Jones College Prep High School
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| Established | 1908 (Established as a college prep in 1999) |
|---|---|
| Type | Public (magnet) secondary |
| Principal | Dr. Donald Fraynd |
| Students | 840 (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. 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 a reputation 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 freshmen battling for every one seat in the school. In 2007, JCP was awarded a Gold Medal from US News and World Report in their issue of the top 100 high schools in the nation based on college readiness, and in 2006 received the Blue Ribbon award from the Department of Education .[citation needed]
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[edit] History
Jones College Prep, formerly Jones Metropolitan High School of Business and Commerce, 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.
[edit] Student Body
The student body at JCP is a diverse selection of students from throughout the City of Chicago.
- 32.7% are Hispanic
- 29.3% are Black
- 23.8% are White
- 13.8 are Asian
- <1% is Native-American
Note: Figures are based on 2005 enrollment of 703 students. Enrollment in 2006 was 753 students, and has 750 students in 2007.
[edit] Student Publications
JCP has two student run newspapers: State & Harrison, an online paper which began publication in 2004, and The Eagles Eye, which began publication in 1998. Since 2005, the school's Literary Magazine (A.K.A. "Litmag") showcases student submitted poetry, artwork, and stories.
[edit] Student Athletics
As the school currently has no local sports facility, excluding the school's fitness center which 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 alleys. The baseball and softball team practice and play at Grant Park.
Despite the lack of an on-site athletic facility the athletic program at Jones has been successful throughout its short history as a college prep school. One notable program is the girl's varsity volleyball program. Since its inception the team has steadily moved up through the ranks of Chicago Public School's volleyball divisions finally earning a spot in the red, highest, division in 2006. The volleyball program is led by Grace Moody.
