Isidore Newman School
Private, college-prep, day
Address1903 Jefferson Avenue
CityNew Orleans
StateLouisiana
Zipcode70115
CountryUnited States
Coordinates29.9311°N 90.1116°W
DenominationNon-denominational
FounderIsidore Newman
Head of schoolDale Smith
Faculty208 (2021)
Ratio6:1
GenderCoeducational
Endowment~$37,000,000 (2019-2020)
Budget~$31,000,000 (2019-2020)
GradesPK – 12
Athletic conferenceLHSAA
Fight songGreen and White
Motto translationWe learn to do by doing
AccreditationNAIS – ISAS
SACS
MascotGreenie Gator
ColoursKelly green, white
YearbookAbsinthe
NewspaperThe Navigator
Established1903
Alumni~6,700
Websitenewmanschool.org

Isidore Newman School is a private, nondenominational, coeducational college preparatory school located on an 11-acre (45,000-square metre) campus in the uptown section of New Orleans, Louisiana.

History

Isidore Newman School was founded in 1903 by Isidore Newman, a New Orleans philanthropist and founder of the Maison Blanche department store chain. It opened its doors the following year as the Isidore Newman Manual Training School (the name was changed in 1931),[1] and it was initially intended for Jewish orphans. Historically, Jewish charities supported the school.[2] The school buildings suffered damage due to wind[3] and flooding caused by 2005's Hurricane Katrina and was closed for two months.[4] It reopened in January 2006, and by October 2006 enrollment fully recovered.[3] As of April 2022, the school is the target of a sealed federal civil rights lawsuit, filed in 2018, related to Title IX violations in connection with a separate lawsuit against a student convicted of sexual battery.[5][6]

Newman offers comprehensive education for students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, organized into Lower, Middle and Upper schools.[7] Eli N. Evans wrote in the 1973 book The Provincials: A Personal History of Jews in the South that Newman is "highly oriented to college admission."[2] The school is a member of the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest and the National Association of Independent Schools. The school also offers four foreign languages, including Honors and/or AP classes in each language: French, Spanish, Latin and Chinese.[8] In order to be on the honor roll, students must maintain a 3.67 GPA. This includes a one GPA point addition for both honors and AP courses.

Jeré Longman of The New York Times described Isidore Newman as "one of Louisiana’s elite private schools."[3]

Enrollment

Newman has a student body of 1,055 and a faculty of 208, with an average class size of 15 students per class. Newman has 434 students in its lower school, 253 in its middle school, and 368 in its upper school. About 40% of the students were Jewish circa 1973, and historically in the 20th century there was social distance between Jewish and non-Jewish students that began with private dances held by non-Jewish students.[9]

Athletics

Newman's athletic teams compete in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. The school fields teams on a number of sports, including baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and volleyball. Newman has held 113 State Championships as of December 2023. The largest building on campus is the Cotonio Palaestra.

Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning attended the high school, leading their football team to a 34–5 record during his three seasons as its starter. He was named Gatorade Circle of Champions National Player-of-the-Year and Columbus (Ohio) Touchdown Club National Offensive Player-of-the-Year in 1993.[10] While at Newman, he began wearing the #18 jersey in honor of his older brother Cooper, who was forced to give up football due to spinal stenosis. Younger brother Eli also wore the number when he became starting quarterback. Newman has since retired the #18 jersey and it can be seen hanging in the school gym.[11] Peyton was among the most sought after high school players in the country and was recruited by 60 colleges.[12] Cooper's son Arch, the most recent Newman quarterback, was touted as one of the top players in the college recruiting class of 2023 before committing to Texas.[13]

Jeremy Bleich, later selected in the first round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft by the New York Yankees, played baseball for the school, graduating in 2005. In high school by his junior year he had what author Michael Lewis described as "a decent fastball, great command, a big-league change-up and charm to burn," and had over 40 colleges recruiting him.[14] Bleich was named a 2005 first-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball (Louisville Slugger), a third-team All American by Baseball America, and the 2005 All-Metro Player of the Year.[15] He was named All-State in Louisiana twice, was the 2004 and 2005 District Most Valuable Player, and in 2003-2005 was named a three-time All-District, All-Metro, and All-Orleans teams player.[15]

