Pinellas Park High School is a public secondary school in Largo, Florida, United States. It opened in the fall of 1976 and is part of the Pinellas County Schools system. The school mascot is the Patriot, and the school colors are red, white and blue. The school newspaper is called the Powder Horn Press and the yearbook is Occurrences. The school is home to the Criminal Justice Academy magnet program, as well as the First Responders magnet program.
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History
Pinellas Park High School, located in Largo, Florida, opened its doors in August 1976. Because of the United States Bicentennial occurring that year, it adopted the name "The Patriots" and chose red, white, and blue as its school colors. In 2001, the school received a $500,000 grant to develop smaller learning communities. Five SLCs comprising the entire school population exist today: Freshman Forum (for incoming freshmen); Arts & Humanities; Environmental, Medical and Biological Alliance; Sophomore Seminar, and Business Design Technologies. The ESOL program helps foreign-language speakers and GOALS acts as a drop-out prevention program. As a result of the Pinellas County introduction of Choice schools, 80% of the school's students come from throughout the county.
Student demographics
The total student population of approximately 2,300 students comprises 70.3% Caucasians, 12.7% African-Americans, 9.5% Hispanics, 5.9% Asians, 0.2% American Indian, and 1.4% Other. The student attendance rate is 92.7%. Pinellas Park High School is one of the most ethnically diverse schools of the country, comprising a large number of students from Latin and Asian countries. ESOL students form 6% of the total school population, and special education students make up 17% of the student body. PPHS is one of the district centers for special education students.
Programs
Criminal Justice Academy
The Criminal Justice Academy is a four-year magnet program at Pinellas Park High School that teaches students about the American legal system and the careers found in that system. Students must apply for the Criminal Justice Academy. Eighth grade applicants must have stanines of 5 or higher on standardized tests, GPA of 2.5 or higher for all work in sixth and seventh grades, 2 positive academic teacher recommendations, and good discipline and attendance records. Mainstream sophomores may join if they didn't have the opportunity the year before.
First Responders
The school's First Responders program was founded in 2009. The program teaches students emergency planning and response along with first aid, CPR, and gives students chances for certifications with FEMA and the basic HAZMAT training. The senior classes have a chance to take a college EMR class and participate in Pinellas Park High's "Disaster Day," where the underclassmen act as if a natural disaster has occurred and depend on the seniors to assist, take control of, and isolate the situation. The students who join the First Responder program are required to volunteer with the community to illustrate the program's involvement and dedication to the community
Building
The main building has over 40,000 square feet (3,716 m2) of space and was built in 1976. The building includes a gymnasium and auditorium, a media center and library, several computer labs, a well-furnished weight room, a complete autobody shop, and a complete printing shop.
The CJA building was built between 1996 and 1998 and opened to students in the fall of 1998. The building has 8,496 square feet (789 m2) of space, including several classrooms, administration offices, a mock courtroom, and an apartment used as a mock crime scene.
1988 school shooting
A shooting happened at the school on Thursday, February 11, 1988.
Two 15-year-old male students who lived together, Jason Harless and Jason McCoy, planned the shooting after McCoy was suspended from the school on February 9 for telling a teacher "You piss me off".
Assistant principal Nancy Blackwelder signed the suspension order.
On February 10, the boys ran away from home and stole two .38-caliber handguns from deputy sheriff corporal Charles Parker's house, purportedly to protect themselves.
McCoy also threatened to shoot a classmate who was dating his ex-girlfriend, Carla Hesketh.
Harless was described by his peers and family as a "poor student who didn't like school".
On the first day of McCoy's suspension, school officials called the police when they saw McCoy trespassing on school grounds.
MCCoy and Harless were showing off their stolen guns to friends in the school cafeteria.
There were 600 students in the cafeteria and 1800 students in the school in total.
The armed teenagers were quickly reported to school administrators.
When assistant principal Glenn Bailey saw McCoy, McCoy ran away and withdrew the gun from his blue jeans.
Two other assistant principals, Richard Allen and Nancy Blackwelder, also saw McCoy and demanded to let them escort him to the principal's office.
Notable alumni
Browning Nagle - Former New York Jets quarterback
Kyle Sokol - Bass Player for Nocturnus, Nasty Savage, Rude Squad, and Crimson Glory (Astronomica) with Wade Black
Pamela Stein - Playboy Playmate
Lawrance Toafili - professional football running back
Fez Whatley - Radio Personality from the Ron & Fez show on terrestrial radio and Sirius XM.