John H. Reagan High School (Houston, Texas)
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Heights High School, formerly
John H. Reagan John Henninger Reagan (October 8, 1818March 6, 1905) was an American politician from Texas. A Democrat, Reagan resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives when Texas seceded from the Union and joined the Confederate States of America. He s ...
High School, is a senior high school located in the
Houston Heights Houston Heights (often referred to simply as "The Heights") is a community in northwest-central Houston, Texas, United States. "The Heights" is often referred to colloquially to describe a larger collection of neighborhoods next to and including ...
in
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
. It serves students in grades nine through twelve and is a part of the Houston Independent School District. Heights High School is HISD's Magnet School of Computer Technology and offers the
International Baccalaureate Programme The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a two-year educational programme primarily aimed at 16-to-19-year-olds in 140 countries around the world. The programme provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into ...
(IB) Middle Years Program (till 10th grade) and twenty Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Students join one of the following academies: Computer Magnet Academy, Health Science Academy, Business Academy, Engineering Academy, or Transportation Academy. The principal of Heights High School is Wendy Hampton.


History

Houston Heights High School was first established for Heights residents in 1904, as an elementary through high school. Its initial site was lots 8-17 of Houston Heights Block 185, on what is now Milroy Park. When the Heights joined the City of Houston in 1918, the building at the end of Heights Boulevard and 20th known today as Hamilton Middle School became the Senior High School, and the old location became a Junior High School. When the original building on Yale and 12th burned in 1924, a new location for the high school was picked in the block between Oxford and Arlington, 13th and 14th. The new school was named John H. Reagan High School and opened in 1926 with the student body and teachers marching down Heights Blvd from the old school building to the new high school on 13th Street. Reagan was built on the entirety of blocks 166 and 167. The campus was designed by John Staub and William Ward Watkin, who were designers of the original campus of Rice University. Reagan was first established as an all-white high school. Overcrowding at Reagan was relieved by Waltrip High School when Waltrip opened in 1959. Reagan High was previously reserved for white children (Hispanics being categorized as white prior to 1970Kellar, William Henry. '' Make Haste Slowly: Moderates, Conservatives, and School Desegregation in Houston''. Texas A&M University Press, 1999. , 9781603447188. // p
33
(Google Books PT14).
) but it desegregated by 1970. Its student body started to become increasingly Hispanic; by 1988 Reagan was mostly Hispanic. In 1997 a portion of the Reagan boundary was rezoned to Waltrip.1996-1997 HISD ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES
(). '' Houston Independent School District''. June 30, 1997. Retrieved on December 13, 2010. "Redirect students residing in a geographic "arm" west of Shepherd from Reagan to Waltrip"
In 2006 Reagan began a renovation project. Set to end in the summer of 2007, the renovations to Reagan included the building of a new
cafeteria A cafeteria, sometimes called a canteen outside the U.S., is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school ...
, a new gymnasium complex, an additional academic building, a new vocational building, and a
library A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...
.School Histories: the Stories Behind the Names
." '' Houston Independent School District''. Accessed September 24, 2008.
Circa 2006 Connie Berger became the principal of Reagan. In 2009 Berger expected around 100 former private school students to enroll because the economic conditions persuaded families to send their children to public school instead of private school. Around 2012, each year a total of 400 students transfer from Booker T. Washington High School to Reagan and Waltrip High School.Radcliffe, Jennifer.
Effort to save historic Booker T. High gains steam
" ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
''. Thursday February 2, 2012. Retrieved on February 2, 2012.
The HISD board voted to rename the school to Heights High School in 2016.Clemons, Tracy.
HISD approves name changes for seven schools

Archive
. '' KTRK-TV''. Thursday May 12, 2016. Retrieved on May 21, 2016.
In June 2016 a group of eight Houston area residents, including alumni and parents, sued HISD to get an injunction to prevent the name changes; they did so after HISD did not accept their ultimatum to stop the name changes. Wayne Dolcefino serves as their spokesperson. The case was rejected in court with prejudice.


