Northwest High School

Northwest High School is one of the premier high schools in the State of Kansas. The core values of Pride, Respect and Excellence focus the school community on the individual success of each student. Northwest has been recognized by the Wichita Business Journal as “The Best Place to Work.” Northwest is considered a leader in educational reform practices which included instructional technology, block scheduling, intervention programs, special education, vocational education and more. National, State, and Local Assessments, now along with graduation and attendance, rate at the top. Students excel in extra-curricular and co-curricular activities and community service.

• 6A State Basketball Champions
• 6A State Spirit and Sportsmanship Award
• City, District and Regional Football Champions
• Girls’ City and Regional Golf Champion
• Two State Champions in 6A Wrestling
• Individual State Boys 6A Bowling Champions
• Four Debate National Qualifiers
• Four Regional Scholastic Art Silver Keys
• Eight Regional Scholastic Art Gold Keys
• Inducted 57 students into National Honor Society
• 2005 Silvertip Walworth’s President’s Collection
• 2006 Silvertip Walworth’s President’s Collection
• Ten DECA/Marketing Nationals
• Two All-State Honor Band
• Five All-State Honor Orchestra
• Two All State Honor Choir

Exit west Kellogg at Tyler. Go north on Tyler. Northwest High School is located on the southeast corner of 13th and Tyler. See Maps for all USD 259 locations.

The mission of Northwest High School is to provide a safe, positive learning environment where all students are challenged to achieve their personal best and become responsible, productive citizens in a changing world.

Overall state assessment scores at Northwest High School have been the highest of USD 259 Comprehensive High Schools and above the state averages.  In select years, the school has been recognized for achieving the State Standard of Excellence and Challenge Award recognition.  The goal of the school is for all students to meet and exceed proficiency of state assessments and district common assessments.

CIP Target Goals for all Students Across the Curriculum, 2006-2007

• To improve in Reading: Seventy-two percent will meet proficiency or above
• To improve in Math: Sixty percent will meet proficiency or above
• To improve in Writing: Eighty percent will meet proficiency or above
• To improve Graduation Rate: Ninety percent will graduate

The Northwest High School Site Council includes parents, community members, business representatives, teachers and other school staff, students, and administration. The Site Council provides advice and counsel on school related issues such as assessment and academic performance, budget and staffing, programs and curriculum to the principal.

Site Council membership is open to all members of the Northwest High School Community. Applications are available from the principal’s office for parent, community and business representations. School staff and students are selected for representation by election. All meetings are open to the public and held in Room A26. Meetings are scheduled for the second Tuesday of each month and begin at 6 PM. For more information, please call 973-6003.

Northwest offers a comprehensive high school curriculum that challenges students to post-secondary opportunities of college, careers of their choice, AP and honors courses, vocational programs, OFACS, Business, Technology, on the job and service-learning opportunities, concurrent credit with colleges and universities, as well as, exploratory options are all available. Emerging programs include Digital Media Production, Hospitality Industries, Interior Design, Machine Shop, and more. Special Education services from gifted, interrelated, TMR, and more with the introduction to 2006 of autistic services.

Programs of distinction include the performing and production arts, advance placement, vocational education, and more. Over half of the faculty holds advanced degrees, five National Board Certified Teachers and others recognized with national and state awards. The Class of 2006 recognized eight (8) valedictorians (4.0 GPA) and fifty-five (55) Kansas Board of Regent Scholars, as well as, fifty-seven (57) National Honor Society members. Over fifty-five percent of the Class of 2006 participated in graduation.

It had become quite evident since the early 1960s that additional facilities were needed in the northwest section of the city to accommodate secondary students residing in the fast-growing Westlink-Country Acres area. The Board of Education approved the purchase of 161 acres of land at 13th Street and Tyler Road in May 1967.

After years of planning and financial struggle to match capital outlay available to capital outlay necessary, Northwest High School was started in January 1975 with the appointment of architects Schaefer, Schirmer and Associates. A request was made to the City of Wichtia on May 17, 1976, to annex the property for school purposes, and bids for construction were awarded for the new high school on July 12, 1976, to Law and Co. for the new high school building to contain approximately 220,000 square feet. The first principal, John Gasper, was named in the spring of 1977 to coordinate the details of construction with the academic program, to select the staff, and make other preparations necessary to open the $10.4 million high school at the beginning of the 1978-79 school year. Designed to accommodate 1,600 students, the facility opened on August 28, 1978, with 1,267 students and 111 staff, including 67 teachers, and with colors of royal blue and gold and the Grizzlies mascot.

The facility housed 67 regular classrooms and 12 additional teaching areas in physical education, the auditorium, and the 11,000 square foot library. The auditorium has a seating capacity of 804, the gymnasium can seat 2,800, and the commons can accommodate 330. There is a six-lane swimming pool 25 yards long with folding bleachers for 400 spectators.

The facility includes a commons area as the center for student activity. This same area serves as a dining facility, a study area, an informal social gathering place and a foyer area for theater use. Surrounding the commons are administrative offices, instructional areas, student lockers and food service areas. Portions of the 800-seat theater, adjacent to the commons, have folding partitions that form two large-group instructional spaces. The physical education complex is located at the terminal of one of the students streets and a large multipurpose gymnasium with seating for 2,900 on folding bleachers. A large physical education area, equivalent to three basketball courts in size, is created when the bleachers are folded back.

Changes to the physical plan during the 1980s included the enclosing of some of the classrooms that were originally designed to promote open learning and student centers. During the middle 1980s, athletic fields including a football stadium, soccer, baseball and softball fields, were completed.

During the 1988-89 school year, ninth grade students were added to the student body. This 33 percent increase in the student body resulted in the addition of 25 professional staff positions. Seven portable classrooms were added to accommodate the addition of the ninth grade class. These were placed on the east side of the main complex. Enrollment averages around 1400.

From A History of Wichita Public School Buildings, c 1997