Skyline High School (Texas)

Skyline High School
The edifice of the main building of the school's campus.
Address
7777 Forney Road Dallas , Dallas County , Texas 75227-2505 United States
Coordinates	32°46′47″N 96°41′16″W
Information
School type	Public high school
Motto	"Unity in Effort...Pride in Result" "We are ONE!"[5]
Opened	1970[6]
School district	Dallas ISD
Superintendent	Stephanie S. Elizalde [1]
Principal	Joseph Pouncy [2]
Staff	328[3]
Faculty	285[3]
Teaching staff	248.79 (FTE)[4]
Grades	9–12[5]
Enrollment	3,780 (2023–2024)[4]
Student to teacher ratio	15.19[4]
Color(s)	Columbia blue and crimson[5]
Nickname	Raiders[5]
Graduates (2024)	705
Website	www.dallasisd.org/skyline

Skyline High School is a public magnet school in the Buckner Terrace area of Dallas, in the U.S. state of Texas. Skyline is a part of the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) and serves grades 9 through 12.

In 2015, the school was rated "Met Standard" by the Texas Education Agency.^[7]

Skyline was the first magnet high school in the United States.^[8]

History

In the mid-1960s, B. J. Stamps, Bragg Stockton, and other Dallas educators conceived the idea of a very large high school for the Dallas Independent School District that would offer career education in addition to a traditional high-school curriculum. Stamps emphasized continually that the facility he envisioned was "absolutely not going to be a vocational school for unsuccessful students" but rather a place where superior students could undertake studies in preparation for a variety of professions. In December 1966, architectural plans for the school, whose working name was "Science-Technical Center," were approved by the Dallas School Board. By 1969, Stamps, who had been slated as the school's first principal, suggested the name "Skyline High School," inspired by the view of the Downtown Dallas skyline afforded from the school's upper floors, and in February 1970 the Skyline name was approved by the school board.^[9][10][11]

Classes at Skyline began in the fall semester of 1970. Until the main facility at 7777 Forney Road opened early in 1971, instruction was held at other southeast Dallas sites. From its inception, Skyline has fulfilled Stamps's original conception of offering both a regular high-school curriculum and a multitude of magnet school programs. The magnet offerings are organized as clusters, which are collectively called the Career Development Center. A student attending Skyline may generally choose between two options: pursuing a normal, traditional curriculum (Skyline's original attendance zone was drawn to relieve overcrowding at Samuell and Bryan Adams high schools); or attending both a cluster and regular classes at Skyline.

In the early years of Skyline's existence, administrators and faculty of existing, traditional high schools in the Dallas Independent School District frequently expressed resentment of Skyline's desire to recruit their talented and gifted students and in some instances actively resisted recruitment efforts. District officials appointed a task force to address these concerns.^[12] Nevertheless, with the continued existence of Skyline's magnet programs and the subsequent "spinning off" of several independent magnet schools, the issue has persisted to the present day, and district officials continue efforts to allay feelings of resentment.^[13]

Over time, numerous clusters have left Skyline and moved into facilities of their own, becoming full-fledged DISD magnet high schools. For example, the Performing Arts Cluster and the Health Careers Cluster both discontinued their affiliations with Skyline in 1976 and became, respectively, the (presently-named) Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and the High School for the Health Professions (now the School of Health Professions at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center). In 2007, district officials announced a plan to relieve overcrowding at Skyline by moving several Skyline magnet programs to Emmett J. Conrad High School, meanwhile hoping to increase the latter's achievement levels. These actions have in some instances occasioned resentment by Skyline's own faculty and educational community, who have worried that Skyline's Career Development Center was created only to ultimately self-destruct, and, in the most recent events, that successful students educated at Skyline are being used to artificially boost another school's academic standing. District officials continue in their efforts to respond to these controversies.^[14][15][16]

Skyline served grades 10 and 11 in 1970–1971, and grades 10–12 from 1971 to 1976. The school has included grades 9–12 since the fall of 1976. Since its opening Skyline has consistently been DISD's largest high school in terms of enrollment. As of 2015, Skyline is one of the largest predominately Hispanic high schools in Texas with over 70% of the 4,500+ students identifying as Hispanic.^[17]

Sign at the entrance of Skyline reading "America's 1st Magnet High School/CDC"

In 1971 Nolan Estes, the DISD superintendent, referred to it as a "magnet school" upon its introduction;^[18] Jim Schutze of the Dallas Observer wrote that "According to Skyline lore, it is the oldest and biggest magnet school in the nation."^[8]

