Wikipedia

The John Cooper School

The John Cooper School is an independent, college-preparatory, nonsectarian, co-educational day school located in The Woodlands, an unincorporated planned community in Montgomery County, Texas, United States.[2]

The John Cooper School
Address
Map
One John Cooper Drive

The Woodlands
,
Texas
77381

United States
Coordinates30°10′30″N 95°31′34″W / 30.175°N 95.526°W / 30.175; -95.526
Information
TypeIndependent
Co-educational
College preparatory
Non-residential
MottoFrom Curiosity To Wisdom
Established1988; 36 years ago (1988)[1]
Head of schoolDr. Stephen Popp
Faculty167[2]
GradesPK–12
Enrollment1365[2]
Average class size17
Student to teacher ratio11:1[2]
Campus typeSuburban
Color(s)
  Green and Black
AthleticsMale and Female Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Middle School
Athletics conferenceSouthwest Preparatory Conference
MascotDragon
Websitewww.johncooper.org

Overview

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The John Cooper School is an independent, college-preparatory, day school for students in prekindergarten through grade 12.[2] The campus is located in a forested area of The Woodlands, Texas, a planned community of approximately 114,000 residents[3] located approximately 40 miles (64 km) north of Houston. Cooper currently enrolls 533 students in the Upper School (9-12), 324 in the Middle School (6-8) and 508 in the Lower School (PK-5) for a total enrollment of 1,365.[2]

History

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The John Cooper School was funded by corporate and private benefactors, parents, and other supporters in The Woodlands and the Houston metropolitan area. It was named in honor of Mr. John Cooper, the long-tenured Headmaster of Houston's Kinkaid School, who guided the school through its original formation and early years of operation.[1]

Cooper officially opened on September 6, 1988, on a 43-acre campus designated for this purpose by the principal founder of The Woodlands, businessman and philanthropist George P. Mitchell.[4]

The School began with an enrollment of 175 students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 7, and one additional grade level was added each successive year. The first senior class graduated in 1994.[1] The opening enrollment of 1,365 students for the 2024–25 academic year represents the school's largest ever student body.[2]

In 2015, Cooper's headmaster Mike Maher stated that the opening of ExxonMobil's offices in north Harris County will increase demand for The John Cooper School.[5]

In 2021, Dr. Stephen Popp was named as the new head of school starting in the 2022-23 school year. Dr. Popp previously served as the Upper School Headmaster and Assistant Head of School[6]

Campus

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The campus has expanded in conjunction with the School's steadily growing student body. A new middle and upper school building for academics was opened in 1992.[5] Additions over the past 10 years include expansion to facilitate new PK classrooms and a PK playground, additional science and computer labs, a second gymnasium, a Student Center and lighted facilities for track and field, soccer, softball and baseball.[1]

The 38,000-square-foot Glenn Performing Arts Center opened in August, 2008, and features a 515-seat main stage theater, 125-seat black box theater and choir, drama, band and dance classrooms.[7] A new Upper School Library, Middle/Upper School Health Center, and four additional classrooms were added in 2011 in addition to the Pugh Football Field.[8] A new 16,500-square-foot Lower School 5th Grade classroom facility opened to the Lower School Student and Faculty Body for the 2013-2014 school year.[1] In August 2016, the school opened the 45,000-square-foot Rock Math + Science Center which houses Middle and Upper School math, science, and computer science classes.[5][9] A new, 4,250-square-foot Lower School library building opened in spring of 2018, and the former library was renovated to consolidate administrative offices.[1] In August 2024, the school opened a new, 25,000-square-foot Athletic Center with weight room, locker rooms, training room, and cheer and practice facilities.[10]

Accreditation

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A non-profit corporation governed by a Board of Trustees, Cooper earned its first accreditation by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS)[11] in 1998. That accreditation was renewed again in 2008 and 2018.[11] The School also holds memberships in the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC),[12] the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE),[13] the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB),[14] the Educational Records Bureau (ERB), and the Cum Laude Society of America.[15]

The Academic Program

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Academics include English, mathematics, science, social sciences, world languages, computer science, physical education, visual and performing arts. Spanish is offered PK through Grade 12 and French is offered beginning in the sixth grade. 21 advanced placement courses are offered to Upper School students,[2] and The John Cooper School has been recognized by being nominated for the prestigious Siemens Advanced Placement High School Award for having one of the strongest AP math and science programs in the state.[16]

