School type Public Superintendent Dr. Mark McDonald Staff 326 Phone +1 630-795-8400 Colors White, Purple | Opened 1928 Principal Janice Schwarze Grades 9–12 Number of students 2,456 | |
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Address 4436 Main St, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA District Community High School District 99 Similar Downers Grove South Hig, Community High School Di, Hinsdale Central High Sch, Benet Academy, Glenbard West High School Profiles | ||
Downers Grove North High School, or DGN, and locally referred to as "Downers North" or "North", is a public four-year high school located near the corner of Main Street and Ogden Avenue in Downers Grove, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Community High School District 99, which also includes Downers Grove South High School. The North campus draws students from Downers Grove (north of 55th St.), and small sections of Woodridge, Oak Brook, and Westmont.
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History
The original building (then called Downers Grove High School) was finished in 1928, with additions made in 1935, 1952, 1976, 1999-2000, and 2011-2013. In 1964, the school's student body was split in half, one portion attending North, the other attending the newly built Downers Grove South.
The auditorium is named after Clarence Johnson, who served as Principal of the school for 35-years from 1932 to 1967, and DGN's outdoor stadium is named after their former longtime football coach Dick Carstens.
The Green Room of the theatre is named after George B. Pappas, former English teacher, department head, and pep rally leader known for his positive spirit. George B. Pappas died May 4, 1999 .
Academics
Downers Grove North's class of 2015 had an average composite ACT score of 24.0, 3 points above the state average. 94% of the senior class graduated. Downers Grove North made Adequate Yearly Progress on the Prairie State Achievements Examination, which with the ACT comprises the state assessments used to fulfill the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Because the school had previously not made AYP, the school is still on academic watch.
For years 2008, 2009, and 2010, North High was named among the top 6% of high schools in the nation, according to Newsweek magazine’s annual ranking of high schools.
Athletics
Downers Grove North competes in the West Suburban Conference. The school is a full member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), which governs most interscholastic sports and competitive activities in Illinois. The schools teams are stylized as the Trojans.
The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in: basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball. Young men may compete in baseball, football, and wrestling, while young women may compete in badminton, bowling, cheerleading, and softball. The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championships tournament or meet.
Activities
The student newspaper, Omega, which is published monthly, has been ranked in the top ten in the 9 to 12 page broadsheet category by the NSPA. The school literary magazine, the Northwind, is published annually. In 2012, its Speech Team placed second at the IHSA state competition.