Bellaire High School (Bellaire, Texas)

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Bellaire High School is a high school located at 5100 Maple Street in Bellaire, Texas, United States, with a zip code of 77401. Bellaire High School is part of the Houston Independent School District.

Bellaire High School is known for its academics and extracurricular activities in the greater Houston area and Texas. Bellaire High School is diverse with above average class sizes, a minimal athletic program, and a very limited amount of space (about one city block).

Bellaire High School primarily serves the incorporated city of Bellaire and the Houston neighborhood of Meyerland (for an exhaustive list, please see "Neighborhoods served by Bellaire.")

[edit] Academics and activities

With over 20,000 high schools in the United States, the school ranked number 80,^[1] 86,^[2] 112,^[3] 109th,^[4] and 92nd [2] in Newsweek's 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007 respectively, lists of the top high schools, meaning Bellaire's academic program ranks in top 0.5% in the country. The Challenge Index ranks schools by the number of AP and IB tests taken by students at a school in 2002 divided by the number of graduating seniors. 323 students at Bellaire High School in the 2004–2005 academic year earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program Exams.

In the past several years, Bellaire has produced several international science competition winners: a honorable mention (research paper) in the 2006 First Step to Nobel Prize in Physics, a silver medal in the International Biology Olympiad in 2005, a U.S. delegate to the ExpoScience International in 2005, a Third Award in Zoology in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in 2002, and a silver medal in the International Chemistry Olympiad in 2001. The science fair team places high in the Texas Science and Engineering Fair and the Science and Engineering Fair of Houston each year. In the 2005 Siemens Westinghouse Competition, Bellaire had a regional finalist (36 regional finalists in individual projects are selected each year from over thousands of projects).^[5] A student organized group with teacher sponsorship competed internationally in the NASA Space Settlement Contest, resulting in an honorable mention in life support in 2007.

The school's baseball program, which has been ranked first in the first regular season Easton Sports National High School baseball poll^[6] in 2004, won the Texas High School Baseball championship seven times with several former or current Major League Baseball players. Seven students made it to the World Finals Qualifiers in the 2006 Odyssey of the Mind competition.

Bellaire also has a wide variety of music and fine arts programs; for example, 6 students made it to the 2005–2006 Texas All-State Orchestra. The orchestra ranked Second Place in the 2003 TMEA High School Honor Orchestra. The debate team is also known and frequently places high nationally, with several national qualifiers each year. In 2005, Bellaire had 9 national debate qualifiers. In 2006, Bellaire Debate had a team place 6th & 15th in the national tournament and was one of five schools in the nation to receive an Excellence in Debate award from the National Forensic League. The Bellaire Theatre Department won 1st place at the state UIL One-Act PLay Competition in 2004. Carillon, the school yearbook team, has won numerous Gold Crown awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and won an Honorable Mention in the 2005 National Scholastic Press Association "Design of the Year."

In the 2006-2007 school year, 52 students achieved the title of National Merit Semifinalist, and 48 became National Merit Finalists. In 2005 and 2006, five student scored perfect scores on their SAT's, two students scored perfect scores on their PSAT's, and one student scored a perfect score on her ACT. In the 2005–2006 school year, 40 students earned the title National Merit Scholar. In the same school year, 57 students scored a perfect 800 on at least one of the three sections (critical reading, math, and writing) on their SAT I Reasoning Tests, and 78 students scored a perfect 800 on at least one of their SAT II Subject Tests. Class of 2002 had 61 National Merit Scholars, the highest number of such recognition in the school's history.^[7]

A mathematics teacher was awarded the American Star of Teaching from the United States Department of Education in 2005, the highest honor a secondary school teacher can receive. The Department of Education also named Bellaire a National Blue Ribbon School in 1983-84. ^[8]

After competing with thousand of students in the United States, Charlie Hyman won Third Place in the 2005 National High School Essay Contest. The Bellaire economics challenge team won First Place at the 2004 National Economics Challenge in West Region and Third Place in the 2006 National Economics Challenge.

Four students were selected as semifinalists for the 2005–2006 Coca-Cola Scholars Program (with over 50,000 applicants, the semifinalists selection rate is 3%); and two of them were selected among the 250 finalists (with selection rate less than 0.5%). In 2005 a student was named Presidential Scholar, while in 2006 two students were nominated for the award.

