Atascocita High School
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Atascocita High School
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| Atascocita High School | |
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| Atascocita's 435,000 sq ft (40,400 m2) campus
"Learning for life through rigor, relevance, and relationships."
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| Address | |
| 13300 Will Clayton Parkway Humble, Texas, Harris County, 77346 United States |
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| Information | |
| Opened | 2006 |
| School district | Humble Independent School District |
| Superintendent | Dr. Guy M. Sconzo |
| Principal | Dania Rovegno |
| Vice principal | Michael Nasra |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 3,097 |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Houses | Red, White, Blue, & Gold |
| School Colour(s) | Red, White, & Blue |
| Mascot | Eagle |
| Rivals | Kingwood High School |
| Newspaper | The Talon |
| Yearbook | The Aerie |
| Website | Atascocita High School website |
Atascocita High School is a secondary school located in Atascocita CDP, a community housed in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States. Sprawling well over 430,000 square feet (40,000 m2) on nearly 100 acres (0.40 km2), the campus encompasses state-of-the-art educational, technological, art and athletic facilities, a comprehensive athletic complex, performing arts center, two gymnasia, a food court, and access to career and vocational facilities.[1]
Atascocita High School is a part of the Humble Independent School District and also serves small portions of the city of Houston. Atascocita High opened in August 2006 and serves grades 9-12.
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Contents
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History
After there was a substantial amount of growth in the Atascocita and Lake Houston portions of Humble ISD[2], Humble High School became hugely overcrowded, reaching an enrollment of nearly 5,000 students. The district opened Atascocita High School in August 2006 with grades 9-11 to address the problem and, since the fall of 2007, has served grades 9-12.
From its opening, AHS dealt with its own overcrowding problem. During its second year of operation, the campus installed temporary trailer classrooms in one of the parking lots. The following year, a new wing on the east side of the campus was built and the cafeteria was expanded. Finally in 2009, the district opened Summer Creek High School to serve the large Fall Creek and Summerwood subdivisions.
Architecture & Design
PBK Architects Inc of Houston, Texas designed the $50.9 million school. The architects looked to an iconic American estate, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, as inspiration for the front facade and exterior design of the school. It was named as one of the "Top 25 Texas Constructions" in 2005 by Texas Construction.
Educational Design Showcase awarded Atascocita High School a 2007 Project of Distinction Award and explained that architects were presented with a unique design challenge during the design phase of Atascocita High School. The challenge was to construct a facility that would not only enhance achievement in academia, but also give high-schoolers “personal attention-driven” education.
Based on the work of Humble Independent School District’s High Schools of the Future Task Force (HSFTF), over 150 community members, parents, students, administrators, teachers and partners, a set of educational specification recommendations were developed. These recommendations were adopted by the Humble ISD Board of Trustees, and they guide future high school construction as well as renovations to existing Humble ISD high schools. Embedded in these recommendations is the smaller learning communities (SLC) concept. Atascocita High represents a model illustration of smaller learning communities. The design-team worked in a collaborative effort with end-users in the Humble ISD to design a large, 5A high school with a personal, one-on-one “feel,” based on the HSFTF recommendations.
The school was also designed to foster community business partnerships with a service learning hub, as well as internship development classrooms. Mainstream areas (gymnasiums, cafeteria, library, auditorium) have individual exterior access for community usage.[1]
Building materials
The Monticello-inspired exterior of Atascocita High School utilizes natural building materials, relying heavily on the use of brick, stone and concrete, which augments the campus's relationship with the natural environment.[3]
Atascocita High School's building site is set on a heavily wooded 100 acres (0.40 km2). Existing, matured trees were preserved to convey the sense of a sprawling nature reserve for the students. In addition to their commitment to the site's existing nature, PBK Architects employed nursuries to plant more than one hundred additional trees and various shrubbery around the campus' grounds. Since that time, students have engaged themselves in Atascocita's environmental role, planting additional trees in the front of the building. Solar-paneled school zone signs, fluorescent light bulbs and Energy-Star computers are used to decrease Atascocita's energy consumption.[citation needed]
House system
The campus was originally designed around three "Smaller Learning Communities" named after the school's colors: Red, White, and Blue. Each community was divided into two houses: Red 1 and 2, White 1 and 2, Blue 1 and 2. After the school's overcrowding issues, a fourth community—-the Gold Community—was added onto the east side of campus. Currently, freshman attend classes in the Gold Community, while the upperclassmen are equally dispersed across the other three communities. Due to district budget cuts, the White 2 house is not currently being used.
All houses have a separate administrative area where an assistant (or house) principal and counselor reside, a flex area and an LGI (large group instruction) or SGI (small group instruction). Flex areas are large spaces surrounded by classrooms and lockers in the center of a house that allow students to rest and socialize between classes and, during instruction periods, work independently or in small groups. Tables and chairs are strewn about, all encircling an LCD television. Directly adjacent to the flex areas, each house also presides over its own computer lab and LGI. Resembling a college lecture hall, each LGI can cater to over one hundred students in a large, theater-style room. Houses are interconnected and can be reached through Atascocita's "Main Street," school's central hallway.
