Renaissance High School
422 Acorn Street, Plainwell, MI, 49080-1414 - Map Map

School Overview:
Definition of Terms
Renaissance High School
School Type Other/alternative school
Grades Offered Inquire with school
County Allegan County, MI
Students & Faculty
Total Students 56 students
% Male / % Female 54%  /  46%
Total Classroom Teachers 2 teachers
Students by Grade
n/a
Grade Not Listed - 56 students
This School
(MI) School Average
Teacher : Student Ratio 1:28 1:19
Students by Ethnicity
This School
(MI) School Average
% American Indian 2% 2%
% Asian 2% 1%
% Hispanic n/a 4%
% Black n/a 20%
% White 93% 64%
% Unknown 3 % 3%
Additional Student Information
This School
(MI) School Average
% Eligible for Free Lunch n/a 28%
% Eligible for Reduced Lunch n/a 6%
% Migrant Students Enrolled n/a n/a
School Performance:
(MI) Statewide Testing Performance
School Statewide Performance View Education Department Test Scores
School District:
School District Name Plainwell Community s School District
This School's Agency
(MI) District Average
Number of Schools Managed 6 4
Number of Students Managed 2,941 students 1,152 students
District Total Revenue $25,685,000 $15,287,000
District Expenditure $34,529,000 $15,863,000
District Revenue / Student $8,733 $13,270
District Expenditure / Student $11,741 $13,770
In the News:
View all past news stories
School Notes:
  • Renaissance High School is a public high school located within the city of Detroit, Michigan. Renaissance is one of four magnet high schools in the Detroit Public Schools district (the other ones being Cass Technical High School, Detroit School of Arts, and Communication & Media Arts High School ).
  • Founded in 1978 on the previous site of Catholic Central High School, Renaissance's first senior class graduated in 1981. A new building for the school, on the site of the former Sinai Hospital, was dedicated in 2005.
  • Admissions
  • Renaissance High School is a high performing school. As originally envisioned, a test was administered annually to eighth grade students from public and non-public schools in the area. A combination of the student's grades in junior high school and the score the student received on the test determined admission into the school. That policy continued into the early 1990s. Transfer students were not allowed to attend Renaissance. This policy was changed in 1994, however, and transfer students are allowed to attend the school, although they must abide by the same graduation requirements as other students.
  • When Renaissance was initially founded, community members were concerned that reliance on a standardized test would result in the school's admitting too few African-American students. In 2006, more than 90% of the student body is African-American.
  • Renaissance opened in 1978 with first-year ("freshman") and second-year ("sophomore") students. Its first four-year graduating class received their diplomas in June 1982.
  • New campus
  • In 2005, the school moved into a $200 million+ campus complete with a state-of-the-art language and computer labs, and state-of-the-art football field. The building has been recognized as the first Silver-LEED certified building in the city of Detroit for meeting high environmental standards. Features include solar collectors, a rainwater harvesting system, and innovative cooling systems.
  • Detroit-based GunnLevine Architects (GLA) was selected by Detroit Public Schools as their Master Architect for the $128 million Sinai Educational Campus. GLA was selected due to their extensive healthcare background with notable educational expertise to design an innovative educational campus to meet Silver LEED certification requirements.
  • After a thorough feasibility study of the former Sinai Hospital, Principal in Charge Francis Resendes concluded that programming would be compromised if renovations were to be implemented. The prior facility configuration and structural systems presented a liability in its net-to-gross ratio for its re-use as an educational campus. GLA offered alternative programming and suggested creative options that increased programming without affecting budgets. GLA also worked with community groups bringing synergy to the entire process.
  • Cost projections matched the client’s estimates and after the preliminary designs were approved, GLA designed a new high school within a educational campus, a blue-ribbon high school, vocational high school, and the Foreign Language Immersion and Cultural School (FLICS). Programming required , of which is allocated for amenities such as a triple gymnasium and a 600-seat auditorium with a fly loft and orchestra pit will provide a much needed theatrical performance area in the district.
  • The state-of-the-art theater is designed to serve the accessibility needs of the special education students and technology needs of all students. As the school colors are burgundy and white the school spirit is shown in the theater. The school will also serve as a regional sports facility with a triple gymnasium that embraces daylight harvesting along with an artificial track and football field.
