Northside Independent School District is a

school district A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary and secondary schools in various nations. North America United States In the U.S, most K–12 public schools function as units of local school districts, w ...

headquartered in Leon Valley,

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

. It is the largest school district in the San Antonio area and the fourth largest in the State of Texas. Northside serves of urban landscape, suburban growth and rural territory in the

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_ ...

suburbs and the Hill Country. Northside is roughly 50 percent built out with the center of the district's boundaries near Helotes, just north of the Bandera Road and Loop 1604 intersection. Because of fast-paced growth, the district envisions possibly another four high schools over the next few decades, including far west areas off Potranco Road and Hwy 211 (near the Medina County line), Culebra Road (FM 471) past Talley Road, I-10 near Boerne Stage Road (north of the Dominion) and far north Bandera Road (Hwy 16) near the Pipe Creek/Bandera County/Medina County areas. Northside ISD serves a portion of the city of San Antonio as well as the cities of Grey Forest, Leon Valley,

Shavano Park Shavano Park is a city located in Bexar County, Texas, United States. , the population was 3,524, up from 3,035 at the 2010 census. It is an enclave of San Antonio and is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Geography Shavano Par ...

, Helotes, and the unincorporated communities of Cross Mountain,

Leon Springs Leon Springs is an unincorporated community in Bexar County, Texas, now partially within the city limits of San Antonio. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 137 in 2000. It is located within the San Antonio ...

, and Scenic Oaks. The district also serves some unincorporated portions of Bexar,

Bandera Bandera - from a Spanish word meaning a ''flag'' - may refer to: Places * Bandera County, Texas ** Bandera, Texas, its county seat ** Bandera Creek, a river in Texas, with its source near Bandera Pass ** Bandera Pass, a mountain pass in Bandera C ...

and

Medina Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...

counties. In 2011, the school district was rated " recognized" by the

Texas Education Agency The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch of the government of Texas responsible for public education in Texas in the United States.

for the fourth consecutive year.

Administration

Superintendent

The current superintendent of Northside Independent School District is Dr. Brian Woods. Prior to his appointment in 2012, he was a social studies teacher, administrator, the assistant superintendent for secondary administration, and the named deputy superintendent for administration for the school district.

Campuses

Northside ISD has over 110 campus locations:

High schools

Northside has chosen a unique method of naming its traditional high schools; each school is named for a former or current

United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

justice. Under current district policy, eighth graders who will be part of a new high school's first graduating class are encouraged to research prior justices and submit nominations. The justices so honored are Louis D. Brandeis, William J. Brennan, Tom C. Clark,

John Marshall Harlan John Marshall Harlan (June 1, 1833 – October 14, 1911) was an American lawyer and politician who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1877 until his death in 1911. He is often called "The Great Dissenter" due to his ...

, Oliver Wendell Holmes,

John Jay John Jay (December 12, 1745 – May 17, 1829) was an American statesman, patriot, diplomat, abolitionist, signatory of the Treaty of Paris, and a Founding Father of the United States. He served as the second governor of New York and the f ...

John Marshall John Marshall (September 24, 1755July 6, 1835) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the fourth Chief Justice of the United States from 1801 until his death in 1835. He remains the longest-serving chief justice and fourth-longes ...

(the oldest high school; originally named Northside Rural High School but later renamed to conform to the naming convention),

Sandra Day O'Connor Sandra Day O'Connor (born March 26, 1930) is an American retired attorney and politician who served as the first female associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. She was both the first woman nominated and th ...

(attended the school's dedication),

John Paul Stevens John Paul Stevens (April 20, 1920 – July 16, 2019) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1975 to 2010. At the time of his retirement, he was the second-oldes ...

(also attended the school's dedication),

William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...

, and

Earl Warren Earl Warren (March 19, 1891 – July 9, 1974) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as the 14th Chief Justice of the United States from 1953 to 1969. The Warren Court presided over a major shift in American constitutio ...

