- Paxon School for Advanced Studies
Infobox_University
name = Paxon School for Advanced Studies
motto = “Caritas, Constantia, Excellentia, Integritas”
established = 1954
type =Magnet school - College Preparatory
principal = Carol Daniels
students = 1,500
staff = 107
city =Jacksonville
state =Florida
country = USA
mascot = Eagle
colors = Navy Blue █ and Gold █
website = http://www.duvalschools.org/psasPaxon School for Advanced Studies (PSAS) is one of three International Baccalaureate senior high schools (the others being
Stanton College Preparatory School , andJean Ribault High School ) inDuval County, Florida . According to the College Board's Advanced Placement Report to the NationFact|date=July 2008, Paxon has one of the strongest math and science Advanced Placement programs in the state of Florida. Because of this outstanding accomplishment, Paxon is one of a select group of Florida schools invited to apply for the Siemens Advanced Placement High School Award.Fact|date=July 2008 Only about ten to fifteen schools per state have been invited to apply.Fact|date=July 2008 For the past few years, the valedictorians have been accepted to Cornell University and other Ivy League schools.Fact|date=July 2008History
The school was built on an area Native American burial ground in 1954. Before the school was built, the land was the location of Paxon Air Field. The school was originally named Paxon Field Junior-Senior High School and contained 7th through 12 grades. In 1957, Paxon Junior High was built across the street, and the older building became simply, Paxon High School. In 1996, Paxon became a college preparatory school and an International Baccalaureate school, and took on its present-day name. Today, Paxon considers its chief rival to be
Stanton College Preparatory School , another Jacksonville IB school. In 2008, Paxon School for Advanced Studies was ranked number 8 of the 100 best high schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine; 17th in 2007, 28th in 2006, 7th in 2005 and 3rd in 2003. [ [http://www.newsweek.com/id/39380 Newsweek Magazine: The Top of the Class by Jay Mathews] ]Magnet Program
The Paxon School faculty consists of over 100 teachers whose awards range from district Teacher of the Year to National Board Certification.Fact|date=July 2008 The 88 acre campus includes athletic facilities, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a professional grade television production studio, science labs, and a theater.Fact|date=July 2008 Sports teams include football, golf, soccer, lacrosse, stickball, wrestling, and bowling, many of which have competed at district and regional levels.Fact|date=July 2008 Social clubs include the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and Youth Leadership for Change.Fact|date=July 2008
International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program was initially formed in 1968. Paxon established an IB program in 1995, was approved in 1997, and had our first graduating IB class in 2000. The four-year program consists of two parts: Pre-IB and IB. Pre-IB prepares students for the rigorous two year, pre-university liberal arts course of study.
wimming Pool
The school has an outdoor pool which is used by the athletic teams and physical education classes during the academic year; then it becomes a free public pool operated by the City of Jacksonville Parks & Recreation Department during the summer months.
Facts
*Ranked as the #8 public school in the United States by "Newsweek" Magazine in 2008 Fact|date=July 2008
*2008 Gold Medal winner, ranked as 30th best High School is the US by "US News & World Report" [http://www.usnews.com/listings/high-schools/florida/paxon_school%2Badvanced_studies]
*Ranked as the #29 public school in the United States by "U. S. News" Magazine in 2007 Fact|date=July 2008
*Ranked as the #17 public school in the United States by "Newsweek" Magazine in 2007 [http://www.newsweek.com/id/39380]
*Ranked as the #28 public school in the United States by "Newsweek" Magazine in 2006 [http://www.newsweek.com/id/39380]
*Ranked as the #7 public school in the United States by "
Newsweek " Magazine in 2005 [http://www.newsweek.com/id/39380]*P.S. 75 of Duval County Public Schools Fact|date=July 2008
*Newspaper: The "Eagle", selected as the #1 high-school paper in Jacksonville by the
Florida Times-Union in 2004, 2005, and 2006. Fact|date=July 2008*Football Stadium: Pajcic Stadium
*Army JROTC Detachment: Golden Eagle Battalion (Honor Unit with DistinctionFact|date=July 2008)
*Freedom Award Winner Fact|date=July 2008
*The graduating class of 2005 was the largest graduating class ever to be seen by the school. Fact|date=July 2008
Notable Alumni
*Former teacher Mae Boren Axton was instrumental in launching
Elvis Presley 's singing career by interviewing him on the radio inJacksonville onJuly 28 1955 . Fact|date=July 2008 She is probably more well-known, however, for later co-writing Presley's first #1 hit song, "Heartbreak Hotel ." Fact|date=July 20081*Dr. Norman E. Thagard - Graduated from Paxon in 1961 and he went on to become an astronaut for
NASA . The street upon which Paxon is located now carries his name (Norman E. Thagard Blvd.).Fact|date=July 2008*The Pajcic Brothers, Gary and Steve established a million dollar endowmentFact|date=July 2008 at the University of North Florida to pay the full tuition of any graduate of their alma mater, Paxon High School, who was accepted and enrolled at
UNF . The football field at Paxon now carries their nameFact|date=July 2008References
External links
* [http://www.paxon.us/ Multi-Class website]
* [http://paxon1959.com/ Class of '59 web site]
* [http://www.paxon64.com/ Class of '64 web site]
* [http://www.paxon65.com/ Class of '65 web site]
* [http://paxoncheerleaders.com/ Paxon Cheerleaders web site]
* [http://www.duvalschools.org/psas/ Paxon School for Advanced Studies webpage]
* [http://www.duvalschools.org/ Duval County Public Schools website]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