[edit] Special programs

Bellaire High School is denoted as a Magnet school for foreign languages, offering a wide array of languages taught from Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Hindi, Japanese, Hebrew, Italian, and Latin. All languages are available at the IB level, and AP courses are taught in Spanish, French, German, and Latin.

In 2005, over 900 students tested for a space in the Magnet program; Bellaire had only 150 available spots. In the 2004–2005 school year, the TAKS passing percentages for all Magnet students in reading, math, science, and social studies were 100%, 99%, 96%, and 100% respectively.

Bellaire High School has Advanced Placement and IB Diploma Programme (International Baccalaureate) programs. Bellaire High School has been an IB World School since September 1979. In the last examination session, students completed the following exams (in both standard and higher levels): Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, English A1, French B, Geography, German B, Hindi B, Italian B, Latin, Mandarin B, Mathematics, Music, Physics, Psychology, Russian B, Spanish Ab., Spanish B, Theory of Knowledge, and Visual Arts. In the 2005–2006 school year, there were 24 students who successfully received their IB Diplomas.^[9]

[edit] Issues with the academic environment

According to an October 2004 Whatkidscando.org report called "Students as Allies in Improving Their High Schools," in many of Houston ISD's top high schools, including Bellaire, over one half of students are enrolled in high-level courses. According to the surveys given by the organization, many of the students at the schools cited academic pressure issues. 60 percent at Bellaire stated that the school's environment encouraged cheating, and 82 percent stated that they do not miss school during illnesses, stating that the makeup work would be too difficult.^[10]

Bellaire High School is well-known for its "GPA war/game" in which many students will choose their classes as selectively as possible to achieve a higher GPA. ^[11]. Bellaire's GPA is based on a 5.0 scale, but because students need to take some 4.0-scale classes, including health, physical education, and speech, there are never perfect 5.0s. The highest GPA ever achieved was a 4.9318 by Harry Huang (Bellaire Class of 2003) ^{[12] [13] [14]}. Usually, a GPA of 4.8 or higher will earn a student rank in top 15 people in his or her class ^[14].

[edit] History

The school opened in November 1955 (as Bellaire Senior High), when many neighborhoods in close proximity to the school were newly-developed post–World War II communities. Bellaire's first principal was Harlan Andrews, the brother of movie star Dana Andrews. The school was initially all Caucasian; it was desegregated in 1970, bringing in African American students. Demographic shifts continued: in the early 1980s, the percentage of Hispanic students greatly increased. Since 1980s to present, many Asian students are attracted to Bellaire's challenging academic programs each year. 2001 was a turning point in Bellaire history because non-Hispanic white students no longer made up a majority of the student body. As of 2006, European American students are a plurality of the student body. The school celebrated its 50th anniversary on November 4, 2005.^[15]

At this point, nearly all of the first-generation teachers (who came to the school in late 1950s and 1960s) at Bellaire High School have retired, though many had very long and illustrious careers. One of the most notable was Alice Johnsen, who taught from the school's founding in 1955 until 2005, the longest term a teacher has ever served in the school's history. Johnsen was the AP Chemistry teacher and the Science Department Chair for many years before she retired. She used to work for the College Board and helped write many AP and SAT II Chemistry questions. Before 2002, she flew to Princeton, New Jersey to grade the AP Chemistry free response questions every summer. In the past decade, she had guided students 5 times to be United States National Chemistry Olympiad finalists and 2 times to International Chemistry Olympiad awards. In the International competition, the students won a silver and a bronze medal. Johnsen is now a legend at Bellaire High School.

There are several recent improvements on the infrastructures at Bellaire. In 2003, the construction of the new auditorium finished. In 2004, each of the two gyms received brand new long benches (financed by a huge donation from an alumnus). In 2005, Bellaire built a college and university information office to help students get information about universities and colleges and to guide them through making their university and college plans. Here are the current floor plans of the first floor, second floor, and third floorof Bellaire High School.

In 2005, about 30 victims of Hurricane Katrina were enrolled at this school. The school is the closest high school to the Astrodome, an area of shelter. Bellaire was unable to take in all of the students in the Astrodome, so enrollment was limited to those hurricane refugees residing in a Bellaire residence. Most students who were in the Astrodome were assigned to other schools. Most of them have returned to New Orleans or intend to do so after the fall semester of 2006.

