Lindale High School
Encyclopedia
Lindale High School, also called Lindale High, LHS, or Lindale, is a public secondary school located in Lindale, Texas
, in the northeastern part of the state. It is home to multiple University Interscholastic League
state academic championships and has earned multiple "Exemplary
" ratings from the Texas Education Agency
(one of only five high schools of its size in Texas
to achieve that rating in 2009). Lindale High is a part of the Lindale Independent School District
and includes grades 9 through 12. The school serves most of Lindale, Texas
; a small portion of eastern Van Zandt County
also lies within the district.
, sociology
, government, and economics
), and fine arts, among others. At the present time, however, the school only offers instruction in one foreign language, Spanish
, which is offered up to the honors level.
Particularly commendable are the school's English and social studies departments. Students of Lindale High School consistently achieve higher scores on writing exams (or on writing portions of standardized tests, like the SAT
or the Texas Higher Education Assessment) in comparison to peer institutions, and frequently distinguish themselves through writing competitions. In 2010, for example, all three winners (first, second, and third places) in the 12th-grade division of the East Texas State Fair Academic Writing Contest were students of Lindale High School. Distinctions such as this have led many to insist that students of Lindale High are above-average writers, though such claims have not been conclusively proven.
In recent years, Lindale High has seen a significant drop in the number of Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered. This decrease is intentional on the part of the school's administration, as an array of college dual enrollment
courses have taken place of the AP program. Nonetheless, the school still offers AP English Literature, AP English Language, AP Calculus AB, as well as a considerable number of pre-AP courses to its students. Moreover, Lindale High offers a large number of college-preparatory honors courses in nearly every subject.
The school's college dual enrollment
program includes courses in subjects as varying as English, mathematics, history, biology, government, public and business speaking, art and art history, automotive technology, and many others. In fact, in the 2009-2010 school year, Lindale High once again had the largest college dual enrollment
program of any high school in the area, according to the school's primary dual enrollment partner institution, Tyler Junior College
, a commendable community college
located in Tyler, Texas
.
According to data published by the Texas Education Agency
, Lindale High School has an exceptionally high graduation rate. Additionally, several LHS students are part of Texas's gifted education
program (the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented).
The school also provides a surprising range of elective courses. These include (among others) creative writing
, analysis of visual media, medical terminology, computer science, computer multimedia, webmastering, art, applied music, theater production, dance, accounting, a hands-on education course (called "Ready Set Teach"), and the many extracurricular activities listed below.
In terms of athletics, Lindale High is home to sports teams that include football (winning the district championship in 2009), volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, golf, powerlifting
, track, tennis, cross-country
, soccer, and others. The athletic department's many teams claim multiple district and regional titles, and even a few state titles throughout the school's history. The tennis and soccer programs have garnered particular success. In recent years, it has been an unofficial tradition that poems are read aloud at school-wide pep rallies to bring good luck to the football team. The mascot of Lindale High is the eagle
. Several athletes are named to all-district teams each year, and many maintain high grade point averages.
Other extracurriculars include an active chapter of the National Honor Society
(with a student-governed Leadership Council), Key Club
, student council, The Eagle Eye (campus newspaper), yearbook, theatre, cheer-leading, journalism, speech and debate (including a chapter of the National Forensic League
), drill team, marching band
, concert band (including the school's Wind Ensemble), Spanish club, political organizations, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), and numerous other groups, clubs, and organizations. Beginning with the 2006-2007 academic year, the school cut its choir program due to a brief financial crisis experienced by the district, though club choir has recently been made available. A new literary magazine
is said to be in development.
Through the school's chapter of the National Honor Society
, LHS students have recently expanded their community service initiatives, including a tutoring program in conjunction with Lindale Junior High School and E.J. Moss Intermediate School.
In 2007, the Lindale High School Wind Ensemble was selected as the Texas AAA State Honor Band, the highest distinction a band can earn from the Texas Music Educators Association
. The "Pride of Lindale" Marching Band, a rare high school military-style marching band, was an area finalist in 2007, 2009, and 2010. The band also has a 37-year record of consistent first-division ratings at region marching competition (as of Oct. 2011).
