Kingwood High School

History

Kingwood High School opened in the fall of 1979, under Principal Andy Wells. A 9th grade campus at 4015 Woodland Hills Drive opened in 1993. Prior to 1996 both campuses were in the Kingwood census-designated place in an unincorporated area in Harris County.

Since then, the school has undergone numerous additions and renovations, including a three-year project, with a cost of $50 million, which began in 2006, and completed December 2008. Prior to fall 2007, as 9th graders attended the separate campus, combined enrollment was over 4,000, making Kingwood High School the 7th largest Texas public high school by enrollment at the time. The former 9th grade campus was renovated and is now an independent high school, called Kingwood Park High School. The first four-year class back on the main campus entered in fall 2008, and graduated in the spring of 2012.

Just before the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year, Kingwood High School was badly damaged by flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. This meant that the students that year took their classes at Summer Creek High School.

The school reopened in March 2018 after having repairs worth upwards of $70 million.

Academics

For the 2018-2019 school year, the school received an A grade from the Texas Education Agency, with an overall score of 93 out of 100. The school received a B grade in two domains, School Progress (score of 83) and Closing the Gaps (score of 89), and an A grade in Student Achievement (score of 95). The school received three of the seven possible distinction designations for Academic Achievement in Science, Academic Achievement in English Language Arts/Reading, and Academic Achievement in Social Studies.

Circa 2001 the school began using the Smaller Learning Communities program so students had assistant principals provide counseling to them.

Student body and faculty

In 2006 the student population was 3,940. That year Todd Spivak of the Houston Press wrote "Most students hail from white, well-heeled families" and that "For them college is a birthright." In 2006 the number of the teaching staff exceeded 200.

Athletics

The Mustangs have won 32 team state championships and 5 national championships (boys' swimming and diving: 1993, 1994, 2006 and 2020 Boys' Cross Country: 1994, 1996, 2001).

In 2006 Spivak credited the large population of the school for making the school's athletic programs strong.

State championships for the Mustangs in sports include the following:

• Boys' basketball: 2005
• Boys' baseball: 2005, 2025
• Boys' cross-country: 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002
• Boys' swimming and diving: 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009
• Boys' Track and Field: 2014
• Girls' Soccer: 1995, 1999
• Girls' Swimming and Diving: 1994, 2004, 2010, 2011
• Girls' Cross-Country: 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2010
• Girls' Lacrosse: 2006, 2013
• Boys' Golf Individual - 1992
• Boys Gymnastics - 2010

Notable alumni

• Jacqueline Anderson, actress and entrepreneur
• Scott Campbell (tattoo artist), New York-based artist
• Mindy Finn, politician
• Kyle Finnegan, professional baseball player, Washington Nationals
• Ryan Jorgensen, professional baseball player
• Todd Lowe, actor
• Josh Pastner, head basketball coach, UNLV
• Lance Pendleton, professional baseball player, formerly of the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros
• Taylor and Blake Powell, musicians
• Travis Swanson, professional football player, Miami Dolphins
• Masyn Winn, professional baseball player, St. Louis Cardinals
• Nic Wise, professional basketball player
• Dr. John Delony, author, co-host of the nationally syndicated radio program The Ramsey Show, and host The Dr. John Delony Show podcast.

References

References

1. "Enrollment in Humble / Attendance Zones & Bus Schedules".
2. [http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-1982.pdf Blue Ribbon Schools Program, Schools Recognized 1982–1983 Through 1999–2002 (PDF)] {{webarchive. link. (2009-03-26)
3. Report, Community. (2017-10-31). "Alumni issue challenge to support Kingwood High School".
4. (1997-06-30). "High School Individual Campus Information". [[Humble Independent School District]].
5. "Employees Bios / Wells, Andrew".
6. (May 2019}} Kingwood was annexed into the City of Houston in 1996.{{cite web). "Kingwood Annexation Facts". City of Houston.
7. Spivak, Todd. (2006-02-23). "Houston's Best Public High Schools". [[Houston Press]].
8. "Photos: Inside Harvey-flooded Kingwood High, dry Summer Creek as Humble ISD schools merge". Houston Chronicle.
9. Carpenter, Jacob. (2017-11-15). "Humble's Kingwood High School projected to open mid-March, cost more than $70M". [[Houston Chronicle]].
10. [https://txschools.gov/schools/101913002/overview Overview: KINGWOOD H S]. Texas Education Agency. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
11. "UIL Cross-Country". UIL.
12. "UIL Girls Soccer". UIL.
13. "UIL Cross-Country". UIL.
14. (January 5, 2012). "Jacqueline Buckingham Anderson / Actress, Style Consultant". The Houston Chronicle.
15. Morgon, Kim. (8 August 2008). "He's Making his mark in NYC". Houston Chronicle.
16. "About Mindy Finn".
17. "2013 Baseball Roster: Kyle Finnegan". [[Texas State University]].
18. "Ryan Jorgensen Statistics and History".
19. Summer, Jennifer. (11 March 2014). "Kingwood graduate launches movie career in Los Angeles". Chron.
20. Murra, Michael. (2025-01-30). "Pastner's basketball, spiritual journeys began in Houston".
21. "The Baseball Cube". Players.
22. "The Powell Brothers".
23. [http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=3651600 Scout.com: Travis Swanson Profile]
24. "Masyn Winn Drafted to Cardinals". KHS Mustang Monthly.
25. "Nic Wise Biography". University of Arizona.