Dr. Michael M. Krop High School
| Superintendent / Principal Administrator |
George A. Núñez |
| School type |
Public (U.S.)
|
| Religious affiliation |
None |
| Founded |
1998
|
| Location |
Miami, Florida, USA
|
| Enrollment 2003-2004 |
3,326 students |
| Grades |
9-12 |
| Campus surroundings |
Urban |
| Symbol |
Lightning |
| School colors |
Black, Silver & Purple |
| Average Class Size |
26 to 29 |
| Teachers' average years of experience |
11.9 years |
Dr. Michael M. Krop High School Logo
Dr. Michael M. Krop High School is considered to be a "magnet school" because it has a Students Training in the Arts Repertory (STAR) program. This Arts Repertory Magnet Program is a comprehensive visual and performing arts program that is open to students in the greater Miami area.
The school was named after Dr. Michael M. Krop, who is an orthodontist born in 1931 that became involved in the 9 member Miami-Dade School Board of Education in 1980, retiring from it in 2004, after 24 years of service.
It has the following Departments: Administration and Support, Applied Technology, Business Technology Education, Exceptional Student Education (ESE), Fine Arts, Foreign Language, Language Arts, Library Services, Mathematics, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies and Student Services.
The school is one of the American Red Cross evacuation centers, commonly used to shelter South Florida residents on hurricane events.
This school was given a grade of "B" by the Florida Department of Education in 2003 and 2004. It had a graduation rate of 79.5% in 2002-2003.
According to the Florida Department of Education's School Advisory Council Report and Florida School Indicators Report, in 2002-2003:
- The average years of experience of the Teachers was 11.9 years (vs 12.9 years for the state average).
- 39.4% of the Teachers of the school had an Advanced Degree (vs the state average of 32.7%).
- The school had 24% African Americans, 3% Asians, 34% Whites and 38% Hispanics (vs the state average of 21%).
- 10.4% of the students had limited English proficiency.
At Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School juniors who don't take the PSAT are required to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, a test administered by the Department of Defense. The test, given in 14,000 schools around the U.S., is either mandatory or voluntary, depending on the school.
Unique program: A fast-track profession on stage, screen, or gallery wall
Every year students from all over the greater Miami area audition to become part of the unique Krop professional arts specialization, the Students Training in the Arts Repertory (STAR) program. Only a small selection of the talented applicants that audition are chosen, but those budding artists selected can expect by their junior or senior year to be working with professionals as apprentices in stage, dance, singing, instrumental music, graphic arts, film, or TV production.
Larry Davidson, a central organizer of the STAR program said, "We're trying to do a program where the student will leave here either ready to go into the industry or to go into a two- or four-year program beyond high school." Accordingly, the faculty and buildings give a professional air from the first day. The faculty are working professionals in the music, theater, dance, or graphic arts specialty areas, and they take this opportunity to give a headstart to the next generation of professional artists; the photography teacher has regularly contributed to the National Geographic magazine. To support professionalism in the theater program, Krop has a fully-equipped professional stage and auditorium, complete with modular and professional sound and lighting equipment, prop set, scene change machinery, and a professional beyond-the-audience's-view catwalk above the stage. The film and TV production facilities use modern computer-driven digital and analog processors, image generators, and editors.
Most of the applicants that come to audition for admittance to Krop will soon graduate from grade school, but some apply for transfer from other high schools in the region. To audition, the applicant must bring prepared works-of-art and a portfolio of completed art projects. Graphic and visual artists are asked to bring their best paintings, drawings, or sculptures. Drama students must bring a prepared and rehearsed dramatic monologue.
In addition, as part of the audition before critical judges, the applicant to Krop is asked to improvise a work of art according to general instructions to test the applicant's understanding of the creative process and to test how the applicant's practiced skill-set bears up under the strain of actual performance. The graphic artist may be asked to improvise a drawing or oil on-the-spot while the critics watch, or the instrumentalist or vocalist may be asked to make up a song in a specified format while the judges watch.
