Sunset High School (Texas) Explained

Sunset High School
Motto:Spirit, Knowledge, Friendship
Fundingtype:Public
Schooltype:high school
District:Dallas Independent School District
Grades:9–12
Principal:Jesus F. Martinez
Address:2120 W. Jefferson Blvd
City:Dallas
County:(Dallas County)
State:Texas
Zipcode:75208
Country:United States
Coordinates:32.7466°N -96.8541°W
Campus Type:Urban
Campus Size:4.6acres
Enrollment:2,187 (2022-23)
Teaching Staff:127.08 (FTE) (2022-23)
Ratio:17.21 (2022-23)
Mascot:Bison
Colors: Purple
White
Athletics:Baseball • basketball • cheerleading • cross country • football • golf • soccer • softball • swimming & diving • tennis • track & field • volleyball • wrestling
Athletics Conference:UIL
Module:
Embed:yes
Map Relief:yes
Designation1:RTHL
Designation1 Date:2015
Designation1 Number:18209
Designation2:Dallas Landmark
Designation2 Date:May 28, 2014[1]
Designation2 Number:H/144

Sunset High School is a public secondary school located in the North Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas, United States. The school enrolls students in grades 9-12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District (DISD). The school serves a portion of the Dallas and Cockrell Hill catchments.[2] [3] In 2015, the school was rated "Met Standard" by the Texas Education Agency.[4]

History

Opened in 1925, Sunset was the second high school in the Oak Cliff area, preceded only by Adamson High School. The origin of the school's name is uncertain; however, it may be due to its location. At the time it opened, Sunset was the westernmost school in the DISD, and the subdivision surrounding the school on the western side of Dallas was called "Sunset Heights".

The school opened in 1925 with 1,400 students and 39 teachers as southwest Oak Cliff became increasingly developed. At the time, it was the high school with the largest capacity in DISD; it had the same general architectural plan as Forest Avenue, North Dallas and Oak Cliff (now W. H. Adamson) high schools.[5] Its opening relieved Oak Cliff High of an overcrowding problem.[6]

The mascot is the American Bison; it was chosen since early students had to cross open fields to get to school.

In the summer of 2006, Anthony Tovar, a Mexican American raised in Dallas who was previously an assistant principal at W. H. Adamson High School and Moises Molina High School, began work as the principal of Sunset. He gained a reputation of being an excellent principal partly due to his hands-on, involved approach in which he actively communicated with students.[7] In 2013, he planned to resign due to frustration with DISD central office reforms,[8] but he later rescinded his resignation. That year Tovar had been placed on a "growth plan" (a DISD notice asking the principal to improve his school's metrics or face termination).[9] Tovar left DISD in 2013 but stated that he was not forced to resign;[10] in 2015, he returned as an interim assistant principal at Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy.[11]

In 2009, the school had 155 teachers and 2,200 students.

On May 28, 2014, Sunset High School was designated a Dallas Historical Landmark by vote of the Dallas City Council.[12] The City of Dallas Historical Commission[13] and DISD supported the nomination.[14] In April 2015, the Texas Historical Commission named Sunset High School a Texas Historical Landmark. On September 26, 2015, Sunset High School Celebrated the 90th Anniversary of the school and officially unveiled and dedicated its "Texas Historical Landmark" marker and "Dallas Historical Landmark" marker. It also formally dedicated the Sunset Byron Rhome Football Fieldhouse with a huge ceremony at the school attended by some 700 people.

Athletics

Until 2021, Sunset was only one of two high schools in the DISD to win a State Football Championship, having won the now-discontinued "Big City" State Championship in 1950 (W. H. Adamson having won the other title in 1924, as Oak Cliff High School).[15] The school was also state runner-up in 1942 and 1949. They were state semi-finalists in 1940, 1941 and 1955.[16] David W. Carter High School won the 1988 Class AAAAA title but was later forced to forfeit the win. In 2021, South Oak Cliff High School broke the drought by winning the 2021 Class 5A Division II state title.

Sunset won the State Basketball Championship in 1944.

Sunset won the State Track and Field Championship in 1953,. Future USA Olympic Silver Medalist Eddie Southern (1956) won four state championships - 120 yard hurdles in 1954 and 1955 and 220 yard (20.7) and 440 yard dash (47.2) in 1955, setting state and national high school records in the latter two. In 1969, Don Randell won both the Shot Put State (67’11.5”) Championship and the mythical National (64’3/4”) Championship at the Golden West Invitational track meet in Sacramento, CA.

