T. H. Williams High School is a secondary school in Plano, Texas (USA) serving grades nine and ten. It is part of the Plano Independent School District. In Plano ISD, high school freshmen and sophomores attend one of six high schools. Juniors and seniors attend "senior high schools". Bowman and Otto middle schools feed into Williams. Williams High School feeds into Plano East Senior High School.
History
Williams High School first served as Plano High School when it was built in 1961. That year the school included grades 8 through 12 and the total enrollment was 390 students. Enrollment grew steadily until the 1965â€"66 school year when it was 653. The following school year, the campus became a grade 9 through 12 school and enrollment dropped to 555. Two years later, Williams became a grade 10 through 12 facility with 627 students. A new senior high school was completed in 1975 leaving the Williams campus with 938 freshmen and sophomores. Enrollment numbers had reached its zenith in the 1973â€"74 school year with 1712 pupils. Enrollment has increased over the years and as of the second week of the 2003â€"04 school year, enrollment has grown to 1633. To quote an administrator from the beginning of the 2008â€"2009 school year there were, "1,900" students in attendance.
Since its inception, Williams High School has experienced several renovations and additions. In 1961, $911,590 was paid to Avery Mays Construction Co. In 1970, an additional $1,100.000 went to KAS Construction Co. in an attempt to accommodate increased numbers. $279,968 went to Corgan Associates in 1975. JPJ Architects was awarded a construction contract in the amount of $6,116,400 in 1989. Williams High School underwent a $12,634,480 renovation completed July 2003. Williams has recently completed a new addition to its campus as the school population continues to increase. The 40,000-square-foot (3,700Â m2), two-story Science Addition contains 12 science laboratories accompanied by restrooms and storage areas. The new addition to Williams High School was completed in August 2006 at a cost of $6,630,343.
T. H. Williams, principal from 1961â€"1968, came to the district in 1936 as a math instructor and coach in the old Plano High School (now the Cox Building). He was head coach from 1943 to 1953, leading his teams to several district and state titles. A new Plano High School was built on 17th street in 1961 at a cost of $993,590. This campus was renamed T. H. Williams High School when the new Plano Senior High opened in 1975. Thomas Howard “Bill†Williams (1902-1992) was honored as a teacher, coach, and principal who had given almost five decades of service to educating youths of Collin County.
Athletics
The Williams Warriors compete in these sports:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Football
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Health Sciences Academy
Started in the 2013-14 school year, Plano ISD has been offering a two-year health science program called the Plano ISD Academy Health Sciences Academy at Williams High School for freshman and sophomores interested in pursuing a career in the health field. The health science program is continued at Plano East Senior High School for juniors and seniors. With a partnership with Collin College, students gain many opportunities: college credits, workforce certifications, working with real medical equipment and communicating with the local medical professionals (through field trips and clinical placements in skill-based classes). The main person of the program is Howard Bates, the counselor of the program at Williams High School.
Plano ISD Career and Technical Education offer additional medical courses in Plano ISD Health Sciences Academy than any other school. Extensions of the following classes that are taught at the Health Sciences Academy include:
- Biomedical Science
- Pharmacology
- Practicum/Clinical Rotations
- World Health Research
References
External links
- Official site
- Health Sciences Academy