Those applicants who make it into Krop are expected to maintain a B average over all courses, including the required mathematics, language, and science courses. Larry Davidson, the organizer of the STAR program explains the tough requirements this way, "If they have four days of rehearsal a week and they're trying to do four academics and they're not surviving, then they probably would not survive in the industry either." In this way, he justifies challenging professionals from their very first freshman day that they will keep coming back and back again against adversity. (Ponce 1999)
Achievements & awards
Advance Placements
On January 16, 2002, the Miami-Dade County School Board presented a certificate of achievement to George Nuñez, principal of the school, for receiving the Siemens award for Advanced Placement. The award is given to schools with high participation in advanced placement courses.
Arts: Film, Drama, Band, Vocal Dance
- In 2002, Lee A. Cipolla, a student of the school, obtained First Place in the Auburn University Movie Gallery Student Video Competition for "Taken Away".
- In June 2004, the school's Star Academy Booster Club awarded $250 scholarships in each of the five magnet strands . The students awarded were Mary Frye for Art, Jessica Kertznus for Band, Danielle Kirkland for Vocal, Ashley Johnson for Dance and Anedra Johnson for Drama. The $2,000 Amanda Weiner Art Scholarship went to Christa Campbell and the $2,000 Faryn Weiner Drama Scholarship to Jimmy Jackson Jr.. The following Krop seniors received each a $500 PTSA scholarship: Nolie St. Fleur, Nathalie Alegre, Carlyn Pigott, Diana Ortiz, James Shepherd, Jorge Batista, Mary Frye, Paulina Bourova, Angela Montfort, Tiandria Wright and Melissa Epstein.
Educational research
In 2002, ERCA (Educational Research Center of America) awarded a $1000 scolarhip to Mariya Orlova, a school student, for her work as a volunteer at the Mount Sinai Medical Center . She became one of only 3 Russian-speaking volunteers who could help to translate for a the elderly Russian-speaking population of patients. She compiled a book of Russian-English medical terms and general phrases so that the doctors and the patients would be able to communicate when no volunteer was present.
FFL (Florida Forensic League )
2003 Varsity State Champions
- Domestic Extemp: Max Wolson (Coach: Mary Schick)
- Duo Interpretation: Lissette Siesholtz & Elise Henry (Coach: Mary Schick)
Math
- Alan Tarrab obtained 10th place in the Finals of the XXIII Math Competition (2003-2004), organized by the University of Miami. Farhan Chagani obtained honorable mention.
- In november 2004: Nick Araujo, Shannon Knee and Alan Papir achieved national recognition by getting to be national semifinalists in a Siemens Westinghouse competition for math, science and technology projects. Panels of research scientists from leading universities and national laboratories judged their reports.
National honor society
In 2002, Chloe Good, a Michael Krop student, was awarded a Scholarship from the National Honor Society.
Psychology
In 2003-2004, Jennifer Ledon, a senior student, obtained an award from the American Psychological Foundation , in the APF/TOPSS Scholar (Student Essay) Competition.
Robotics
In 2003, the Robotics "Team 212" of the school obtained the "Regional Winner 1" award in the FIRST robotics competition.
Science
- In 2002, the Intel Foundation ISEF gave a First Award of $3000 to Bryan Armando Lemus, then 16, for his project in Botany: Generating a Population of Arabidopsis Mutants Altered in the Function of Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase Kinase using a Transgenic Screening Approach.
- In March, 2003, Carli Koshal and Lucia Goyen received the George N. Avery Award, presented by the Dade Chapter for outstanding science fair projects at the South Florida Regional Science and Engineering Fair. Their project was titled "Discriminant Analysis of Mitigated vs. Unmitigated Red Mangroves : The Effect of Turbidity on Growth Rates."
