West Brook Senior High School
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| West Brook Senior High School | |
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| West Brook Senior High School
Your stepping stone to a higher education.
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| Location | |
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| Beaumont, Texas |
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| Information | |
| School district | Beaumont Independent School District |
| Principal | Bill Daniels |
| Enrollment |
2,600 |
| Type | High school |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Athletics conference | 21-5A |
| Mascot | Bruin Bear |
| Color(s) | Blue, Red |
| Established | 1982 |
| Marching Band | SoundPower |
| Drill Team | West Brook Stars |
| Publications | The West Brook Times, The Bruin yearbook |
| Homepage | West Brook High School |
West Brook Senior High School is the largest high school in the city of Beaumont, Texas. West Brook is located at 8750 Phelan Boulevard. It is operated by the Beaumont Independent School District. The Superintendent of BISD is Dr. Carrol Thomas.
The school's official mascot is the Bruin Bear, but they are considered the West Brook Bruins, and the school colors are blue and red. Bill Daniels is the current principal.
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[edit] History
West Brook was originally called Forest Park High School when it was built in the 1960s as part of the South Park Independent School District. South Park ISD was the target of a federal school desegregation lawsuit in the late 1970s, which it appealed unsuccessfully to the U.S. Supreme Court. Forest Park was ordered to merge with historically all-black Hebert High School, with the former serving as a senior campus and the latter as a ninth-grade center (which was eventually closed and then reopened as Ozen High School). Students of both campuses voted to select the name, and West Brook High School officially opened in the fall of 1982.
(The merger occurred at the same time that the original Beaumont ISD voted to dissolve itself and be attached to the South Park ISD, which later took the name of Beaumont ISD. The desegregation orders for the former SPISD and the former BISD were largely unaffected by the merger.)
[edit] Alma Mater
We lift out voices high in praise towards our Red and Blue.
You give us inspiration for the goals we will pursue.
Mighty Bruins we will stay because our hearts are true.
We praise thee West Brook High School.
We praise our Red and Blue!
[edit] The Girls Varsity Soccer Team
On March 29, 2006, the varsity girls' soccer team were traveling to an away game in Humble, Texas when their charter bus overturned outside Devers, Texas on Highway 90. Two girls, Alicia Bonura and Ashley Brown, were killed in the accident.
The team and their parents helped pass Ashley and Alicia's Law in Texas, which requires seat belts on all school buses purchased on or after September 1, 2010 and on all charter buses purchased on or after September 1, 2011.[1]
[edit] 2007 Bond Issue
On November 6, 2007, Beaumont voters passed a $390 million bond issue that included improvements at schools across the district. As a part of this bond issue, West Brook will receive a new roof, interior upgrades, a new classroom wing to replace the portable buildings, six new science labs, an upgraded and expanded cafeteria, an auditorium to seat 2600 students, an upgraded field house, and new exhaust systems, insulation, lighting, and fencing.[2]
On January 11, 2008, the first set of portable buildings were moved to make way for the new classroom wing which will contain 6 new science labs and 26 new classrooms.
[edit] Trivia
- The name of the school is often misspelled as one word, "Westbrook", even in official school documents.
- West Brook's marching band, SoundPower, performed for the world at Walt Disney World Resort's Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida in 2004 and 2008.
- Former Principals include Dr. Rodney Caveness and Dr. Terry Ingrim.
- West Brook at one time had a planetarium, it since has been converted into a computer lab.
- West Brook has a nationally recognized journalism program for its student newspaper (The West Brook Times) and yearbook (Bruin).
- Current Assistant Principal Rev. Jesse Kibbles's favorite movie is "The Lion King." His office is known to be fully decorated in this style.
- Alumni include former Buffalo Bills DB Mickey Washington, former NFL Pro Bowl nose tackle Jerry Ball, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman Frank Middleton, Meghan Miller, Minnesota Twins outfielder Jason Tyner, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce, and acclaimed author Matthew Scott Bernal.
- The West Brook Lady Powerlifting Team won the National Powerlifting Championship in 2007 and 2008.
- Thanks to the hard work of many parents and students at West Brook, the state of Texas now requires seat belts on all school buses purchased on or after September 1, 2010 and on all charter buses purchased on or after September 1, 2011.
- According to legend, the last class of Forest Park High School buried their Trojan mascot named "Egor" somewhere on campus before the school officially changed its name, mascot, and colors.
- West Brook is the 1982 5A State Champion in football and the 1994 5A State Champion in track.
- West Brook celebrates its annual Homecoming football game with a parade and bonfire.
[edit] References
- ^ Cindy Horswell. (June 8, 2007), Perry signs bus seat-belt law at Beaumont school. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
- ^ Beaumont Independent School District Bond Committee (August 16, 2007), BISD Bond Proposal. Beaumont Independent School District Bond Proposal. Retrieved on 2008-01-13.
