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Pointe Schools
History of Pointe Schools
Pointe Schools was founded by four families who were interested in creating a high school that would support parents as they built character
and leadership qualities in their teens, provide an excellent education, and be financially accessible to everyone. Since no such high school
existed in the northwest valley, the founders individually explored avenues to establish such a school. In the fall of 1999, they came
together and formed Pointe Educational Services, a non-profit corporation, in order to open and operate an independent public high school
that would fill this unmet need.
After a year of planning, the State Board for Charter Schools granted Pointe a contract to operate a college preparatory school. In August
of 2001, North Pointe Preparatory opened on 51st Avenue and Union Hills with ten teachers, six classrooms and 130 students in grades 7-9.
Students were provided with a traditional education with a “classical” emphasis. The curriculum was designed to prepare students for
college, requiring that all students take College Preparatory, Honors, and Advanced Placement courses. In addition to the academic
emphasis, the school truly functioned as a community. By November, three more classrooms and a library were completed. Stanford 9 test
scores that year were well above the state
averages.
The Prep was such a success that parents began asking about the possibility of opening an elementary school that would set the
foundation for junior high and high school. In the Spring of 2002, the State Board for Charter Schools expanded the Pointe charter to
include kindergarten through sixth grade and Canyon Pointe Academy (called North Pointe Academy at the time) was born. A group of
seasoned elementary teachers joined Pointe Schools and worked through the summer without pay to make sure the school was ready to
open. The Prep had already outgrown the Union Hills site, so Canyon moved in and the Prep moved into a site at 43rd Avenue and
Thunderbird Road.
The 2002-2003 school year was full of growth for Pointe Schools. Canyon Pointe Academy opened with 160 students, North Pointe
Preparatory almost tripled in size to 350 students, and a second elementary school was added to the Pointe Schools family. The new
school, Pinnacle Pointe Academy, was located on 67th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road and opened in September of 2002 with just under
25 students in grades K-4. Two Canyon teachers and their classes moved to Pinnacle and provided leadership for the new school. By the
end of the year, enrollment at Pinnacle had increased to over 90 students.
Massive building projects took place at all three Pointe School’s campuses between 2003 and 2009. The Prep moved to its current location
at 43rd Avenue and Peoria in 2003 and expanded the campus to include 14 additional classrooms, a second gymnasium, fitness/weight
facilities, batting cages, a practice field, band and choir rooms, music labs, a remodeled theatre, an on-campus TV station (preptv), a third
parking lot, and the fabulous Prep Café. Canyon remodeled offices, added security fences, and completed a new field, a new playground,
and a new building consisting of 4 additional classrooms and the Lion Café. Pinnacle’s building projects also included remodeling offices
and adding security fences, as well as the addition of 10 classrooms, a field, new playground, basketball court, and the Pinnacle Patio and
Panther Café.
Additionally, the Prep received accreditation from the North Central Association as a College Preparatory School and was placed into the
Arizona Interscholastic Association's 2A Central League for high school athletics.
In 2006, Jody Johnson (one of Pointe’s founders and the first Principal of the Prep) became the Superintendent of Pointe Schools and
undertook a massive, company wide re-structuring. Four years later, Pointe has never been healthier. With three schools, 1400 students,
and 100 employees, Pointe’s original programs and activities are being imitated in charter, private, and district schools and Pointe Schools
receive state and national recognition.
Pointe Schools was founded by four families who were interested in creating a high school that would support parents as they built character
and leadership qualities in their teens, provide an excellent education, and be financially accessible to everyone. Since no such high school
existed in the northwest valley, the founders individually explored avenues to establish such a school. In the fall of 1999, they came
together and formed Pointe Educational Services, a non-profit corporation, in order to open and operate an independent public high school
that would fill this unmet need.
After a year of planning, the State Board for Charter Schools granted Pointe a contract to operate a college preparatory school. In August
of 2001, North Pointe Preparatory opened on 51st Avenue and Union Hills with ten teachers, six classrooms and 130 students in grades 7-9.
Students were provided with a traditional education with a “classical” emphasis. The curriculum was designed to prepare students for
college, requiring that all students take College Preparatory, Honors, and Advanced Placement courses. In addition to the academic
emphasis, the school truly functioned as a community. By November, three more classrooms and a library were completed. Stanford 9 test
scores that year were well above the state
averages.
The Prep was such a success that parents began asking about the possibility of opening an elementary school that would set the
foundation for junior high and high school. In the Spring of 2002, the State Board for Charter Schools expanded the Pointe charter to
include kindergarten through sixth grade and Canyon Pointe Academy (called North Pointe Academy at the time) was born. A group of
seasoned elementary teachers joined Pointe Schools and worked through the summer without pay to make sure the school was ready to
open. The Prep had already outgrown the Union Hills site, so Canyon moved in and the Prep moved into a site at 43rd Avenue and
Thunderbird Road.
The 2002-2003 school year was full of growth for Pointe Schools. Canyon Pointe Academy opened with 160 students, North Pointe
Preparatory almost tripled in size to 350 students, and a second elementary school was added to the Pointe Schools family. The new
school, Pinnacle Pointe Academy, was located on 67th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road and opened in September of 2002 with just under
25 students in grades K-4. Two Canyon teachers and their classes moved to Pinnacle and provided leadership for the new school. By the
end of the year, enrollment at Pinnacle had increased to over 90 students.
Massive building projects took place at all three Pointe School’s campuses between 2003 and 2009. The Prep moved to its current location
at 43rd Avenue and Peoria in 2003 and expanded the campus to include 14 additional classrooms, a second gymnasium, fitness/weight
facilities, batting cages, a practice field, band and choir rooms, music labs, a remodeled theatre, an on-campus TV station (preptv), a third
parking lot, and the fabulous Prep Café. Canyon remodeled offices, added security fences, and completed a new field, a new playground,
and a new building consisting of 4 additional classrooms and the Lion Café. Pinnacle’s building projects also included remodeling offices
and adding security fences, as well as the addition of 10 classrooms, a field, new playground, basketball court, and the Pinnacle Patio and
Panther Café.
Additionally, the Prep received accreditation from the North Central Association as a College Preparatory School and was placed into the
Arizona Interscholastic Association's 2A Central League for high school athletics.
In 2006, Jody Johnson (one of Pointe’s founders and the first Principal of the Prep) became the Superintendent of Pointe Schools and
undertook a massive, company wide re-structuring. Four years later, Pointe has never been healthier. With three schools, 1400 students,
and 100 employees, Pointe’s original programs and activities are being imitated in charter, private, and district schools and Pointe Schools
receive state and national recognition.
Pointe Schools exists to support parents in developing students who demonstrate scholastic and behavioral excellence and make a positive impact in their community. |