Campus

In 2006 Reagan began a renovation project that included the building of a new cafeteria, a new gymnasium complex, an additional academic building, a new vocational building, and a library. The school now also has an auditorium, a teaching theater, dance rooms, technology rooms, a piano lab, a choir/band hall, and a library with computers where the students can do research. It also has a two-story parking garage, an auto shop, and large track and field. In 2012 Richard Connelly of the '' Houston Press'' ranked Reagan as the sixth most architecturally beautiful high school campus in
Greater Houston Greater Houston, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land, is the fifth-most populous metropolitan statistical area in the United States, encompassing nine counties along the Gulf Co ...
. Connelly said that a coworker told him that Reagan looked like Rydell High School in '' Grease''.Connelly, Richard. "The 7 Best-Looking High Schools in Houston." '' Houston Press''. Tuesday May 22, 2012
1
Retrieved on May 27, 2012.


Academic programs

Health and Science Academy: classes and shadowing at health care facilities; seniors can work entry level health positions in partnership with
Ben Taub Hospital Ben Taub Hospital is a public hospital located in Houston, Texas within the Texas Medical Center. Having opened in May 1963, the hospital is owned and operated by the Harris Health System and is staffed by the faculty, residents, and students fro ...
. Business Academy: classes and hands-on experience. Magnet Academy for Computer Technology: options include audio/video production, computer programming and digital media/web technology. The school’s A/V program is the only authorized Apple training center in the Houston area, giving students the opportunity to earn certification in Apple Final Cut Pro video editing software. Engineering and Design Academy – Students participate in VEX and
FIRST Robotics For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (''FIRST'') is an international youth organization that operates the ''FIRST'' Robotics Competition, ''FIRST'' LEGO League Challenge, ''FIRST'' LEGO League Explore, ''FIRST'' LEGO Leagu ...
, and have access to a NAO Humanoid Robot for programming, Markerbots 3D printers and an Arduino electronics lab. Transportation Academy – Students study in specialized labs designed for automotive mechanics and repair. The program is certified by NATEF and students compete in SkillsUSA competitions. International Baccalaureate – (IB) – In 2013, Reagan became an official IB World School offering the Middle Years Programme (from 6th to 10th grade) in partnership with Hogg Middle School.


Student body

In 2006 the school had 1,600 students. In 2016 it had 2,340 students.


Athletics

2014 was Heights High’s first year in the 6A Conference. The football team is cheered on by Bulldog Cheerleaders, the “redcoats”, and a marching band composed of about 140 students.


Neighborhoods served by the school

Heights High School takes students from most of the
Houston Heights Houston Heights (often referred to simply as "The Heights") is a community in northwest-central Houston, Texas, United States. "The Heights" is often referred to colloquially to describe a larger collection of neighborhoods next to and including ...
neighborhood A neighbourhood (British English, Irish English, Australian English and Canadian English) or neighborhood (American English; see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town, suburb or rural area, ...
, a small portion of Downtown Houston, the Fourth Ward, East Norhill, Woodland Heights, Brooke Smith, Magnolia Grove, Stude the Old Sixth Ward, The Historic 1st Ward, and a small portion of Midtown. Other parts of Houston northwest of downtown within the
610 Loop Interstate 610 (I-610) is a freeway that forms a loop around the inner city sector of the city of Houston, Texas. I-610, colloquially known as The Loop, Loop 610, The Inner Loop, or just 610, traditionally marks the border between the i ...
are zoned to Heights High as well. Originally, all of the Houston Heights was zoned to the school. In 1997, a small portion was rezoned to Waltrip. The following
Houston Housing Authority Houston Housing Authority (HHA), formerly Housing Authority of the City of Houston (HACH), is the public housing authority in Houston, Texas. The Mayor of Houston appoints the board of directors of the HHA, but it itself is not a department of th ...
public housing complexes, all in the Fourth Ward, are zoned to Heights High: Historic Oaks of Allen Parkway Village, Historical Rental Initiative (30 single-family houses), and Victory Place.


