The John Cooper School
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The John Cooper School is an
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,
college-preparatory A college-preparatory school (usually shortened to preparatory school or prep school) is a type of secondary school. The term refers to public, private independent or parochial schools primarily designed to prepare students for higher educat ...
,
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,
co-educational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...
day school located in The Woodlands, an
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planned community A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...
in Montgomery County,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
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.


Overview

The John Cooper School is an independent, college-preparatory, day school for students in prekindergarten through grade 12. The campus is located in a forested area of The Woodlands, Texas, a planned community of approximately 114,000 residentsThe Woodlands Demographics
The Woodlands Development Company
located approximately north of Houston. Cooper currently enrolls 510 students in the Upper School (9-12), 314 in the Middle School (6-8) and 492 in the Lower School (PK-5) for a total enrollment of 1,316.


History

The John Cooper School was funded by corporate and private benefactors, parents, and other supporters in The Woodlands and the Houston metropolitan area. It was named in honor of Mr. John Cooper, the long-tenured Headmaster of Houston's Kinkaid School, who guided the school through its original formation and early years of operation. Cooper officially opened on September 6, 1988, on a 43-acre campus designated for this purpose by the principal founder of The Woodlands, businessman and philanthropist
George P. Mitchell George Phydias Mitchell (May 21, 1919 – July 26, 2013) was an American businessman, real estate developer and philanthropist from Texas credited with pioneering the economic extraction of shale gas. According to ''The Economist,'' "few busine ...
. The School began with an enrollment of 175 students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 7, and one additional grade level was added each successive year. The first senior class graduated in 1994.The John Cooper School - A Brief History
The John Cooper School - A Brief History
The opening enrollment of 1,316 students for the 2022–23 academic year represents the school's largest ever student body.Cooper At A Glance
The John Cooper School Website
In 2015, Cooper's headmaster Mike Maher stated that the opening of
ExxonMobil ExxonMobil Corporation (commonly shortened to Exxon) is an American multinational oil and gas corporation headquartered in Irving, Texas. It is the largest direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, and was formed on November 3 ...
's offices in north Harris County will increase demand for The John Cooper School. In 2021, Dr. Stephen Popp was named as the new head of school starting in the 2022-23 school year. Dr. Popp previously served as the Upper School Headmaster and Assistant Head of School


Campus

The campus has expanded in conjunction with the School's steadily growing student body. A new middle and upper school building for academics was opened in 1992. Additions over the past 10 years include expansion to facilitate new PK classrooms and a PK playground, additional science and computer labs, a second gymnasium, a Student Center and lighted facilities for track and field, soccer, softball and baseball. The 38,000-square-foot Glenn Performing Arts Center opened in August, 2008, and features a 515-seat main stage theater, 125-seat black box theater and choir, drama, band and dance classrooms. A new Upper School Library, Middle/Upper School Health Center, and four additional classrooms were added in 2011 in addition to the Pugh Football Field. A new 16,500-square-foot Lower School 5th Grade classroom facility opened to the Lower School Student and Faculty Body for the 2013-2014 school year. In August 2016, the school opened the 45,000-square-foot Rock Math + Science Center which houses Middle and Upper School math, science, and computer science classes.
The John Cooper School Website
A new, 4,250-square-foot Lower School library building opened in spring of 2018, and the former library was renovated to consolidate administrative offices.


Accreditation

A non-profit corporation governed by a Board of Trustees, Cooper earned its first accreditation by the
Independent Schools Association of the Southwest The Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) is a nonprofit association of 89 independent schools located in the U.S. states of Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. ISAS is a member of the National A ...
(ISAS)ISAS Membership Directory
ISAS Website
in 1998. That accreditation was renewed again in 2008 and 2018. The School also holds memberships in the
National Association of Independent Schools The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1962, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, boa ...
(NAIS), the
National Association for College Admission Counseling The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), founded in 1937, is an organization of more than 25,000 professionals from around the world dedicated to serving students transitioning from secondary to postsecondary education. ...
(NACAC),NACAC Membership Directory
NACAC Website
the
Council for Advancement and Support of Education The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is a nonprofit association of educational institutions. It serves professionals in the field of educational advancement. This field encompasses alumni relations, communications, marketin ...
(CASE),CASE Membership Directory
CASE Website
the
College Entrance Examination Board The College Board is an American nonprofit organization that was formed in December 1899 as the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) to expand access to higher education. While the College Board is not an association of colleges, it runs a ...
(CEEB),College Board Institution Members
collegeboard.org
the
Educational Records Bureau Educational Records Bureau (ERB) is an educational services Non-profit Organization that offers assessments for both admission and achievement for independent and selective public schools for Pre K-grade 12. ERB was founded in 1927, and is h ...
(ERB), and the Cum Laude Society of America.Cum Laude Society Member Schools
cumlaudesociety.org


