Jones College Prep High School
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| Jones College Prep |
|
| Established | 1908 (Established as a college prep in 1999) |
| Type | Public (magnet) secondary |
| Principal | Dr. Donald Fraynd |
| Students | 740 (approx) |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois USA |
| Oversight | Chicago Public Schools |
| Colors | Blue and white |
| Mascot | Eagles |
| Website | http://www.jonescollegeprep.org |
William Jones College Preparatory High School, commonly known as Jones College Prep, or simply JCP, is a public high school, located in Chicago, Illinois, at 606 South State Street. The school is a member of the Chicago Public Schools Magnet School Program, and as such is a selective enrollment high school, based on test scores. The school has recently gained notoriety for possessing some of the highest sets of test scores in the city, and for being the most difficult school for eighth graders to be enrolled into with approximately 31 incoming freshman battling for every one seat in the school.
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[edit] History
Jones College Prep, formerly Jones Metropolitan High School of Business and Commerce, and Jones Commercial High School, and Jones Academic Magnet, came into existence in February 1938. The building, built shortly after the Chicago fire, was located at Harrison Street and Plymouth Court. The Chicago Board of Education, recognizing a need for commercial business education, remodeled an old building, once Jones Elementary School and later Jones Continuation School, to house Jones High School. It was named for William Jones, who, in 1840, became the first president of the Board of Education. He encouraged the education of every child, including girls, a progressive position during his time.
The present building, designed in 1967 to resemble an office building, was opened, and the Jones' program was designed for juniors and seniors, qualifying them for office work after graduation. Jones was the first Chicago school to engage in the Cooperative Work-Study program organized to give students practical experience in their subject and skill areas.
Although Jones High School has always enrolled students from any part of the city, during the spring of 1982, Jones became part of the Chicago Board of Education's "Options For Knowledge" program. Magnet schools and programs were created to provide Chicago Public Schools' students with unique educational opportunities in an integrated setting. The magnet school policy is designed to ensure equity and equal access to magnet schools for all children while maintaining racially balanced schools.
While Jones intends to retain the sense of achievement and commitment to excellence that Jones has generated, they are in the process of making a brand new history.
[edit] Ethnic Diversity
JCP is one of if not the most ethnicity diverse school in all of Chicago, allowing for a cultural blend that creates students that are avidly aware of various cultural surroundings. Of the school's approximately 740 students:
- 69% are Hispanic-American
- 69% are African-American
- 69% are Caucasian-American
- >X(2x-45)+2% are Asian-American
- <1% is Native-American
Note: Figures are based on the initial 2005-2006 student body.
[edit] Student Publications
JCP has two student run newspapers: State & Harrison, which began publication in 2004,and is an online paper and The Eagles Eye, which began publication in 1998. Since 2005, the school's Literary Magazine has been published showcasing student submitted poetry, artwork, and stories.
[edit] Student Athletics
As the school currently has no local sports facility, excluding the schools fitness center (which primarily houses athletic equipment, and workout machinery) most student sports and sports training take place at the Near North Gym and Athletic Field located several miles to the north of JCP. Other programs such as bowling take advantage of the city's resources and utilize various local bowling allies.
