Sharpstown High School

Sharpstown High School is a secondary school located at 7504 Bissonnet in Houston, Texas, United States with a zip code of 77074. It serves grades 9 through 12 and is a part of the Houston Independent School District.

The school serves the community of Sharpstown, which was Houston's first-ever master planned community. In addition, Sharpstown High School also serves the communities of Robindell, Braeburn Glen, Braeburn Terrace, Braeburn Valley, Braeburn Valley West, Sharpstown Country Club Terrace, and portions of Fondren Southwest." [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/SharpstownHS.pdf Sharpstown High School Attendance Zone] ," "Houston Independent School District"]

International High School, an alternative secondary school, has been located within the campus of Sharpstown High School since fall 2007. [" [http://www.houstonisd.org/HISDConnectDS/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=652f8c6508946110VgnVCM10000028147fa6RCRD&vgnextfmt=default District Dedicates New International High School at Sharpstown] ," "Houston Independent School District"]

History

Sharpstown High School was originally in the campus now occupied by Sharpstown Middle School. In fall 1970 Sharpstown High School moved into a new campus.

A 2003 state audit of HISD's performance caused more controversy. One of the district's most publicized accomplishments during the Rod Paige era was a dramatic reduction in dropout rates. When 16 secondary schools, including Sharpstown High School, were audited, it was found that most of the students who left school from those schools in 2000-2001 should have been counted as dropouts, but were not [" [http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory2/2073994 Sharpstown had 'breakdown'] , "Houston Chronicle", August 29, 2003] [" [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/06/60II/main591676.shtml The 'Texas Miracle'] ," "CBS News", August 25, 2004] . It was found that the administrators at Sharpstown deliberately changed the dropout rate at the school. The Sharpstown controversy resulted in a recommendation to label the entire HISD as "unacceptable." Former Sharpstown assistant principal Robert Kimball asserts that HISD coerced administrators at many schools to lie on dropout rates. HISD asserts that the fraud is only contained to Sharpstown, and that the false statistics at other schools were caused by confusion related to the state's system of tracking students who leave school.

According to the October 2006 "For Your Information" newsletter, Sharpstown was one of four high schools that took the most Hurricane Katrina evacuees.

Youth criminal gangs

Charles Rotramel, the owner of the nonprofit program Youth Advocates, stated in a 2006 "Houston Chronicle" article that Lee High School, Westbury High School, and Sharpstown High School have suffered from the actions of youth criminal gangs [" [http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2006_4244990 Troublesome spike in teen violent crime] ," "Houston Chronicle", December 10, 2006] .

On one internet bulletin board, various gangs stated that they "run" Sharpstown High School [" [http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2006_4043469 Violence Hits Home] ," "Houston Chronicle", January 15, 2006] ; Terry Abbott, the Houston ISD spokesman, denied all such statements.

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

As of 2007-2008, coach Gary Gutierrez coaches the American football team at Sharpstown High School. [ [http://fe27.sports.re4.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=rivals-175763&prov=rivals&type=story_recruiting "Yahoo Sports:" Sophomore QB Carter is a program turner] ]

School uniforms

Starting in fall 2007, Sharpstown High School requires school uniforms [" [http://www.houstonisd.org/HISDConnectEnglish/Images/PDF/Uniforms_2007.pdf School Uniforms 2007-2008 School Year] ," "Houston Independent School District"] . Jane Lozano, the associate principal, said, "We wanted our students to present a more academic presence than the baggy, low-riding pants that are fashionable for young men, as well as to correct the wearing of low cut blouses and short skirts on our young ladies." [" [http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4416999 Demographics may dictate uniformity] ," "Houston Chronicle", September 3, 2007]

The Texas Education Agency specified that the parents and/or guardians of students zoned to a school with uniforms may apply for a waiver to opt out of the uniform policy so their children do not have to wear the uniform [" [http://www.tea.state.tx.us/field/uniforms.html School Uniforms] ," "Texas Education Agency"] ; parents must specify "bona fide" reasons, such as religious reasons or philosophical objections.

Feeder patterns

Elementary schools that feed into Sharpstown High School include:
*Bonham [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/BonhamES.pdf Bonham Elementary Attendance Zone] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
*McNamara [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/McNamaraES.pdf McNamara Elementary Attendance Zone] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
*White [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/WhiteES.pdf White Elementary Attendance Zone] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
*Herod (partial) [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/HerodES.pdf Herod Elementary Attendance Zone] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
*Milne (partial) [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/MilneES.pdf Milne Elementary Attendance Zone] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
*Neff (partial) [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/NeffES.pdf Neff Elementary Attendance Zone] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
*Sutton (partial) [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/SuttonES.pdf Sutton Elementary Attendance Zone] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
*Valley West (partial) [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/ValleyWestES.pdf Valley West Elementary Attendance Zone] ," "Houston Independent School District"]

Middle schools that feed into Sharpstown High School include:
*Fondren M. S. (partial) [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/FondrenMS.pdf Fondren Middle Attendance Zone] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
*Long (partial) [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/LongMS.pdf Long Middle Attendance Zone] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
*Sharpstown M. S. (partial) [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/SharpstownMS.pdf Sharpstown Middle Attendance Zone] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
*Welch (partial) [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/WelchMS.pdf Welch Middle Attendance Zone] ," "Houston Independent School District"]

Since any student zoned to Long may attend Pin Oak Middle School, Pin Oak also feeds into Sharpstown High School. [" [http://web.archive.org/web/20020214054405/http://dist.houstonisd.org/southwest/schools/pin_oak/letter5.htm Pin Oak Middle School] ." "The Southwest District". "Houston Independent School District".]

Notable alumni

* Joseph Addai (American football player for the Indianapolis Colts) [" [http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2008/10/sharpston_pot_hisd.php Assistant Principal Puts The "High" In Sharpstown High] ." "Houston Press". October 3, 2008.]
* Clarence Bagby - A journalist who founded the [http://www.houstonglbtcommunitycenter.org Houston Lesbian and Gay Community Center] " [http://www.houstonisd.org/HISDConnectDS/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=c3783acb02efc010VgnVCM10000052147fa6RCRD Distinguished HISD Alumni] ," "Houston Independent School District"]
* Robert Earl Keen - A singer and songwriter
* David McCarty - Professional baseball player for the Minnesota Twins
* Luke Prestridge - Retired professional American football player for the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots
* Michael J. Reardon and Patrick R. Reardon - Cardiothoracic surgeons at the Baylor College of Medicine who developed an "autotransplant" technique along with Denton Cooley.
* Steve "The Rocket" Rosen - A high-profile trial lawyer
* Margaret Spellings - As of 2006, the United States Secretary of Education (Class of 1975). [" [http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/schoolme/2006/11/whos_who_in_edu_4.html Education Trading Cards: Margaret Spellings] ," "Los Angeles Times"]
* Forest "Greg" Swindell - Retired professional baseball player for the Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Arizona Diamondbacks.

References

External links

* [http://hs.houstonisd.org/sharpstownhs/ Sharpstown High School]
* [http://www.sharpstownpto.org/pages/843876/index.htm Sharpstown High School PTO]