. The 12th and newest high school in the district, Sonia M. Sotomayor High School, opened on August 22nd, 2022. The school is named after the Supreme Court justice Sonia M. Sotomayor, who is the first woman of color, first Hispanic and first Latina to serve on the Supreme Court. * Louis D. Brandeis High School, (opened 2008) * William J. Brennan High School, (opened 2010) * Tom C. Clark High School, (opened 1978) * John Marshall Harlan High School, (opened 2017) * Oliver Wendell Holmes High School, (opened 1964) * John Jay High School, (opened 1967) * John Marshall High School, Leon Valley (opened 1950) (formerly Northside High School, renamed in 1960) **

National Blue Ribbon School The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures ...

in 1992-93 * Sandra Day O'Connor High School, (opened 1998) * Sonia M. Sotomayor High School, (opened 2022) * John Paul Stevens High School, (opened 2005) * William H. Taft High School (opened 1985) **

in 1997-98 *

Earl Warren High School Earl Warren High School is a public school located in San Antonio, Texas, United States. It is a part of the Northside Independent School District. As with all Northside ISD high schools, it is named for a former United States Supreme Court justi ...

, San Antonio (opened 2002)

Magnet high schools

* NSITE High School, San Antonio * Communications Arts High School, San Antonio *

Construction Careers Academy Construction Careers Academy is a magnet school in the Northside Independent School District of San Antonio, Texas, United States. Founded in 2009, the school is a "school within a school" sharing the campus of Earl Warren High School Earl Wa ...

, San Antonio * Health Careers High School, San Antonio **

in 1990–91 *

John Jay Science and Engineering Academy John Jay Science and Engineering Academy is a magnet school in San Antonio, Texas (United States) which provides an academic education in a digital environment. Students and teachers pursue research projects that are collaboratively designed to d ...

, San Antonio

Middle schools

*Joe J. Bernal Middle School, North San Antoni

*

Dolph Briscoe Dolph Briscoe Jr. (April 23, 1923 – June 27, 2010) was an American rancher and businessman from Uvalde, Texas, who was the 41st governor of Texas between 1973 and 1979. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Because of his re-election foll ...

Middle School, North San Antoni

*

John B. Connally John Bowden Connally Jr. (February 27, 1917June 15, 1993) was an American politician. He served as the 39th governor of Texas and as the 61st United States secretary of the Treasury. He began his career as a Democrat and later became a Republic ...

Middle School, Northwest San Antoni

* John M. Folks Middle School, Northwest San Antonio * Hector Garcia Middle School, Northwest San Antoni

*

William P. Hobby William Pettus Hobby (March 26, 1878 – June 7, 1964) was known as the publisher/owner of the ''Beaumont Enterprise'' when he entered politics and the Democratic Party. Elected in 1914 as Lieutenant Governor of Texas, in 1917 he succeeded to ...

Middle School, North-Central San Antoni

*

Wallace B. Jefferson Wallace Bernard Jefferson (born July 22, 1963) is a former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, who served from 2004 until October 1, 2013. In October 2013, he joined the law firm Alexander Dubose & Jefferson LLP as a name partner and no ...

Middle School, Northwest San Antoni

*

Anson Jones Anson Jones (January 20, 1798 – January 09, 1858) was a doctor, businessman, member of Congress, and the fourth and last President of the Republic of Texas. Early life Jones was born on January 20, 1798, in Great Barrington, Massachu ...

Magnet Middle School, North San Antoni

*Jack C. Jordan Middle School, San Antoni

* Gregory Luna Middle School, North San Antoni

*

Pat Neff Pat Morris Neff (November 26, 1871 – January 20, 1952) was an American politician, educator and administrator, and the 28th Governor of Texas from 1921 to 1925, ninth President of Baylor University from 1932 to 1947, and twenty-fifth presid ...