La Bête
, the theatre department's 2008 one-act play, advanced to the University Interscholastic League
State One-Act Play Competition. "Blowing away audiences and racking up multiple awards," it was said, "the French comedic farce must be seen to be believed."
The Speech and Debate Club, which includes the varsity speech and debate team, is a successful organization at Lindale High School, winning dozens of district, regional, and state championships, as well as national recognition. The team has competed at the University Interscholastic League
state meet every year for almost 20 years, and has medaled in at least one event (sometimes several events) nearly every year. The team has had state titles in cross-examination debate, Lincoln-Douglas debate
, persuasive and informative extemporaneous speaking
, and both poetry and prose interpretation
. It has several times been named the State Champion Speech Team (in Conferences AAA and AAAA). The speech and debate team has also qualified for the National Forensic League
's national tournament every year for nearly 10 years. In 2008, Philip Hayes, a debater who graduated from Lindale High in 2009, won the national championship and a $150,000 scholarship in the Now Debate This national competition. Most recently, in 2009-2010, the team has been involved in The People Speak
project, which is an initiative of the United Nations
. When all schools participating in the project were ranked in May, 2010, Lindale High School was third in the United States and tenth internationally.
Lindale High School is active in University Interscholastic League
competition academically, athletically, and musically, winning the state academic championship three times. The school also holds state academic titles in journalism, literary criticism
, science, and others.
as Conference AAA for purposes of interscholastic competition, having been classified as Conference AAAA for the previous four years.
The academic calendar used at LHS follows a relatively traditional, two-semester form. The school year typically extends from late August to late May with appropriate breaks and holidays. Furthermore, each semester is divided into three marking periods (or 6-week periods) for grading purposes, yielding a total of six 6-week periods per academic year.
Currently, the school day is based on a modified block schedule system. The expected course load is eight courses per semester. Students attend six classes per day, and each day is designated in an alternating fashion as either an 'A Day' or 'B Day'. Periods 3 and 4 alternate from one day to the next, depending on whether the day is A or B. This pattern is expressed in the following table (note that the table does not include lunch periods).
There is a five-minute passing period between each class. The school day begins at 8:00 AM and ends at 3:15 PM.
Due to this construction, Lindale High School's graduating class of 2010 was the first and only graduating class to have its commencement exercises held at Rose Stadium in Tyler, Texas
, rather than at Eagle Stadium, the traditional location.
Lindale High School, as well as the entire school district, is supported by the Lindale Education Foundation. The foundation's mission statement is as follows (taken from the foundation's website):
Lindale, Texas
Lindale is a city in Smith County, Texas, United States. The town had an estimated population of 5,024 in 2006. It is part of the Tyler, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, in the northeastern part of the state. It is home to multiple University Interscholastic League
University Interscholastic League
The University Interscholastic League is an organization that creates rules for and administers almost all athletic, music, and academic contests for public primary and secondary schools in the American state of Texas....
state academic championships and has earned multiple "Exemplary
Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system
The Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system rates all public schools, charter schools, and school districts in the State of Texas.The criteria are the same for schools and districts, and are discussed below...
" ratings from the Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
(one of only five high schools of its size in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to achieve that rating in 2009). Lindale High is a part of the Lindale Independent School District
Lindale Independent School District
Lindale Independent School District is a public school district based in Lindale, Texas , and is designated as "Exemplary" for its quality by the Texas Education Agency....
and includes grades 9 through 12. The school serves most of Lindale, Texas
Lindale, Texas
Lindale is a city in Smith County, Texas, United States. The town had an estimated population of 5,024 in 2006. It is part of the Tyler, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
; a small portion of eastern Van Zandt County
Van Zandt County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 48,140 people, 18,195 households, and 13,664 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 people per square mile . There were 20,896 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
also lies within the district.
