Tomball ISD takes great pride in its many accomplishments, but in order to celebrate where we are today, we must revisit our past.
In the Beginning
In 1908, school was first held in Tomball in the Woodmen of the World Building, which was a one room framed building that educated nearly 15 students. The community soon made plans to build a school. Land on Cherry Street was donated, and by 1910 a school was built. The two-story red brick schoolhouse, which was part of the Harris County School System, consisted of two classrooms downstairs and an auditorium upstairs. By 1916, sixty-two students attended the Tomball school. As of 1928, the community grew and consisted of four schools. By 1931, the district employed five teachers.
By 1935, the original schoolhouse on Cherry Street was torn down and replaced with a new buff colored brick building. The school opened in 1936 with grades one through 11. In 1937, a petition was presented to the Harris County School Board requesting that Tomball have its own school district. That petition was granted and all funds and debts were transferred to the Tomball Independent School District. The school on Cherry Street had grown so much that by 1938 a second campus was needed. Therefore, the district built a new red brick high school and a gymnasium located in the 700 block of Main Street.
Continued Growth
Decker Prairie, Bauer, and the Kohrville areas eventually became part of the district, and the Rosehill community was annexed in 1954. In 1961, the high school on Main Street burned to the ground. Classes were held in churches and community facilities for years to come.
Despite the fire that destroyed the high school on Main Street, enrollment continued to grow. By 1970, the district enrolled 1,246 students. By 1974, students began attending classes at the new Tomball High School on Sandy Lane.
In 2000, voters approved a $98.4 million bond referendum that enabled the district to renovate Tomball High School. The district also renovated the transportation center and five other existing campuses. New facilities including Willow Wood Junior High, Northpointe Intermediate, Rosehill Elementary, a district aquatic center, and other athletic facilities were also constructed under the 2000 bond referendum. The district also expanded its fine arts, athletic, agriculture, and other extracurricular and instructional programs to serve the needs of its students.
In 2007, voters passed Bond 2007 – a $198 million bond program, which funded Canyon Pointe, Creekside Forest, and Timber Creek Elementary Schools, and Tomball Memorial High School. Additional support facilities including a new Ancillary Building, Agriculture Project Barn, and the Technology/Staff Development Center were also completed under Bond 2007.
The 2007 bond referendum also funded the John P. Neubauer Administration Building, which was named after former Superintendent John Neubauer. The administration building was built on Cherry Street at the site where the original 1936 buff colored brick school once stood. A replica of the front façade of the original school was incorporated into the design of the new building. Although Mr. Neubauer retired after devoting 46 years to Tomball ISD, he maintains vivid memories of his first teaching job in the original 1936 school.
In May 2013, voters approved Bond 2013 – a $160 million bond program that funded four new schools and addressed security and technology district wide. Wildwood Elementary and Oakcrest Intermediate School opened in the southern portion of the district in August 2015. Creekview Elementary School, located in The Woodlands, also opened its doors in August 2015. Creekside Park Junior High opened in The Woodlands in August 2016.
Five Years Ago
Tomball ISD’s growth is evident thanks to the emphasis placed on academic achievement and improving facilities and resources following the passing of Bond 2017, a $275 million bond referendum. Bond 2017 will address improvements in all areas of academic success at Tomball ISD from fine arts, technology, and athletics to the renovations of existing campuses and construction of new district facilities.
Tomball ISD celebrated the opening of Tomball Star Academy – an Early College High School in 2017-18. This joint initiative between Tomball ISD and Lone Star College–Tomball enables students to earn a high school diploma and up to 60 college credit hours free of charge while in high school. Tomball Star Academy provides a rigorous, supportive learning environment that blends high school and the first two years of college. Students have the ability to participate in a variety of extracurricular activities as well as intramural sports. Tomball Star Academy graduated its first class in May 2021.
In 2019, Tomball ISD launched its Two-Way Dual Language Academy, a biliteracy program at Rosehill Elementary, that integrates native English and native Spanish speakers in one classroom setting to encourage students to become bilingual, biliterate and bicultural.
Where we are Today
Because of the continued support from community stakeholders, Tomball ISD passed a voter-approved $465 million as part of the Bond 2021 package, which will feature a new high school (Tomball West HS), new intermediate school (West Intermediate), two new elementary schools (West Elementary, TBD), a Pre-K Center (Early Excellence Academy), an Agricultural Show Barn, and much more.
In August 2023, Tomball ISD will open a Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) for Healthcare within Tomball Star Academy. Similar to TSA’s Early College High School, this new program will provide students a rigorous, supportive learning environment, and an opportunity to earn s high school diploma, up to 60 college credit hours, an Associate's of Science degree, health industry-based certifications, and a Level 1 Pre-Professional Certificate free of charge.
With a vision that students will lead in creating the future, Tomball ISD continues to offer high-quality academic learning to ensure students are prepared for whatever the future holds. The District boasts 26 Career & Technical Education (CTE) pathways, including four brand new programs: law enforcement, legal studies, cybersecurity and aviation.
As the district continues to grow, Tomball ISD makes sure every student finds a place to belong, a passion to pursue, and a love for learning that will serve them well beyond the years they spend in Tomball.
