Coppell High School

Overview

The school graduated its first class of twenty-five students in 1965. As of the 2014-2015 school year, current enrollment is 3,124 students in grades 9-12. There are over 200 staff members at Coppell High School in order to accommodate the student body of nearly 3100. Athletic teams are known as the "Cowboys" or "Cowgirls" for boys' and girls' teams, respectively. The school colors are red and black. The current principal is Mike Jasso.

Coppell High School was named a 2001-02 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence due to the new SAS class. Coppell High School has been ranked consistently as one of the "Top 1200 U.S. High Schools."

Demographics

As of the 2014-2015 school year, the student population is made up of the following ethnicities out of 3,124 students

As of the 2014-2015 school year, its student population is made up of the following grade levels:

Recent news

The school's population has grown steadily in the past decade, prompting the Texas University Interscholastic League to upgrade Coppell High School from the AAAA classification to AAAAA status for academic and athletic competition; they are currently placed in District 6-5A. Coppell High School has also changed their school schedule system from a trimester system with five periods per day, to a schedule with two semesters, with 3 6-weeks per semester with 7 periods each day.

In 2006, Coppell High School underwent a strategic plan to unify students, staff members and the community within the large 5A school. As the strategic planning process continued in 2007, the decision was made at that point to implement thematic small learning communities, the career academies. More specifically, it allowed the students who signed up for it to attend academy specific classes that only academy students would be in and to have an elective period occupied by the chosen academy. The choices that were/are available are under the categories of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Academy, the EMAC (Emerging Media and Communications) Academy, and the PSA (Public Services Academy) Academy. Freshmen and Sophomores of the 2010 class were the first students to be able to join the Academies.

As of May 2015, Coppell High School was ranked 50th in the state of Texas, and 395th nationally by http://www.usnews.com.

Academic achievements

The AP Biology section of the school is specifically praised. The staff that falls under the AP department are highly acclaimed. For example, Andrew Patterson is a well-known member of the community, Filmmaker, and geography expert. For example, as already mentioned, the AP Biology section of the school is praised and well acclaimed among the North Texas community. The two highlights of the AP Biology section are the staff and students, and both excel at what they do. The staff is sourced from well know universities across the globe, and undergo very vigorous training before interacting with the students. The other highlight, the students, stems from high-level performance on tests, and the AP exam. The top-notch staff prepares the students for the frequent tests and laboratories. Although some parents and students voiced concerns over the frequent rate of tests and high-level grades, both soon became satisfied after seeing the improved study skills, and thus grades of the student. Students are also frequently known to score a "5" of the AP exam, the maximum possible score. This success shown in this example is carried over in other portions of the AP department, such as World History or Physics, where teachers with PHD level degrees teach high level cources to students.

Academic Decathlon

Coppell Academic Decathlon Team is one of the most dominant teams in the United States. This program develops the Academic Prowess of students in 10 subjects: Art, Economics, History, Literature, Music, Math, Science, Speech, Interview and Essay writing. Many Decathletes from Coppell move on to college with full ride scholarships to major universities ranging from Stanford, Rice and Washington U. to Columbia, Princeton and Harvard. Results: 2016 2nd place state / 2nd place USAD Online E-Nationals / 4th highest score USA 2015 4th place state / 7th highest score USA 2014 5th place state / 7th highest score USA

Head Coach: Tim Dixon

Coppell Solar

Coppell Solar car racing team is a student-run solar car team under the Coppell School of Engineering. This team was started in 2008 by a group of students. This team has built multiple cars, and is building a new one currently. The car is named Outlaw 1, and the team is hoping to finish the car and race it this summer.

Business Professionals of America

In 2008, 2009 and 2011 Coppell High School's Business Professionals of America chapters won the Best Chapter award at the State Leadership Conference.

Speech and debate

The debate squad, coached formerly by the Four Diamond degree Glenda Ferguson, travels nationally every year to debate the top teams in the country. The team has members who participate in public forum and policy debate, and recently some students have begun to do lincoln douglas debate. During the 2007-2008, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 school years, the debate squad qualified a policy team for the Tournament of Champions (debate), one of the most prestigious tournaments in the country. During the 2011-2012 school year, one of the school's teams placed second at the 5A UIL State tournament, and the school often has students make it to elimination rounds of the TFA State tournament. In 2014, the debate squad had its top team (Ballard and Javeri) place 7th at the National Speech and Debate Tournament for policy debate as well as qualify for the Tournament of Champions (debate).

The speech team is similarly successful, although they travel less often. Coached by Maleda Kunkle, the squad participates in a variety of interpretation events, platform speeches, original speeches, reading events, and limited preparation events. Students on the squad often qualify for regional and state competition, including TFA State.