Academics
"A Tradition of Excellence" is the motto of Lindale High School. The school's curriculum offers a full range of courses in the natural sciences (including biology, chemistry, physics, and anatomy/physiology), mathematics, English, social studies (including geography, world history, early U.S history, U.S. history since reconstruction, psychologyPsychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
, government, and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
), and fine arts, among others. At the present time, however, the school only offers instruction in one foreign language, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, which is offered up to the honors level.
Particularly commendable are the school's English and social studies departments. Students of Lindale High School consistently achieve higher scores on writing exams (or on writing portions of standardized tests, like the SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
or the Texas Higher Education Assessment) in comparison to peer institutions, and frequently distinguish themselves through writing competitions. In 2010, for example, all three winners (first, second, and third places) in the 12th-grade division of the East Texas State Fair Academic Writing Contest were students of Lindale High School. Distinctions such as this have led many to insist that students of Lindale High are above-average writers, though such claims have not been conclusively proven.
In recent years, Lindale High has seen a significant drop in the number of Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered. This decrease is intentional on the part of the school's administration, as an array of college dual enrollment
Dual enrollment
In education, dual enrollment involved students being enrolled in two separate, academically related institutions. It may also refer to any individual who is participating in two related programs, but such a general form of usage is uncommon....
courses have taken place of the AP program. Nonetheless, the school still offers AP English Literature, AP English Language, AP Calculus AB, as well as a considerable number of pre-AP courses to its students. Moreover, Lindale High offers a large number of college-preparatory honors courses in nearly every subject.
The school's college dual enrollment
Dual enrollment
In education, dual enrollment involved students being enrolled in two separate, academically related institutions. It may also refer to any individual who is participating in two related programs, but such a general form of usage is uncommon....
program includes courses in subjects as varying as English, mathematics, history, biology, government, public and business speaking, art and art history, automotive technology, and many others. In fact, in the 2009-2010 school year, Lindale High once again had the largest college dual enrollment
Dual enrollment
In education, dual enrollment involved students being enrolled in two separate, academically related institutions. It may also refer to any individual who is participating in two related programs, but such a general form of usage is uncommon....
program of any high school in the area, according to the school's primary dual enrollment partner institution, Tyler Junior College
Tyler Junior College
Tyler Junior College is a two-year community college in Tyler, Texas, United States. TJC is one of the largest community colleges in Texas, with an enrollment of more than 12,000 credit students each year with an additional 20,000 continuing education enrollments annually. Its West Campus includes...
, a commendable community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
located in Tyler, Texas
Tyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, in the United States. It takes its name from President John Tyler . The city had a population of 109,000 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau...
.
According to data published by the Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
, Lindale High School has an exceptionally high graduation rate. Additionally, several LHS students are part of Texas's gifted education
Gifted education
Gifted education is a broad term for special practices, procedures and theories used in the education of children who have been identified as gifted or talented...
program (the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented).
The school also provides a surprising range of elective courses. These include (among others) creative writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
, analysis of visual media, medical terminology, computer science, computer multimedia, webmastering, art, applied music, theater production, dance, accounting, a hands-on education course (called "Ready Set Teach"), and the many extracurricular activities listed below.
Extracurricular activities
In the hallways of Lindale High School, banners read, "Through These Halls Walk Champions" and "Building Champions," sayings that ring true to the nature of the extracurricular accomplishments of LHS students. The school possesses an active variety of teams, clubs, organizations, and other extracurricular activities.In terms of athletics, Lindale High is home to sports teams that include football (winning the district championship in 2009), volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, golf, powerlifting
Powerlifting
Powerlifting is a strength sport. It resembles the sport of Olympic weightlifting, as both disciplines involve lifting weights in three attempts. Powerlifting evolved from a sport known as 'odd lifts' which followed the same three attempt format but used a wide variety of events akin to Strongman...
, track, tennis, cross-country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, soccer, and others. The athletic department's many teams claim multiple district and regional titles, and even a few state titles throughout the school's history. The tennis and soccer programs have garnered particular success. In recent years, it has been an unofficial tradition that poems are read aloud at school-wide pep rallies to bring good luck to the football team. The mascot of Lindale High is the eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
. Several athletes are named to all-district teams each year, and many maintain high grade point averages.