Middle School, North Central San Antoni

* E. M. Pease Middle School, North San Antoni

* Ed Rawlinson Middle School, San Antonio *

Sam Rayburn Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn (January 6, 1882 – November 16, 1961) was an American politician who served as the 43rd speaker of the United States House of Representatives. He was a three-time House speaker, former House majority leader, two-time ...

Middle School, San Antonio * Sul Ross Middle School, Northeast San Antonio * Earl Rudder Middle School, North Central San Antonio *

Coke R. Stevenson Coke Robert Stevenson (March 20, 1888 – June 28, 1975) was an American politician who served as the 35th governor of Texas from 1941 to 1947. He was the first Texan politician to hold its three highest offices (Speaker of the Texas House ...

Middle School, Northwest San Antonio **

in 1990-91 *

Katherine Stinson Katherine Stinson (February 14, 1891 – July 8, 1977) was an aviation pioneer who in 1912 became the fourth woman in the United States to earn the FAI pilot certificate. She set flying records for aerobatic maneuvers, distance, and endurance. ...

Middle School, Central San Antonio * Robert L. Vale Middle School, Northwest San Antonio *

H.B. Zachry Henry Bartell Zachry (1901–1984), also known as H.B. Zachry and Pat Zachry was the founder and former president and chairman of H.B. Zachry Company, the parent company of Zachry Holdings Inc. and Zachry Construction Corporation. He earned a degree ...

Middle School, Northwest-Central San Antonio

Elementary schools

*Adams Hill (1972) *Allen (1960) *Aue (2007) *Beard (2003) *Behlau (2010) *Blattman (2003) *Boldt (2015) *Boone (1974) *Brauchle (1990) **

in 1998-99 *Braun Station (1982) *Burke (2000) *Cable (1958) *Carlos Coon (1978) *Carnahan (2008) *Carson (1998) *Cole (2016) *Ed Cody (1982) *Ellison (2014) *Colonies North (1966) *Driggers (2007) *Elrod (1988) *Esparza (1972) **

in 2000-01 *Evers (1992) *Fernandez (1990) *Fields (2016) *Fisher (2006) *Forester (2008) *Franklin (2013) *Galm (1987) *Glass (1956) *Glenn (1962) *Glenoaks (1961) **

in 1998-99 *Hatchett (2004) *Helotes (1950) *Henderson (2010) *Hoffmann (2009) *Howsman (1969) **

in 2000-01 *Kallison (2017) *Knowlton (1985) *Krueger (2005) *Kuentz (2009) *Langley (2009) *Leon Springs (1991) *Leon Valley (1980) *Lewis (2001) *Lieck (2011) *Linton (1980) *Locke Hill (1975) **

in 1998-99 *Los Reyes (2012) *Martin (2010) *Mary Hull (1963) **

in 1996-97 *May (1997) *McAndrew (2013) *McDermott (1992) *Mead (2006) *Meadow Village (1968) *Michael (1999) *Mireles (2011) *Mora (2018) *Murnin (2006) *Myers (1997) *Nichols (2002) *Northwest Crossing (1982) *Oak Hills Terrace (1968) *Ott (2004) *Passmore (1970) *Powell (1962) *Raba (2000) *Rhodes (2002) *Scarborough (2008) *Scobee (1987) *Steubing (1997) *Thornton (1989) *Timberwilde (1980) *Tomlinson (2021) *Valley Hi (1963) *Villarreal (1968) *Wanke (2006) *Ward (2003) *Wernli (2020) *Westwood Terrace (1961)

Special schools

*Irene L. Chavez Excel Academy *John C. Holmgreen Center *Nellie M. Reddix Center *Northside Alternative High School *Northside Alternative Middle School *Northside Learning Center (Adult Education) *Northside Learning Center (Community Education)

Student locator project

The school district spent over $500,000 on a system whereby students wear an

RFID Radio-frequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. An RFID system consists of a tiny radio transponder, a radio receiver and transmitter. When triggered by an electromag ...

