| Jefferson High School | |
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School of champions
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| Address | |
| 5210 N Kerby Avenue Portland, Oregon, Multnomah County, 97215 United States |
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| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Opened | 1908 |
| School district | Portland Public Schools |
| Principal | Dr. Cynthia Harris[1][2][3] |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Number of students | 435[4] |
| Color(s) | Blue and gold [2] |
| Athletics conference | OSAA Portland Interscholastic League 5A-1[2] |
| Mascot | Democrats[2] |
| Website | jefferson.pps.k12.or.us |
Jefferson High School is a public high school in Portland, Oregon, founded in 1908.
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Jefferson opened in September 1908, and received its name at some later date.[5] The school wasn't ready in 1908, but was opened early due to overcrowding. It was finished on February 6, 1910.[5] Hopkin Jenkins was principal at Jefferson from opening until June 1940.[5]
Due to the baby boom and passing of a $25 million building levy by the school district in 1947, a new high school was slated.
In September 1991, "at least six fires" were set at the school by an arsonist.[6]
On January 7, 2008, Mayor Potter relocated City Hall to Jefferson for a week, held a City Council meeting, and delivered State of the City address. The aim was stated to be to "give students, parents and educators a first hand lesson in how government really works - and to showcase the opportunities, successes and challenges facing every school in Portland's six public school districts."[7]
In 2009-2010 the school was the only one in Oregon to have a majority of African American students.[4] Only 30% of students live within the school boundaries.[4] In 2009, 18% of students transferred into the school.[8]
In 2008, 67% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma. Of 132 students, 89 graduated, 23 dropped out, 11 received a modified diploma, and 9 are still in high school.[9][10]
In September 2011, all freshman students will be required to participate in the Middle College for Advanced Studies. Jefferson High School – Middle College for Advanced Studies at a glance: Freshmen and sophomores will focus on their core subjects at Jefferson. They will learn such skills as study habits and organization to prepare them for college coursework and will move through classes in groups — or academies - with the same set of teachers. As students are ready, they will move to college prep classes at Jefferson and college courses at PCC Cascade Campus, mostly in their junior and senior years. PCC pathways will range from preparation for a four-year college to careers such as EMT, medical assistant, firefighter, and heating, ventilation and cooling technician. College coursework is offered at no cost to Jefferson students. Students who receive special education services may participate in the Middle College as recommended by their individualized education plan teams. Students who are learning English may participate in the Middle College by taking credit-bearing ESOL courses and other courses consistent with their English language level. Counselors and advisers at PCC and Jefferson will closely support students as they progress. Self Enhancement, Inc., a youth-development nonprofit, will provide such core support services as tutoring and mentoring to all Jefferson students. Students will earn a high school diploma from Jefferson as well as 12 to 45 college credits from PCC that are fully transferrable to other colleges and universities.
In the mid-1970s, in an attempt to integrate the student body, Jefferson High School introduced the magnet arts program and the dance program, which allowed for students from other districts to be bused into the school to take part in the arts and dance programs. Rather than integrating the student body to any profound degree, what this led to was many white students from other districts being bused in for the programs and having nothing to do with the rest of the school. In addition, though Jefferson High School was predominantly a black high school, the percentage of black students enrolled in the dance and other arts programs remained relatively low.
Jefferson High School became well known in the local community for its magnet arts dance program, which was founded in the late 1970s by Mary Vinton Folberg, sister of Will Vinton (creator of Claymation). Folberg modelled the Jefferson Dance Department after the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.
The Jefferson dance program teaches different levels of a broad range of dance styles, including ballet, tap, African, modern, hip hop and jazz. Twice each school year the students' achievements are publicly showcased in recitals in the school's auditorium; one in the winter and one in the spring. Considered a foundation of many types of dance, ballet is an essential part of many dance students' educations. However, the Jefferson dance program and school-based company, The Jefferson Dancers, lacked advanced ballet training for about a decade. In the 2009 winter recital, The Jefferson Dancers performed the school's first piece en pointe in about ten years.
In the late 1970's, Folberg founded the student dance company The Jefferson Dancers. Since its founding, The Jefferson Dancers has grown and changed in various ways, exposing its members to a diverse range of dance styles, including ballet, modern, African, tap, jazz and hip hop. The company's dance instructors are highly qualified and have led successful dance careers. Some instructors have even continued to perform during their involvement with The Jefferson Dancers. Promising company members are awarded scholarships at each Spring Recital, and company auditions are held for two days each spring.
The company performs twice annually at Jefferson High School's winter and spring dance recitals, as well as throughout Portland, Oregon, and the world. The company toured in Germany in April 2009, and Italy in March 2011[11].
The men's basketball team has been one of the most successful programs in Oregon. In 1999-2000, they went undefeated,[12] were nationally ranked, and won the state championship three years in a row in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
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