WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — In July, the Wichita Falls ISD school board is expected to vote on the names for the two new high schools and the top five names for each location have been released.
MSU Texas professor and member of the WFISD Naming Committee Bradley Wilson provided the final list of names voted on by the committee on Monday night.
“There was a lot of discussion about the positive economic impact of getting and keeping Wichita Falls in the name of the school,” Wilson said. “As a matter of practicality, staff members noted that the informal name might be “Wichita Falls Memorial High School” for example. I personally felt it was very important to formally keep Wichita Falls in the name of the school.”
West High School Name Options
- Memorial High School
- Wichita Falls West High School
- Kell High School
- Unity High School
- Westview High School
East High School Name Options
- Legacy Park High School
- Wichita Falls East High School
- Wichita Falls High School
- Veterans High School
- Summit High School
Wilson also said both groups ultimately decided not to consider the names of people like Otis C. Polk and Charlye O. Farris.
“I do hope the school board takes this list of names and considers them as they name parts of the school such as the gym, the library, the field, etc,” Wilson said. “These people deserve recognition for their contributions to Wichita Falls, Wichita County, and Wichita Falls ISD.
Wilson said the initial list had 490 names and of those, 217 had “Wichita Falls High School” as the name. On Monday, WFISD officials released the 140 potential school names the committee would consider.
“As I read over the documentation and the notes, my conclusion was that “Wichita Falls High School East” and “Wichita Falls High School West” were the best solutions for our community,” Wilson said. “However, I stand by any of the names that the group submitted as a chance for our community to move forward on this exciting adventure. There may be some variation of that such as “Wichita Falls East High School” that would be equally as appropriate for our city.”
Wichita Falls ISD has a committee is comprised of 40 individuals – 10 students, 10 staff members, 10 parents, and 10 community members to review nomination forms, forward all nominees to the board, and recommend no more than five names. The board reserves the right to consider all nominations.
Discussion of school names began in May. According to the timeline provided by the WFISD, the school board will receive a report with the top five names on June 21. The school board is slated to vote on a name in July.
Wichita Falls High School will be retired, and Rider High School and Hirschi High School will transition to middle schools.
The new high schools are scheduled to open in Fall 2024. One school will be located near the Career Education Center at Windthorst Road and Henry S. Grace Freeway. The other will be on the west side of town at 6422 Seymour Highway.