In 2021, a policy was enacted making students who were tardy to school barred from attending their classes. Outrage from parents resulted in media coverage and eventual overturning of this policy.^[19]

In 2024, the 50th anniversary of the school's opening, Skyline was featured on NBC's "Brag About Your School".^[20] In that same year, Skyline faculty announced the Super Senior Scholarship^[a], a $500 scholarship for seniors paid for by donations from Skyline alumni.^[21]

Athletics

The entrance to Raider Fields

The Skyline Raiders compete in the following sports:^[22]

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Football
• Golf
• Soccer
• Softball

• 

  Skyline's Baseball Field

  Swimming and Diving
• Tennis
• Track and Field
• Volleyball
• Wrestling

Academics

Sign commemorating Skyline's CDC, outside of B-building

Skyline High School has the following programs:

• Early College HS^[23]

• 

  The entrance of the Aviation section of A-building

  Magnet - Career Development Center:^[24]
  • Advanced Mathematics
  • Advanced Science
  • Advanced Social Sciences
  • Aviation
  • Architecture
  • Automotive Technology
  • Construction Technology
  • Cosmetology
  • Culinary Arts
  • Fashion Marketing & Apparel Design
  • Graphic Design & Illustration
  • Interior Design
  • Photography
  • Radio Television & Film
  • World Languages
• Career Pathways:^[25]
  • NAF Academies:
    • Academy of Engineering
    • Academy of Finance
    • Academy of Health Science
    • Academy of Hospitality & Tourism
    • Academy of Information Technology
  • JROTC
  • Video Game Design
  • Floral & Horticulture

About 90% of the students graduate yearly while averaging 1000 students per graduating class.^[26]

A team of Skyline students won the United States National Academic Championship in 1985.^[27]

In 2024, Skyline's Advanced Mathematics cluster,^[28] and specifically the AP Statistics class,^[29] were highlighted on NBC's "Brag About Your School".

Feeder patterns

Elementary schools that feed into Skyline include Frank Guzick, Edna Rowe, Adelfa Callejo, George W. Truett, and Urban Park.[2]

Harold W. Lang, Sr. Middle School and Ann Richards Middle School (partial [3][4]) feed into Skyline.[5]

Notable alumni

In order of graduation:

• Lanham Lyne '72, Texas state representative, former mayor of Wichita Falls, Texas^[30]
• Kyle Gann '73, classical composer, musicologist, music critic, author, and educator
• Brent Bourgeois '74, Christian rock musician and producer
• Michael Weiss '76, jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, recording artist
• Terry Crouch '77, professional football player
• J. David Spurlock '78, author, artist, art professor, artist's rights advocate
• Richard Dominguez '79, comic book artist "El Gato Negro"
• Peri Gilpin '79, actress (best known as "Roz Doyle" on Frasier)
• Hector Cantú '80, writer, editor, newspaper comic strip creator
• Keith Miller '80, major league baseball player
• Joe Riley '82, visual and plastic artist, SubGenius
• Deryl Dodd '82, country music artist
• Dante Jones '83, NFL football player
• Tim Jackson '84, NFL football player
• Michael Johnson '86, world and Olympic champion sprinter
• Larry Johnson '87, NBA basketball star
• "Cowboy Troy" Coleman '89, country music artist
• Aaron D. Ford '90, Nevada State Senator and Attorney General
• Chris Holt '90, major league baseball player
• Steve Holy '90, country music singer
• John Yuan '92, actor, best known for Observe and Report
• Matthew Yuan '92, actor, best known for Observe and Report
• Allen Rossum '94, NFL football player
• Antonio Wilson '95, NFL football player
• Josh Bell '03, NFL and CFL football player^[31][32]
• Jason Siggers '03, Israel Basketball Premier League basketball player
• Mikail Baker '05, NFL football player
• Calvin "C. J." Miles, Jr. '05, NBA basketball player
• Omar Gonzalez '06, MLS Soccer Player
• Mike Morgan '06, NFL football player, Super Bowl Champion
• Troy Stoudermire '08, CFL football player
• Steve Williams '09, NFL football player
• Mike Davis '10, NFL football player
• Corey Nelson '10, NFL football player for the Atlanta Falcons, Super Bowl 50 Champion
• Paul Dawson '11, NFL football player
• Zach LeDay ('12, but transferred to The Colony High School for senior year), Israeli Basketball Premier League player
• Ra'Shaad Samples '13, NFL assistant coach
• Aaron Brewer '16, NFL football player
• Marcus Garrett '17, basketball player, signed two-way contract with NBA Miami Heat^[33]

