Northridge Preparatory School

Northridge Preparatory School
Juvenes vestri visiones videbunt. Your young men shall see visions.
Address
8320 Ballard Road Niles, Illinois, 60714 United States
Information
Type	Private, All-Male
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Headmaster	Richard Meyer Joseph Lechner (high school) Pete Searby (middle school)
Chaplain	Fr. Javier del Castillo
Grades	6–12
Enrollment	264  (2009-2010)
Color(s)	Maroon and Gold
Song	"We are the Northridge Knights"
Team name	Knights
Newspaper	Prospectus
Affiliation	Opus Dei[1]
Website	NorthridgePrep.org

Northridge Preparatory School, or Northridge Prep, or NRP is an independent Roman Catholic preparatory school for young men, located in Niles, Illinois. The school offers a recognized^[2] curriculum^[3] and a strong athletics program.^[4]

Northridge Prep was established in 1976 by a group of parents who envisioned a college preparatory school that would challenge their sons academically, socially and spiritually. Realizing the importance of the middle school years, they sought to include grades 6 through 12 in the Northridge curriculum. The founding parents entrusted the spiritual dimension of Northridge Prep to Opus Dei, a Personal prelature^[5] of the Roman Catholic Church that was founded in 1928.

Northridge is the brother school of The Willows Academy, a girls college preparatory school in Des Plaines, Illinois, and parents continue to foster a relationship with The Willows Academy by organizing dances and social events throughout the school year.

The School is a member of The Independent School League and Illinois High School Association.^[6]

Academics

The academic program is grounded in the classical liberal arts tradition. The curriculum coupled with an all-male student body, small class sizes, and a dress code that emphasizes personal dignity and a seriousness toward studies creates an ideal learning environment for students. Academically, the program has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report, the Chicago Sun Times, and Chicago Magazine.^{[citation needed]} The school graduates numerous AP Scholars, National Merit Scholarship recipients and students whose ACT and SAT scores rank among the top in the state.^{[citation needed]}

The Halls System

Northridge Prep students are divided into four halls: Cavalier, Riddervon, Paladin, and Vytis.

The Halls System at Northridge Prep helps foster a spirit of competition among the students through academics, athletics, and community involvement. Each hall competes in various events throughout the year in which students are able to earn points for their hall. This Point System provides a basis of motivation for all students in a peer to peer way as an addition to teacher or coach to student motivation. Each hall has a main leader, the “Hall Head,” but the advantage of the hall system is that there are numerous leadership positions available in each of the four halls, including head of tutoring, head of athletic competitions, and head of community involvement. These halls serve as the Northridge Prep’s student government. However, a student doesn’t have to hold any of these defined leadership roles to play a leading role in their hall. Any student is able to organize and institute ideas to earn their hall points, such as community service projects. This leads to even more leadership development among the students.

In the old model of student government, community service projects would be organized and instituted only through the student government leaders, leading to very few projects during the year. Through this Halls System, each hall organizes service projects that any student in any hall can participate in to earn points for their own hall. This has a great effect not only on the students, but on the community as well, since this leads to more community involvement.

Advisory Program

A key element in the Northridge approach to education is the advisory system. Every student has a faculty mentor who meets with him regularly throughout the year for all seven years, and who is always "on call." These regular sessions are meant to help each student pinpoint his academic, personal, and social strengths and weaknesses. They help him get to know himself and to follow through on resolutions to improve. Through these sessions and the support of a faculty mentor, each student is better able to grow in faith & virtue, manage & improve his studies, and discuss his family & social life. Often the advisor's job is simply to listen, to understand and to encourage. In addition to this personal help, all upperclassmen receive intensive college and career counseling. The advisor is also the key link between parents and the school, so that helping each student mature properly is truly the joint effort it should be.

Relationship With The Archdiocese of Chicago

Northridge Prep was founded by parents as an "independent school"^[7] that is guided by the teachings of the Catholic Church and therefore is not financially tied to the Archdiocese as diocesan Catholic schools are.^[8] The school is not listed in the Archdiocese of Chicago school list,^[9] and so does not require the Chicago Catholic Schools Placement exam. In 2008, Northridge Prep was awarded the Catholic Honor Roll, which distinguishes it as a "Top 50 Catholic High School in America"^[10] under the three criteria of standardized test scores, Catholic Identity and academic curriculum.^[11]

Athletics

Northridge Prep offers a number of athletic activities and plays in the Independent School League.^[12] The Knights were Regional Basketball Champs in '03, '04, '08, '09, and '10. Sectional Basketball Champs in 2004. They were also Cross Country IHSA State Finalist in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

Will Rey, former Head Basketball Coach at Loyola University is Northridge Prep's Athletic Director.^[13]

References

1. ^ James Martin, S.J. (February 25, 1995). "Opus Dei In the United States". America. America Press. http://www.americamagazine.org/content/articles/martin-opusdei.cfm. Retrieved 2007-11-10. 
2. ^ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1474788.html
3. ^ http://www.northridgeprep.org/academics/highschool/index.html
4. ^ http://www.pioneerlocal.com/niles/sports/highschools/2077495,niles-npbbk-030410-s1.article
5. ^ Opus Dei website
6. ^ "Niles (Northridge Prep)". Illinois High School Association. 2007-11-08. http://www.ihsa.org/school/schools/1415.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-10. 
7. ^ http://www.northridgeprep.org/about/mission/index.html
8. ^ http://www.northridgeprep.org/about/mission/index.html
9. ^ Find a High School - Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools and Find an Elementary School - Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
10. ^ http://www.chshonor.org/roll/school.php?id=286
11. ^ http://www.chshonor.org/about/scoring-method.php
12. ^ "Member Schools". Chicago Prep Athletic Conference website. http://www.chicagoprep.org/memberschools.html. Retrieved 2007-11-11. 
13. ^ Chicago Sun Times, May 2, 1989, Dan Pompeii

External links

• Northridge Preparatory School — official website
• The Willows Academy — sister school of Nortridge Prep
• Illinois High School Association record for Niles (Northridge Prep)
• "The Ways of Opus Dei" — Time magazine article about Opus Dei's methods of operation, and noting Opus Dei's use of Northridge Prep as one of its school names (on page 4)
• Opus Dei – Opus Dei's official U.S. website
• Opus Dei — explanation on EWTN website