In 2005, several Bellaire High School students were involved in violent incidents, somewhat hurting the reputation of the school in the local community. In December 2005, two students, Jonathan Finkelman and Desmond Hamilton, were murdered in separate off-campus incidents, and a third shot and injured. In January 2006, a female student was accused of and admitted to killing her mother. On February 24 2006, a stabbing involving two male freshman occurred in a school stairwell. The victim survived the stabbing while the perpetrator was arrested and prosecuted. The attacker was a national of Mexico.^[16] The events have triggered HISD schools to review security policies.

On March 20, 2007, Tamara Ryman, 37, a Bellaire High School algebra teacher, was arrested after being found with a 16-year-old male and former student of Ryman's, who was naked from the waist down, in a van. The current charge is trespassing. She was found in a parked van with the boy. When the deputy approached the car, the boy had his trousers lowered, and Ryman had just jumped into the driver's seat, according to police reports.^{[17] [18]}

[edit] Location

Bellaire High School is located inside the city of Bellaire, which is mostly residential. Bellaire High School is surrounded by single family houses. Bellaire High School is minutes away from Meyerland Plaza, an outdoor shopping center in the Meyerland neighborhood of Houston. The city of Bellaire is an enclave of the southwest area of Houston. Bellaire City Library and the Bellaire Fire Department are a few blocks away from the school.

[edit] Student body

Bellaire High School had 3,387 students during the 2004-2005 school year:

• 44% were White American
• 28% were Hispanic (of any nation)
• 17% were Asian
• 11% were African American
• 1% were Purple American
• Less than 1% was Native American.

31% of Bellaire students qualified for free or reduced lunch.^[19]

As of 2006, Bellaire is unique as the only comprehensive high school in Houston ISD where White, Black, Asian, and Hispanic students each represent more than 10% of the student body. The predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Meyerland is also zoned to Bellaire High School, therefore many Bellaire students are Jewish. In the 2003–2004 school year, Bellaire students had a 95.0% attendance rate, 0.9% dropout rate (one of the lowest in Houston and Texas), 748 graduate counts, and 602 Texas Scholars.

Many students in other parts of Houston ISD transfer to Bellaire to escape home schools that do not have good academic performance, causing the attendance figures of those schools to suffer.^[20]

[edit] Clubs and organizations

There are around 80 clubs^[21] at Bellaire High School. Some large clubs or organizations (with 50 or more members) at Bellaire High School include: European Cultures Club, The Bellaire Leo Club, Academic Challenge Team, African American Association, American Red Cross, Band, Bellaire International Student Association, Chinese Honor Society, Chinese Language Club, Christian Student Union, Debate, French National Honor Society, German National Honor Society, Junior Classical League, Live Music Club, Model UN, Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, Origami Club, Science Connection, Orchestra, European Cultures Club, Antares, Spanish National Honor Society, Table Tennis Team Club, Theater Acting, United Way Kids Way, and Young Democrats. The Debate, Academic Challenge, Baseball Team, Academic Decathlon, Science Fair Team, and Business Professionals of America have won numerous local and state championships.

[edit] Neighborhoods served

Bellaire high school's attendance zone ^[22] covers residents living in three cities.

All pupils in the city of Bellaire are zoned to Bellaire High School. Several parts of Houston that are around the city of Bellaire, including Meyerland, Braesmont, parts of Braeswood Place that are west of Stella Link and parts that are south of South Braeswood (including the subdivisions of Ayrshire and Braes Terrace), Linkwood, Knollwood Village, Woodshire, Woodside, Westridge, Maplewood, Maplewood North, about half of Westwood, Jaguar Estates, Flack Estates, and a small portion of Willow Meadows, are zoned to Bellaire High School. A small portion of Southside Place is zoned to Bellaire High School.

The communities that Bellaire serves are predominantly made up of middle and upper class professionals with jobs in Houston. Houston ISD's school choice policies allow for the school to serve many working class families who live outside of the Bellaire attendance boundary.

[edit] Transportation

Houston ISD provides school buses for students who live more than two miles away from the school or who have major obstacles between their houses and the school. Students are eligible if they are zoned to Bellaire or are in the Bellaire magnet program. A METRO bus stop (Maple at South Rice) is located at the school's entrance. Bus line 33 (Post Oak Crosstown) stops at Maple at South Rice.

The parking at Bellaire is a huge problem. Go figure!

