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My name is Mauri Chantel Melander Friestleben and I am the proud principal of Minneapolis' North High School. North High serves 9th through 12th grade students on the North side of Minneapolis, MN. The original North High School opened in 1888 and graduated its first clas in 1891. The student body outgrew the facility and the building we reside in today was built and opened in 1973.
You can find Minneapolis North High School at 1500 James Avenue North. We serve a student body of approximately 500 with a focus on college and career readiness. We are excited to find ways to enrich and build up the three As that we find critical to the High School Experience: Academics, Arts and Athletics.
My journey to the principalship of North High has been one of many twists and turns. But all leading me to this space. I attended my early years of education on the North Side of Minneapolis and finished on the South side; all within Minneapolis Public Schools. I attended college in Saint Paul, MN and began teaching thereafter. I taught all over Minneapolis, but mostly on the North side. I have served as an assistant to two Superintendents, been an assistant principal and a principal. Through my years as a student and staff, I have had the opportunity to learn and serve in over 15 different MPS sites. All leading to this critical location: Minneapolis North High.
I stand on the firm belief that the journey to this place has not been by accident. And I feel the same for every student, staff and parent that stands here with me. I look forward with great anticipation the new levels and higher plains we can reach together. And I am humbled and honored that I get to be the one to stand with the staff, students and parents as they soar to those new heights.
My service and committment to the city of Minneapolis is not only held by me. My husband, Michael Friestleben, recently retired after serving in the Minneapolis Police Department for three decades. He currently coaches the Lady Polars Basketball team here at North High. We have four daughters: Allyson, Rebecca, Yasmina and Ayanna. Our oldest three have graduated and are working in their respective professions. Our youngest daughter, Ayanna, remains a student in MPS. We look forward to the day when she also walks across the stage and graduates a North High Polar for life.
I have a passion and a commitment to creating educational atmoshperes for students that breathes and breeds academic and social integrity, rigor and compassion. I lead in ways that could be described as both soft and firm; pushing and pulling; loud and quiet. I am thankful for this life of leading and the favor that has come along with it. And I am committed to seeing the ultimate success of both the students and staff I am privileged to work with. For when they are successful, I am successful.
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