Northside Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Leon Valley, Texas."Contact Northside ISD." Northside Independent School District. March 12, 2011. "5900 Evers Rd. • San Antonio, TX 78238-1606""Leon Valley city, Texas." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on March 12, 2011. It is the largest school district in the San Antonio area and the fourth-largest in the State of Texas. Northside serves of urban landscape, suburban growth, and rural territory in the San Antonio suburbs and the Hill Country. Northside is roughly 50% built out with the center of the district's boundaries near Helotes, just north of the Bandera Road and Loop 1604 intersection. Because of fast-paced growth, the district envisions possibly another four high schools over the next few decades, including far west areas off Potranco Road and Hwy 211 (near the Medina County line), Culebra Road (FM 471) past Talley Road, I-10 near Boerne Stage Road (north of the Dominion) and far north Bandera Road (Hwy 16) near the Pipe Creek/Bandera County/Medina County areas.

Northside ISD serves a portion of the city of San Antonio, as well as the cities of Grey Forest, Leon Valley, Shavano Park, and Helotes, and the unincorporated communities of Cross Mountain, Leon Springs, and Scenic Oaks. The district also serves some unincorporated portions of Bexar, Bandera and Medina Counties.

In 2011, the school district was rated "recognized" by the Texas Education Agency for the fourth consecutive year.

Administration

Superintendent The superintendent of Northside ISD was Dr. Brian Woods. Prior to his appointment in 2012, he was a social studies teacher, administrator, the assistant superintendent for secondary administration, and the named deputy superintendent for administration for the school district. In June of 2023, Dr. Woods retired after 11 years as superintendent. As of August 2023, Dr. John Craft is the superintendent of the district.

Campuses Northside ISD has over 110 campus locations:

Northside has chosen a unique method of naming its traditional high schools; each school is named for a former or current United States Supreme Court justice. Under current district policy,http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/015915/pol.cfm?DisplayPage=CW(LOCAL).html Local District Policy for naming schools eighth graders who will be part of a new high school's first graduating class are encouraged to research prior justices and submit nominations.

