Established 1940 Faculty 79 Colors White, Purple | Principal William Smith Phone +1 612-668-3030 | |
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Type Public secondary (formerly 7–12) Motto Inspiring Excellence in Arts and Academics School district Minneapolis Public Schools Address 3414 W 47th St, Minneapolis, MN 55410, USA Mascot Lakers (formerly the Indians) District Minneapolis Public Schools | ||
Southwest High School is a public high school in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is one of 10 high schools in the Minneapolis Public Schools district. Southwest is ranked #720 in the nation and #11 in Minnesota by U.S. News & World Report. Southwest offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
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History
Southwest High School was opened in 1940 with the main entrance at Beard Avenue South and West 47th Street. The school drew 841 students from Minneapolis, Edina and Richfield its first year. Two additions were made to the original structure, the first opening in 1956 and the second (Southwest Junior High) in 1968.
With the reorganization of Minneapolis schools in 1982, Southwest returned to just grades 9–12, with seventh and eighth graders going to Anwatin or Anthony Middle Schools. Most of the students who attended West High School were transferred to Southwest when it was closed the same year.
In 1987, the International Baccalaureate Programme began at Southwest. Currently, all 9th and 10th grade students follow the IB Middle Years Programme curriculum.
Mascot change
In 1987, Southwest High School was one of the first high schools in the country to stop using a Native American for its mascot and nickname. The Southwest student body voted to change the nickname of the school from the Indians to the Lakers.