After AHS became the first high school in the district to use the house system on such a large scale, Humble ISD renovated it's two other high schools (Humble and Kingwood) with the house system and later opened Kingwood Park and Summer Creek high schools with the house system design.
Athletics
Atascocita High School presents students with many athletic opportunities, offering boys and girls Basketball, Baseball, Cheerleading, Cross-Country, Dance, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Diving, Tennis, Track and Volleyball programs.[4]
The Athletic Wing
Separate from its eight houses, the Atascocita High School Athletic Wing encompasses all of the students' indoor athletic needs. The Wing gives home to Atascocita's two gymansiums, dubbed the large and small gym, a dance studio, the High School trainer and a number of work-out rooms and fitness centers, all of which take advantage of state-of-the-art athletic equipment and technology. Also located in the Wing, Atascocita High's natatorium allows athletes in swimming, diving and water polo programs to practice and compete in a heated, 25yrd swimming pool.[3]
The Athletic Complex
Atascocita High School students are able to utilize its broad Athletic Complex, incorporating modern facilities to propel and motivate its athletes. Adjacent to its athletic wing, the Atascocita Athletic Complex is a large outdoor area composed of eight tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, three soccer fields, practice areas, a football field and surrounding eight-lane all-weather track. Weaving through matured trees, an organic cross-country track encircles the grounds of the Athletic Complex.
Languages & The Arts
Languages
Students at Atascocita High School are able to take advantage of its large selection of language classes offered: French (Levels 1-4), German (Levels 1-4), Latin (Levels 1-4), Spanish (Levels 1-5) and American Sign Language (Levels 1-3).[5] The school boasts an active French Club that regularly participates in French Symposium and cultural festivals. Atascocita's Latin Club and National Latin Honor Society work to promote the classics in the community and represent an active and high-achieving school in the Texas State Junior Classical League (TSJCL). In 2008, the Latin Club hosted the TSJCL state convention at Atascocita, in which numerous academic, creative art, and graphic art contests regarding Latin, Greek, and Greco-Roman culture are administered. Atascocita High School and its Latin Club will host the 2011 convention, as well.[6]
Music
Atascocita has committed itself to its distinguished Fine Arts programs. Band, Applied Music, Orchestra, Choir, and Vocal Ensemble compete for in the High School's music sector. Those classes utilize spacious, acoustically-observant halls.[7]
Band
Atascocita High School's Pride of the Eagles Military Marching Band is one of only a small number of military marching bands in the nation. The marching band performs at varsity football games and competes yearly in UIL marching contest and the National Association of Military Marching Bands competition, claiming numerous awards over its history, including consistent first divisions in district UIL marching and first places and superior performances in NAMMB contests. The band also performed at Walt Disney World in 2009 and 2011. In addition, Atascocita's concert bands perform in concerts and achieve first divisions ratings in UIL concert and sightreading. Students also work to prepare for UIL Region Band auditions and the UIL Solo & Ensemble Contest.[8]
Theatre
Atascocita High School's theatre department is state renowned, and has been District Champions thus far, for the five years it has been opened. With the title of being State-Qualified in UIL three years in a row, Atascocita Theatre sets the standards of exemplary performances under its three directors, Rod Sheffield, Justin Vincent, and Lisa Henderson. The department facilities consist of the Performing Arts Center, which seats roughly about 700 people, along with the versatile Black Box, used for a more close-up feel during performances. The department excels in good work ethic, ensemble, and has given Atascocita High School an excellent reputation for the years to come.
Art
Atascocita's Art division distinguishes itself in variety, presenting the students with the option of Art General, Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, AP 2-D Design Port and AP 3-D Design Port. Contemporary concrete-floored art studios and classrooms provide necessary materials and technology for the students' needs.[7]
Academics
Math & Science League
Atascocita's Math & Science League is the primary extracurricular mathematics and science organization at Atascocita High School, dedicated to generating interest and providing opportunities in science and mathematics, and encouraging students to inquire, invent, and discover. The Math & Science League participates in competitions such as Science Olympiad, TMSCA math/science contests, UIL Mathematics and Science, Best Robotics, the Science & Engineering Fair, Mandelbrot Math, USA Biology Olympiad, National Chemistry Olympiad, and the National Physics Bowl.[9]
Feeder patterns
The following elementary schools [10] feed into Atascocita High School:
The following middle schools feed into Atascocita High School:
References
- ^ a b http://www.educationdesignshowcase.com/view.esiml?pid=120&lastsearch=category_id%3D12
- ^ http://www.atascocita.com/community_guide.php
- ^ a b www.learningbydesign.biz/2008/pdf/hs_atascocita.pdf
- ^ http://www.humbleisd.net/education/school/school.php?sectionid=6941
- ^ http://www.humbleisd.net/education/staff/stafflist.php?sectiondetailid=60494&category=1413
- ^ http://tsjcl.org/
- ^ a b http://www.humbleisd.net/education/staff/stafflist.php?sectiondetailid=60494&category=1407
- ^ http://www.humbleisd.net/2266203410145093/site/default.asp
- ^ http://www.humbleisd.net/226620102816441160/site/default.asp
- ^ "ATTENDANCE AREAS IN HUMBLE ISD," Humble Independent School District
External links
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