The Village School (Houston)

The Village School is a coeducational non-denominational college preparatory private school for grades Pre-K through high school in Houston, Texas.

The Village School
Location
Map
13077 Westella Dr

,
77077

United States
Coordinates29°44′49″N 95°37′05″W / 29.746816°N 95.618050°W / 29.746816; -95.618050
Information
TypePrivate, boarding
MottoVeritas et Scientia
(Truth and Knowledge)
Established1966; 58 years ago (1966)
AuthorityNord Anglia Education
Head of schoolBill Delbrugge
Teaching staff143.3 (FTE) (2017–18)[2]
GradesPre-K12
Enrollment1,583 (non-PreK) (2017–18)[2]
Student to teacher ratio11:1 (2017–18)[2]
Campus size28 acres (11 ha)[1]
Color(s)White and navy    
Athletics conferenceTAPPS
MascotThe Viking
AffiliationTAAPS, TAPPS, NAIS, IBO
Websitewww.thevillageschool.com

Description edit

The Village School is located on over 28 acres in West Houston with over 200,000 square-feet of facilities. The school is fully accredited by the Texas Association of Accredited Private Schools. Village High School is an International Baccalaureate World School. The school has students representing six continents and more than 60 countries.

Students at all grade levels participate in athletics.[3] fine arts, and extracurricular activities.

As of 2018 the head of school is Bill Delbrugge; as of 2021, the school had 1,750 students,[4] making it the largest private school.[5] in the Houston area.[6] The Village School is a part of the Nord Anglia Education network of schools.

History edit

Founded in 1966, The Village School initially served 100 students, aged three through five. In 1973, Betty Moore acquired the school. In 1981, The Village School moved to a larger campus on Memorial Drive. By 1983, however, the program had expanded to include students from pre-school through grade 4. It then relocated to the current campus on Westella Drive.

In 1984, the first of three new buildings opened, providing space for 25 classrooms, a gymnasium, a stage, a computer room, a music room and a library. The school also added grade 5 and increased their enrollment to nearly 400 students. Grade 6 was added in 1988. The school added grade 7 in 1991 and graduated its first 8th grade class in 1993.

In 2006, The Village School joined the Meritas group of Schools. In 2009, it opened its high school program, with more than 50 9th graders. With each subsequent year, an additional grade was added, reaching grade 12 in the fall of 2012.

In 2014 the school was scheduled to begin developing its 15-acre (6.1 ha) expansion, designed by Ziegler Cooper Architects. and including additional middle school classrooms and area, the Finna Learning Center for early childhood students, a dormitory facility, a science and fine art center, and a student and athletic center building.[7]

In the summer of 2015, the school joined Nord Anglia Education. The new 46,000 square foot athletic center was to include a Varsity athletic gymnasium with a full size collegiate regulation main basketball court and two high school regulation cross courts as well as a natatorium with a 25-yard competition pool.

Athletics edit

Originally the Village School was not a part of any athletic conference. In 2014 it joined Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) and was placed in district 4A.[8] In 2015 the boys' soccer team won the top title of TAPPS division II, giving the school its first-ever statewide athletic title. [9] The boys' soccer team won theTAPPS 4A district title and the TAAPS 4A state championship again in 2016.[10] In 2019, The Village School varsity football team won the TAPPS Division 5 State Championship, the first in the schools history. In 2023, the boys' soccer team won the top title of TAPPS 6A division 1.

Transportation edit

As of 2019 the school has multiple bus services: Cinco Ranch, Katy, Lakes on Eldridge, Memorial, Royal Oaks Country Club/Westpark Drive, and Sugar Land. The Westpark stop serves students from Bellaire, Uptown Houston (Galleria area), and West University Place.[11]

Notable alumni edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Our Campus". The Village School. Retrieved December 16, 2020. The Village School ... encompasses 28-acres, ...
  2. ^ a b c "Search for Private Schools – School Detail for The Village School". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  3. ^ "Prep school students hit the gridiron as new football team". ABC13 Houston. November 12, 2015.
  4. ^ Radcliffe, Jennifer. "New head of independent Village school plans major renovation" (Archived 2015-10-05 at the Wayback Machine). Houston Chronicle. August 30, 2014. Updated September 3, 2014. - See paywall version at the Chronicle website
  5. ^ Henry, Madison (August 7, 2015). "Largest Houston-Area K-12 Private Schools - Houston Business Journal". Houston Business Journal.
  6. ^ Martin, Joe. "The Business Journal Interview with Gabriella Rowe, head of school, Village School" (Archived 2015-10-06 at the Wayback Machine). Houston Business Journal. August 7, 2015. Retrieved on September 11, 2015.
  7. ^ Pulsinelli, Olivia. "Private school in west Houston plans expansion." Houston Business Journal. September 2, 2014. Retrieved on September 10, 2015.
  8. ^ Jenkins, Jeff. "The Village School thrilled about TAPPS debut" (Archived 2015-09-25 at the Wayback Machine). Houston Chronicle. Tuesday September 9, 2014. Retrieved on September 11, 2015.
  9. ^ Jenkins, Jeff. "Vikings earn first state title" (Archived 2016-06-11 at the Wayback Machine). Houston Chronicle. March 3, 2015. Retrieved on September 11, 2015.
  10. ^ "Mission accomplished again for Village School". Houston Chronicle. 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2016-04-22.
  11. ^ "Bus Services". The Village School. Retrieved 2019-03-30. - Village Bus Routes 2018-2019 (states: "Sam’s Club @5301 S. Rice Bellaire (used by students in Galleria, Bellaire, West University, etc.)") and Royal Oaks/Westpark Bus Route (states: "Families who live in the Galleria, West University, Bellaire, etc. areas may access this service from the Sam’s Club stop.") - Note the Sam's Club is in the Houston city limits.
  12. ^ Quiroz, Erica (6 February 2012). "With 'Jane,' Erica Dasher's career designs have evolved". Houston Chronicle – via chron.com.
  13. ^ "Isaiah Taylor Bio". Texas Longhorns. University of Texas. Retrieved December 16, 2020.

External links edit