The Academic Program

Academics include English, mathematics, science, social sciences, world languages, computer science, physical education, visual and performing arts. Spanish is offered PK through Grade 12 and French is offered beginning in the sixth grade. 21 advanced placement courses are offered to Upper School students, and The John Cooper School has been recognized by being nominated for the prestigious Siemens Advanced Placement High School Award for having one of the strongest AP math and science programs in the state.


Athletics and Extracurricular Activities

Over 75 percent of Cooper's Middle and Upper School students participate in at least one sport. Students choose to compete in girls volleyball and softball, boys football and baseball, and boys and girls cross country, soccer, basketball, track, tennis, swimming, and golf.The John Cooper School Athletics
The John Cooper School Website
Varsity teams compete in the highly regarded
Southwest Preparatory Conference The Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) is an athletic conference for certain private high schools in Texas and Oklahoma. It is composed of the following schools: * The Awty International School in Houston, Texas *Casady School in Oklahoma Cit ...
that comprises 18 independent schools in Texas and Oklahoma.SPC Member Schools
SPC Website
Most recently, the football team won the SPC championship in November 2021. The Middle School teams participate in the Houston Junior Preparatory Conference.HJPC Member Schools
HJPC Website
Extensive club, service, and leadership opportunities are offered at all grade levels.The John Cooper School Clubs & Organizations
The John Cooper School Website
The school community contributes to the greater community through a wide variety club and service projects in all divisions as well as school-wide efforts such as the
Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or Habitat, is a US non-governmental, and nonprofit organization which was founded in 1976 by couple Millard and Linda Fuller. Habitat for Humanity is a C ...
Project that has partially funded and constructed Habitat homes each year since 1999, the Empty Bowls Project held each February to support and fund local hunger relief efforts, and the Dig Pink week held each October to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer.The John Cooper School Community Service
The John Cooper School Website
The Cooper Dig Pink fundraiser raised the most money in the nation in both 2015 and 2016. Additionally, the school has an active chapter of the student run civic organization
Junior State of America The Junior State of America (formerly the Junior Statesmen of America), abbreviated JSA, is an American non-partisan youth organization. The purpose of JSA is to help high school students acquire leadership skills and the knowledge necessary to ...
. Each year the Cooper chapter is one of the largest in Texas and has had many students involved on a state and national level through elections and leadership conferences. Cooper graduates have 100 percent college matriculationSchool Profile
The John Cooper School
and are accepted to top colleges and universities, nationally and internationally.Matriculation Report
The John Cooper School
Seven students from the class of 2017 were named National Merit Semifinalists.


Notable alumni

* Mallory Bechtel — Broadway, Zoe Murphy in ''
Dear Evan Hansen ''Dear Evan Hansen'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a book by Steven Levenson. The musical follows Evan Hansen, a high school senior with social anxiety, "who invents an important role for himself in a t ...
'' * Coby Cotton — YouTuber from the channel
Dude Perfect Dude Perfect (DP) is an American sports and comedy group headquartered in Frisco, Texas. The group consists of Tyler "TT" Toney, twins Cory and Coby Cotton, Garrett "Purple Hoser" Hilbert, and Cody "Tall Guy" Jones, all of whom are former colleg ...
* Cory Cotton — YouTuber from the channel
Dude Perfect Dude Perfect (DP) is an American sports and comedy group headquartered in Frisco, Texas. The group consists of Tyler "TT" Toney, twins Cory and Coby Cotton, Garrett "Purple Hoser" Hilbert, and Cody "Tall Guy" Jones, all of whom are former colleg ...
* Rachel Stelter — Professional
National Women's Soccer League The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a professional women's soccer league at the top of the United States league system. It is owned by the teams and, until 2020, was under a management contract with the United States Soccer Federati ...
soccer player


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, John School Independent Schools Association of the Southwest Private K-12 schools in Texas Private schools in Greater Houston Schools in Montgomery County, Texas High schools in Montgomery County, Texas Preparatory schools in Texas Educational institutions established in 1988 1988 establishments in Texas