Sunset High School (Texas)

Last updated
Sunset High School
Sunset High School Dallas Wiki (1 of 1).jpg
Sunset High School in 2022
Address
Sunset High School (Texas)
2120 W. Jefferson Blvd

Dallas
,
(Dallas County)
,
Texas
75208

United States
Coordinates 32°44′48″N96°51′15″W / 32.7466°N 96.8541°W / 32.7466; -96.8541
Information
School type Public, high school
MottoSpirit, Knowledge, Friendship
Established1925;99 years ago (1925)
School district Dallas Independent School District
PrincipalJesus F. Martinez
Teaching staff127.08 (FTE) (2022-23) [1]
Grades 9–12
Enrollment2,187 (2022-23) [1]
Student to teacher ratio17.21 (2022-23) [1]
Campus size4.6 acres (0.02 km2)
Campus type Urban
Color(s)  Purple
  White
AthleticsBaseball • basketball • cheerleading • cross country • football • golf • soccer • softball • swimming & diving • tennis • track & field • volleyball • wrestling
Athletics conference UIL
Mascot Bison
Website www.dallasisd.org/sunset
Relief map of Texas.png
Red pog.svg
Sunset High School
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Sunset High School
Sunset High School (the United States)
Designated2015
Reference no. 18209
DesignatedMay 28, 2014 [2]
Reference no. H/144
Last updated: February 25, 2019;5 years ago (2019-02-25)

Sunset High School is a public secondary school located in the North Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas, United States. The school enrolls students in grades 9-12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District (DISD). The school serves a portion of the Dallas and Cockrell Hill catchments. [3] [4] In 2015, the school was rated "Met Standard" by the Texas Education Agency. [5]

Contents

History

Opened in 1925, Sunset was the second high school in the Oak Cliff area, preceded only by Adamson High School. The origin of the school's name is uncertain; however, it may be due to its location. At the time it opened, Sunset was the westernmost school in the DISD, and the subdivision surrounding the school on the western side of Dallas was called "Sunset Heights".[ citation needed ]

The school opened in 1925 with 1,400 students and 39 teachers as southwest Oak Cliff became increasingly developed. At the time, it was the high school with the largest capacity in DISD; it had the same general architectural plan as Forest Avenue, North Dallas and Oak Cliff (now W. H. Adamson) high schools. [6] Its opening relieved Oak Cliff High of an overcrowding problem. [7]

The mascot is the American Bison; it was chosen since early students had to cross open fields to get to school.[ citation needed ]

In the summer of 2006, Anthony Tovar, a Mexican American raised in Dallas who was previously an assistant principal at W. H. Adamson High School and Moises Molina High School, began work as the principal of Sunset. He gained a reputation of being an excellent principal partly due to his hands-on, involved approach in which he actively communicated with students. [8] In 2013, he planned to resign due to frustration with DISD central office reforms, [9] but he later rescinded his resignation. That year Tovar had been placed on a "growth plan" (a DISD notice asking the principal to improve his school's metrics or face termination). [10] Tovar left DISD in 2013 but stated that he was not forced to resign; [11] in 2015, he returned as an interim assistant principal at Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy. [12]

In 2009, the school had 155 teachers and 2,200 students. [8]

On May 28, 2014,[ citation needed ] Sunset High School was designated a Dallas Historical Landmark by vote of the Dallas City Council. [13] The City of Dallas Historical Commission [14] and DISD supported the nomination. [15] In April 2015, the Texas Historical Commission named Sunset High School a Texas Historical Landmark. On September 26, 2015, Sunset High School Celebrated the 90th Anniversary of the school and officially unveiled and dedicated its "Texas Historical Landmark" marker and "Dallas Historical Landmark" marker. It also formally dedicated the Sunset Byron Rhome Football Fieldhouse with a huge ceremony at the school attended by some 700 people.

Athletics

Until 2021, Sunset was only one of two high schools in the DISD to win a State Football Championship, having won the now-discontinued "Big City" State Championship in 1950 (W. H. Adamson having won the other title in 1924, as Oak Cliff High School). [16] The school was also state runner-up in 1942 and 1949. They were state semi-finalists in 1940, 1941 and 1955. [17] David W. Carter High School won the 1988 Class AAAAA title but was later forced to forfeit the win. In 2021, South Oak Cliff High School broke the drought by winning the 2021 Class 5A Division II state title.

Sunset won the State Basketball Championship in 1944.

Sunset won the State Track and Field Championship in 1953,. Future USA Olympic Silver Medalist Eddie Southern (1956) won four state championships - 120 yard hurdles in 1954 and 1955 and 220 yard (20.7) and 440 yard dash (47.2) in 1955, setting state and national high school records in the latter two. In 1969, Don Randell won both the Shot Put State (67’11.5”) Championship and the mythical National (64’3/4”) Championship at the Golden West Invitational track meet in Sacramento, CA.

