| Northside High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| 2301 N B St Fort Smith, Arkansas |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1928 |
| Superintendent | Benny Gooden |
| Principal | Ginni McDonald |
| Grades | 10-12 |
| Enrollment | Approx. 1,400 |
| Campus | Urban |
| Color(s) | Red, White |
| Athletics conference | 7A West |
| Mascot | Grizzly Bear |
| Information | (479) 783-1171 |
| Website | Northside Home Page |
Northside High School (formerly known as Fort Smith High School) is one of two public high schools in the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas (the other being Southside High School). Within the state, the school is commonly known as Fort Smith Northside.
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On November 19, 1928, Fort Smith High School moved into a new building on 23rd and B Street in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The population of Fort Smith at the time was 31,400. The new building was dedicated on February 15, 1929, just before the mid-term class graduation could take place. The first year, 848 students enrolled in the high school (it could accommodate 3,000 students). With the new large building, many local organizations, as well as nationally known groups and individuals used the 1,060-seat auditorium for performances and other types of events. Since it was built, the auditorium has been visited by such famous people as Helen Olheim, opera singer with the Metropolitan Opera (1937–1938); Carl Sandburg, poet, biographer and entertainer (1939–1940); Margaret Bourke-White, war correspondent, photographer, author (1943–44); Nancy Gean , FSHS graduate and fashion analyst for Butterick (1947–1948); Nelson Bennett, world famous model for painters and sculptors (1965–1966); and Shawntel Smith, Miss America (1995–1996).
In 1934, the Fort Smith High School yearbook, Sounder, changed its name to Bruin. During its formative years, the senior class of 1937 hired Harry Alford of Chicago to write the Fort Smith High School Alma Mater, which has remained the same until today for now Northside High School.
In 1956, the school built an annex. The following year, enrollment for students was up to 1,738, which made Fort Smith High School the largest high school in the state of Arkansas. During the school year of 1960-1961, the Farnsworth Rose Garden was completed on the campus. Fort Smith High School was officially renamed Northside High School in the year 1963. Shortly thereafter, the Field House was opened and a marquee was installed in front of the campus in 1964. When Lincoln High School closed, Northside's enrollment continued to grow.
Improvements were made continually for the next several years. First, Grizzly Stadium was renamed Mayo-Thompson Stadium. The campus continued to grow with the addition of the Fine Arts building, learning lab, and elevator during the 1980-1981 school year. The Rogers Book Store was purchased to house computer labs and kept its original name, the Schlenker Building. In 2003-2004, the original gym was renovated with a new finished floor, a film room, and new custom oak lockers. The original floor, possibly the only one of its kind, required special efforts to be able to reseal and finish it. The girls basketball team has been one of the strongest teams in the state for several years, winning four straight titles between 1999-2002.
Fort Smith High School/Northside High School Principals:
In 1992-1993, Northside High School was selected as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Today, Northside continues to strive for excellence. The enrollment for the 2003-2004 school year was 1284 with a diverse group of students, the enrollment for the 2004-2005 school year was 1350, the enrollment for the 2005-2006 school year was 1383, and the enrollment for the 2007-2008 school year was 1404. The approximate breakdown is as follows: 12% Asian, 21% African American, 18% Hispanic, 2% American Indian, and 46% Caucasian enrolled.[1] 35% of the student population is eligible for free lunch which is less than the 46% average for the state of Arkansas.
The Northside Quiz Bowl team has a long history of victories in state and national tournaments around the country. Most notably, the team won the American Scholastics Competition Network national championship in Chicago in 1993 and 2001. Northside students also won the 2002 and 2003 Arkansas Governor's Cup Quizbowl Association tournament championships including overall and AAAAA, the state's largest classification.
The Fort Smith Northside Grizzlies have won various athletic championships, including:
Their gymnasium will host the majority of home games for the Arkansas Fantastics of the American Basketball Association.
According to the official web page, the current Northside High School mission statement is: "The mission of Northside High School is the relentless pursuit of high levels of learning for all students and adults alike." [2]
Formerly, it was:
Northside High School accepts the challenge of being an important component contributing to the academic, vocational, and social success of our students. We dedicate ourselves to meet this challenge by recognizing that students of all backgrounds can learn. We pledge to provide equitable educational opportunities which ensure students become productive members of society. We furthermore pledge to continue the ongoing process of education by forming community coalitions united to educate and enhance student's self-esteem in order for them to succeed.