The justices so honored are Louis D. Brandeis, William J. Brennan, Tom C. Clark, John Marshall Harlan, Oliver Wendell Holmes, John Jay, John Marshall (the oldest high school; originally named Northside Rural High School, but later renamed to conform to the naming convention), Sandra Day O'Connor (attended the school's dedication), John Paul Stevens (also attended the school's dedication), William Howard Taft, and Earl Warren. The 12th and newest high school in the district, Sonia M. Sotomayor High School, opened on August 22, 2022. The school is named after Supreme Court Justice Sonia M. Sotomayor, who is the first woman of color, first Hispanic and first Latina to serve on the Supreme Court. +High schools (grades 9-12) School Established Mascot Colors Additional information Louis D. Brandeis High School 2008 Broncos Orange & Navy William J. Brennan High School 2010 Bears Gold & Black Tom C. Clark High School 1978 Cougars Black & Silver John Marshall Harlan High School 2017 Hawks Columbia Blue & Black Oliver Wendell Holmes High School 1964 Huskies Hunter Green & Gold John Jay High School 1967 Mustangs Reflex Blue & Silver John Marshall High School 1950 Rams Maroon & Gray Formerly Northside High School until 1960; National Blue Ribbon School in 1992-93 Sandra Day O'Connor High School 1998 Panthers Navy & Vegas Gold Sonia Sotomayor High School 2022 Wildcats John Paul Stevens High School 2005 Falcons Red, Black, & Silver William H. Taft High School 1985 Raiders Red & White National Blue Ribbon School in 1997-98 Earl Warren High School 2002 Warriors Purple, Silver, & Black +Magnet high schools Program Established Campus Additional information Agriculture Academy High School 2001 O'Conner High School CAST Teach High School 2022 Stevens High School Communications Arts High School 1995 Taft High School Construction Careers Academy 2009 Warren High School Health Careers High School 1984 National Blue Ribbon School in 1990–91 John Jay Science and Engineering Academy 1997 Jay High School Marshall Law and Medical Services Magnet School 2019 Marshall High School Northside School of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (NSITE) High School 2019 Holmes High School Formerly Business Careers High School +Middle schools (grades 6-8) School Established Mascot Colors Additional information Dr. Joe J. Bernal Middle School 2014 Black Knights Black & Gold Dolph Briscoe Middle School 2010 Bengals Maroon & Gold John B. Connally Middle School 1998 Coyotes Navy & Silver John M. Folks Middle School 2013 Stallions Navy & Columbia Hector P. Garcia Middle School 2009 Gladiators Black & Silver William P. Hobby Middle School 1971 Hawks Purple & Gold William P. Hobby Magnet Middle School 2023 Hawks Purple & Gold Health Sciences Magnet Wallace B. Jefferson Middle School 2007 Eagles Navy & Silver Anson Jones Middle School 1970 Cougars Black & Gold Anson Jones Magnet Middle School 2020 Cougars Black & Gold STEM Magnet Jack C. Jordan Middle School 1993 Jaguars Forest Green & White Jack C. Jordan Magnet Middle School 2025 Jaguars Forest Green & White Multimedia and Design Magnet Gregory Luna Middle School 2004 Longhorns Orange & Blue Pat Neff Middle School 1961 Texans Blue & White E. M. Pease Middle School 1974 Bulldogs Royal Blue & Gold Ed Rawlinson Middle School 2003 Patriots Navy & Red Sam Rayburn Middle School 1962 Raiders Red & Black Sul Ross Middle School 1966 Rebels Green & Gold Earl Rudder Middle School 1982 Rangers Red & Blue Coke R. Stevenson Middle School 1975 Wildcats Red & White National Blue Ribbon School in 1990-91 Katherine Stinson Middle School 1991 Skyhawks Green & Royal Blue Katherine Stinson Magnet Middle School 2026 Skyhawks Green & Royal Blue Sports Medicine Magnet Joe Straus III Middle School 2021 Mavericks Royal Blue, Black, & Gray Robert L. Vale Middle School 2008 Stingrays Purple & Black H.B. Zachry Middle School 1985 Wolverines Red & Black H.B. Zachry Magnet Middle School 2021 Wolverines Red & Black Cybersecurity and Global Communications Magnet +Elementary schools (grades PK-5) School Established Additional information Adams Hill 1972 Allen 1960 Aue 2007 Beard 2003 Behlau 2010 Blattman 2003 Boldt 2015 Boone 1974 Brauchle 1990 National Blue Ribbon School in 1998-99 Braun Station 1982 Burke 2000 Cable 1958 Carnahan 2008 Carson 1998 Chumbley 2024 Ed Cody 1982 Cole 2016 Colonies North 1966 Carlos Coon 1978 Ellison 2014 Driggers 2007 Elrod 1988 Esparza 1972 National Blue Ribbon School in 2000-01 Evers 1992 Fernandez 1990 Fields 2016 Fisher 2006 Forester 2008 Franklin 2013 Galm 1987 Glass 1956 Glenn 1962 Glenoaks 1961 National Blue Ribbon School in 1998-99 Hatchett 2004 Helotes 1950 Henderson 2010 Hoffmann 2009 Howsman 1969 National Blue Ribbon School in 2000-01 Kallison 2017 Knowlton 1985 Krueger 2005 Kuentz 2009 Langley 2009 Leon Springs 1991 Leon Valley 1980 Lewis 2001 Lieck 2011 Linton 1980 Locke Hill 1975 National Blue Ribbon School in 1998-99 Los Reyes 2012 Martin 2010 Mary Hull 1963 National Blue Ribbon School in 1996-97 May 1997 McAndrew 2013 McDermott 1992 Mead 2006 Meadow Village 1968 Michael 1999 Mireles 2011 Mora 2018 Murnin 2006 Myers 1997 Nichols 2002 Northwest Crossing 1982 Oak Hills Terrace 1968 Ott 2004 Passmore 1970 Powell 1962 Raba 2000 Reed 2023 Rhodes 2002 Scarborough 2008 Scobee 1987 Steubing 1997 Thornton 1989 Timberwilde 1980 Tomlinson 2021 Valley Hi 1963 Villarreal 1968 Wanke 2006 Ward 2003 Wernli 2020 Westwood Terrace 1961