  • Because of the specialized areas and needs within the program, GLA established a team of 13 consultants to ensure that this multi-purpose campus exceeded all expectations. Project Manager, Jennifer Durham, was responsible for managing the communication and coordination of all disciplines (including auditorium, acoustical, kitchen, pool, lighting, and sustainable design specialties).
  • The campus provides students and adults with special needs, the least restrictive environment possible and opportunities to assist them in overcoming social stereotypes within a mixed-use educational campus. Students from grade 9 to age 24 will have access to an adaptive physical education space and physical therapy area, as well as speech, occupational and vocational therapy settings.
  • Academics
  • Renaissance High School has been recognized for its excellence with numerous awards. The school has consistently been the benchmark for academic standards in the city of Detroit. Renaissance has enforced a standard for all of its students to keep their GPA above 2.5 since 1994. If your GPA falls below 2.5 in June, you will be "released" from the school. In 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999, US News and World Report highlighted the school as one America's top high schools. Renaissance was also awarded the Michigan Blue Ribbon and the National Ribbon of Honor in 2002. Nearly 100% of seniors attend a 4-year college or university every year (with the few exceptions coming in the form of military enlistment). In 1998, the school saw its 100% of its graduating seniors attend college for the first time.
  • Sports
  • Renaissance High School's most successful Sports team has been the women's track and field team. Starting in the year 2000 the Renaissance girls track and field team won 7 straight Class B State Championships.
  • Renaissance High School has developed an exceptional basketball program. After years as an also-ran, the men's basketball team won its first city championship in 2000. The men's team won its first state championship in 2004 & a second in 2006.
  • The women's basketball team has been a perennial state championship contender since the early 1990s. After years of close class, the women won their first state championship in 2006 as well.
  • The football program began play as a Junior Varsity sport in 1994 before going Varsity in 1995. The team has made numerours playoff appearances, including winning a division championship in their first varsity season. The football team won their first city championship in 2004.
  • The women's tennis team and men's golf team have been very successful since the 1980s.
  • School Alma Mater
  • We're proud of number one.Our hearts and spirits soar.For knowledge, strength, and dedicationthankful evermore.
  • Oh Renaissance,We sing to theeour praise and gratitudeeternally.
  • O hail phoenixthe best for eternity!
  • Notable alumni
  • Rickey Paulding
  • Joe Crawford
  • Malik Hairston
  • Tajuan Porter
  • Ronald Bartell
  • Carson Butler
  • External links
  • Official page from Detroit Public Schools site
  • Welcome to Renaissance High School
  • Source: Wikipedia; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.
  • Add/edit information about this school (e.g., awards, news stories, notable alumni, fun facts)
 
School Zip Code:
About This Zip Code (49080)
School Zip (49080)
(MI) State Average
Population (Approximate) 14,277 people 9,669,191 people
% (age 25+) w/College Degree 28% 24%
Population Average Age 38 years old 34 years old
Average Household size 2.6 persons 2.4 persons
Median Household Income $47,614 $43,870
Avg. # of Rooms in Household 5.9 rooms 5.5 rooms
Median Age of Housing Structure 37 years old 46 years old
View Current Housing Listings View current housing listings in this area
Median Value of Housing Unit
Zipcode (49080)


Zillow Median Value of Housing Unit
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Zillow Median Value of Housing Unit
% Owning / % Renting 85% / 15% 70% / 30%
School Map:
1. Plainwell Young Adult Program - 7 students - 0.7 mi. away - view location
2. Gilkey Elementary School - 427 students - 0.9 mi. away - view location
3. Plainwell Middle School - 675 students - 1.2 mi. away - view location
4. Plainwell High School - 919 students - 1.3 mi. away - view location
5. Starr Elementary School - 564 students - 1.4 mi. away - view location
View all schools in: Plainwell, Allegan County, Zip 49080 
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Note: Data has been gathered from several government and commercial data sources. School data reflects 2006 statistics (most recent year available).

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