Stephen Pool Waltrip High School is a public high school located at 1900 West 34th Street in Houston, Texas, United States, 77018. Waltrip, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the Houston Independent School District. Waltrip has Houston ISD's Research and Technology magnet program. The school's namesake is a former principal at the defunct Houston Heights High School, who transferred to Reagan High School (now renamed Heights High School) after that school replaced the original Houston Heights High.

History

Waltrip High School opened in 1960 to serve many newly developed post-World War II subdivisions, and relieved Reagan High School of many students when it did so. It was relieved by Scarborough Junior-Senior High School when that school opened in 1969. The school was named after Stephen Pool Waltrip, a funeral home owner in the Houston Heights named principal of Reagan High School in 1918. The school remained majority white until the early 1990s, when the school was equally white, black, and Hispanic. In 1997 a portion of the Reagan High School boundary was rezoned to Waltrip. By the 2000s, Waltrip became majority Hispanic. Waltrip has become one of the highest performing comprehensive high schools in Houston ISD by being named "Recognized" by the Texas Education Agency, one of the few urban high schools in Houston ISD to receive such a designation. (Reference: Texas Education Agency website). Around 2012, each year a total of 400 students transfer from Booker T. Washington High School to Waltrip and Reagan. In 2015 Andria Schur got a job as the principal of a charter school in Dallas, Texas, causing her to leave her post as principal of Waltrip. Dale Mitchell, previously the principal of Sterling High School, became the principal of Waltrip. The campus began receiving a renovation around 2015.

School song

The Waltrip school song, "Our Waltrip High", was written by alumni Jon Enloe with music by Joe Stuessy, both from the Class of 1961.

Neighborhoods served by Waltrip

Neighborhoods served by Waltrip include Garden Oaks, Timbergrove Manor (Timbergrove Manor Civic Club and Timbergrove Manor Neighborhood Association), Shepherd Forest, Shepherd Park Plaza, Lazybrook, Shady Acres, most of Oak Forest, most of Cottage Grove, Candlelight Plaza and a small portion of the Houston Heights. A townhome complex called Cottage Grove is zoned to Waltrip. At one point, all of the Houston Heights was zoned to Reagan. In 1997, a small portion was rezoned to Waltrip.

Student body

The makeup of the 1,597 students enrolled during the 2022-2023 school year was: Approximately 74% of the students qualified for free or reduced lunch programs.

Athletics

The Athletics Department at Waltrip consists of the following teams: Margaret Downing of the Houston Press stated in 2012 that the school culture placed importance on American football.

Facilities

In 2012 it housed the Waltrip High School Child Development Center, a preschool program for low income children. Since 2015 it no longer does so.

Academic performance

The Texas Education Agency rankings in 2009-2010 and 2011 were "Recognized" and "Academically Acceptable". Downing stated in 2012 that "Waltrip High is neither the worst nor the best high school in HISD."

Dress code

campus. All students will be issued one ID badge and a lanyard. manner that no cleavage or midriff is exposed. School dress code. Leggings may be worn but they must not be sheer and they must be paired with a top that covers the buttock area. Crocs, students should use the back strap for safety of use. House slippers are not allowed.

Feeder patterns

Elementary schools that feed into Waltrip include: Middle schools that feed into Waltrip include:

Notable alumni