The Sunset Golf Team won the state championship in 1938, 1943, 1944, 1945 and 1952. Future PGA Touring Pro and Home Pro at the Oak Cliff Country Club, Earl Stewart, Jr. would win the State Golf Championship in 1937, 1938 and 1939. In 1952, Sunset's Jimmy Powell won the individual state championship in golf.

Sunset also won two state titles in UIL One Act Play in 1944 and 1947.

In 1929, Sanger Brothers Department Store donated the Sanger Trophy to the Dallas Independent School District to be awarded annually to one of the six original DISD High Schools accumulating the most points in athletics. The Sanger Trophy was eventually awarded to Sunset for having won the Trophy more than any other of the Schools. The Sanger Trophy was restored in 2011 and now resides in the Old Red Museum of Dallas Culture and History, representing all six original Dallas High Schools.

Academic performance

In 2006, 53% of the students passed the TAKS math test and 56% passed the science test. In 2008, 57% passed the math test and 62% passed the science test; in 2008, the reading/language arts pass percentage was 82%, and the social studies pass percentage was 91%. [8]

In 2005, the school's graduation rate was 38%. In 2013, it was 57%. [10]

Feeder patterns

As of the 2024-25 school year the school is fed by two middle schools:

[18]

Athletics

The Sunset Bisons compete in the following sports: [19]

Notable alumni

Fundraising

The Sunset High School Alumni Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit that raises money in support of teachers, students and the school. [20] The Sunset Foundation is a group of alumni who raise money and award college scholarships to Sunset High School students. [21]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Search for Public Schools - Sunset H S (481623001367)". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences . Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  2. ↑ Warren M.S. Ernst (May 28, 2014). "Ordinance No. 29346" (PDF). City of Dallas. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  3. ↑ "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Cockrell Hill city, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  4. ↑ "2019-20 Sunset High Attendance Zone Grades 9-12" (PDF). Dallas Independent School District . Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  5. ↑ "2015 Accountability Rating System". Texas Education Agency.
  6. ↑ Dallas Landmarks (Postcard History series). Arcadia Publishing, 2009. ISBN   0738558524, 9780738558523. p. 96.
  7. ↑ Elliott, Alan C., Patricia K. Summey, and Gayla Brooks Kokel. Oak Cliff. Arcadia Publishing, 2009. ISBN   0738570680, 9780738570686. p. 39.
  8. 1 2 3 "Part Coach, Part Cheerleader, Sunset High Principal Anthony Tovar Aims to Prove That Inner-City Schools Can Be Winners." Dallas Observer . Thursday May 28, 2009. Retrieved on June 11, 2016.
  9. ↑ Nicholson, Eric. "Why is Sunset High School Principal Anthony Tovar Leaving?." Dallas Observer . Tuesday April 11, 2013. Retrieved on June 11, 2016.
  10. 1 2 Haag, Matthew. "Dallas Sunset High School principal Anthony Tovar rescinds his resignation ." The Dallas Morning News . April 16, 2013. Retrieved on June 11, 2016.
  11. ↑ Darby, Luke. "Beloved Sunset High Principal Anthony Tovar Says He Will Leave Dallas ISD After All." Dallas Observer . Friday April 19, 2013. Retrieved on June 11, 2016.
  12. ↑ Hobbs, Tawnell D. "Popular Sunset High principal returns to Dallas ISD as Gilliam assistant." The Dallas Morning News . September 9, 2015. Updated September 10, 2015. Retrieved on June 11, 2016.
  13. ↑ Stone, Rachel (January 21, 2015). "Landmark status expected for Sunset". Oak Cliff Advocate. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  14. ↑ Appleton, Roy (March 3, 2014). "Commission backs landmark designation for Sunset High School]". The Dallas Morning News . Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  15. ↑ Wilonsky, Robert (March 3, 2014). "After bruising fight over Adamson, historical designation is on the horizon for Sunset High School". The Dallas Morning News . Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  16. ↑ Peeler, Tom (November 1, 1984). "Nostalgia Glory Days: Dallas high schools' gridiron greats". D Magazine . Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  17. ↑ Dave Campbell's Texas Football, 2008 edition, page 362
  18. ↑ "2024-2025 DISD Neighborhood Schools by High School Feeder Pattern" (PDF). Vertical Teams (School Feeder Patterns). Dallas Independent School District. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  19. ↑ The Athletics Department
  20. ↑ "About Us". Sunset High School Alumni Association. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  21. ↑ "Sunset Foundation". Sunset Foundation Inc. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
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