Jefferson High School (Portland, Oregon) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thomas Jefferson High School |
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Viewed from the north in 2017
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| Address | |
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5210 N. Kerby Avenue
, , 97215
United States
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| Coordinates | 45°33′37″N 122°40′20″W / 45.5604°N 122.6721°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Opened | 1908 |
| School district | Portland Public Schools |
| Principal | Drake Shelton |
| Teaching staff | 41.69 (FTE) |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Number of students | 525 (2023–2024) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 12.59 |
| Color(s) | Blue and gold |
| Athletics conference | OSAA Portland Interscholastic League 6A-1 |
| Mascot | Democrats |
| Rival | Benson High School |
| Newspaper | The Pace |
| Website | Jefferson High School |
Jefferson High School (often called JHS) is a public high school in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is also known as Thomas Jefferson High School.
Since 2011, Jefferson High has been a special "Middle College Program." This means students take classes at both the high school and Portland Community College's Cascade campus. The college campus is right across the street.
Students from certain middle schools (Faubion, Harriet Tubman, Ockley Green, or Vernon) can choose to attend Jefferson. They can also choose their local high school instead. Students from other areas can apply through a lottery system. All ninth graders who choose Jefferson are guaranteed a spot.
Contents
School History
Jefferson High School first opened in September 1908. It was originally called Albina High School. The name changed to Jefferson High School in early 1909. The school opened early because other schools were too crowded. It was fully finished on February 6, 1910.
In January 1922, Jefferson was the largest high school in Portland. It had 2,063 students. Hopkin Jenkins was the principal from when the school opened until June 1940.
In September 1991, several fires were set at the school.
On January 7, 2008, Portland's Mayor, Tom Potter, moved City Hall to Jefferson High for a week. He held a City Council meeting there. The goal was to show students how government works. It also highlighted the good things and challenges at Portland schools.
About Jefferson High School
In the 2009–10 school year, Jefferson was the only school in Oregon with mostly African American students. In 2018, the student body was very diverse. About 41% of students were African American. About 28% were European American.
In 2018, 84% of seniors at Jefferson High School earned their high school diploma. This was higher than the state average of 80%.
Middle College Program
In September 2011, all ninth graders started the Middle College for Advanced Studies program. This program helps students get ready for college.
- Freshmen and sophomores focus on main subjects at Jefferson.
- They learn important skills like how to study and stay organized.
- Students move through classes in groups, called "academies." They have the same teachers.
- As students are ready, they take college prep classes at Jefferson.
- They also take college courses at Portland Community College Cascade Campus. This usually happens in their junior and senior years.
- Students can prepare for a four-year college. They can also train for jobs like medical assistant or firefighter.
- College courses are free for Jefferson students.
- Students get support from counselors at both the college and high school.
- A group called Self Enhancement, Inc. helps all Jefferson students. They offer tutoring and mentoring.
- Students earn a high school diploma from Jefferson. They also get college credits from Portland Community College. These credits can be used at other colleges.
Dance Program
In the mid-1970s, Jefferson High School started a special arts program. This included a dance program. It was meant to bring students from different areas together. Mary Vinton Folberg started the dance program. She based it on a famous performing arts school in New York City.
The dance program teaches many styles. These include ballet, tap, African, modern, hip hop, and jazz. Students show what they have learned in public shows twice a year. These shows happen in the school's auditorium. Ballet is a very important part of dance training.
The Jefferson Dancers
In the late 1970s, Mary Vinton Folberg also started a student dance company. It is called The Jefferson Dancers. This company has grown a lot over the years. Members learn many different dance styles. The dance teachers are very skilled. Some teachers still perform themselves.
The company performs twice a year at Jefferson High School. They also perform in Portland and around the world. The company has toured in Germany, Italy, and China.
Athletics
Jefferson High School has many sports teams. Their mascot is the Democrat.
Men's Basketball
The men's basketball team is one of the most successful in Oregon. Many players from Jefferson have gone on to play college basketball. Some have played at top universities like Washington, Texas, and Kentucky. Six former players have been ranked among the top 100 players in the country. Terrence Jones was named a McDonald's All-American in 2010.
Jefferson has won state titles in men's basketball many times. They won in 1951, 1972, 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2017.
Football
The football teams of 1931 and 1932 were very strong. They won back-to-back state championships. They were undefeated in both seasons.
State Championships
Jefferson High School teams have won many state championships:
- Boys' basketball: 1951, 1972, 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2017
- Girls' basketball: 2008, 2010
- Football: 1931, 1932, 1936, 1957, 1958
- Boys' swimming: 1951
- Girls' swimming: 1952, 1953
- Baseball: 1946, 1947, 1959
- Girls' tennis: 1951, 1953, 1954
- Boys' track & field: 1944, 1945, 1960, 1963
- Girls' track & field: 1984
Famous Alumni
Many notable people have graduated from Jefferson High School.
- Terry Baker, a football player who won the Heisman Trophy in 1962.
- Joe Gordon, a Baseball Hall of Famer who played for the New York Yankees.
- Terrence Jones, a professional basketball player.
- Aaron Miles (basketball), a professional basketball player and coach.
- Mel Renfro, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who played for the Dallas Cowboys.
- Terrence Ross, a professional basketball player.
- Ime Udoka, a professional basketball player and coach. He is currently the head coach of the Houston Rockets.
- Renée Watson, an award-winning author of young adult novels.
See also
- Thomas Jefferson (Bitter), a statue on the school campus.