The Sunset Golf Team won the state championship in 1938, 1943, 1944, 1945 and 1952. Future PGA Touring Pro and Home Pro at the Oak Cliff Country Club, Earl Stewart, Jr. would win the State Golf Championship in 1937, 1938 and 1939. In 1952, Sunset's Jimmy Powell won the individual state championship in golf.

Sunset also won two state titles in UIL One Act Play in 1944 and 1947.

In 1929, Sanger Brothers Department Store donated the Sanger Trophy to the Dallas Independent School District to be awarded annually to one of the six original DISD High Schools accumulating the most points in athletics. The Sanger Trophy was eventually awarded to Sunset for having won the Trophy more than any other of the Schools. The Sanger Trophy was restored in 2011 and now resides in the Old Red Museum of Dallas Culture and History, representing all six original Dallas High Schools.

Academic performance

In 2006, 53% of the students passed the TAKS math test and 56% passed the science test. In 2008, 57% passed the math test and 62% passed the science test; in 2008, the reading/language arts pass percentage was 82%, and the social studies pass percentage was 91%.[7]

In 2005, the school's graduation rate was 38%. In 2013, it was 57%.[9]

Feeder patterns

, http://www.dallasisd.org/demo/schoolinfo/hzones2007.htm, the following elementary schools feed into Sunset High School:

PK-5

One middle school, W.E. Greiner, feeds into Sunset.http://www.dallasisd.org/demo/schoolinfo/hzones2007.htm

Athletics

The Sunset Bisons compete in the following sports:[17]

Notable alumni

Fundraising

The Sunset High School Alumni Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit that raises money in support of teachers, students and the school.[18] The Sunset Foundation is a group of alumni who raise money and award college scholarships to Sunset High School students.[19]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ordinance No. 29346. Warren M.S. Ernst. May 28, 2014. City of Dallas. August 26, 2018.
  2. Web site: 2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Cockrell Hill city, TX. U.S. Census Bureau. 2019-11-16.
  3. Web site: 2019-20 Sunset High Attendance Zone Grades 9-12. Dallas Independent School District. 2019-11-16.
  4. Web site: 2015 Accountability Rating System. Texas Education Agency.
  5. Dallas Landmarks (Postcard History series). Arcadia Publishing, 2009., 9780738558523. p. 96.
  6. Elliott, Alan C., Patricia K. Summey, and Gayla Brooks Kokel. Oak Cliff. Arcadia Publishing, 2009., 9780738570686. p. 39.
  7. "Part Coach, Part Cheerleader, Sunset High Principal Anthony Tovar Aims to Prove That Inner-City Schools Can Be Winners." Dallas Observer. Thursday May 28, 2009. Retrieved on June 11, 2016.
  8. Nicholson, Eric. "Why is Sunset High School Principal Anthony Tovar Leaving?." Dallas Observer. Tuesday April 11, 2013. Retrieved on June 11, 2016.
  9. Haag, Matthew. "Dallas Sunset High School principal Anthony Tovar rescinds his resignation ." The Dallas Morning News. April 16, 2013. Retrieved on June 11, 2016.
  10. Darby, Luke. "Beloved Sunset High Principal Anthony Tovar Says He Will Leave Dallas ISD After All." Dallas Observer. Friday April 19, 2013. Retrieved on June 11, 2016.
  11. Hobbs, Tawnell D. "Popular Sunset High principal returns to Dallas ISD as Gilliam assistant." The Dallas Morning News. September 9, 2015. Updated September 10, 2015. Retrieved on June 11, 2016.
  12. News: Stone . Rachel . Landmark status expected for Sunset . Oak Cliff Advocate . January 21, 2015 . February 25, 2019.
  13. News: Appleton . Roy . Commission backs landmark designation for Sunset High School ]. . March 3, 2014 . June 12, 2016.
  14. News: Wilonsky . Robert . After bruising fight over Adamson, historical designation is on the horizon for Sunset High School . . March 3, 2014 . June 12, 2016.
  15. News: Nostalgia Glory Days: Dallas high schools’ gridiron greats . Peeler . Tom . . November 1, 1984 . May 16, 2023.
  16. Dave Campbell's Texas Football, 2008 edition, page 362
  17. http://www.theathleticsdepartment.com/schools/Dallas-Sunset/ The Athletics Department
  18. Web site: About Us. Sunset High School Alumni Association. 1 May 2017.
  19. Web site: Sunset Foundation. Sunset Foundation Inc.. 1 May 2017.

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