Wichita Falls High School is a public school in Wichita Falls, Texas, United States. It is part of the Wichita Falls Independent School District and is one of the district's three high schools. Located at 2149 Avenue H and Coyote Blvd., the school serves students in grades nine through twelve. As the first high school in the city, Wichita Falls High School is locally known as "Old High." The school was founded in 1891 and the current building was built in 1922 and is a state historic landmark. The high school's mascot is the coyote.
Student demographics
As of the 2013–2014 school year, Wichita Falls High School had a total of 1,473 students.
2011–2012 accountability rating
Based on the accountability ratings released by the Texas Education Agency on August 1, 2012, Wichita Falls High School is currently rated "Academically Acceptable". The WFISD also awarded Wichita Falls High School with an award for the district's highest GPA, every year from 1991-2002. The award was discontinued in 2002.
Athletics
Wichita Falls had one of the most predominant football programs for more than 30 years, from the late 1930s to the early 1970s. Under the guidance of head coaches Ted Jeffries, Thurman Jones, Joe Golding, and Donnell Crosslin, the Wichita Falls Coyotes made the state finals ten times between 1937 and 1971, winning six times. As of the 2007–2008 football season, Wichita Falls High School has won eight Quarterfinal Championships, fifteen Regional Championships, eighteen Area Championships, nineteen Bi-District Championships, and thirty-six District Championships since 1923. In September 2007, Texas Monthly Magazine named Wichita Falls High School as the top high school football program in state history.
Student journalism
Wichita Falls High School's journalism program publishes the school's newspaper and yearbook. Mrs. Anetta Reusch managed the award-winning program for numerous years until her retirement in 2013. Mr. Jason Byas has since taken the reins of the organization as the faculty adviser. In 2013, the organization was reevaluated and the two publications were restructured to publish under the entity WFHS Publishing. The move was meant to save cost for the newspaper and yearbook and improve communication throughout the program and the publications it publishes. Since the restructuring, the newspaper, The Coyote News, for the first time in over five years, made a profit and the yearbook increased yearly sales. The newspaper runs an online edition of the paper. WFHS Publishing has also published a history guide to Wichita Falls High School that is available on their website.
The Wichita Falls High School JuniorReserve Officer Training Corps Army program was established in 1951 and is extensively still active to this day. The battalion is officially recognized as the Corp of Coyotes or the Coyote Battalion. Since its establishment the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp program has competed statewide and nationally and averages a participation body of 130 cadets per year. The Battalion received the gold level presidential selfless service award in 2019, and are considered an honor unit with distinction by the U.S. Army JROTC. It has stood true to its mission of making better citizens. Although not established for the recruitment of young citizens into the Armed Forces, many have chosen to serve. It is a four-year program fulfilling a mission of educating young adults with a military type of educational curriculum. The program is overseen by a Senior Army Instructor and an Army Instructor. Senior Army Instructor Sergeant Major Salvador Montez Jr. arrived at Wichita Falls High School in January 2017, after an honorable 26-year Army career. Army Instructor Sergeant First Class Christopher Souba arrived at the program in February 2019, after an honorable 21-year Army career. Both continue to spearhead this program to this day.
Rivalry
Wichita Falls High School has participated in the rivalry against Rider High School since the completion of Rider in 1961. Beginning the week of the infamous game, the Wichita Falls Police Department reports an increase in vandalism, theft, and attacks from both sides.