Athletics

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Over 75 percent of Cooper's Middle and Upper School students participate in at least one sport. Students choose to compete in girls volleyball and softball, boys football and baseball, and boys and girls cross country, soccer, basketball, track, tennis, swimming, and golf.[17] Since 2004, varsity teams have competed in the highly regarded Southwest Preparatory Conference that comprises 18 independent schools in Texas and Oklahoma.[18] Cooper's first state championship was achieved by the varsity girls tennis team, who won the 1992 TAPPS Class A title.[19][20] More recently, the football team won the SPC 3A championship in 2021, their first-ever state title in football, and repeated the feat in 2022.[19][21]

The Middle School teams participate in the Houston Junior Preparatory Conference.[22]

Extracurricular Activities

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Extensive club, service, and leadership opportunities are offered at all grade levels.[23] The school community contributes to the greater community through a wide variety club and service projects in all divisions as well as school-wide efforts such as the Habitat for Humanity Project that has partially funded and constructed Habitat homes each year since 1999, the Empty Bowls Project held each February to support and fund local hunger relief efforts, and the Dig Pink week held each October to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer.[24] The Cooper Dig Pink fundraiser raised the most money in the nation in both 2015 and 2016.[25] Additionally, the school has an active chapter of the student run civic organization Junior State of America. Each year the Cooper chapter is one of the largest in Texas and has had many students involved on a state and national level through elections and leadership conferences.

Cooper graduates have 100 percent college matriculation[26] and are accepted to top colleges and universities, nationally and internationally.[27] Seven students from the class of 2017 were named National Merit Semifinalists.[28]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f The John Cooper School - A Brief History, The John Cooper School - A Brief History
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cooper At A Glance, The John Cooper School Website
  3. ^ The Woodlands Demographics, The Woodlands Development Company
  4. ^ Shawn, Arrajj (9 May 2013). "College prep school celebrates 25th year". Community Impact.
  5. ^ a b c Olabi, Nora (2015-06-09). "Spring-area growth drives prep school expansions". The Spring Observer at the Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2017-03-26.
  6. ^ "The John Cooper School announces new Head of School Elect". Woodlands Online. 28 May 2021.
  7. ^ "New curtain rises at John Cooper School". Montgomery County Courier. 11 September 2008.
  8. ^ "Cooper set for first football season". Montgomery County Courier. 4 August 2011.
  9. ^ [1], The John Cooper School Website
  10. ^ "The John Cooper School unveils state-of-the-art Athletic Center". Woodlands Online. 22 August 2024.
  11. ^ a b ISAS Membership Directory, ISAS Website
  12. ^ NACAC Membership Directory, NACAC Website
  13. ^ CASE Membership Directory, CASE Website
  14. ^ College Board Institution Members, collegeboard.org
  15. ^ Cum Laude Society Member Schools, cumlaudesociety.org
  16. ^ "Four members of Cooper Class of 2010 awarded National Recognition by AP scholar awards program". Houston Chronicle. 30 September 2010.
  17. ^ The John Cooper School Athletics, The John Cooper School Website
  18. ^ SPC Member Schools, SPC Website
  19. ^ a b The John Cooper School. "Athletics Championships". johncooper.org.
  20. ^ "Tennis - TAPPS State Tournament". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. May 3, 1992. p. 41 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "John Cooper wins first-ever SPC championship". 6 November 2021.
  22. ^ HJPC Member Schools, HJPC Website
  23. ^ The John Cooper School Clubs & Organizations, The John Cooper School Website
  24. ^ The John Cooper School Community Service, The John Cooper School Website
  25. ^ Staff Report (2017-05-09). "VOLLEYBALL: Cooper's DIG PINK fundraising efforts rank No. 1 in the nation for second consecutive year". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2017-05-10.
  26. ^ School Profile, The John Cooper School
  27. ^ Matriculation Report, The John Cooper School
  28. ^ "John Cooper Class of '17 names National Merit semifinalists". Houston Chronicle. 11 October 2016.
  29. ^ Gans, Andrew (31 July 2018). "Mallory Bechtel Joins Cast of Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen July 31". Playbill.
  30. ^ a b Arno, David (20 September 2010). "Cooper graduates go viral with Dude Perfect". The Courier.
  31. ^ "Rachel Stelter (Cooper '11) named EHS varsity girls soccer coach". SPC. 2 September 2020.
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