A. R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet High School
Augustus R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet High School is a public four-year magnet high school in downtown Augusta, Georgia, which draws students from grades nine through twelve from all parts of the Richmond County Board of Education School district. Aside from the standard college preparatory academic courses, Johnson offers specialized training in health sciences and engineering, and the opportunity for vocational training and dual high school/college enrollment for health science students. The school has consistently been regarded as one of the best in the state of Georgia, regularly ranking among the top three best schools in the state.
| Augustus R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet High School | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| 1324 Laney-Walker Blvd. Augusta, Georgia, 30901 |
|
| Information | |
| School district | Richmond County School District |
| Principal | Deborah Walker |
| Vice principal | Tim Parker |
| Enrollment |
463 |
| Gender | coeducational |
| Type | Public magnet school specializing in health science and engineering studies |
| Campus | urban |
| Athletics | tennis, soccer, volleyball, golf, track, and cross country |
| Motto | "Dawn of a New Age" |
| Established | 1937 (as junior high school) 1980 (as magnet high school) |
| Information | (706) 823-6933 |
| Colors Mascot |
Purple and white Panther |
| Partners in Education | Medical College of Georgia |
| Homepage | http://arjohnson.rcboe.org/home.aspx/ |
The school is named for Augustus Roberson Johnson [1] (1853-1908), an African-American teacher in Augusta during the late 19th century.
The school opened in 1892 as Mauge Street Grammar School, taking on the name A.R. Johnson Junior High School in 1937.[2] From 1945 to 1949, it served as a senior high school and in 1956, a new building was erected to serve as the junior high school. In 1980, the school was established as a examination school. In 1984, the engineering program of the school was in studies and in 1985, the engineering program of the school was introduced. Unlike C.T. Walker and Davidson, Johnson participates in several district competitive sports, among them track, cross country, soccer, golf, tennis, and volleyball. The school does not participate in the more traditional sports areas of football, basketball, and baseball.
On September 7, 2008, the school's new building, and will include an open-air cafeteria, and observatory deck that overlooks the school's library, and its first elevator.[3] The new building features a dome skylight and modern layouts. The old gymnasium was converted to an auditorium. The expansion project of the school will be completed in the fall of 2008. Sixth graders will start attending the school in August 2009, with seventh grade to be added in 2010, and eight grade in 2011. A. R. Johnson is accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
The school received the Blue Ribbon Award in 2003 and received the 2005, 2006, and 2007 Georgia Achievement Platinum Award. In 2007, it received a silver medal and was list as one of the top schools in the nation by US News & World Report.