Feeder patterns

Middle school A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...
s feeding into Heights High School include
Gregory-Lincoln Education Center Edgar Gregory-Abraham Lincoln Education Center (GLEC) is a K-8 school located at 1101 Taft in the Fourth Ward area of Houston, Texas, United States. Gregory-Lincoln is a part of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and has a fine arts ...
, Alexander Hamilton, and Hogg,
Elementary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...
s that feed indirectly into Heights through the above middle schools include Browning Field
Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
(partial) Crockett
Gregory-Lincoln Education Center Edgar Gregory-Abraham Lincoln Education Center (GLEC) is a K-8 school located at 1101 Taft in the Fourth Ward area of Houston, Texas, United States. Gregory-Lincoln is a part of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and has a fine arts ...
Helms Jefferson Ketelsen (partial) Love Memorial (partial), and Travis (partial). Magnet students must follow the HISD Magnet application process and may apply from all HISD areas.


Notable alumni

*
Red Adair Paul Neal "Red" Adair (June 18, 1915 – August 7, 2004)Obituary: Red Adair
Distinguished HISD Alumni
." '' Houston Independent School District''. * Mary Kay Ash (Class of 1934), founder of
Mary Kay Cosmetics Mary Kay Inc. is an American privately owned multi-level marketing company. According to '' Direct Selling News'', Mary Kay was the sixth largest network marketing company in the world in 2018, with a wholesale volume of US$3.25 billion.
*
Val Belcher Val Belcher (July 6, 1954 – September 12, 2010) was an American football Guard (American and Canadian football), offensive guard in the Canadian Football League for the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He played college footbal ...
(Class of 1972), former
CFL The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
All-Star * Dr.
Denton Cooley Denton Arthur Cooley (August 22, 1920 – November 18, 2016) was an American heart and cardiothoracic surgeon famous for performing the first implantation of a total artificial heart. Cooley was also the founder and surgeon in-chief of The T ...
(Class of 1937), heart surgeon * Wayne Graham (Class of 1954), professional baseball player
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
, and
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
. Head Baseball Coach of the Rice University Owls *
Richard Haynes (lawyer) Richard "Racehorse" Haynes (April 3, 1927 – April 28, 2017) was a Texas criminal defense attorney. He became a star of the legal world after prevailing in a series of seemingly impossible murder trials in Texas in the 1970s and 1980s. Time magaz ...
(Class of 1945), criminal defense attorney *
Larry Hovis Larry Hovis (February 20, 1936 – September 9, 2003) was an American singer and actor best known for the 1960s television sitcom '' Hogan's Heroes''. Early life and career Hovis was born in Wapato, Washington, and moved to Houston, Texas, as a ...
(Class of 1954), actor, notably in long running TV sitcom, "Hogans' Heroes" * Raymond Knight (Class of 1940), U.S. Army Air Corps
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
recipient * Dan Rather (Class of 1950), journalist * Craig Reynolds (Class of 1971), professional baseball player for the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
,
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
, and
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
*
Martha Wong Dr. Martha Jee Wong, born Martha Jee,(1939–) * Gwendolyn Zepeda (Class of 1990), authorReagan HS grad becomes Houston’s first poet laureate
" Houston Independent School District. May 9, 2013. Retrieved on August 19, 2017.


References


Further reading

* Mellon, Ericka.
Investigarán problemas con calificaciones de estudiantes en otra escuela de HISD

Archive
. ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
'' in '' La Voz de Houston''. May 12, 2015. * Villareal, Mario and Claudia Macias. "A Historical Outlook of the Mexican American Population Growth at Reagan High School." History paper, fall 1994. In the possession of Professor Guadalupe San Miguel of the
University of Houston The University of Houston (UH) is a Public university, public research university in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1927, UH is a member of the University of Houston System and the List of universities in Texas by enrollment, university in Texas ...
. San Miguel cited the paper in his book, '' Brown, Not White: School Integration and the Chicano Movement in Houston''.


External links


Heights High School
** ** {{authority control 1927 establishments in Texas Educational institutions established in 1927 Houston Independent School District high schools Public high schools in Houston Magnet schools in Houston Houston Heights