J.O. Johnson High School

J.O. Johnson High School
Address
6201 Pueblo Drive
Huntsville, Alabama
United States
Information
Type Public
Motto Sum Quae Credo
("I am what I believe I am.")
Established 1972
Opened 1972-73 school year
School district Huntsville City Schools
Principal Eric T. Jones
Assistant principals Dr. Teresa Littrell McDaniel
Grades 9-12
Campus Suburban (42 acres)
Color(s) Blue and Gold         
Athletics AHSAA Class 4A
Mascot Jaguars
Accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Newspaper Jaguar Journal
Yearbook Harmony
Website JOJ Official Website

Coordinates: 34°47′57.4″N 86°36′33.56″W / 34.799278°N 86.6093222°W

James Oliver Johnson High School, more commonly referred to as J.O. Johnson High School or J.O.J., is a public high school located in the northwest area of Huntsville, Alabama. The school serves grades 9 through 12. It is home to an International Education Magnet Program, and the school also features a Marine JROTC program.[1]

History

The school was named for former Huntsville educator James Oliver Johnson. The road actually leading to the campus, Cecil Fain Drive, is named after another long term educator. J.O.J. opened in 1972 at 6201 Pueblo Drive, Huntsville, Alabama, to ease the overcrowding of Lee High School and to meet the needs of an area of Huntsville that had just begun to grow in population. Its primary feeder schools are the Academy for Science and Foreign Language, Edward H. White Middle School, and Davis Hills Middle School.

In August 2012, the Huntsville City Schools announced plans to tear down the original two-story main high school building and replace it with a new structure combining Davis Hills Middle School, making the new Johnson High a Grades 7-12 school. The estimated cost of the new facility is $60 million. Construction is projected to be completed by 2016.

In 2013 it was announced the school would close in 2016 and a new school would replace it with a different name. The latest statement is that the Johnson name will not transfer to the new school (unlike the 4 other High Schools rebuilt over the years) A petition drive is now in place to save the school name.

The current principal is Eric T. Jones.

Notable Alumni

Journalism and Media Personalities

Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Kym Richardson Thurman 1988 Newsanchor for Mobile, Alabama NBC-affiliate LOCAL 15
Harrell T. Wells 2003 Screenplay Writer and Journalist

Film, Theater, and Television

Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Reginald "Reg" E. Cathey 1976 The Wire (1998), Se7en (1995), The Machinist (2004) and American Psycho (2000)
DeRon "Hollywood" Shepherd 1996 Drumline: A New Beat (2014), Faith Evans "You Get's No Love (2001), The Parkers TV Series (2001-2002)

Law

Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Sharon Johnson Coleman 1977 United States District Judge (United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois)

United States Armed Forces

Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Charles Kenneth Carodine 1977 Rear Admiral United States Navy Reserve

Athletics

Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Bobby Cattage 1976 NBA player, Utah Jazz and New Jersey Nets
Donnie Humphrey 1979 NFL player, Green Bay Packers
Joey Kent 1992 NFL player, Tennessee Oilers/Titans, Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings
Chris Martin 1979 NFL player, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Rams
Rashad Moore 1998 NFL player, Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, New York Jets, New England Patriots, and Atlanta Falcons
James Willis 1990 NFL player, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Seattle Seahawks; XFL player, Birmingham Thunderbolts

Notable Faculty

Former Faculty

References

  1. ↑ Seeley, Scott R. (August 12, 2009). "Marine JROTC leader sets winning example". Redstone Rocket. Retrieved September 9, 2012.

External links