- September 2004: The school received a $2,500 grant from The Best Buy Children's Foundation, after science teacher David Buncher applied for the award last year. Heheard about the program through the Miami-Dade County Science Teacher's Association. The Best Buy Children's Foundation awards several Teach Grants throughout the United States for teachers to integrate technology into the curriculum. The funds will be used to install a permanent projector in the classroom for the advanced placement chemistry classes.
- In November, 2004, the school team of student inventors was named as one of 13 nationwide to be awarded a Lemelson-MIT-InvenTeams $10,000 grant by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The team of student inventors designed a way to make AA-sized batteries that can be recharged by human movement. Its invention allows "human kinetic energy cells" to fuel a microgenerator placed inside the battery container. The student inventors are: Richard Shillington (team leader), Bryan Landman, Sam Mesa, Parijata Mackey, Chriss Nunn, Zachary Sandoval, Vanecie Delva, Nina Wong, Harley Gould and Jackie Flores. In June 2005, some of them will travel to MIT in Cambridge, MA, to showcase their invention.
Teaching
In 2004, David Buncher , a physics and chemistry teacher in the school, won the Milken Family Foundation Award, receiving $25,000 as part of the award. The Milken Family Foundation award has been recognizing the nation’s most outstanding teachers, principals and specialists in K-12 education since 1985. Dr. Buncher was invited to attend the 15th annual Milken Family Foundation National Education Conference, an all-expense-paid professional development conference held in Washington, D.C. Dr. Buncher also received the 2004 Radio Shack National Teacher Awards and $3,000 in Fort Worth, Texas. It was one of 110 awards given to educators nationwide for their commitment to academic excellence in mathematics, science of technology. Buncher has been teaching for 23 years and holds degrees in biology, science education and science curriculum. He is also a member of the National Science Teachers Association.
Tennis
In 2003, Adriano Salucci, as the tennis team co-captain, won the high school 4-A state championship and in doubles play advanced to the state semifinals. He was also an All-Dade County honorable mention selection in 2001 and 2002, a Third-Team All-Dade County in 2003 and the district and regional singles championship in 2002.
Track & field
In 2001, James Barr, coached by Bob Goldberg, obtained the Florida AAA State Championship in the 200m. He was also Team Captain and MVP as a senior. He was the first athlete in school history to qualify for the Florida State Meet.
Reading
In May 2003, Susana Temkin, a school Senior, was selected by Nestle USA and Reading Is Fundamental as Nestle Very Best In Youth 2003 award winner. She was among 38 students from across the USA. The program recognizes young people ages 9-18 who have demonstrated a commitment to reading and academic excellence, and community service. The 38 recipients from 24 states were selected from more than 1,500 applications. Honorees were featured in a Nestle Very Best in Youth book, and received $1,000 to donate to a nonprofit organization of their choice. They also won a five-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles for the awards ceremony.
Wrestling
The Krop wrestling team were district champions in 1999-2000, 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, and GMAC champions in 2001-2002.
News archive
- February 17, 1998: The city council of the city of Aventura, Florida, issued a resolution urging the Miami-Dade county school board to name the new high school in northeast Miami-Dade country the "Dr. Michael Krop High School"
- April 29, 1999: At midmorning, the school received a bomb threat through the phone. Students were evacuated and the school was swept by police and the county bomb squad. No explosives were found, and classes resumed a couple of hours later
- October 24, 2000: As part of WorldLink 2000, a 24-hour Internet marathon that aimed to link more than 300 students from Miami-Dade with students from the 189 member states of the United Nations, students Michael M. Krop High school moderated a chatroom discussion on the conflict in the Middle East between high schoolers from Palestine and Israel, Lebanon and Turkey.
- 2000-2001: The School Infrastructure Thrift (SIT) of Florida awarded the architectural firm of Lemuel Ramos & Associates, with the SIT award for contruction savings for their work designing the facilities of Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School, as recommended by the SMART Schools Clearinghouse .
