- Como Park Senior High School
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Como Park Senior High School 
Location Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States Information Type Public Established 1979 Principal Daniel Mesick Number of students 1474 [1][2] Mascot Cougar Information (651) 293-8800 Colors Black and Gold Website http://comosr.spps.org Como Park Senior High School (CPSHS or commonly known as CPHS) is a public high school located in the Lake Como area of Saint Paul, Minnesota, serving grades nine through twelve. Along with six other public high schools, Como Park comprises the Saint Paul Public Schools. Newsweek ranked the school in their "List of the Top High Schools in America" for the fourth time in five years (2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010).[3]
Contents
Administration
- Principal: Daniel Mesick
- Assistant Principals: Patrick Coyne, Nicole Bates, Chou Chang
History
Como Park Senior High School opened its doors for classes in 1979 and remained the youngest high school in the district until Arlington Senior High opened in 1997.
Originally opened in 1957, Como Park Junior High School was converted into a senior high school in the fall of 1979, accepting students from the just closed Washington and Murray High Schools, both of which became junior highs that same year. The school originally began with only three classes - sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The freshmen class was added in 1980. Construction was not completed when the school year began.[4]
Education
Como Park's average score on the ACT exam was 21.2 compared to a state average of 22.6 and a national average of 21.1.[5][6][7] 51.56% of students were considered proficient in reading while 22.08% were proficient in math. The school is currently meeting 83.9% of the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements but is not meeting AYP due to low proficiency in mathematics. Como Park has a AYP graduation rate of 96%.[2]
Enrollment
Como Park is the fourth largest high school in the Saint Paul Public Schools district with 1474 students attending in the 2007-2008 school year.[1] The plurality of students identified as White, with 32%, while students identifying as Asian and Black composed 31% and 28% of the student body respectively. Finally, 8% of students identified as Hispanic and 1% American Indian. A little more than half, 65%, qualified for Free and Reduced Price Lunch, a measure of poverty. 35% of students have limited English Proficiency and 15% qualify for special education.[1][2]
Classes
Como Park offers classes for students hoping to excel in their studies, through Advanced Placement (AP) and CIS classes. In AP classes, students are given the opportunity to take the AP Exam in May to possibly earn college credit. College in the Schools (CIS) classes are vigorous classes similar to AP classes, however they are based on actual University of Minnesota curriculum. The classes are college-oriented and passing the class with a C or above allows students to earn college credit which can be transferred to the college of their choice.[8] There currently are only two CIS classes offered at Como Park: English (which encompasses of Literature (Intro to Literature) first semester and Composition (University Writing) second semester) and French. Como Park also offers various electives students can choose from. There are over 40 electives available.
AP Classes
Current AP classes offered to students:
AP Classes Division Class Language English French Spanish Social Studies European History Human Geography Psychology United States History U.S. Government and Politics Macroeconomics Math Calculus AB Calculus BC Science Biology Chemistry Environmental Science Physics B Physics C Art Art History Studio Art Total: 16 Physics C was removed from the 2008-2009 school year curriculum due to very few students signing up for it, but it was reinstated in the 2009-2010 school year curriculum.
Clubs and Sports
Clubs
Como Park Senior High School has several student-organized and teacher-supervised student groups:
Anime Club, Asian Club, Chess Club, Cricket Club (CCC), Dance Team, Debate Team, Environmental Club, French Club, Fresh Force, Gay Straight Alliance, Hmong Woman's Circle, Latino Club, Math Team, Peer Mediation, Peer Mentoring, Robotics Club, Spanish Club, Speech Team, Student Government, Ultimate Frisbee (CAU), Yearbook Group, Young Democrats, Young Republicans.
Sports
Cougar athletic programs compete in Class AAAA of the Minnesota State High School League.[9]
Fall Sports:
Boys': Cross-Country, Football, Soccer
Girls': Cross-Country, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, VolleyballWinter Sports:
Boys': Basketball, Hockey, Nordic Skiing, Swimming, Wrestling
Girls: Basketball, Gymnastics, Hockey, Nordic SkiingSpring Sports:
Boys': Baseball, Golf, Tennis, Track & Field
Girls': Badminton, Golf, Softball, Track & FieldCity Championships
City Championships Season Sport Number of Championships Year(s) Fall Football 2 2007, 2009 Soccer, Boys 3 1992, 2000, 2009 Soccer, Girls 1 2005 Tennis, Girls 2 2007, 2009 Volleyball 2 1979, 1994 Winter Hockey, Boys 2 2001, 2005 Swimming, Boys 5 1980, 1981, 1983, 1990, 1991 Wrestling 10 1980, 1982, 1984, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004 Spring Badminton 5 1980, 1982, 1998, 1999, 2002 Baseball 2 2005, 2007 Golf, Boys 4 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 Softball 3 2007, 2008, 2009 Tennis, Boys 1 2006 Total 42 The Boys Basketball team won Section Championships in 2003 and 2008. In 2003, Como took 3rd Place in the Class AAAA State Tournament. In 2008, Como lost in the Quarterfinal game of the Class AAAA State Tournament.
Notable alumni
- Josh Blue, stand-up comedian, winner of Last Comic Standing
- Reid Mahon, pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks organization
- Mike Tressel, Special Teams/Linebackers Coach for Michigan State University
- Kyle Follmer, ice hockey defenseman for Northern Michigan University
- Dane Walters, ice hockey forward for Western Michigan University
- Mike Kramer, ice hockey forward for Bakersfield CondorsECHL
References
- ^ a b c "Como Park Senior High School". Saint Paul Public Schools. http://choicecatalog.spps.org/como_park_sr.html. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
- ^ a b c "COMO PARK SENIOR HIGH (212)". Minnesota Department of Education. http://education.state.mn.us/ReportCard2005/schoolDistrictInfo.do?SCHOOL_NUM=212&DISTRICT_NUM=0625&DISTRICT_TYPE=01. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
- ^ "America's Best High Schools 2010". The complete list of the 1600 top U.S. schools. Newsweek. 2010. http://www.newsweek.com/feature/2010/americas-best-high-schools.html. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
- ^ Sigvertson, Jene T. From the Past to the Present: An Inventory of Saint Paul Public School Facilities.. Saint Paul Public Schools. p. 266. http://www.spps.org/sites/dd77441e-b117-423c-90a1-6fcbdcc68b6f/uploads/SPPSF.pdf.
- ^ Hawkins, Beth; Allison Wickler (September 2008). "Making the Grade". Minnesota Monthly. http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/September-2008/Making-the-Grade/. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
- ^ Associated Press (2007). "Minnesota's Class of 2007 leads the nation in ACT scores". KARE 11. http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=262186. Retrieved 2007-08-15.
- ^ "2008 Average ACT Scores By State". ACT, Inc.. 2008. http://www.act.org/news/data/08/states.html. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
- ^ "College in the Schools - Participating Schools". College in the Schools. http://www.cce.umn.edu/cis/schools.html. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
- ^ "Saint Paul Johnson High School". Minnesota State High School League. http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/schoolpage2.asp?school=409. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
External links
Categories:- High schools in Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Educational institutions established in 1979
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