[edit] Feeder patterns

[edit] Zoned schools

All of the attendance boundary of Lovett Elementary School ^[23] coincides with Bellaire High School's attendance boundary ^[22].

Elementary schools with boundaries that partly coincide with Bellaire's attendance boundary include Braeburn ^[24], Condit ^[25], Cunningham ^[26], Herod ^[27], Horn ^[28], Kolter ^[29], Longfellow ^[30], Red ^[31], Roberts ^[32], Shearn ^[33], Twain ^[34], and Whidby ^[35].

Middle schools with attendance boundaries that partially coincide with Bellaire's attendance boundary include Cullen ^[36], Fondren ^[37], Johnston ^[38], Long ^[39], Pershing ^[40], and Ryan (partial) ^[41].

All pupils zoned to Johnston, Long, and Pershing Middle Schools may attend Pin Oak Middle School; therefore Pin Oak also feeds onto Bellaire High School.

Of the middle schools that feed into Bellaire, BHS annually holds orientation visits at Johnston, Pershing, and Pin Oak ^[42]

[edit] Magnet schools

Many pupils who are in the Vanguard program and attend middle school at Lanier or T. H. Rogers choose to go to Bellaire High School; BHS annually holds orientation visits at Lanier and Rogers ^[42]

[edit] Private schools

Some students who are enrolled in private schools in the 8th grade, such as St. Mark's Episcopal School, Presbyterian School, River Oaks Baptist School, and Annunciation Orthodox School choose to go to Bellaire for high school.^{[43][44][45][46]}

[edit] Notable alumni

• Laurie Bricker (former HISD Board Member; founder of the Jewish Women's International Annual Prejudice Awareness Summit) ^[47]
• Jeff Cohen (vice president and editor of the Houston Chronicle since 2002) ^[47]
• José Cruz, Jr. (athlete, Golden Glove outfielder for the Houston Astros) ^[47]
• Annalee Jefferies (stage actress) ^[47]
• Bob Kelly (Mayor, City of West University Place, Texas)
• Roger Israni (President of the Test Masters Educational Services, Inc)[3][4][5]
• Chuck Knoblauch (athlete, former MLB All-Star second baseman) ^[47]
• Richard Linklater (director of Dazed and Confused) ^[47]
• Emeka Okafor (athlete, Charlotte Bobcats center; 2005 NBA Rookie of the Year) ^[47]
• Robert Randall Onstead, Jr. (business, the son of Robert Randall Onstead (the founder of the Randall's grocery store chain) - President and CEO of Randall's from 1996 to 2003) ^[47]
• Cindy Pickett (actress) ^[47]
• Dennis Quaid (actor, best known for his roles in feature films like Inner Space, The Right Stuff, and The Big Easy) ^[47]
• Randy Quaid (actor, best known for his quirky roles in oddball comedy films like Kingpins and Independence Day) ^[47]
• Steve Radack (elected Harris County Commissioner of Precinct Three in 1988) ^[47]
• Brent Spiner (actor, played Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation) ^[47]
• Trey Wilson (actor and director) ^[47]
• Eddy Badrina (former director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans)
• John Lucas III (athlete, NBA Basketball Player for the Houston Rockets)
• John Moores (business, founder of BMC software and owner of the San Diego Padres)
• Lee Rosenthal (United States District Court Judge)
• Marianne Williamson (best-selling author)
• Bubba Crosby (athlete, outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds)
• Emma Graves-Fitzsimmons (Chicago Tribune Reporter)
• Jackie Moore (Bench Coach, Houston Astros)
• Thomas Schlamme (Emmy winning television director and producer of The West Wing)
• Jeff DaVanon (athlete, free agent Major League outfielder)
• Chris Young (outfielder) (athlete, outfielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks)

[edit] Notable current students

• Yuliana Gallegos, author of Mi Sueño de America/My American Dream ^{[48] [49]}

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] Official websites

• Bellaire High School Homepage
• Bellaire High School Alumni

[edit] Class alumni sites

• Bellaire High School Class of 1974
• Bellaire High School Class of 1981

[edit] Academic and athletic associations

• Bellaire High School Baseball
• Bellaire High School Debate
• Bellaire High School Football
• Bellaire High School Girls' Volleyball
• Bellaire Leo Club

[edit] Miscellaneous

• Bellaire High School Ratings from Greatschools.net
• Famous Bellaire Alumni from Famous-Alumni.Com