Chinquapin Preparatory School

Chinquapin Preparatory School
Chinquapin Prep Logo
Location
Chinquapin Preparatory School
Chinquapin Preparatory School
2615 E Wallisville Rd
Highlands, Texas, 77562
United States
Coordinates 29°49′15″N 95°01′18″W / 29.8207°N 95.0217°W / 29.8207; -95.0217Coordinates: 29°49′15″N 95°01′18″W / 29.8207°N 95.0217°W / 29.8207; -95.0217
Information
Type Nonprofit private college-preparatory school
Motto Latin: Quid pro Quo
(Something for Something)
Established 1969
Founder Robert and Maxine Moore
Director Laura Henry, Ed.D.
Faculty 21
Key people Laura Henry, Bill & Kathy Heinzerling, Bob & Maxine Moore
Grades 6-12
Enrollment 156[1]
Campus type Rural
Color(s) Black, white, and red
Athletics basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, volleyball
Athletics conference Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools
Mascot Burr
Accreditation Texas Alliance of Accredited Private Schools
Newspaper The Burr
Website www.chinquapin.org

Chinquapin Preparatory School is a nonprofit private college-preparatory school, grades six through twelve, which serves low-income youth, particularly minorities, from the Greater Houston area. The school, accredited by the Texas Alliance of Accredited Private Schools, is located in Highlands in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, USA, near Baytown.[2]

Chinquapin Prep, along with Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory of Houston and Yellowstone Academy, is one of the few Greater Houston private schools that caters to low income students.[3]

History

The Chinquapin School was founded by Robert P. Moore — formerly head of the English Department at St. John's School in Houston — and his wife Maxine. Incorporated in March 1969 as a school for boys, it was funded with an initial five-year grant of $250,000 from The Brown Foundation of Houston.

The Moores had planned to locate the school on their property near Palestine, Texas — where a branch of Chinquapin Creek and several Chinquapin trees can be found — but were convinced they needed to be closer to Houston. Inner-city students — the school's target prospects — were located there, as was the donor base who were more plentiful in Houston and who would want to see the impact they were making in their city.

Chinquapin was originally located in the city of Baytown on Tri City Beach Road. Board members soon discovered nearby the current Highlands location (a former egg farm); doors opened there in August 1973. The school became coeducational in 1978, letting in its first female student on a trial basis.

The school's name comes from the Algonquian word meaning "large". The school motto is Quid pro Quo (Latin: Something for Something). It's been the school's motto since its founding, and its simple message pervades almost every aspect of the school.

The Chinquapin School changed its name to Chinquapin Preparatory School in 2010.

Student life

All students who attend Chinquapin Prep are on scholarship and pay a fraction of the $15,300 per student operating cost — $85-$100 a month, based on family income. To fulfill the school's motto of Quid pro Quo, students give back by performing daily chores and helping in the community.

Sixth grade students are bussed to the school daily. We proudly opened our new girls’ dorm in January 2017, giving high school girls the opportunity to board Monday through Friday, something that the 7th through 12th grade boys have enjoyed since our founding.

Academics

In 2010, Chinquapin added the Urban Teaching Fellows Program, an initiative that allows recent college graduates to gain exposure to all aspects of life at a boarding school including teaching, coaching and residential life. The courses are:

6th grade
  • Reading, Language Arts, Social Studies (Ancient Civilizations), Mathematics, Integrated Science I, Skills I, Physical Education
7th grade
  • English, Language Arts, Social Studies (Texas History), Pre-Algebra, Integrated Science II, Skills II
8th grade
  • English, Language Arts, Intro. to American History, Algebra I, Integrated Science III, Skills III, Intro. to Art
9th grade
  • English I, Language Arts I, Algebra I or Advanced Algebra II, Physics, Spanish I or Advanced Spanish I, Health, World Geography I
10th grade
  • English II, Language Arts II, World History, Speech, Geometry or Advanced Trigonometry, Chemistry, Spanish II or Advanced Spanish II
11th grade
  • English III, Language Arts III, U.S. History (Reconstruction to the Present), Algebra II or Advanced Pre-Calculus, Biology, Spanish III or AP Spanish, Electives*
12th grade
  • AP English, U.S. Government, Economics, Precalculus or AP Statistics, Environmental Science, World Geography II, Technology Applications II, Senior Seminar, Electives*

All students who do not participate in team sports also take Physical Education.

Piano, Guitar Ensemble, Studio Art, Journalism, and Drama are available as one-half credit electives for 9th-12th grade students. All students must take two half-credit courses in a Fine Art: Piano or Guitar (or other music options), Studio Art, Drama, and/or a Fine Arts elective.

Athletics

Chinquapin is grouped in TAPPS Division 2A and competes in baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.

Chinquapin holds one state championship, that of the 1982 basketball team coached by Bill Heinzerling.

Chinquapin's soccer team has been in the TAPPS State Final Four in four of the past five years. For the 2004-05 season the Burrs lost to Carrollton Prince of Peace 2-0, placing second in state. In the semifinals of the 2005-06 season they lost to Austin Concordia 3-0, placing third in state. In the 2006-07 season they lost to Dallas Fairhill 1-0, placing fourth in state. In 2008-09 they lost to Universal City First Baptist 3-0, placing fourth in state.

Chinquapin's 2006-07 junior varsity soccer team ended with a 14–0 record in their district.

Chinquapin's Speech and Debate Team has made it to the TAPPS State Tournaments held at Concordia University in Austin, TX for the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years.

There have been 8th grade MVPs in Flag Football: Robert Stephenson (2013–14) and Joseph Pedraza (2012–13)

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "The Facts". Chinquapin Preparatory School. Archived from the original on 2013-02-14. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
  2. ↑ Hodge, Shelby. "Social calendar." Houston Chronicle. Wednesday April 10, 1996. Houston 3. Retrieved on December 2, 2011. Available from the Houston Public Library website, accessible with a library card number and PIN.
  3. ↑ Radcliffe, Jennifer. "Third Ward school for poorest of poor still thriving." Houston Chronicle. Monday October 11, 2010. Retrieved on October 21, 2011.
  4. ↑ David, Medina (October 1998). "Very Special Ed". Texas Monthly. 26 (10): 70. 0148-7736.
  5. ↑ Cannon, Len (January 20, 2010). "'Lost Boy of Sudan' finds brighter future thanks to Houston school". Houston, Texas: KHOU. Archived from the original on March 31, 2012. Retrieved 2011-06-14.

  • KHOU-TV staff (1973). Chinquapin: Pebble in the Water (News Special). Houston, Texas: KHOU-TV.
  • Mathieu, Jennifer (May 20, 1999). "Mr. Moore's Opus". Houston Press. Retrieved 2006-03-31.
  • Garza, Cynthia Leonor (June 14, 2006). "'A really different kind of school'". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2006-06-14.
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