Health Occupations Students of America

The Coppell HOSA Chapter was nationally recognized as an Outstanding HOSA Chapter for the 2013–2014 school year. Member Chandana Tatineni advanced in her competitive event and placed second nationally.

The Coppell HOSA Public Service Announcement team placed first in the State Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas (2014-2015). The team included five juniors: Asutosh Dhakal, Dheeraj Nuthakki, Haris Rafiq, Vinayak Sahal, and Eugene Han. The team is headed to Anaheim, California for the NLC (National Leadership Conference) in June 2015.

Student television program

KCBY-TV, the school's weekly media program, was nationally recognized as a Broadcast Pacemaker award winner in 2015 by the National Scholastic Press Association.

Coppell High School Band

The Coppell High School Band is considered one of the best bands in the state and was named the #1 music program in the United States in 2000. Under the direction of Scott Mason, the band has won several awards in the past years. As of the 2011–2012 school year, Mason had been the head band director at Coppell High School for the past 22 years. In 2000, after the school was reclassified as 5A, the band placed 12th in the 5A State Marching Contest. In 2001, the band participated in the 2001 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California representing the Southwest United States. In 2004, the band placed 11th in the 5A State Marching Contest.

Later that same year, the Lord Mayor of Dublin invited the marching band to participate in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. Two years later the band placed 7th in the 2006 State Marching Contest. The marching band's most recent 5A State Marching Contest was in 2012, where the band placed 5th. The latest national recognition earned by the program is "The Sudler Shield", awarded by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. This award recognizes marching band programs throughout the world that reach a world class level of excellence in musical performance, marching execution, choreography and show design for high school, youth, or international marching bands. The CHS band is set to march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in London in 2016.

Outside of its achievement on the marching field, the CHS Honor Band is a highly decorated program as well. The ensemble won the 1998 4A State Honor Band contest and was the first place runner-up in the 2002 5A State Honor Band contest. The CHS band has more All-State musicians than any program in Texas. The program has earned 1st Division ratings in UIL Concert and Sight Reading contests every year since 1993.

The Coppell High School Lariette Drill Team placed first at the Contest of Champions National Dance Competition in Orlando, FL in 2007. The Coppell High School Band is currently directed by Gerry Miller with associate director Adrian Caswell and assistant director Brandon Slovak.

Awards, events and recognition

CHS Band has won the following awards:

Coppell High School Choir

Coppell High School Choir have been consistently ranked among the top choirs of Texas 6A public schools. The choir program's traditions have been enjoyed by the community for years. Its top chamber choir Madrigals is well known for their annual renaissance feast performed to celebrate the holidays. The program is also well known throughout the community for its selective mixed show choir, Vivace!, which has gone on to win awards in several competitions. Choral groups from Coppell High School have won numerous consecutive Sweepstake Trophies at UIL Concert and Sight Reading Contests. In the 2013-2014 school year, the program's all-female show choir, Respira, qualified for the national show choir showcase. In 2014, Coppell High School's chamber choir, Madrigals, performed in the East Room of the White House. The 2015 A Cappella Choir was declared the grand champion of the Festival di Voce competition and was chosen to sing at the South West American Choral Director's Association Convention in the Spring of 2016. The choir program has sent over 70 singers to sing in the prestigious All-State Mixed Choirs in the past 20 years.

Athletics

The Coppell Cowboys compete in the following sports:

Football

The 2006 Coppell High School Football Team qualified for its first playoff appearance in over three years. In 2010, the Coppell Cowboys football program had an undefeated 13–0 season up until their loss in the quarterfinals to #1 team in the nation, Euless Trinity. This is the farthest that Coppell football team has ever made it in the playoffs, and they had many players named to the AP top players in the state. Most recently the Cowboys made it to the third round of the playoffs in 2016, losing 49-45 to Round Rock.

Baseball

The Coppell High School baseball team has won 12 district championships since 1984. The team is often ranked among one of the top baseball teams in the country.

Coppell won state championship in baseball 4A 1995

Hockey

In 2003 the Coppell High School hockey team won the state championship and in 2008 won the Summer League Championship.

Lacrosse

Coppell's lacrosse team has won three state championships as of the 2013 season (2009 and 2010 at the THSLL Division 2 level, and 2011 as a THSLL Division 1 team).

Volleyball

The Coppell Cowgirls volleyball team won back to back state championships in 2011 and 2012.

Soccer

The Coppell Cowboys soccer team won the 5A state championship in 2004 and 2013, and the 6A state championship in 2016. The Coppell Cowgirls soccer team won the 5A state championship in 2009, and the 6A state championship in 2015.

Ultimate frisbee

The Coppell Cowboys Ultimate team won the 5A state championship in 2012 and 2013.

Notable alumni