North, which last year had nearly 600 students in a school built for twice that number, has drawn at least 50 new students a year after the boundary changes, despite losing a prime band of its northern boundary to Camden High.

Friestleben heard from her community about the desire for high social and academic standards, and after making it the school’s focus, North Side families who had been opting out began opting in, she said.

Advanced course offerings are up and spirits are high, she added.

ReNee Pettis, a North High graduate and president of its booster club, said one of her children chose to leave DeLaSalle for North because of the community connection it provided.

Looking back over the recent enrollment gains, Friestleben said: “What I don’t think people realize is what it took to grow, period. And then what it took to grow in spite of the attendance zones. It took an amazing amount of work on the behalf of this staff.”

Beth Mason lives in Lowry Hill. Her daughter Reina would’ve gone to North High under the new plan, and she gave its feeder school, Anwatin Middle School in the Bryn Mawr neighborhood, a try. At first, Mason said, there were 20 kids at the bus stop, mostly sixth-graders. Then came reports of unruly behavior at the school, and one day, a lockdown spurred by separate fights that left Reina taking refuge in a closet.