Other extracurriculars include an active chapter of the National Honor Society
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
(with a student-governed Leadership Council), Key Club
Key Club
Key Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs...
, student council, The Eagle Eye (campus newspaper), yearbook, theatre, cheer-leading, journalism, speech and debate (including a chapter of the National Forensic League
National Forensic League
The National Forensic League is a non-partisan, non-profit educational honor society established to encourage and motivate American high school students to participate in and become proficient in the forensic arts: debate, public speaking and interpretation. NFL is the America's oldest and largest...
), drill team, marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
, concert band (including the school's Wind Ensemble), Spanish club, political organizations, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), and numerous other groups, clubs, and organizations. Beginning with the 2006-2007 academic year, the school cut its choir program due to a brief financial crisis experienced by the district, though club choir has recently been made available. A new literary magazine
Literary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
is said to be in development.
Through the school's chapter of the National Honor Society
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
, LHS students have recently expanded their community service initiatives, including a tutoring program in conjunction with Lindale Junior High School and E.J. Moss Intermediate School.
In 2007, the Lindale High School Wind Ensemble was selected as the Texas AAA State Honor Band, the highest distinction a band can earn from the Texas Music Educators Association
Texas Music Educators Association
Texas Music Educators Association, or TMEA, is an organization of over 9,000 Texas school music educators. Its stated goals are to provide professional growth opportunities, to encourage interaction among music education professionals, to foster public support for music in schools, to offer...
. The "Pride of Lindale" Marching Band, a rare high school military-style marching band, was an area finalist in 2007, 2009, and 2010. The band also has a 37-year record of consistent first-division ratings at region marching competition (as of Oct. 2011).
La Bête
La Bête
La Bête is a comedy by American playwright, David Hirson. Written in rhymed couplets of iambic pentameter, the Molière-inspired story, set in 17th century France, pits dignified, stuffy Elomire, the head of the royal court-sponsored theatre troupe, against the foppish, frivolous street entertainer...
, the theatre department's 2008 one-act play, advanced to the University Interscholastic League
University Interscholastic League
The University Interscholastic League is an organization that creates rules for and administers almost all athletic, music, and academic contests for public primary and secondary schools in the American state of Texas....
State One-Act Play Competition. "Blowing away audiences and racking up multiple awards," it was said, "the French comedic farce must be seen to be believed."
The Speech and Debate Club, which includes the varsity speech and debate team, is a successful organization at Lindale High School, winning dozens of district, regional, and state championships, as well as national recognition. The team has competed at the University Interscholastic League
University Interscholastic League
The University Interscholastic League is an organization that creates rules for and administers almost all athletic, music, and academic contests for public primary and secondary schools in the American state of Texas....
state meet every year for almost 20 years, and has medaled in at least one event (sometimes several events) nearly every year. The team has had state titles in cross-examination debate, Lincoln-Douglas debate
Lincoln-Douglas debate
Lincoln–Douglas debate is sometimes also called values debate because it traditionally places a heavy emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy...
, persuasive and informative extemporaneous speaking
Extemporaneous speaking
Extemporaneous Speaking, also known as extemp, is a competitive event popular in United States high schools and colleges, in which students speak persuasively or informatively about current events and politics...
, and both poetry and prose interpretation
Prose Interpretation
Prose interpretation is a non-memorized event in which competitors choose a published piece of work that is not poetry or drama. The piece should be cut to no more than 10 minutes...
. It has several times been named the State Champion Speech Team (in Conferences AAA and AAAA). The speech and debate team has also qualified for the National Forensic League
National Forensic League
The National Forensic League is a non-partisan, non-profit educational honor society established to encourage and motivate American high school students to participate in and become proficient in the forensic arts: debate, public speaking and interpretation. NFL is the America's oldest and largest...