chip and

barcode A barcode or bar code is a method of representing data in a visual, machine-readable form. Initially, barcodes represented data by varying the widths, spacings and sizes of parallel lines. These barcodes, now commonly referred to as linear or o ...

around their necks, allowing the school to track their location during the school day. The students needed the tag "to use the library or cafeteria, vote in school elections, and in some cases for toilet breaks". One student was expelled in 2012 after refusing to either wear the tag or to wear a version of it that included the barcode but not the RFID tag. Her objections were for reasons of religion, privacy, and freedom of expression; the school had also forbidden her from handing out leaflets criticizing the program. She later returned to the school following a federal judge's injunction. The school district's website was brought down in retaliation for the program. An individual claiming responsibility for the website disruption described the school district as "pervs" for their policy of RFID tracking children. The RFID tracking program was discontinued for the 2013-2014 school year. Even during the controversy, the program was very limited in scope. The schools chosen have the fewest percentage of white students (Jones M.S.: 4% and John Jay H.S.: 13%).

Police department

The Northside Independent School District Police Department is the district's full-service police department. The department has jurisdiction in the district's boundaries, and has primary jurisdiction over all district property regardless of county.

Incidents

*On September 11, 2007, NISD police officer Patrick Ritchey reported that he was shot twice through his

bulletproof vest A bulletproof vest, also known as a ballistic vest or a bullet-resistant vest, is an item of body armor that helps absorb the impact and reduce or stop penetration to the torso from firearm-fired projectiles and fragmentation from explosions. Th ...

with his own pistol after confronting two men after seeing graffiti at Lackland City Elementary School (now Allen Elementary). Following an overnight search by the San Antonio Police Department for the suspects, Ritchey admitted that he shot himself. *On May 16, 2012, NISD police officer Doug Schramm negligently discharged his pistol in his office at Jordan Middle School. Schramm immediately informed the NISD police chief and campus principal, and it was found that the bullet did not leave the office. He was put on administrative leave and later fired on May 29 for unholstering a gun inside the school. *In August 2016, Texas Commission on Law Enforcement investigators recommended criminal charges against NISD police chief Charles Carnes and suspension of his peace officer license for falsely stating that NISD officers do not make routine traffic stops and failing to submit the required racial profiling reports for years.

Shooting of Derek Lopez

On November 12, 2010, Northside ISD police officer Daniel Alvarado shot and killed 14 year old student Derek Lopez. Alvarado witnessed Lopez punch another student at a bus stop and pursued him, then radioed his supervisor who instructed him to stay with the victim. Alvarado returned to his car and ordered the victim into his car and pursued Lopez. Lopez jumped over fences then closed himself in a backyard shed. Alvarado approached the shed with his pistol drawn, and when Lopez opened the door he fired one round. Alvarado claimed he feared for his life and that Lopez was charging for his weapon or had taken a weapon from the shed. Alvarado had been reprimanded at 12 times and suspended 4 times prior to the incident and on May 29, 2008 the NISD Police Department considered his termination. He resigned in January 2013, and later that year Northside ISD settled the federal lawsuit brought against it by Lopez's mother for $925,000.

History

The district was formed in 1949 via consolidation of several rural school districts, having a mere 823 students: *Clifton *Culebra *Helotes (including the former Los Reyes district which Helotes absorbed in 1939) *Hoffman *Leon Springs *Leon Valley (including the former Evers district which Leon Valley absorbed in 1924) *Locke Hill *Lockhart *Mackey *San Antonio Heights

References

External links

Northside ISD
{{Coord, 29, 28, 29, N, 98, 34, 53, W, display=title School districts in San Antonio School districts in Bandera County, Texas School districts in Bexar County, Texas School districts in Medina County, Texas School districts in Texas 1949 establishments in Texas School districts established in 1949