Norfolk Academy

Norfolk Academy
ου πολλα αλλα πολυ Not quantity, but quality
Location
1585 Wesleyan Drive Norfolk, Virginia, United States
Information
Type	Private, Co-ed
Established	1728
Headmaster	Dennis Manning
Enrollment	1200 students in 1-12
Campus	70 acres (28 ha)
Color(s)	Orange, Blue, White
Athletics conference	TCIS
Mascot	Bulldog
Endowment	$ 32 Million
Information	[phone]
Website	Norfolk Academy

Norfolk Academy, 420 Bank Street, c.1840

Norfolk Academy, 1840
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Built:	1840
Architect:	Thomas U. Walter
Architectural style:	Greek Revival
Governing body:	Private
NRHP Reference#:	69000343 [1]
Added to NRHP:	November 12, 1969

Norfolk Academy is an independent co-educational day school in Norfolk, Virginia. Chartered in 1728, it is the oldest secondary school in Virginia and the eighth oldest in the United States. In 1966, Norfolk Academy merged with Country Day School for Girls in Virginia Beach, Virginia to create the current co-educational school.

The school fosters competitive sports, competing in the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools (TCIS). Males compete in the Virginia Preparatory League (VPL) and females in the League of Independent Schools (LIS).

Academics

The Academy attempts to maintain high standards, both academic and ethical, for students and faculty. Norfolk Academy’s German program was recognized in 2007 as the number one German program in the country among high schools.^{[citation needed]} The College Board recognition for the school and German program has been earned, as the Report^{[clarification needed]} notes, through the performance of students on the AP German Language Exam. The ongoing exchange with the Copernicus Gymnasium, Löningen (Germany) has been in place since 1973. This exchange is the longest-running high school student exchange program between the two countries.

Norfolk Academy is also known for its matriculation to top colleges and universities.^[2]

Students are required to research, compose, and deliver to the student body and faculty an original persuasive speech as a graduation requirement. Public Speaking skills are integrated into the curriculum from the 1st grade on.

Honor code

Norfolk Academy's Honor Code requires everyone in the school community to pledge not to lie, cheat, or steal. Students write the statement at the end of each graded assignment "I have acted honorably in the completion of this assignment" and then sign their name. Honor infractions in for seventh through twelfth grades are handled by the Middle and Upper Schools' respective honor councils, which consist of elected students.^{[citation needed]}

Athletics

Norfolk Academy conducts a comprehensive athletic program featuring 74 interscholastic competition for grades 7 – 12. Teams compete in the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools, the League of Independent Schools, and the Virginia Prep League. New facilities include a Athletic Pavilion complex complete with fitness center containing cardio-vascular and weight-training equipment as well as a multi-use field house that has over 20,000 square feet (1,900 m²). Other facilities include the Burroughs and Conrad gymnasiums, the Neff Athletic Training Room, the Vaughan Aquatic Center, the Metro Information Services Tennis Complex, the Watson Baseball Field, the Rixey Lacrosse Field, a 400-meter latex track, and nine additional playing fields.

Norfolk Academy's Men's Soccer Team was often ranked in 2008 as one of the best teams in the country.^[3]

Fine arts

The John Tucker Jr. Fine Arts Center was completed in 2006 and provides facilities including multiple Dance Studios, Art Studios, a choral room, band room, orchestra room, rooms designated for private music lessons, a Digital Editing lab,and the new Samuel Johnson Theater which provides seating for 575 in the audience including balcony and box seats.

Norfolk Academy offers private lessons in piano, guitar, harp, violin, and several other instruments for all grade levels. Offerings for more experienced musicians include jazz band, chorus, orchestra (strings), band, and harp ensemble. Lessons are offered in ballet and jazz. A dance team is also present, with practices held after school. Evening classes in modern, ballet, and African dance are also offered at Norfolk Academy.

Many arts courses are offered such as Art History, Film I & II, Music Theory, The History of Cinema, and Studio Art, along with the music and dance lessons also offered.

The popular winter musical and other productions are held throughout the year by the Academy Players as drama performance skills and stage crafts are taught (as well as through theater/film courses).

Clubs and activities

Approximately fifteen Upper School organizations offer students opportunities for planning, leadership, teamwork, and service. Students may join up to three organizations. Each organization must perform a community service project to benefit the community at large. In the spring the executive officers of the Student Council review the progress of each group and vote whether to recharter the organization for the following year.

The Happy Club at Norfolk Academy, which raises awareness and funds for Operation Smile, was the first high-school club supporting the organization — followed by over 600 other Operation Smile student clubs nationwide.

Organizations other than clubs include Student Council, Honor Council, the school newspaper The Belfry, and the JETS Math, Science, and Engineering Team, which in 2010 tied for 1st place in the state and 10th in the nation (with Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology).

Notable alumni

• 1865: Littleton Waller Tazewell Bradford, co-founder, Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity (ΠΚΑ) (one of the oldest and largest college fraternities in the United States); Norfolk politician
• 1899: Hardy Cross, Structural Engineer, developed the moment distribution method for structural calculation in large buildings^[4]
• 1903: Captain Alfred Hart Miles,^[5] writer/lyricist of the official United States Naval Academy Fight Song, Anchors Away
• 1907: Dave Robertson, professional baseball player for the Giants, Cubs, and Pirates (left Norfolk Academy shortly before graduating)
• 1913: Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps of the United States of America serving under President Harry S. Truman and the first ever Commandant of the United States Marine Corps to be on the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• 1962: Hunter R. Rawlings III, 10th president of Cornell University; former chair, Association of American Universities; former president, University of Iowa; classics scholar
• 1970: Everett A. Martin Jr., Chief Judge for the Norfolk Circuit Court in Norfolk, Virginia ^[6]
• 1975: Mitch Caplan, former CEO of E-Trade Financial Corporation
• 1976: Peter Wisoff, physicist and former NASA astronaut
• 1979: Marc Moss, screenwriter
• 1980: Bob Powell, #1 kayaker in the United States from 1994 to 1996
• 1980: Joe Fiveash, Senior Vice President and General Manager of The Weather Channel Interactive ^[7]
• 1990: Perry Moore, screenwriter, author, director executive producer of films such as The Chronicles of Narnia series
• 1992: Sean Dugan, actor, Oz (TV series) 1998-2003; Sundance Film Festival movie Overnight Sensation
• 1992: Glenn Nye, former U.S. Congressman of Virginia's Second District
• 1993: Rebecca Cardon, Actress
• 1996: Angela Hucles, 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist, soccer
• 2000: Eric Martin, Professional and International Lacrosse player

References

1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html. 
2. ^ Matriculation Info
3. ^ Norfolk Academy's Men's Soccer Team info
4. ^ Weingardt, Richard, "Engineering Legends: Great American Civil Engineers : 32 Profiles of Inspiration and Achievement", 2005, Pages 124-125
5. ^ Special to the New York Times, comp. "Capt. Miles Dead; Wrote Navy Song." The New York Times 8 Oct. 1956. Print.
6. ^ http://www.courts.state.va.us/courts/circuit/norfolk/home.html
7. ^ Fiveash info

Coordinates: 36°52′27.58″N 76°11′34.14″W / 36.8743278°N 76.1928167°W / 36.8743278; -76.1928167