Conroe High School

Summary

Conroe High School is a secondary school in Conroe, Texas. The school is a part of the Conroe Independent School District and serves most of the city of Conroe as well as portions of unincorporated Montgomery County, including the community of River Plantation. The campus was initially built in 1964 to replace the older Davy Crockett High School as Conroe's primary high school.[2] The campus has been updated, renovated and expanded through various bond measures, including in 2004,[3] 2015,[4] and 2019.[5][6]

Conroe High School
Address
3200 West Davis Street

,
Texas
77304
Information
School typePublic high school
MottoPride and Unity
Founded1964
School districtConroe Independent School District
SuperintendentCurtis Null
NCES School ID481500001002
PrincipalRotasha Smith
Faculty281.96 (on an FTE basis)[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment4,663 (2021–22)[1] (combined attendance for the Grade 9 campus and the Grades 10–12 campus, since NCES considers them to be one school)
Student to teacher ratio16.54[1]
Color(s)    Gold and White
Athletics conferenceUIL Class AAAAAA
MascotTiger
NewspaperThe Triumph
Websitechs.conroeisd.net

Also found at Conroe High School is the Academy for Science and Health Professions, a magnet program which enrolls students through an application process from the Conroe High School and Caney Creek High School attendance zones.[7]

Beginning in the 2013–14 school year, Conroe High School's freshmen class attend school at the Conroe High School 9th Grade Campus.[8]

History edit

Various buildings have served as the public high school for the residents of Conroe and the surrounding area. Conroe Mill School opened in 1886 with a single classroom and educated students for five months each year. Conroe Public School was built in 1899 and served students in 10 grades. In 1902, the first four students received their high school diplomas. In 1911, Conroe's first brick school, the JOH Bennette School, was built.[9][10] Davy Crockett High School, built in 1926, was also referred to as "Conroe High" by local residents. The current Conroe High School was built in 1964.[2] From 1968–1969, Conroe High School was desegregated.[9]

Demographics edit

As of the 2018–2019 school year, CHS had 4,091 students enrolled.

  • 55.4% were Hispanic
  • 30.0% were White
  • 10.6% were African American
  • 1.9% were Asian
  • 0.4% were American Indian
  • 0.1% were Pacific Islander
  • 1.6% were part of Two or More races

58.7% of students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. The school was eligible for Title I funding.[1]

Academics edit

At the beginning of each school year, the Texas Education Agency assigns schools a grade based on three different indices: Student Achievement, School Progress, and Closing the Gaps. For each index, schools are classified as "Met Standard" if they receive a grade of at least 60 out of 100. In 2018, Conroe High School received an overall score of 79 and was classified as "Met Standard." The school received scores of 81 in Student Achievement, 81 in School Progress, and 74 in Closing the Gaps. In addition, the agency also awards schools with "Distinction Designations" if they outperform schools with similar demographics. In 2018, Conroe High School was awarded two of the seven possible Distinction Designations: Academic Achievement in Science and Academic Achievement in Social Studies. [11]

Feeder patterns edit

The following schools feed into Conroe High School:[12]

Elementary (K-4) schools:

  • Anderson
  • Armstrong
  • Giesinger
  • Houston
  • Patterson
  • Reaves
  • Rice
  • Runyan
  • Wilkinson

Flex (K-6) schools:

  • Gordon-Reed
  • Stewart

Intermediate (5-6) schools:

  • Bozman
  • Cryar
  • Travis

Junior High (7-8) schools:

  • Peet
  • Stockton

9th Grade Campus:

  • Conroe High School 9th Grade Campus

Notable alumni edit

Cheryl Dee Fergeson Case edit

On August 23, 1980, sixteen-year-old Cheryl Dee Fergeson, a volleyball player from a visiting high school, was raped and strangled in a Conroe High School restroom. After being reported missing, her body was found in the auditorium sound room loft by Clarence Brandley and another janitor.[16] The victim was white, leading to a heated, racially charged case where the accused, black janitor Clarence Brandley, was sentenced to death amid allegations that his arrest and conviction were tainted with racism. After nine years on death row, Brandley was exonerated and released. Even though there was evidence pointing to two white males, neither has ever been charged.[17] In 1991 British investigative journalist Nick Davies published "White Lies" - Rape, Murder, and Justice Texas Style.[18] his investigation of the case. Clarence Brandley's story is also told in the movie Whitewash: The Clarence Bradley Story (2002)

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "CONROE H S". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Meyer, Brad (7 February 2015). "Conroe's Crockett High School still educating students decades later". The Courier of Montgomery County. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  3. ^ Mire, Carissa (30 September 2004). "Voters show support for CISD". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  4. ^ Iracheta, Michelle (30 July 2017). "Expansion project ongoing at Conroe High". The Courier of Montgomery County. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  5. ^ Li, Andy (14 August 2019). "Citizens divided as Conroe ISD orders $677.37M bond". Community Impact Newspaper. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  6. ^ Swinnerton, Jamie (6 November 2019). "Voters approve Conroe ISD bond for school work; turn down artificial turf plan". The Courier of Montgomery County. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  7. ^ Overview: Academy of Science and Health Professions. Conroe Independent School District. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  8. ^ Meyer, Brad (19 February 2013). "CISD readies for 2013-14 school year". The Courier of Montgomery County. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  9. ^ a b Hernandez, Sondra (29 March 2017). "Conroe ISD educating area's youth for more than 130 years". The Courier of Montgomery County. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  10. ^ "History of Conroe ISD". Conroe Independent School District. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  11. ^ "Overview: Conroe H S". Texas Education Agency. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  12. ^ "High School Feeder Map: 2022-2023" (PDF). Conroe Independent School District. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  13. ^ "Jeromy Burnitz Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  14. ^ "Andrew Cashner Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  15. ^ Hernandez, Sondra (15 February 2019). "Statue unveiled for Pulitzer Prize winner and Conroe High graduate". The Courier of Montgomery County. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Clarence Brandley's Story | the Justice Project". Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved October 9, 2009.
  17. ^ Applebome, Peter.Texas faces thorny problem in conflicting rape-murder case. Ocala Star-Banner: October 5, 1987, Page 3. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  18. ^ Nick Davies (1991). White Lies: Rape, Murder, and Justice Texas Style. Pantheon. ISBN 978-0-679-40167-4.

External links edit

  • Conroe High School
  • Conroe High School Profile
  • Conroe Independent School District
  • Conroe Alumni Website