Cooper begins school year with record enrollment, opens Rock Math and Science Center

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – The John Cooper School, a college preparatory, independent school for students in Pre-kindergarten through Grade 12, began the 2016-17 school year by breaking yet another enrollment record, for the 17th consecutive year.

Established in 1988, the school began classes on August 25 with a total enrollment of 1,232 students that includes 507 students in Lower School (grades PK-5), 312 students in Middle School (grades 6-8) and 413 students in Upper School (grades 9-12). This total also represents the target maximum that the school established in its most recent strategic plan, and as such, will be the enrollment goal on an annual basis in future years.

Highlighting the opening of the new school year, and coinciding with enrollment growth, is the addition of educational space provided by the opening of the 50,000-square-foot Rock Math and Science Center and the renovation to the Middle/Upper School classrooms and the Edone Middle School Library.

“This has been the most enthusiastic and exciting start to the year that we have had in a while,” said Michael F. Maher, who is beginning his 17th year as Head of School. “We had an exceptional re-enrollment rate of 93 percent and the majority of the students who did not return was due to their family being relocated for employment-related reasons. Every grade between seventh and 12th has more than 100 students, with the largest being grade eight with 108 students. Our continued growth is a testament to the strong sense of community at Cooper and our ongoing commitment to improve and advance the educational mission of the school.”

Maher says the recent academic enhancements are the most significant improvements Cooper has made since the school opened its original Mitchell Lower School in 1988 and the Middle/Upper School building in 1993. The imaginative and open design of the Rock Math and Science Center spans three stories and includes state-of-the-art instructional space for math, science, robotics, technology and engineering courses, a 125-seat lecture hall, writable walls in the classrooms and hallways, an outdoor roof garden and observation area, a computer and robotics lab, and a college-like outdoor courtyard. The Middle/Upper School building had major renovations to the Edone Library that serves Middle School students and new classrooms and offices on the second floor to replace former science labs and classrooms. The recent facility enhancements have added a total of 12 new classrooms for Middle and Upper School students plus administrative offices.

The number of faculty continues to expand in conjunction with enrollment growth. Joining the administrative leadership team as Head of Lower School is Teresa Robson, who has served as Cooper’s Assistant Head of Lower School since 2010. Robson holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Elementary Education from Ohio State University and a second master’s degree in Education from the Klingenstein Center for Independent School Education at Columbia University. Joining Robson as Assistant Head of Lower School is James Choi, who previously worked at the Greene Hill School in Brooklyn, New York. He also received a M.Ed. in Private School Leadership from Klingenstein Center, Teachers College at Columbia University. John Hoye is Cooper’s new Director of Athletics. Hoye holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree from The University of Houston in Educational Leadership. He joins Cooper from Awty International School.

Faculty members who are new to Cooper’s Upper School include Alexandra Davis, Steven DiGerlando and Becca Hamm (social sciences), Aaron Smith (math), Julie Ronquillo (world languages), Jenny Glenn (science) and Ginger Burk (English). New faculty members in the Performing Arts Department are Tony Yarbrough (instrumental music) and Mary Rotella (theater arts). Arturo Carrillo joins the College Counseling office as a college counselor. Joining the Middle School faculty are Uma Desabholta (science), Lindsay West (English) and Douglas Begin (math). New to the Lower School faculty are Shanna Gonzales (2nd grade), Jennifer Abercrombie (1st grade) and Jane Choi (PK-2 science).