+Alternative schoolsSchoolIrene L. Chavez Excel AcademyJohn C. Holmgreen CenterJohn Jay Early College High SchoolNellie M. Reddix CenterNorthside Alternative High SchoolNorthside Alternative Middle SchoolNorthside Learning Center (adult education)Northside Learning Center (community education)

Student locator project The school district spent over $500,000 on a system whereby students wear an RFID chip and barcode around their necks, allowing the school to track their locations during the school day. The students needed the tag "to use the library or cafeteria, vote in school elections, and in some cases for toilet breaks". One student was expelled in 2012 after refusing to either wear the tag or to wear a version of it that included the barcode but not the RFID tag. Her objections were for reasons of religion, privacy, and freedom of expression; the school had also forbidden her from handing out leaflets criticizing the program. She later returned to the school following a federal judge's injunction. The school district's website was brought down in retaliation for the program. An individual claiming responsibility for the website disruption described the school district as "pervs" for their policy of RFID tracking children.

The RFID tracking program was discontinued for the 2013-2014 school year. Even during the controversy, the program was very limited in scope. The schools chosen had the fewest ratio white students (Jones M.S. - 4% and John Jay H.S. -13%).

Police department The Northside ISD Police Department is the district's full-service police department. The department has jurisdiction in the district's boundaries and has primary jurisdiction over all district property regardless of county.

Incidents On September 11, 2007, NISD police officer Patrick Ritchey reported that he was shot twice through his bulletproof vest with his own pistol after confronting two men after seeing graffiti at Lackland City Elementary School (now Allen Elementary). Following an overnight search by the San Antonio Police Department for the suspects, Ritchey admitted that he shot himself. On May 16, 2012, NISD police officer Doug Schramm negligently discharged his pistol in his office at Jordan Middle School. Schramm immediately informed the NISD police chief and campus principal, and it was found that the bullet did not leave the office. He was put on administrative leave and later fired on May 29 for unholstering a gun inside the school. In August 2016, Texas Commission on Law Enforcement investigators recommended criminal charges against NISD Police Chief Charles Carnes and suspension of his peace officer license for falsely stating that NISD officers do not make routine traffic stops and failing to submit the required racial profiling reports for years.

Shooting of Derek Lopez On November 12, 2010, Northside ISD police officer Daniel Alvarado shot and killed 14-year-old student Derek Lopez. Alvarado witnessed Lopez punch another student at a bus stop and pursued him, then radioed his supervisor, who instructed him to stay with the victim. Alvarado returned to his car and ordered the victim into his car and pursued Lopez. Lopez jumped over fences, then closed himself in a backyard shed. Alvarado approached the shed with his pistol drawn, and when Lopez opened the door, Alvarado fired one round. Alvarado claimed he feared for his life and that Lopez was charging for his weapon or had taken a weapon from the shed.

Alvarado had been reprimanded at 12 times and suspended four times prior to the incident and on May 29, 2008, the NISD Police Department considered his termination. He resigned in January 2013, and later that year, Northside ISD settled the federal lawsuit brought against it by Lopez's mother for $925,000.

History The district was formed in 1949 via consolidation of several rural school districts, having a mere 823 students: Clifton Culebra Helotes (including the former Los Reyes district which Helotes absorbed in 1939) Hoffman Leon Springs