In 2009 the MDCPS school board voted for the name of this school, considering the Mournings and former Attorney General of the United StatesJanet Reno.[3] The school was named after the Mournings due to their assistance to the area schools; some members of the Cuban community in Miami disliked Reno as they disagreed with her handling of the Elian Gonzalez case.[4]
It was scheduled to open on Monday August 24, 2009. Initially it was to have about 600 students in grades 9 and 10 with grades 11 and 12 being phased in over the following two years, and 36 teachers. Sally Alayon was the school's first principal. The student population was planned to be around 1,600 in all.[3] The Mournings visited during the first day of school dressed wearing the Mourning school uniform shirt.[6]
Several residents of Aventura were unhappy that Aventura was not zoned to Mourning.[7]
In 2009, the head of the school's English department, Melissa Keller, stated that Mourning's book, Resilience: Faith, Focus, Triumph, would be a part of the curriculum.[3] It has not been a part of the curriculum in recent years.[citation needed]
Demographics
Since 2009, Mourning High's student body has been 35% White non-Hispanic, 33% Hispanic (of any race), and 32% Black.
School uniforms
Students are required to wear uniforms[8] consisting of a polo with the school crest, and khakis or jeans.
Any clothing worn over a uniform shirt (i.e. a jacket or a coat) is required to be a school color — blue, grey, or white. Black is permitted.
Uniformed shirts and outerwear are sold on-campus.