North High School (Downers Grove, Illinois) Explained

Downers Grove North High School
Motto:Respectful, Responsible, and Engaged. We are DGN.
Streetaddress:4436 Main Street
City:Downers Grove
State:Illinois
Zipcode:60515
Country:USA
Schooltype:Public
District:Community HS Dist. 99
Superintendent:Hank Thiele[1]
Principal:Courtney DeMent[2]
Staff:145.70 [3]
Ratio:14.82
Grades:9–12
Gender:co-ed
Enrollment:2,186 (2021-2022)
Avg Class Size:21[4]
Slogan:Positively North
Song:Alma Mater
Fightsong:Alma Mater
Conference:West Suburban Conference
Mascot:Trojan
Nickname:Trojans[5]
Act:24
Publication:Northwind
Newspaper:Omega
Yearbook:Cauldron[6]
Campus:suburban
Campus Size:1 building
School Colours: purple
white
Free Label:radio station
Free Text:WDGC
Free Label1:cable TV station
Free Text1:channel 29

Downers Grove North High School (DGN; sometimes Downers North or North; formerly Downers Grove High School) is public high school situated in the city of Downers Grove in the Illinois state of the United States. The school was established in 1928.

About

DGN is a public four-year high school located near the corner of Main Street and Ogden Avenue and located at the intersection of Main Street and Grant Street in Downers Grove, Illinois, a wealthy, western suburb of Chicago, in the United States. The original entrance is on Forest Street and the Athletic Entrance is located off Prince Street. It is part of Community High School District 99, which also includes Downers Grove South High School. The North campus draws students from Downers Grove (north of 55th St.), and small sections of Woodridge, Oak Brook, Lisle and Westmont.

History

The original building (then called Downers Grove High School) was finished in 1928, with additions made in 1935, 1952, 1976, 1999–2000, 2011-2013, and 2019-2021. In 1964, the school's student body was split in half, one portion attending North, the other attending the newly built Downers Grove South.

The auditorium is named after Clarence Johnson, who served as principal of the school for 35 years from 1932 to 1967, and DGN's outdoor stadium is named after Dick Carstens, who coached football from 1955 to 1985.[7]

The Green Room of the theatre is named after George B. Pappas, former English teacher, department head, and pep rally leader known for his positive spirit. Pappas died May 4, 1999.[8]

Academics

Downers Grove North's class of 2015 had an average composite ACT score of 24.0, 3 points above the state average.[4] 94% of the senior class graduated.[4] Downers Grove North made Adequate Yearly Progress on the Prairie State Achievements Examination, which with the ACT comprises the state assessments used to fulfill the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Because the school had previously not made AYP, the school is still on academic watch. 45% of students are enrolled in honors or at least one AP course.[9]

For years 2008, 2009, and 2010, North High was named among the top 6% of high schools in the nation, according to Newsweek magazine’s annual ranking of high schools.

Athletics

Downers Grove North competes in the West Suburban Conference. The school is a full member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), which governs most interscholastic sports and competitive activities in Illinois. The schools teams are stylized as the Trojans.

The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in: basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball. Young men may compete in baseball, football, and wrestling, while young women may compete in badminton, bowling, cheerleading, and softball.[10] The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championships tournament or meet.[11]

Activities

The student newspaper, The Omega, which is published monthly, has been ranked in the top ten in the 9- to 12-page broadsheet category by the NSPA.[13] The school literary magazine, the Northwind, is published annually. In 2012, its Speech Team placed second at the IHSA state competition.[14]

Demographics

In the 2022-2023 school year, there were 2,138 students enrolled at the school. In the same year, 71% of students identified as non-Hispanic white, 14% were Hispanic, 6% were Asian, 5% were black or African-American, and 4% were multiracial. The school has a student to teacher ratio of 13.9, and 9% of students are eligible for free or reduced price lunches.[15]

Notable alumni

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Superintendent's Welcome - ASC. www.CSD99.org. October 21, 2017.
  2. Web site: DGN Administration. August 29, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160823134114/http://www.csd99.org/dgn/dgn-administration.cfm. August 23, 2016. dead.
  3. Web site: Comm H S Dist 99 - North HS. National Center for Education Statistics. May 23, 2021.
  4. Web site: COMM H S DIST 99 - NORTH H S - School Snapshot.
  5. Web site: IHSA Downers Grove (North). www.IHSA.org. October 21, 2017.
  6. http://www.csd99.org/north/activities/clubs_orgs.aspx Activities directory for DGNHS; accessed 15 July 2009
  7. Web site: Dick Carstens, High School Football Coach . .
  8. Web site: Downers North Teacher George Pappas. tribunedigital-chicagotribune.
  9. http://www.csd99.org/assets/1/school_report_cards/2008-north.pdf Class of 2008 school report card; accessed 15 July 2009
  10. Web site: Downers Grove North HS Home Page. https://archive.today/20120722071336/http://www.athletics2000.com/trojans/. dead. July 22, 2012. July 22, 2012. Athletics2000.com. October 21, 2017.
  11. Web site: IHSA.
  12. Web site: Welge . Joshua . Boys Basketball: Downers Grove North, in defeat, savors its ride to fourth in IHSA state 'It's unbelievable' . 2023-03-11 . Shaw Local . en.
  13. Web site: NSPA Winners (2012). www.studentpress.org. National Scholastic Press Association. 17 March 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130415081716/http://www.studentpress.org/nspa/winners/f12bs.html. 15 April 2013. dmy-all.
  14. Web site: SpeechWire Tournament Services - Forensics Tournament Software - Speech, Debate, Congress.
  15. Web site: Comm H S Dist 99 - North H S - Public School . 2024-06-20 . nces.ed.gov.
  16. [North High School (Downers Grove, Illinois)#/editor/6]
  17. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-10EDE62A69BA6B38.html Murphy, Flynn; Thoughts of home; Professional musician named Alumni of Excellence at North; 15 December 2005; The Sun; accessed 15 July 2009
  18. http://www.csd99.org/north/school_information/aae.aspx DGNHS Alumni Award of Excellence; accessed 15 July 2009
  19. News: Bell. Taylor. Downers Grove North Trojans. Chicago Sun Times. October 6, 2009. October 11, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091009231439/http://yourseason.suntimes.com/schooloftheweek/1810258,100609-school-of-week-downers-north.article. October 9, 2009. dead.
  20. Web site: David Edwards (offensive lineman). .
  21. "Fourth of July Festivities"; 2 July 2007; Downers Grove Reporter; "Downers Grove North High School alumni Olympic gold medalist and USA hockey team captain Cammi Granato and professional wrestler Lanny Poffo will be there."; accessed July 15, 2009
  22. Web site: Mike. Helfgot. 2010 Chicago Tribune baseball All-State first team: Downers Grove North's Eric Jagielo - tribunedigital-chicagotribune . Articles.chicagotribune.com . June 18, 2010 . March 18, 2018.
  23. Web site: Those Who Remember Lindahl: 'He Kind of Gave Us All the Creeps'. January 14, 2020.
  24. Web site: North Seniors Win Scholarships, Awards. June 3, 2011. Patch.com. October 21, 2017.