The Woodlands High School

For the school in Hartsdale, New York, see Greenburgh Central School District.
The Woodlands High School
Address
Map
6101 Research Forest Drive

The Woodlands
,
Texas
77381-6028

United States
Coordinates30°11′40″N 95°30′12″W / 30.19444°N 95.50333°W / 30.19444; -95.50333
Information
School typePublic high school
MottoA Tradition of Excellence
Established1996
School districtConroe Independent School District
PrincipalTed Landry
Teaching staff245.95 (FTE)[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment4,498 (2023–2024)[1]
Student to teacher ratio18.29[1]
CampusCity: Small
Color(s)      Forest green, red, and white
Athletics conferenceUIL Class 6A
NicknameHighlanders
NewspaperThe Caledonian
WebsiteThe Woodlands High School

The Woodlands High School is a public high school located in The Woodlands CDP in Montgomery County, Texas, and is a part of the Conroe Independent School District. A section of the Montgomery County portion of The Woodlands and unincorporated areas south of the city of Conroe are served by The Woodlands High School. In 2019, the school received an A grade from the Texas Education Agency.

Campuses

TWHS takes pupils in grades 9 to 12, divided between the two campuses:

  • The Woodlands High School: grades 10–12
  • The Woodlands High School Ninth Grade Campus (formerly Branch Crossing Junior High School): grade 9[2]

From 1976 until the opening of The Woodlands High School in 1996, McCullough High School served The Woodlands community. McCullough High School, named after J.L. McCullough, also housed seventh and eighth graders until Knox Junior High opened its doors in 1978. When The Woodlands High School opened on August 26, 1996, McCullough served The Woodlands community as a junior high school. From 2000 to 2005, McCullough was known as "The Woodlands High School McCullough Campus," housing freshmen and sophomores. Since 2005, with the opening of The Woodlands College Park High School, McCullough has once again served the community as a junior high school.

Demographics

In the 2018–19 school year, The Woodlands High School had 4,345 students, including students at the 9th-grade campus. The ethnic distribution was:[1]

7% of students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.[3]

Academics

In 1997–98, The Woodlands High School was named a Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education.[4] For each school year, the Texas Education Agency rates school performance using an A–F grading system based on statistical data. For 2018–2019, the school received a score of 92 out of 100, resulting in an A grade. The school received a similar score of 93 the previous year.[5]

The Woodlands High School was ranked 295 in Newsweek’s 2011 list of the Best High Schools in the United States.[6] The school was ranked based on graduation rate, college matriculation rate, AP tests taken per graduate, average SAT/ACT scores, average AP scores, and AP courses offered. Newsweek has ranked the school among America's top 1,000 high schools on several occasions. Additionally, in its 2013 ranking of America's Best High Schools, U.S. News & World Report awarded a Gold Medal to The Woodlands High School. This means The Woodlands High School ranked among the top 500 schools nationally (out of 21,035 schools) using a College Readiness Index heavily weighted on success on Advanced Placement examinations.[7] The Woodlands High School has also been awarded the University Interscholastic League Class 5A Lone Star Cup on five occasions (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011).[8] This award is intended to honor the best overall academic and athletic program in the state of Texas, as determined by success at UIL-sanctioned activities.

The Woodlands High School has a relatively extensive College Board Advanced Placement program that includes the following courses: art history, biology, calculus AB and BC, chemistry, Chinese language and culture, computer science A, English language and literature, environmental science, European history, French language, German language, human geography, Japanese language and culture, macroeconomics, music theory, physics C, psychology, Spanish language, statistics, studio art, U.S. history, U.S. government and politics, and world history.[9]

Athletics

The Woodlands Highlanders compete in swimming, cross country, volleyball, football, basketball, wrestling, powerlifting, soccer, golf, tennis, track, softball, lacrosse, and baseball.

In 2006, The Woodlands baseball team finished the season with a 38–1 record and won the Texas UIL 5A State Championship. They were also named National Champions by Baseball America.[10] The 2006 team included future Major League Players Kyle Drabek and Paul Goldschmidt.[11]

In 2011, The Woodlands softball team finished the season with a 44–1 record and won the Texas UIL 5A State Championship. They were also named National Champions by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association/USA Today[12] and ESPN/Rise.[13] The coaching staff was named NFCA National Coaching Staff of the year.[14]

Due to the similarity of its red "W" logo, the University of Wisconsin threatened to bring legal action against TWHS, which agreed to phase out the logo.[15]

State athletic titles

  • Baseball[16]
    • 2000 (5A), 2006 (5A), 2013 (5A)
  • Boys cross country[17]
    • 1999 (5A), 2000 (5A), 2003 (5A), 2004 (5A), 2006 (5A), 2007 (5A), 2008 (5A), 2009 (5A), 2010 (5A), 2015 (6A), 2016 (6A), 2017 (6A), 2018 (6A)
  • Girls cross country[17]
    • 2008 (5A)
  • Boys golf[18]
    • 2002 (5A), 2005 (5A), 2012 (5A)
  • Girls golf[18]
    • 2001 (5A), 2002 (5A), 2003 (5A)
  • Girls soccer[19]
    • 2010 (5A)
  • Boys swimming[20]
    • 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004 (5A), 2010 (5A), 2021 (6A)
  • Girls swimming[20][21]
    • 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2006 (5A), 2009 (5A), 2017 (6A), 2018 (6A), 2021 (6A), 2023 (6A), 2024 (6A)
  • Girls softball[22]
    • 2011 (5A)
  • Girls volleyball[23]
    • 2013 (5A), 2014 (6A)
  • Boys track and field[24][25][26]
    • 1999 (5A), 2017 (6A), 2018 (6A)
  • Boys tennis[27]
    • 2023 (6A)

