The Chinquapin School

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The Chinquapin School

Quid pro Quo (Latin: Something for Something)
Established	1969
School type	Non-profit private school
Religious affiliation	Secular
Codirectors	Bill Heinzerling Kathy Heinzerling
Location	Highlands, Texas, United States
Campus	Rural
Enrollment	152
Faculty	15
Average class size	14
Student:teacher ratio	9:1
Average SAT scores (2004)	535 verbal 556 math
Athletics	Basketball, soccer, track, volleyball
Color(s)	Black and white
Mascot	Burr

The Chinquapin School is a non-profit 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.

1 History
2 Academics
3 Student life
4 Athletics
5 References
6 External links

[edit] 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, Inc of Houston.

The Moores had planned to start the school in Palestine, Texas (along the Chinquapin Creek), 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.

[edit] Academics

Students are required to take English, history, biology, physics, chemistry and math. Additionally, students must take four years of vocabulary-building courses, three years of Spanish and, as seniors, an environmental studies course.

[edit] Student life

All students who attend Chinquapin are on scholarship and pay a fraction of the $10,500 per student operating cost — $30-$100+ a month, based on family income. To fulfill the school's motto of Quid pro Quo (Latin: Something for Something) students give back by performing daily chores and helping in the community.

Girls and sixth grade boys are bussed to the school daily. Boys in seventh through twelfth grades stay Monday through Friday in campus dormitories.