's national tournament every year for nearly 10 years. In 2008, Philip Hayes, a debater who graduated from Lindale High in 2009, won the national championship and a $150,000 scholarship in the Now Debate This national competition. Most recently, in 2009-2010, the team has been involved in The People Speak
The People Speak
The People Speak is an online community of young people who want to get involved in global issues. The community engages people of all ages and backgrounds in thoughtful discussions about the value of international cooperation for the United States and the world. From September 1 to November 30...
project, which is an initiative of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. When all schools participating in the project were ranked in May, 2010, Lindale High School was third in the United States and tenth internationally.
Lindale High School is active in University Interscholastic League
University Interscholastic League
The University Interscholastic League is an organization that creates rules for and administers almost all athletic, music, and academic contests for public primary and secondary schools in the American state of Texas....
competition academically, athletically, and musically, winning the state academic championship three times. The school also holds state academic titles in journalism, literary criticism
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
, science, and others.
Classification and academic scheduling
Starting with the 2010-2011 academic year, the school will be classified by the University Interscholastic LeagueUniversity Interscholastic League
The University Interscholastic League is an organization that creates rules for and administers almost all athletic, music, and academic contests for public primary and secondary schools in the American state of Texas....
as Conference AAA for purposes of interscholastic competition, having been classified as Conference AAAA for the previous four years.
The academic calendar used at LHS follows a relatively traditional, two-semester form. The school year typically extends from late August to late May with appropriate breaks and holidays. Furthermore, each semester is divided into three marking periods (or 6-week periods) for grading purposes, yielding a total of six 6-week periods per academic year.
Currently, the school day is based on a modified block schedule system. The expected course load is eight courses per semester. Students attend six classes per day, and each day is designated in an alternating fashion as either an 'A Day' or 'B Day'. Periods 3 and 4 alternate from one day to the next, depending on whether the day is A or B. This pattern is expressed in the following table (note that the table does not include lunch periods).
| 'A Day' | Period 1 (50 min) | Period 2 (50 min) | Period 3A (80 min) | Period 4A (80 min) | Period 5 (50 min) | Period 6 (50 min) |
| 'B Day' | Period 1 (50 min) | Period 2 (50 min) | Period 3B (80 min) | Period 4B (80 min) | Period 5 (50 min) | Period 6 (50 min) |
There is a five-minute passing period between each class. The school day begins at 8:00 AM and ends at 3:15 PM.
Notable alumni
- Miranda LambertMiranda LambertMiranda Lambert is an American country music artist who gained fame as a finalist on the 2003 season of Nashville Star, where she finished in third place and later signed to Epic Records. Lambert made her debut with the release of "Me and Charlie Talking", the first single from her 2005 debut...
, award-winning country music recording artist - Pat MahomesPat MahomesPatrick Lavon Mahomes is a professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He played in Major League Baseball from to for the Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He also pitched in two seasons in Nippon Professional...
, professional baseball player
The school's future
Student overcrowding (at both Lindale High and the district's junior high campus) has become a growing concern in recent years. In 2009, voters passed a multi-million dollar bond to expand the school district. The bond includes renovations to Eagle Stadium (the varsity football complex), a new junior high school, and expansions to Lindale High School. Most notably, the school will receive a state-of-the-art, 1,200-seat auditorium.Due to this construction, Lindale High School's graduating class of 2010 was the first and only graduating class to have its commencement exercises held at Rose Stadium in Tyler, Texas
Tyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, in the United States. It takes its name from President John Tyler . The city had a population of 109,000 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau...
, rather than at Eagle Stadium, the traditional location.
Lindale High School, as well as the entire school district, is supported by the Lindale Education Foundation. The foundation's mission statement is as follows (taken from the foundation's website):
The mission of the Lindale ISD Education Foundation is to create and sustain a visionary coalition of businesses and citizens generating investments and funding for innovative programs and initiatives that enrich and inspire educational and leadership opportunities that will benefit the students and teachers of Lindale ISD.
External links
- Lindale Independent School District
- Lindale Education Foundation
- The Eagle Eye, the student newspaper
- LHS Theatre Department
- University Interscholastic League
- Texas Education Agency
- Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented
- Texas Music Educators Association
- National Forensic League
- The People Speak