In May 2010, ESPN.com ranked Newman at the top of a survey of which high schools produce the best NFL players — even though the school had at the time only produced three NFL players: Omar Douglas and the Manning brothers.[16] NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. graduated from Newman in 2011.[17]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ "NOLA History: 6 New Orleans Schools of Historic Interest". GoNOLA.com. 2014-09-08. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
  2. ^ Evans, Eli N. (2005). The Provincials: A Personal History of Jews in the South. University of North Carolina Press. p. 211. ISBN 0807876348.
  3. ^ Longman, Jeré (2006-10-24). "Homecoming Is a Victory, by Any Definition". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
  4. ^ "ISIDORE NEWMAN SCHOOL vs. J. EVERETT EAVES, INC. AND WESTPORT INSURANCE CORPORATION". Louisiana Supreme Court. July 6, 2010.
  5. ^ writers, ANDREA GALLO and RAMON ANTONIO VARGAS | Staff (December 14, 2021). "Isidore Newman School is the subject of a sealed lawsuit after grad's sexual assault claims". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  6. ^ writer, ANDREA GALLO | Staff (January 26, 2022). "The Times-Picayune OK'd to intervene in long-sealed lawsuit against Isidore Newman School". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  7. ^ "Isidore Newman School ~ Newman at a Glance". www.newmanschool.org. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
  8. ^ "World Language". Upper School Curriculum. Isadore Newman School. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
  9. ^ Evans, Eli N. (1997). The Provincials: A Personal History of Jews in the South. University of North Carolina Press. pp. 211–212. ISBN 0807876348.
  10. ^ "MANNING AT A GLANCE". Denver Broncos. Archived from the original on 2014-04-18. Retrieved 2014-01-20.
  11. ^ Winkeljohn, Matt (2010-05-11). "Manning brothers lift Isidore Newman". ESPN
  12. ^ Bradley, John Ed (1993-11-15). "Like Father, Like Son". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2016-03-07.
  13. ^ Cobb, David (2020-08-19). "Arch Manning, nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, rates as top QB in first rankings for class of 2023". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2020-11-02.
  14. ^ Lewis, Michael (2004-03-28). "Coach Fitz's Management Theory". The New York Times
  15. ^ "Player Bio: Jeremy Bleich". GoStanford.com
  16. ^ Winkeljohn, Matt (2010-05-11). "Manning brothers lift Isidore Newman". ESPN
  17. ^ Hibbert, R. (2011-02-02). "Newman Senior Odell Beckham Signs with Louisiana State University". Isidore Newman School. Retrieved 2018-10-03.
  18. ^ "Bryan Batt '81 Named Recipient of 2009 Distinguished Alumnus Award". Newman School. March 3, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  19. ^ "Odell Beckham Jr., 2011 Wide Receiver, Louisiana State". Rivals.com. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  20. ^ "Jeremy Bleich, '05: Pitching with the Pros". Isidore Newman School. September 30, 2009. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  21. ^ "His time: New Orleans actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. is making waves (and 'Waves') in Hollywood.". December 4, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  22. ^ "The man who won Steve Jobs' trust". CNN Business. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  23. ^ "Newman Distinguished Alumna 2013: Leslie Rosenthal Jacobs '77". Newman School. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  24. ^ Gatorade National Player of the Year#Basketball
  25. ^ "John Lovell, Jr & John Lovell, III 2006-2007". NASBA Center for the Public Trust. Retrieved April 8, 2013.[dead link]
  26. ^ VanHarren, Tom (September 30, 2022). "Arch Manning breaks Eli, Peyton Manning's career high school records". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  27. ^ "Eli Manning had Super sense of future while still in high school". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  28. ^ "Newman News". Newman School. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  29. ^ "Walda Barnett Besthoff '54 and Sydney J. Besthoff III '45, Mark J. Plotkin '73". Isidore Newman School. Retrieved April 8, 2013.[dead link]
  30. ^ "VJ Books presents Christopher Rice!". VJ Books. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  31. ^ Parker, Nancy (February 26, 2015). "Local musician turns 'different' into success". Fox 8 Live. Frankly Media and Raycom Media. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  32. ^ "Claude "Little Monk" Simons". Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
  33. ^ "Bruce Spizer". beatle.net. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  34. ^ "Publishing Success is Child's Play for Mo Willems '86". Newman School. September 30, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  35. ^ "Newman Annual Report 2007-2008". NewmanSchool.org. Retrieved April 8, 2013.

Further reading

  • Konigsmark, Anne Rochell. Isidore Newman School: One Hundred Years, 2004 (ISBN 0-9747959-0-9).