Renaissance High School
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| Motto | "A School for the Mind, A Mind for the Future" |
|---|---|
| Established | 1978 |
| Type | Examination High School of Choice/College Preparatory |
| Principal | Gail Russel-Jones |
| Faculty | 85+ |
| Students | 1300+ students |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Location | 6565 W. Outer Drive, Detroit, Michigan, USA |
| District | Detroit Public Schools |
| Mascot | Phoenix |
| Website | schools.detroitk12.org/Renaissance |
Renaissance High School is a public high school located within the city of Detroit, Michigan. Renaissance is one of three magnet high schools in the Detroit Public Schools district (the other two being Cass Tech and Martin Luther King Jr.).
Founded in 1978 on the previous site of Catholic Central High School, Renaissance's first senior class graduated in 1981. A new building for the school, on the site of the former Sinai Hospital, was dedicated in 2005.
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[edit] Admissions
As originally envisioned, a test was administered annually to eighth grade students from public and non-public schools in the area. A combination of the student's grades in junior high school and the score the student received on the test determined admission into the school. That policy continued into the early 1990s. Transfer students were not allowed to attend Renaissance. These policies have been somewhat relaxed, however, and transfer students are allowed to attend the school, although they must abide by the same graduation requirements as other students.
When Renaissance was initially founded, community members were concerned that reliance on a standardized test would result in the school's admitting too few black students. Quotas were established such that at least 40% of the school's students were black. In 2006, more than 90% of the student body is black.
Renaissance opened in 1978 with first-year ("freshman") and second-year ("sophomore") students. Its first four-year graduating class received their diplomas in June 1982.
[edit] New campus
In 2005, the school moved into a $200 million+ campus complete with a state-of-the-art language and computer labs, and state-of-the-art football field. The building has been recognized as the first Silver-LEED certified building in the city of Detroit for meeting high environmental standards. Features include solar collectors, a rainwater harvesting system, and innovative cooling systems.
Detroit-based GunnLevine Architects (GLA) was selected by Detroit Public Schools as their Master Architect for the $128 million Sinai Educational Campus. GLA was selected due to their extensive healthcare background with notable educational expertise to design an innovative educational campus to meet Silver LEED certification requirements.
After a thorough feasibility study of the former Sinai Hospital, Principal in Charge Francis Resendes concluded that programming would be compromised if renovations were to be implemented. The prior facility configuration and structural systems presented a liability in its net-to-gross ratio for its re-use as an educational campus. GLA offered alternative programming and suggested creative options that increased programming without affecting budgets. GLA also worked with community groups bringing synergy to the entire process.
Cost projections matched the client’s estimates and after the preliminary designs were approved, GLA designed a new 397,000 s.f. high school within a 43-acre educational campus, a blue-ribbon high school, vocational high school, and the Foreign Language Immersion and Cultural School (FLICS). Programming required 397,000 s.f., of which 76,400 s.f. is allocated for amenities such as a triple gymnasium and a 600-seat auditorium with a fly loft and orchestra pit will provide a much needed theatrical performance area in the district.
The state-of-the-art theater is designed to serve the accessibility needs of the special education students and technology needs of all students. As the school colors are burgundy and white the school spirit is shown in the theater. The school will also serve as a regional sports facility with a triple gymnasium that embraces daylight harvesting along with an artificial track and football field.
Because of the specialized areas and needs within the program, GLA established a team of 13 consultants to ensure that this multi-purpose campus exceeded all expectations. Project Manager, Jennifer Durham, was responsible for managing the communication and coordination of all disciplines (including auditorium, acoustical, kitchen, pool, lighting, and sustainable design specialties).
The campus provides students and adults with special needs, the least restrictive environment possible and opportunities to assist them in overcoming social stereotypes within a mixed-use educational campus. Students from grade 9 to age 24 will have access to an adaptive physical education space and physical therapy area, as well as speech, occupational and vocational therapy settings.
[edit] Academics
Renaissance High School has been recognized for its excellence with numerous awards. The school has consistently been the benchmark for academic standards in the city of Detroit. In 1999, US News and World Report highlighted the school in an article about America's top high schools. Renaissance was also awarded the Michigan Blue Ribbon and the National Ribbon of Honor in 2002. Nearly 100% of seniors attend a 4-year college or university every year (with the few exceptions coming in the form of military enlistment).
[edit] Notable Alumni
- Rickey Paulding
- Joe Crawford
- Malik Hairston
- Tajuan Porter
- Ronald Bartell
- Wayne Hollman
[edit] External links
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