S.H. Rider High School was a public school in Wichita Falls, Texas, United States. It was part of the Wichita Falls Independent School District. The school opened in 1961 and served students in grades nine through twelve, until its closure in May 2024.Final day for three WFISD high schools by Rowan Hardman - May. 24, 2024
History The school opened for classes in the fall of 1961. It was named for Stephen H. Rider, a long-time educator in the Wichita Falls Independent School District. He was principal of Wichita Falls High School from 1919 to 1949.Rider High School yearbook (1962). " S(tephen) H. Rider". Reproduced on the Wichita Falls Independent School District website. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
Although Rider did not open until seven years after the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, none of Wichita Falls's high schools integrated their classes until the late 1960s.Hollandsworth, Skip (December 1994). " Whatever Happened to Ronnie Littleton?". Texas Monthly. See especially the first long paragraph of the original article. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
Rider shut its doors permanently at the end of the 2023–2024 school year, with two new high schools, Legacy High and Memorial High, near completion. Students were transferred to one of the new high schools depending on which zone they lived in. The campus will sit vacant until a potential school bond election in 2027 is proposed to convert it into a middle school.
Demographics In the 2016–2017 academic year, 59.3% of Rider's graduates were white, 22.3% were Hispanic, 9.8% were African American, 4.3% were Asian, 1.6% were American Indian, 0.3% were Pacific Islander, and 2.4% were multiracial.Texas Education Agency (2017). "2016-17 Texas Academic Performance Reports". Rider H S report, p. 16. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
Academics During the 2016–2017 school year, 8.2% of Rider students were in the school's gifted and talented education program.Author unidentified (2017). " Rider High School". The Texas Tribune, Austin-based nonprofit journalism website. Retrieved May 16, 2018. Another 10.4% of Rider students were in the school's special education program.
In 2016, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) gave Rider an academic accountability rating of "Met standard". In 2018, the TEA began grading schools in five key areas of performance.Sweeten-Shults, Lara (January 6, 2017). " WFISD Scores Cs, Ds on Preliminary Ratings Report". Times Record News, Wichita Falls daily newspaper. Retrieved May 19, 2018. In 2017, four "preliminary" grades were given to Rider: a B, two Cs, and a D.
Sports
In 1970, Wichita Falls Independent School District built Memorial Stadium, the first high school stadium in Texas with AstroTurf.Sherrod, Rick (2013). Texas High School Football Dynasties. The History Press / Arcadia Publishing, p. 77. . Seating capacity is over 14,500.Author unidentified (date not given). " Memorial Stadium". Midwestern State University "Athletics" website. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
Notable alumni
Chase Anderson, MLB pitcher J. T. Barrett, NFL coach and former NFL player Ryan Brasier, MLB pitcher Taliyah Brooks, professional track & field athlete Joe Cutbirth, journalist and educator James Frank, member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 69 in Wichita FallsKinney, Makayla (November 7, 2012). " Frank Plans to Maintain Job Growth". The Wichitan, news website at Midwestern State University. Retrieved May 29, 2018. Ty Harrelson, NBA guard and college coach Khari Long, former professional football player (NFL, CLF, UFL) Markelle Martin, former NFL football player David Nelson, former NFL football player Dean Prater, former NFL football player Steve Railsback, actor Jaret Reddick, lead singer, guitarist for Bowling For Soup Jacob Rodriguez, professional football linebacker for the Miami Dolphins Mark Satin, anti-Vietnam War activist, political theorist, and authorJones, Carolyn (February 4, 1977). "'Man Without Country' Free To Come Home After 10 Years". Wichita Falls Times, pp. 1, 2. Mentions Satin's S. H. Rider graduation. Includes quotes from one of his Rider teachers.Cloud, Dana L. "'Socialism of the Mind': the New Age of Post-Marxism". In Simons, Herbert W., and Billig, Michael, eds. (1994). After Postmodernism: Reconstructing Ideology Critique. SAGE Publications, pp. 222–247. Includes extended discussion of one of Satin's political books. . Aaron Taylor, former NFL playerGholson, Nick (August 25, 2011). "Rider's 50 Best in 50 Years". Times Record News, Wichita Falls daily newspaper. Eric Ward, former NFL player Ronnie Williams, former NFL player
References
External links Official website (archived)