel | first = Sid Hartman With Joel | year = 2006 | title = Sid Hartman's great Minnesota sports moments | isbn = 0760326568 | publisher = Voyageur Press | location = St. Paul, MN | oclc = 69734400 |pages= 172] Perhaps the school's most famous player is Herb Brooks, who coached the Miracle on Ice gold medal winning team and played on the school's 1955 state championship winning team. Brooks' number five jersey was retired following his death in 2003. [Donovan, Lisa (April 26, 2004) "Brooks' Number Retired - Hockey Great Honored" "Saint Paul Pioneer Press"] During the 1950s students shoveled off parts of Lake Phalen because there were no enclosed ice arenas. [Kelly, Sean (June 8, 1988) "Johnson School Reborn As Administration Center" "Saint Paul Pioneer Press"] Most of the bantam hockey team players from the East Side attend either Johnson or Hill-Murray School. [Fermoyle, Mike (January 27, 1992) "Line With Lineage//Reuniting Childhood Linemates Has Catapulted Johnson Into Hockey Prominence" "Saint Paul Pioneer Press"] During the 1950s and 1960s Johnson was considered a feeder school for the University of Minnesota's ice hockey team. [Wong, Gregg (November 22, 1996) "U's Lyons Living A Moose-Sized Dream", "Saint Paul Pioneer Press"] Recently the school's teams have suffered from lack of enrollment in the sports teams. Johnson is along with Como Park the only Saint Paul City Conference team to field a hockey team. [Citation|last=La Vaque|first=David| date=2008-03-19|title=Past and present: St. Paul Johnson Hockey- Grasping For Glory - The Governors Are Reflected Well In The Course Of High School Hockey History. The Coach Is Pushing To Keep It From Ending There| newspaper=Star Tribune] [Citation|last=Shefchik|first=Rick | date=2006-02-17| title=Room to grow - Johnson's 5-Foot-6 Captain, A Defenseman Who's The Govs' Leading Scorer, Has Lofty Goals For Himself And His Team| newspaper=Saint Paul Pioneer Press]

Organizations

Johnson's literary magazine the "Gleam" was first published in 1912 but stopped publishing in 1926. In 1992 the magazine began again to help students improve scores on writing tests. [Citation|last=Walsh| first=James|date=1992-05-12|title=Righting how students write - Low test scores prod St. Paul officials to renew effort|newspaper=Star Tribune] Johnson is one of only three high schools in Minnesota to have an Air Force Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (AFJROTC). [cite web | title =Air Force JROTC Units Across the Nation | publisher ="Air Force Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps" | url =http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/holmcenter/AFJROTC/AFJROTCunits.asp | accessdate =2008-07-08 ] There are over 40 extracurricular clubs or organizations for students. [cite web | title =Johnson Organizations and Clubs | publisher =Johnson High School | url =http://governors.spps.org/Johnson_Organizations_and_Clubs.html | accessdate =2008-07-08 ]
* 3M Step
* Academy of Finance
* Admissions Possible
* Band
* Choir
* Color Guard/AFJROTC
* Debate
* Drill Team/AFJROTC
* Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual Transgender (GLBT) Support Group
* Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA)
* Educational Talent Search
* Flag Detail/AFJROTC
* Fresh Force, Service Learning,
* and Leadership Program
* Hip Hop Dance Club (HDC)
* Indian Education Program
* Jazz Band
* Johnson Asian Culture Club (JACC)
* Johnson Mirror (Arts Magazine)
* Junior Class Board
* Latino Culture Club
* Link Crew
* Marching Band
* Mathematics Team
* Multicultural Excellence Program (MEP)
* Musical
* National History Day
* National Honor Society
* Newspaper
* Pep Band
* Pit Orchestra
* Orchestra
* Ordway Honors Concert
* Rocket-Model Club/AFJROTC
* Theater/Drama
* Speech
* Solo/Ensemble Contest
* Son Seekers
* Stage/Tech Crew
* Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
* Student Council
* Teen Parent Support Group
* Upward Bound
* Yearbook
* Youth Leadership Initiative

Notable alumni

* Herb Brooks, Coached the 1980 gold medal winning United States Olympic hockey team, better known as the "Miracle on Ice", and the 2002 United States Olympic hockey team, earning a silver medal. cite web | title =Hall of Fame | publisher =Johnson Senior High School | url =http://governors.spps.org/93b2c04f-a5c5-4d80-ba81-60fca71af903.html | accessdate =2008-07-08 ]
* Thomas Tapeh, Holds the Saint Paul City Conference record for most rushing touchdowns made and the most points scored in a single game, season, and career. He would play college football at the University of Minnesota and is now a fullback for the Minnesota Vikings. [ cite web | title =Thomas Tapeh | publisher =philadelphiaeagles.com | url =http://assets.philadelphiaeagles.com/assets/team/bio-tapeh-070720.pdf | accessdate =2008-07-08 ]
* Warren Burger, Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1969 to 1986.
* Louie Anderson, Comedian and Actor [" [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/louie_anderson/ Louie Anderson] " Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on September 7, 2008.]
* Bruce F. Vento, U.S. Congressman
* Eric Langness, Forest Lake Area Schools Board Member from 2005 to current. Republican endorsed candidate for Washington County, MN. [Cite web|url=http://www.ericlangness.com/|title= Eric Langness for Washington County Commissioner|publisher="www.ericlangness.com"|accessdate=2008-10-05]
*Arnold Sundgaard, playwright [Fox, Margalit (October 31, 2006) [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/31/obituaries/31sundgaard.html "Arnold Sundgaard, Lyricist and Playwright, Is Dead at 96 "] "The New York Times"]
*Wendell Anderson, former Minnesota Governor and Olympic Medalist [" [http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10020 Anderson, Wendell Richard "Wendy"] Minnesota Legislators Past and Present. Retrieved on September 5, 2008.]
*Amy Peterson, three time Olympic medalist ["Johnson High Hall Of Fame Adds Peterson" (February 22, 1992) "Saint Paul Pioneer Press" ]
*Les Auge, hockey player ["Former U Star Auge , 49 , Dies" (September 15, 2002) "Saint Paul Pioneer Press"]
*Jim Hau, hockey player [Augustin, Mike (January 30, 1993) "American Hockey Association Suspends Operations" "Saint Paul Pioneer Press"]
*Alana Blahoski, Olympic Gold medalist in hockey [Blount, Rachel (February 7, 1998) "MINNESOTA ICE - ALANA BLAHOSKI // One's 23; one's 19. One's from St. Paul; one's from Edina. One has finished college; one has delayed her dream of being a Gopher. Starting Sunday, Minnesota hockey players Alana Blahoski and Jenny Schmidgall will be Olympic trailblazers." "Star Tribune"]
*Warren Strelow, ice hockey goal tending coach [Murphy, Brian (April 12, 2007) "Warren Strelow 1934-2007 - Guru To Goalies Dies - Pioneering Position Coach Influenced Many Careers" "Saint Paul Pioneer Press"]
*Barry Tallackson, hockey player [Brother, Bruce (April 5, 2005) "It's Tallackson Time- The Gophers ' Big Forward Is At His Best In Playoffs , Which Is Why He's Headed To His Third Frozen Four ." "Saint Paul Pioneer Press"]

References

External links

* [http://governors.spps.org/ Johnson Senior High School]