- October 25, 2002: The Serene Highness Crown Prince Albert of Monaco, son of Grace Kelly and heir to the throne of Monaco, who graduated in 1981 from Amherst Coll ege in Massachusetts with a bachelor's in political science, visited Dr. Michael Krop Senior School. Prince Albert is a five-time olympic bobsledder and member of the International Olympic Committee, and was in town for a World Olympians Association fund-raiser at the Biltmore H otel in Coral Gables. The group's mission is have the 100,000 or so Olympians around the world get involved with their communities and talk to young athletes about dedication and training. Prince Albert arrived in a helicopter that landed in a field next to the school. Only 27 student-athletes and about two dozen yearbook, newspaper and photography students got to quiz the prince.
-
2003: A successful political forum where students from other schools in Miami-Dade County were invited to attend was held at the school.
-
September 11, 2004: Students from the school attended a remembrance ceremony hosted by the Miami-Dade Public Schools at the School Board Administration Building. The cremony included a presentation of flags from the 50 U.S. states, individual perspectives and a rendition of Taps.
- 2004: Harley Gould, a senior at Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High, is a founding member and current president of Teen Love and Care (TLC) that has raised more than $150,000 in seven years to help children with cancer.
Top Students
2002-2003
-
Valedictorian: Bryan Lemus. Weighted GPA: 6.51 College: Harvard College
-
Salutatorian: Jose Valle. Weighted GPA: 6.50 College: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Other notable seniors: Susanna Temkin, Natalie Maricic, Derek Berezdivin, Lara Fine, Lucia Goyen, Heather Pitofsky, Kelly Rosenfeld, Carli Koshal
2003-2004
- Valedictorian: Erica Davis. She was also a National Merit Scholarship finalist, 2004 Silver Knight nominee for science, president of the Science Honor Society and vice president of SECME.
- Salutatorian: Baylee Shapiro. She was also a 2004 Silver Knight nominee for general scholarship.
School Location
The school is located at 1410 NE 215 St. (Countyline Road), Miami, FL 33179, USA. Tel: 305.652.6808, Fax: 305.651.3039.
- Mapquest Map of the school's location http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&countryid=US&addtohistory=&searc
htype=address&cat=&address=1410%20Ne%20215th%20St&city=Miami&state=FL&zipcode=33
179%2d1361&search=%20%20Search%20%20&searchtab=address
The boundaries for attendance are: Begin at Atlantic Ocean and NE 215 Street (Dade/Broward County Line), West on NE 215 Street to San Simeon Way, Southeast to NE 6 Avenue extended, South to Seaboard Railroad, Northeast to NE 191 Street, East to NE 14 Avenue, South to Miami Gardens Drive, East to NE 22 Avenue, South to NE 175 Street, East to Maule Lake, South through Maule Lake to NE 151 Street, East to Biscayne Bay, South to Haulover Inlet, East to Atlantic Ocean, North along shoreline to NE 215 Street, point of beginning.
References
- Eunice Ponce , "Magnet program turning students into stars," Miami-Herald http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/ , Feb. 14, 1999, p. 2NE (describing the ambitious Krop High School program for preparing exceptionally talented high-school students to be fast-track apprentices to professionals by their junior or senior years).
External links
- Dr. Michael M. Krop High School Official Web Page http://mkhs.dadeschools.net/
- GreatSchools.net Web Page for Michael Krop High School http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/fl/904
- The Lightning Strike Online Newspaper http://www.my.highschooljournalism.org/fl/miami/mkhs/
- Dr. Michael Krop Senior High School 2004-2005 Spanish Honor Society http://kropshs.tripod.com/
- Teacher Ratings as per RateMyTeacher.com http://us.ratemyteachers.com/SelectTeacher.php?sid=5004&type=0
Last updated: 02-19-2005 14:46:29
Last updated: 05-06-2005 01:27:49
