The John Cooper School

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The John Cooper School is a private, non-sectarian, co-educational day school located in The Woodlands, an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Texas.

The John Cooper School
From Curiosity To Wisdom
Established	1988
School type	Independent Co-educational Non-residential
Religious affiliation	None
Headmaster	Michael F. Maher
Location	The Woodlands, Texas, United States
Campus	Suburban
Enrollment	905
Faculty	80 Men and Women
Average class size	16 (Upper School)
Student:teacher ratio	1:11
Average SAT scores (2005-2006)	1308
Athletics	Male and Female Varsity and Junior Varsity: Southwest Preparatory Conference
Color(s)	Green Black
Mascot	Dragon
Conference	Southwest Preparatory Conference

1 History
2 Reputation
3 Notable Former Students
4 Tuition
5 Affiliations
6 Administration
7 External links

[edit] History

The school was founded in 1988 by John H. Cooper, who had previously served for several years as Headmaster at The Kinkaid School in Piney Point Village, Texas, near Houston. The concept had the full support and cooperation of George Mitchell, the developer of The Woodlands. Mitchell set aside a well-sized tract of land in what was then the town's outskirts specifically for the purpose of establishing a school. 175 students were enrolled in one building for the 1988-1989 school year in grades pre-kindergarten through seventh grade. A subsequent grade was added each year thereafter, and the pre-kindergarten program was dropped after 1992. In 1993, a gymnasium, a visual arts center, and a new academic building opened. The school's first senior class of twenty five students graduated in 1994, with George H.W. Bush as the keynote speaker at the Baccalaureate ceremony.

In recent years, the school has embarked on a major expansion program, called The John Cooper School Capital Campaign. This fundraising effort, which lasted over several years, yielded a track & field complex and a second gymnasium in 2002, the addition of a new wing to the high school building in 2003, the expansion of the fine arts complex in 2004, and a cafeteria and student center in 2005. Construction on an auditorium and performing arts facility have begun, and are scheduled to be completed late 2008/early 2009. Plans have also emerged for the construction of a new library on the school's 40-acre campus, but no timeline has been put in place for this project.

[edit] Reputation

Although it is a relatively young school, John Cooper has in a very short time cultivated a reputation as one of the Houston area's best private schools. In keeping with the school motto, "From curiosity to wisdom", the John Cooper curriculum is heavily based in the liberal arts, and creative and pursuasive writing are heavily emphasized in classes as early as elementary school. The faculty is exemplary, with many holding graduate and doctoral degrees from Harvard University, Duke University, and other esteemed national universities. Enrollment for the 2005-2006 school year was roughly 900 students. Despite its small size - the high school only has about three hundred students - Cooper has also created a noteworthy athletic program. In recent years, the Varsity Boys' Basketball and Girls' Cross Country teams have been awarded state titles.

Cooper is also highly regarded for its attractive, heavily forested campus, which includes an arboretum and several gardens and ponds. Since its construction in 1988, the lower school building has won several architectural awards for its aesthetic use of light and space.

The mean SAT score for John Cooper High School students for the 2003-2004 school year was 1302. As a college preparatory school, John Cooper has a 100% college attendance rate, with Southern Methodist University, Texas A&M University, Boston University, and Vanderbilt University being particularly popular schools of choice for Cooper graduates.

[edit] Notable Former Students

Elizabeth McIngvale, founder of Peace of Mind, an OCD awareness foundation, and daughter of Houston businessman Jim McIngvale (attended but graduated elsewhere)

[edit] Tuition

Tuition at The John Cooper School varies by grade level, and is from $12,500 to $14,800 for the 2006-2007 school year (excluding textbooks and other expenses). Approximately 10% of the student body receives some sort of need-based financial assistance.

[edit] Affiliations

The John Cooper School is accredited by The Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS), and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). Its athletic teams compete in the Southwest Preparatory Conference with other private schools in Texas and Oklahoma.