Bring On The Spartan Pride

It was an impressive night for .

Full disclosure: I am a Spartan.  Born and bred and came back here to offer my children the same outstanding experience—so I am definitely biased.  But having had one child who is already an alum and another who is an upperclassman, I feel qualified to shed some personal insight on the Parent Night held last week at .

“Night in the Classroom” is ’s curriculum night, held once each semester.  It’s an informal and educational evening where the parent community can visit each classroom, meet the teachers and review the syllabus.  The halls are packed with parents and the climate is more than inviting; it’s a warm and welcoming way to meet teachers and administrators.  I had the opportunity to meet some wonderful educators and one in particular made me think about our little Spartan community and the expectations we have as parents.

This past June, , and I was proud to see among them.  It’s quite an accomplishment at the national level—and no surprise to many of us who have children there.  Needless to say, the expectations within the halls and classrooms of are quite high; these teachers are well prepared to tackle the academics of a world-renowned, nationally recognized college prep high school.  The most telling comment of “Night in the Classroom” came from my son’s Pre Calculus teacher, a new recruit with more than 17 years of experience. Sporting a torn Achilles tendon and a personality that lit up the room, he acknowledged the pressure that ‘Northbrook parents are famous for’ and thought he was going to get away with that. 

You all know what happened next—we’re Northbrook parents.  Someone asked what he meant. 

He smiled and honestly described the expectation, reputation and commitment that our community demands of our high school.  And it begs the questions—is our high school better for it?  Is it wrong to be demanding of our educators?  Would we have such a prestigious reputation if we did not?  There is no doubt this wonderful new math teacher knew what he was getting into when he accepted the position at .  And I have no problem with that.  Our administrators are committed to providing students with the most cutting-edge, research based and advanced courses available.  Our reputation reflects that. 

The term “Spartan Pride” carries a great deal of weight within the hallways of .  It describes the hard work, enthusiasm, and perseverance of not only our teens, but the teachers as well.  Both are proud to be affiliated with and the world-class perks that go along with that.  Rest assured your tax dollars are being well spent at our little campus on Shermer Road.  Whether it’s theater, sports, music or debate, our children have opportunities available to them that can’t be found in too many schools in our area, let alone the rest of the country.

The seasoned new math teacher impressed me immeasurably.  He’s up for the challenge of teaching Northbrook students.  He is keenly aware of the reputation we have and seems to be thrilled to be a part of such a well-respected public high school.

I hope our kids make him proud to be a Spartan.