Milby High School

Charles H. Milby High School is a public secondary school at 1601 Broadway in the East End, Houston, Texas, United States."Map ." East End Management District. Retrieved on March 8, 2010. It serves grades 9 through 12, and is a part of the Houston Independent School District.

Milby is located inside the 610 Loop in southeast Houston. The school contains Houston ISD's Science Institute Magnet Program. As of 2018, the school's principal administrator is Ruth Ruiz.

Milby also has HISD's high school program for deaf students.

In 2014, J. Howard Johnston and Ronald Williamson described Milby's neighborhood as "one of the most impoverished parts of Houston".Johnston, J. Howard and Ronald Williamson. Leading Schools in an Era of Declining Resources. Routledge, July 11, 2014. Retrieved on November 4, 2015. , 9781317820673. p. 27.

History Milby began its life in March 1926, replacing the former Harrisburg High School, which was located several blocks south of Milby. Thirteen teachers and 212 students formed Milby's initial population. The $180,000 campus had, and still has, a Romanesque exterior. Milby has since had various expansions and renovations. Originally a predominately non-Hispanic White school, Milby became mostly Hispanic as the population of the East End area increased.Berryhill, Michael. "The Unchanging Face of Milby." Houston Press. October 9, 1997. 2. Retrieved on April 24, 2009.

Prior to 1965, Milby admitted White and Hispanic students, while it did not admit Black students.Berryhill, Michael. "The Unchanging Face of Milby." Houston Press. Thursday October 9, 1997. Retrieved on November 4, 2015. At the time, Hispanics were considered white.Kellar, William Henry. Make Haste Slowly: Moderates, Conservatives, and School Desegregation in Houston. Texas A&M University Press, 1999. , 9781603447188. // p. 33 (Google Books PT14). Houston high schools desegregated one grade per year from 1965 - 1967.

Milby High School was used as a filming location for My Best Friend Is a Vampire in 1986; it was renamed "Milton High School" in the movie. Many interior scenes, including scenes of the main character in his bedroom, were filmed inside the school, and the exterior was used in the movie as well. Students at Milby were extras in many scenes, as the filming took place during school hours. After the movie was completed, the sign on the exterior of the school that had been in disrepair was replaced with a new one by the production company.

In September 1991, Milby was one of 32 HISD schools that had capped enrollments; in other words, the school was filled to capacity and excess students had to attend other schools.Markley, Melanie. "32 schools hit enrollment cap." Houston Chronicle. Thursday September 26, 1991. A17. Retrieved on April 24, 2009.

On November 14, 1991, 18-year-old Francisco Contreras received four gunshot wounds in his feet and leg outside of the cafeteria at Milby. Police arrested a 16-year-old described by HISD officials as a "disturbed freshman."Asin, Stephanie and Melanie Markley. "Shooting at school fuels calls for more security." Houston Chronicle. Friday November 15, 1991. A1. Retrieved on April 24, 2009.

In December 1991, Milby was one of the largest high schools in Texas, with 3,617 students. Due to the overcrowding, by that month Houston ISD trustees approved a plan to open a new high school in September 1995 instead of in 1997."News briefs." Houston Chronicle. Friday December 13, 1991. A34. Retrieved on April 24, 2009. Milby, in the meantime, had already had additions, so the district did not need to install very many temporary buildings. By 1997 the new high school had not yet been constructed; area community leaders and parents anticipated the construction of César Chávez High School, as Austin and Milby were still overcrowded.Rodriguez, Lori. "NEIGHBORLY NEEDS/Help for homeless touches raw nerve in the East End." Houston Chronicle. Sunday March 16, 1997. A1. Retrieved on April 25, 2009. Prior to 1997, residents zoned to Furr also had the option to attend Austin and Milby high schools; in 1997 the school district canceled the option."1996-1997 HISD ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES," Houston Independent School District. June 30, 1997. Retrieved on December 13, 2010. "CANCEL the options for students in the East End to attend Austin or Milby from Furr"

In the fall of 2000, Chávez opened and took most of Milby's traditional neighborhoods. In turn Milby absorbed some students from Austin.Berryhill, Michael. "The Unchanging Face of Milby." Houston Press. October 9, 1997. 7. Retrieved on April 25, 2009. Areas that were zoned to Milby in 1998 were rezoned to Chávez."High Schools." Houston Independent School District. April 13, 2002. Retrieved on May 6, 2009."Milby High School Attendance Zone ." Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on December 12, 2010."Chavez High School Attendance Zone ." Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on December 13, 2010. In turn Milby absorbed attendance areas from Austin and Furr high schools."Austin High School Attendance Zone ." Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on December 13, 2010."Furr High School Attendance Zone ." Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on December 13, 2010.

In 2007, Johns Hopkins University referred to Milby as a "dropout factory," where at least 40 percent of the entering freshman class does not make it to their senior year.Scharrer, Gary. "Report points to 'dropout factories'." Houston Chronicle. November 7, 2007. Retrieved on April 24, 2009. This version has the inlet which stated the schools, while the newer version of the page does not. During that year, 20 percent of high schoolers zoned to Milby chose to attend a different Houston ISD school.Radcliffe, Jennifer. "Critics: In HISD, too many don't go where zoned / Black leaders argue bond has no fix to get kids back to schools in their neighborhoods." Houston Chronicle. Sunday October 14, 2007. B1 MetFront. Retrieved on April 24, 2009.

