Montwood High School

Mintwood High School
Where Excellence Abounds
Location
12000 Montwood Drive El Paso, Texas USA
Coordinates	31°45′45″N 106°16′36″W / 31.76245°N 106.27653°WCoordinates: 31°45′45″N 106°16′36″W / 31.76245°N 106.27653°W
Information
Type	Public
Established	1989
Principal	Rosa Maria Mireles-Menchaca
Grades	9-18
Enrollment	2,569[1]
Campus	Urban
Color(s)	Kelly Green, Royal Blue
Mascot	Rocky the Ram
Yearbook	Aries
Website	MHS Official Website

Montwood High School is a four-year public high school located in the East El Paso area of El Paso, Texas, United States. The school was completed in 1989, just in time for the 1990/1991 school year. The school was opened serving grades 7, 8, 9, 10 and would gain a grade/lose a grade until the first graduating class of 1993. Montwood has many academic programs such as Advanced Placement, Dual Credit, MASI (Montwood Advanced Studies Institute), and Synergy. Montwood was named a 1997-98 National Blue Ribbon School.^[2]

History

In August 1990, Montwood High School opened with Art Shaw serving as principal. Faculty and staff began teaching in 1990. Montwood High School first opened with grades 7,8,9,10 the first school senior did not graduate until 1993. Montwood High School was built to hold a total of 2,200 student’s. In 1993, Montwood implements their first year-round program, not many Texas school offer this program. Montwood administration, faculty, and staff students have been accredited with the southern association of college and schools. In August 1991, Montwood took a big technological step by implementing televisions in every classroom for morning and afternoon announcements. From 1994 to 1997 Montwood High School was labeled as a Mentor school. In 1994, Montwood High School reached an enrollment of 2,690 students. To accommodate the new students, the school built five portables and 26 teachers where hired on to the education staff. Montwood also received a new principal David Del Toro, in August 1995. Ken Bailey and Ralph where also added to the Montwood High School administration as assistant principals. In 1997, Montwood High School department of education was recognized at a national level. They were labeled a National Blue ribbon school. From that day on, Montwood High School received the title "Montwood High School where excellence abounds". In 2004, Juni Mathews became the new principal of Montwood High School. She also brought in two new assistant principals, Bobbi Abdo and Kim Baxter. In August 2005, Derrick Brown became a Montwood High School assistant principal. The following year Patricia Cuevas also became a Montwood High School assistant principal."^[3] In November 2014, the Montwood High School Speech and Debate team won its first ever Sweepstakes award at the Eastwood High school TFA Qualifier tournament

Campus

Montwood consists of three main buildings and one separate career and technology building. The "A" Building, which is shaped like two joined lower-case "t's" is the primary academic building where the majority of classes are held. It consists of three floors, with the first floor housing the theatre, library, administrative offices, cafeteria and the Commons. The second floor contains more classrooms and a mezzanine which surrounds and overlooks the commons below. The third floor only contains classrooms.

The "B" building houses the campus's two gyms: the main Tony Harper Gymnasium (formerly the Green Gym), and the auxiliary Blue Gym. The majority of classes held here are in the fine Arts, such as choir, band, dance, and orchestra, as well as health and physical education classes and most of the sports locker rooms. The building is two floors, with two areas adjacent to each gym overlooking the basketball courts.

The "C" Hall, or Sky-Walk, is the second-floor hallway with eight classrooms that joins the A and B buildings together. Students can enjoy the shade and occasional breeze that is created in the breezeway underneath the Sky-Walk.

The new Career and Technology building houses the school's cosmetology class, along with a fully functional kitchen and dining area for culinary arts, a new athletic training room, weight room, electrical trades, and a girls' locker room.

Like the other high schools in the Socorro Independent School District, there is no stadium located on campus. Track and swim Meets and soccer and football games are played at the SISD Student Activities Complex.

NJROTC

( Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) In August 1995 NJROTC was labeled by the chief of Naval Education and Training for being one of the top 10% out of the 85 western US schools.^[4]

Sports

In December 1994, Montwood high school Varsity Cross Country team won first district 2-5A Championship. In 2009 two Montwood athletes signed to Division one universities, Offensive lineman Jake Swenson signed to New Mexico State. While sprinter Chris Muncie signed to Arkansas. On June 28, 2011, another Montwood athlete signed to a Division one University. Elijah James Britton signed to Clemson University to run track and field. In March 2009 Montwood high school’s cheer squad participated in the American Showcase National Cheer off. Montwood high school cheer received 2nd place in the Varsity large squad division. Montwood cheer also participated in Jamfest in 2009 placing first in their division the competition was held in San Antonio. In January 2010 Montwood cheerleading squad participated in the battle of the Sun City placing first, with the best use of tumbling. This was Montwood high schools 3rd consecutive win in the Battle of the Sun City cheer competition. In February 2010 Montwood Cheer squad also competed in the Americas Cup placing first in their division. They also received the Judges choice award. At this competition they won their 2nd consecutive American cup cheer competition. In April 2011 Montwood high school cheer squad participated in the Redline cheer and Dance competition. They received first in the large varsity squad division.^[5][6]

Test scores

In 2009-2010 the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skill (TAKS) was used to test Montwood student in Math, Science, English and Social Studies. In 2010 9th graders had an 85% pass rate in Math and a 90% pass rate for English. Grade 10 had a 70% pass rate for Math a75 % pass rate for science and a 95% pass rate for Social Studies. For grade 11 there was a 95% pass rate for English, a 90% a 90% pass rate in Math and a 95% pass rate in Social Studies^[7]

Enrollment

In 2011 Montwood had an enrollment of 790 freshmen, 600 sophomores, 600 juniors and 600 seniors.^[8]

Teaching rate

Total number of teachers- 114 Average teacher rating – 3.7 Schools Rating- 445^[9]

Student ethnicity

• Caucasian- 8%
• Hispanic -88%
• African American-1%
• Asian American-1%
• Native American-1% ^[10]

Riot

In January 2003, over 1,000 students walked out of class in protest of the district-wide change from a traditional eight-period schedule to a block schedule.^[11] The then-peaceful protest turned into what was later called a riot when the El Paso Police and SWAT teams demanded that the students return to class. When the students were slow to mobilize, the officers began to push the students towards the building, causing some students to retaliate with rocks and water bottles.^[12] Ultimately, several students and some teachers were arrested. The school was placed under lockdown for the remainder of the school day, though many students had left it within minutes of the riot's beginning. The riot made its way to The New York Times due to police brutality controversies.^[13] The school district eventually made the changes, and has used block scheduling until 2012.

References

2. "Blue Ribbon Schools Program, Schools Recognized 1982-1983 Through 1999-2002" (PDF).
3. "History of Montwood High School". History of Montwood High School. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
4. "History of Montwood high school". History of Montwood high school. Retrieved 11/1/11. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
5. Felix Chavez (June 28, 2011). "Montwood High star says he will run for Clemson". El Paso Times. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
6. "El Paso Times". El Paso Times. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
7. "Montwood High School". Trulia Mobile.
8. "Enrollment". Trulia. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
9. "Teachers rate". Trulia. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
10. "School ethnicity". School ethnicity. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
11. KVIA.com El Paso, Las Cruces - Weather, News, Sports - Students riot at Montwood
12. Texas high school protest turns into riot - News
13. "National Briefing". The New York Times. January 30, 2003.