A. Philip Randolph Academies of Technology
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| Type | Magnet School |
|---|---|
| Established | 1977 |
| Principal | Rhonda Motely |
| Students | 900, approx. |
| Location | , , |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colors | Green & Gold |
| Nickname | Randolph or APR |
| Mascot | Jaguars |
| Website | APR homepage on DCPS website |
A. Philip Randolph Academies of Technology, formerly known as Northside Skills Center, is one of twelve high schools in Jacksonville, Florida (of nineteen in the Duval County Public Schools network) to offer the advanced curriculum and skills training of Duval County's MAGNET programs. It was the first of three skill centers to be built in Jacksonville for the sole purpose of teaching trades (along with Westside Skills Center and Southside Skills Center, now known as Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology and Southside Middle School, respectively) before being converted to academic use in 1997.
Namesake
The school was named in honor of A. Philip Randolph, an African-American labor movement and civil rights leader, during a standing-room-only dedication ceremony in 1980 in which Reverend Jesse Jackson was the keynote speaker. While his namesake was included in the full name of the school, it was not common to refer to the school by his name (but instead "Northside Skills Center") until its reappropriation.
Academic programs
Information Technology (Computer Science)
Construction
Cosmetology
Health Care
Criminal Justice
Fire and Rescue
APR has partnered with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, to create the Fire and Rescue Career Academy. Students are prepared for a career in firefighting and/or Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Students can earn CPR Certification, First Responders Certification, Emergency Medical Technician Certification (EMT), Firefighter 1 Certification and college credits.Yea
Other programs
The school was projected to launch a program for child care in 2008, but budget constraints deemed this impractical, and no word has been issued on its reconsideration since.
Many of the programs that were once featured at APR (or NSS before it, programs including automotive and communications) were dissembled and re-established at Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology, what most consider to be APR's "sister school" in Jacksonville.
Sports and extracurricular activities
Advanced-placement curriculum
The school currently offers 11 Advanced Placement courses to challenge the brightest students.