A petroleum academy opened in Milby in the fall of 2008."Houston ISD's Milby High blazes course for nation" (). Houston Chronicle, August 27, 2007.Spivak, Todd. "College Immaterial for High School Students in Vocational Training." Houston Press. May 13, 2008. 1. Retrieved on April 24, 2009. Halliburton donated $27 million to provide engineering and geoscience software while Shell Oil Company donated laptops altogether worth $115,000. The first petroleum academy class graduated in 2011.Senge, Peter M., Nelda Cambron-McCabe, Timothy Lucas, Bryan Smith, Janis Dutton. "Schools That Learn (Updated and Revised): A Fifth Discipline Fieldbook for Educators, Parents, and Everyone Who Cares About Education." Crown Publishing Group, July 31, 2012. p. 517. , 9780385521864.

Around 2014, the school began digitizing its old yearbooks.Christian, Carol. "Milby High School's old yearbooks going digital." Houston Chronicle. Tuesday January 7, 2014. Retrieved on November 4, 2015.

As of August 2014, the Milby campus closed for reconstruction. The school administration and the 9th grade students were temporarily housed in trailers at Attucks Middle School in Sunnyside, while students in grades 10-12 were housed at Jones Futures Academy in South Park.Mellon, Ericka. "'Milby or Jones?' Some confusion on first day at 3-school campus." Houston Chronicle. August 25, 2014. Retrieved on November 4, 2015.

On December 18, 2014,"HISD breaks ground on four new campuses, celebrates first project to ‘go vertical’." Houston Independent School District. December 18, 2014. Retrieved on December 21, 2014. groundbreaking for a new campus occurred."Milby HS breaks ground for new 21st century campus." Houston Independent School District. December 19, 2014. Retrieved on December 21, 2014. The project comes from the 2012 bond. The original 1926 building, made of concrete and brick, will remain, while other portions have been demolished and replaced with new construction.Isensee, Laura. "How One School Construction Project is Keeping Old With New ." Houston Public Media. September 22, 2014. Retrieved on October 30, 2015. New url. Audio file

Student population In 1948, Milby had 1,230 students.San Miguel, Guadalupe. Brown, Not White: School Integration and the Chicano Movement in Houston (Volume 3 of University of Houston Series in Mexican American Studies, Sponsored by the Center for Mexican American Studies). Texas A&M University Press, October 26, 2005. , 9781585444939. CITED: p. 219.

In 1960, Milby High School was majority Anglo White with students of Mexican origin making up less than 9% of the student body.San Miguel, Guadalupe. Brown, Not White: School Integration and the Chicano Movement in Houston (Volume 3 of University of Houston Series in Mexican American Studies, Sponsored by the Center for Mexican American Studies). Texas A&M University Press, October 26, 2005. , 9781585444939. CITED: 215.

The total student population for the 2014–2015 school year was 1,591.

As of 2014, many students are children of first-generation immigrants.

Campus

By 1998 the campus had had a total of seven additions, reflecting the growth of the student population in the East End. The school had established a new track and football field, and acquired neighboring property to make room for new additions. In 2012, Richard Connelly of the Houston Press ranked Milby as the fourth most architecturally beautiful high school campus in Greater Houston.Connelly, Richard. "The 7 Best-Looking High Schools in Houston." Houston Press. Tuesday May 22, 2012. 1. Retrieved on May 27, 2012. The school library at the time was previously an auditorium. it had 30,000 titles available. A computer laboratory and reading room were, as of 1998, located in the former second floor gymnasium. By 1998 the school locker rooms had been upgraded.

Academics and academic performance As of 2012, Milby offers technical English courses meant to improve comprehension of non-fiction texts. These courses are offered in addition to standard literature classes.

Students from Milby and Austin High School who are taking computer-related courses that qualify them for an A+ certification in computer troubleshooting or an N+ certification in networking go to the Rudy C. Vara Center for Technology every other day.Gabriel, Cindy. "Long-awaited Vara honor `perfect fit' / Austin, Milby technology center dedicated." Houston Chronicle. Thursday February 13, 2003. ThisWeek 1. Retrieved on December 13, 2012.

Of the non-Petroleum Academy Milby students graduating in 2011, 46% entered community colleges and 37% entered four-year universities and colleges. Of the 80 students who started in the first Petroleum Academy class, 62 moved on to four-year colleges and universities, and most of the remainder went on to community colleges.

School uniform In 1999, Milby High School instituted a school uniform policy."Student Dress Code Policy ." Milby High School. The Texas Education Agency specified that parents and/or guardians of students zoned to a school with uniforms could apply for a waiver to opt out of the policy so their children did not have to wear the uniform;"Uniforms ." Texas Education Agency. parents were required to specify "bona fide" reasons, such as religious reasons or philosophical objections.

As of the 2017–2018 school year, students no longer wear uniforms, but there are strict guidelines and rules as to what they can wear with their "free-dress", such as the exclusion of spaghetti strap shirts and basketball shorts. No form of gang-related symbols may be present on clothing.

Extracurricular activities By 1998 extracurricular clubs in general had declined since many students were too busy to participate; by then many of them had after-school jobs.

The school once had a Future Farmers of America club but by 1989 it was disbanded.

Athletics