Gallery

• 
  Map of the entire campus
• 
  Entrance to the main building
• 
  Interior of the auditorium
• 
  Main entrance of A-building
• 
  Main entrance of B-building
• 
  Exterior of C-building
• 
  Main entrance of F-building
• 
  Main entrance of G-building
• 
  Exterior of T-building
• 
  Exterior of the Coach J.D. Mayo Gymnasium
• 
  Close up of the sign of Coach J.D. Mayo Gymnasium
• 
  Decorations of the walls of Coach J.D. Mayo Gymnasium
• 
  Sign reading "Raiders own the court"
• 
  Decorations of the walls of Coach J.D. Mayo Gymnasium
• 
  Interior of the Coach J.D. Mayo Gymnasium
• 
  Cardbord box pinhole projection of the Great North American Eclipse, constructed by Skyline's Science Club

Notes

1. The name for the scholarship was chosen for alliteration and has no relation to super seniors

References

1. About Dallas ISD-Superintendent Archived 2008-10-13 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 7 November 2008
2. [1]. Retrieved on 16 August 2024
3. 2007 Campus AEIS Report. Retrieved on 7 November 2008
4. "SKYLINE H S". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
5. https://www.dallasisd.org/Page/43267 Archived 2006-08-22 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 7 November 2008
6. "Architecturally trained at Skyline High School". The Dallas Morning News.
7. "2015 Accountability Rating System". Texas Education Agency.
8. Schutze, Jim. "Dwaine Caraway Scared DISD Away From Skyline." Dallas Observer. Jueves 7 de febrero de 2008. Consultado el 1 de enero de 2016.
9. "Plans OK'd For Big New Dallas School" by Carolyn Barta. The Dallas Morning News. December 15, 1966. Page 1. Available from NewsBank, accessible from the Houston Public Library with a library card
10. "Science Technical Center: School Getting New Image" by Judy Wiessler. The Dallas Morning News. December 15, 1969. Available from NewsBank, accessible from the Houston Public Library with a library card
11. "Students to Have Say In Naming of School." The Dallas Morning News. February 26, 1970. Page 5. Available from NewsBank, accessible from the Houston Public Library with a library card
12. "Resentment Reported: Magnet Recruiting Rift Probed." Dallas Times Herald, 15 March 1977.
13. "Magnet map attracts blog views." The Dallas Morning News, 16 January 2008.
14. "Magnets Attract Skyline Success" by Eric Miller. Dallas Times Herald, 30 August 1976.
15. "Skyline High School parents speak out against plan to move magnet programs to Conrad High" by Tawnell D. Hobbs. The Dallas Morning News, 17 January 2008.
16. "Supporters try to prevent loss of Skyline magnet programs" by Kent Fischer. The Dallas Morning News, 12 January 2008.
17. "Skyline High School".
18. "Super Highs Sought Estes Unveils Plan for Specialty Schools." The Dallas Morning News. August 29, 1971. Page 37. Available from NewsBank, accessible from the Houston Public Library with a library card
19. Sentendrey, David (2021-11-09). "Skyline HS students late to school locked out of class as punishment". FOX 4. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
20. "Skyline High School has plenty to brag about". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
21. "Pride & Unity Awards Super Seniors". X (Twitter).
22. The Athletics Department
23. "Skyline ECHS / Skyline ECHS Current Events". www.dallasisd.org. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
24. "Magnet - Career Development Center / Advanced Science". www.dallasisd.org. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
25. "NAF Academies / Academy of Engineering". www.dallasisd.org. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
26. "Overview of Skyline High School". US News. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
27. National Academic Championship highlights. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
28. "Embracing 'real world' helps Skyline students soar in math". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
29. Carter • •, Wayne (2023-11-14). "Bragging About Skyline High School, America's First Magnet School". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
30. Biography. "Texas House Has More Than Three-Dozen New Members" by Emily Ramshaw and Matt Stiles. The Texas Tribune, 4 November 2010. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
31. Three Skyline grads, Super Bowl Champions honored at special event. The Hub. Dallas Independent School District, 27 May 2016. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
32. Baylor University Athletics: 2005 Football Roster. Baylor University. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
33. HEAT Signs Marcus Garrett To Two-Way Contract. nba.com, 2 Sep 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-16.

External links

• Official website
• Skyline Center Celebrates 40 Years, a video produced by Dallas Schools Television, featuring the early history of Skyline Center. Retrieved 2013-02-08.

Preceded by Wheelersburg High School

National Academic Championship champion 1985

Succeeded by Irmo High School