Forest Brook High School

Forest Brook High School was a high school located in Houston, Texas. Serving grades 9 through 12, Forest Brook is part of the North Forest Independent School District.

The school has a brook channeled through the campus.

History

Forest Brook opened on August 2, 1972. [" [http://classroom.northforestschools.org/webs/forestbrook/home.htm Forest Brook High School] ," "North Forest Independent School District". Accessed May 20, 2008.]

Forest Brook High School sustained heavy damage after Tropical Storm Allison. [" [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/storm2001/1023541.html Forest Brook High School ends an era after Allison] ," "Houston Chronicle", August 26, 2001]

On July 20, 2007, some teenagers vandalized the school with a water hose. [" [http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=local&id=5496886 Police search for school vandals] ," "KTRK-TV", July 20, 2007] [" [http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4388653 Damage forces students to share campus] ," "Houston Chronicle", July 21, 2007] The water was left on for several hours, causing part of the floor to collapse. The library and a number of rooms and hallways were damaged.

After the vandalism of Forest Brook High School, North Forest ISD decided to merge Forest Brook's population into M. B. Smiley High School until Forest Brook is repaired. Some parents and observers criticized the decision, fearing territorial rivalries would cause tension between Forest Brook and Smiley students. School officials states that the repair would take at least four months. [" [http://www.khou.com/news/local/education/stories/khou070807_tj_forestbrookarrests.106434aa.html Star athlete accused of Forest Brook High vandalism] ," "KHOU-TV", August 8, 2007.] [" [http://www.khou.com/news/local/education/stories/khou070728_tnt_northforestisd.be19b635.html Temporary school merger just doesn't add up for some in North Forest ISD] ," "KHOU-TV", July 28, 2007.] Two former students from Forest Brook were later arrested. One, 18-year old Demont Demouchet, was a pitcher and outfielder for the school baseball team. The man, who was set to attend Texas College, was charged with criminal mischief in excess of $250,000 United States dollars, a first-degree felony, and was placed on a $999,999 bail. State District Judge Denise Collins reduced the bail to $50,000. [" [http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4401101 Accused vandal's mom asks community to forgive teen ] ," "Houston Chronicle", August 9, 2007] " [http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou070808_jj_northforestvandalsarrested.15389b35.html Ex-Forest Brook pitcher, brother accused of vandalism] ," "KHOU-TV", August 8, 2007] The other vandal was Demouchet's 16-year old brother. Forest Brook re-opened in the spring.

"The Dallas Morning News" wrote a July 21, 2007 article explaining cheating at Forest Brook. The Texas Education Agency declared the school to have had no cheating based on scores from 2006 and earlier. When TEA monitors were placed at Forest Brook, test scores plummeted [ " [http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-northforest_21met.ART.State.Edition2.42623f4.html Monitors came, TAKS scores plummeted] ," "The Dallas Morning News", July 21, 2007] .

In 2007 Johns Hopkins University referred to Forest Brook as a "dropout factory" [" [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5259695.html Report points to 'dropout factories'] ," "Houston Chronicle", October 31, 2007] .

In March 2008 North Forest ISD announced that it will consolidate its two high schools. [" [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5622823.html North Forest votes to merge schools] ." "Houston Chronicle". March 15, 2008.] [" [http://www.khou.com/news/local/stories/khou080315_tnt_nfisd.5a05f2b6.html North Forest ISD to merge Smiley, Forest Brook High; Tidwell, Hillard Elementary] ." "KHOU-TV".] The new school, located in the Forest Brook location, will be named North Forest High School." [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5791120.html North Forest picks name for merged school] ." "Houston Chronicle". May 19, 2008.]

References

External links

* [http://classroom.northforestschools.org/webs/forestbrook/ School website]