Additionally, the school has won the Lone Star Cup eight times, most recently as a 6A school in 2020-2021.[28]

Band

The Woodlands High School Band was honored by the John Philip Sousa Foundation with the Sudler Flag of Honor in 2003 in recognition for excellence in a concert setting.[29] The band was honored again by the John Philip Sousa Foundation in 2009 and 2018 with the Sudler Shield in recognition for excellence in marching band.[30] This makes The Woodlands High School one of only a handful of high schools internationally to have received both the Sudler Flag and the Sudler Shield.[31] In 2003 and 2012, The Woodlands High School's Wind Ensemble was invited to perform at The Midwest Clinic.[32][33] In 2012, the Wind Ensemble was named a National Winner in The Foundation for Music Education's National Wind Band Honors Project.[34] Members of The Woodlands High School Band have placed in the TMEA All-State Bands and Orchestras every year since the school has opened.[35]

In 2006, the band received first place in the class AAA Bands of America Grand National Championships semi-finals.[36] In 2013, the band was named the Bands of America Grand National Champion, scoring a 96.8 and winning caption awards for Outstanding Music Performance and Outstanding General Effect.[37] The band has been a BOA Grand National finalist 12 times, the most out of any band from Texas. The band has been a UIL Marching Band state finalist 11 times between 2002 and 2024.[38]

The marching band has been invited to perform at the 2025 Rose Parade in Pasadena, CA.

Extracurricular activities

The school offers more than 80 different clubs and organizations. Students have the opportunity to participate in band, choir, speech, debate, drama, drill team, orchestra, cheerleading, and UIL academic activities.[39]

In 2004, The Woodlands High School Winter Guard were the Winter Guard International Scholastic Open Class champions.[40]

The Woodlands High School Theatre Department has succeeded in advancing to the state finals of the UIL one-act play contest six times, most recently in 2011, and won the state title in 2000.[41] The theatre department has also been invited to perform on the main stage of the International Thespian Festival four times. The department performed at Texas Thespian State Festival and International State Festival for the first time in December 2015 and June 2016 respectively with the musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.[42] In 2003, the theatre department performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[43]

The Woodlands High School Highsteppers were Grand National Champions in 2005.[44]

Feeder patterns

Elementary schools (K-4) that feed into The Woodlands High School include:[45]

  • Buckalew
  • Bush
  • Galatas
  • Glen Loch
  • Powell (excluding Harper's Landing).

Combined elementary and intermediate schools (K-6) include Deretchin and Coulson Tough.

Intermediate schools (5-6) include Mitchell and Wilkerson (Glen Loch ES zoning only).

McCullough Junior High School is the sole feeder junior high school (7-8) into The Woodlands High School.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ a b c d "the Woodlands H S". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  2. ^ "TWHS 9th Grade Center". Twhs9.conroeisd.net. September 10, 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  3. ^ "TEA 2019 Accountability Report". Texas Education Agency. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  4. ^ "national blue ribbon schools program: Schools Recognized 1982 Through 2018" (PDF). U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  5. ^ "Overview: the Woodlands H S". Texas Education Agency. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  6. ^ "America's Best High Schools - Newsweek - Newsweek Education - Newsweek America's Best High Schools - thedailybeast.com". The Daily Beast. June 19, 2011. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
  7. ^ "Best High Schools Ranking- U.S. News & World Report". U.S. News & World Report. May 14, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  8. ^ "Lone Star Cup". December 21, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  9. ^ "CISD" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 23, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  10. ^ Collazo, Carlos (June 21, 2017). "2017 High School Team Of The Year: Shawnee High". Baseball America. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  11. ^ a b Poorman, Jon (June 2, 2016). "MLB: Diamondbacks All-Star, Woodlands alum Goldschmidt embraces return to Houston". The Courier of Montgomery County. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  12. ^ Miller, Johnny (June 28, 2011). "the Woodlands (Texas) tops final USA Today/NFCA high school top 25 poll". National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  13. ^ Linnehan, Andrew (March 20, 2012). "The Woodlands set to defend FAB 50 title". ESPN. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  14. ^ Miller, Johnny (July 28, 2011). "the Woodlands named 2011 NFCA high school national coaching staff of the year". National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  15. ^ Muonio, Jake (September 15, 2007). "TWHS, University of Wisconsin settle logo dispute". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
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  18. ^ a b "Golf State Champions". UIL. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
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  30. ^ "Previous Recipients of the Sudler Shield Award". John Philip Sousa Foundation. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  31. ^ "TWHS Band". TWHS Band. December 6, 2022.
  32. ^ "2003 Performers". Midwest Clinic. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  33. ^ "2012 Performers and Concert Programs". Midwest Clinic. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
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  37. ^ "2013 Grand National Champion Results". musicforall.org. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
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