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EmailSecond Baptist School (SBS) was founded in 1946 through Second Baptist Church. Located in what is now Midtown Houston, it welcomed its first class of 14 kindergarten students in 1947. By 1955, the school had expanded to a full elementary school with the addition of a sixth grade. In 1957, the school moved to its current location in the Memorial area of Houston and embarked on a steady expansion—opening a Middle School in 1974 and an Upper School in 1982. Today, the school educates more than 1,100 pre-kindergarteners through 12th grade seniors.
Second Baptist School
6410 Woodway Dr, Houston, TX 77057 Dr. Jeff Williams, Head of School
713-365-2310 Ms. Andrea Prothro, Director of Admissions
www.SecondBaptistSchool.org
Religious Affiliation
The school is a “self-supporting ministry” of the Second Baptist Church of Houston. As such, members of Second Baptist Church receive discounts on tuition. Lower school students attend chapel once a week where they pledge to the American and Christian flags and the Bible. Middle School students attend a contemporary chapel service once a week. Upper School students are required to take Bible studies classes each year. Student “Professions of Faith” are encouraged and publicized.
Location and Facilities
SBS is located adjacent to Second Baptist Church on a 42-acre campus replete with nearly 1 million square feet of buildings. It is located in the Memorial area of Houston just south of the exclusive Houston Country Club and Racquet Club. It is fairly equidistant between Beltway 8, Loop 610, I-10, and the Westpark Tollway.
Admissions
The admissions process for middle and high school students includes six steps: 1) online application 2) family application 3) academic information – teacher recommendations and grades 4) standardized testing 5) and interviews. Additionally for upper school students there is also the opportunity for applicants to shadow a currently enrolled student.
Required tests for Pre-K through 4th grade include the WPPSI (or WISC for K-4) and a group evaluation. Additionally, applicants in grades 1-4 must also complete the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities. Applicants for grades 5-12 must take the ISEE test appropriate to the grade for which they are applying.
Academic Tracks and Curriculum
The Lower School curriculum is self-contained meaning that students stay in one room while the same group of teachers covers all of the subjects in the curriculum. The Middle and Upper Schools are departmentalized. Academic track differentiation begins in 7th grade when students have different math class options. Honors classes are offered beginning in the 9th grade. SBS offers 16 honors classes and 15 AP classes in the Upper School.
Interim Term is a two week period in March which gives students the opportunity to pursue interests outside of a standard school curriculum such as domestic and foreign travel, community service, cultural programs, and internships.
The school requires 23 credit hours to graduate; one credit is equivalent to one year of study: English (4), Math (3), Social Studies (3.5), Science (3), Foreign Languages (2), Fine Arts (1), Economics (.5), Computer (1), Communication App. (.5), Electives (2.5), Physical Education (1.5). Bible instruction is required each year.
Special Needs
No information provided.
Foreign Languages
SBS provides instruction in Spanish and Chinese Mandarin. Foreign language instruction is offered beginning with kindergarten Spanish (but is discontinued from 1st through 5th grade). Spanish is offered continuously through Advanced Placement Spanish Language. French is offered beginning in 9th grade. Students may currently study Mandarin through Honors Level II; the school continues to add levels each year as Chinese only replaced its French offering in 2012.
Arts
Music and art instruction begin in Pre-Kindergarten where students benefit from weekly instruction. In addition to visual art in Middle School, students also have the option of band choir, acting, and drama. The Upper School arts department offers seventeen classes including AP Studio Art (Drawing, 2D Design, 3D Design). Photography is also available. In music, students can participate in choir, band, marching band, string ensemble, and music theory.
Technology
In the Lower School, weekly computer instruction begins in Kindergarten. As of 2011, students in 5th through 12th grade benefit from the school’s “one-to-one” MacBook program. SBS owns the computers and provides students with new computers every three years. Students are not allowed to bring their own laptops to school even if it is a MacBook. Since the computers are owned by the school, there is no additional charge outside of existing tuition fees. SBS is an “Apple Distinguished School,” for its use of Apple technology in the classroom and throughout the curriculum.
Extracurricular Activities
In the Middle and Upper Schools, the student council is comprised of class and school wide representatives. Mathematically inclined middle school students can join the math club. There are a number of other clubs ranging from academic team to debate to key club to language clubs and Model U.N. Qualifying students may participate in the National Honor Society and French, Latin, and Spanish language honor societies.
Athletics
Athletic facilities include three gymnasiums, weight room, locker rooms, and multipurpose fields: baseball field, softball field, football, and soccer field. The school fields teams across eleven sports: baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross-country, football, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track, and volleyball. SBS is a member of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.
Parent Involvement
To volunteers, parents should join SBS’s Parents Association.
Second Baptist School Fast Facts
| Overview | |
| School Type | Religious, Co-Educational |
| Religious Affiliation | Baptist |
| Uniforms | Yes |
| Date Founded | 1946 |
| Endowment | N/A |
| Grades Served | Pre-K – 12 |
| Enrollment | 1,122 |
| Grade 12 | 66 |
| Grade 11 | 72 |
| Grade 10 | 71 |
| Grade 9 | 114 |
| Grade 8 | 74 |
| Grade 7 | 99 |
| Grade 6 | 98 |
| Grade 5 | 80 |
| Grade 4 | 69 |
| Grade 3 | 99 |
| Grade 2 | 80 |
| Grade 1 | 72 |
| Kindergarten | 78 |
| Pre-Kindergarten | 50 |
| Student to Teacher Ratio | 9:1 |
| Faculty with Advanced Degrees (#/%) | 58/ 34% |
| Minorities in Student Body | NP |
| Curriculum | |
| Academic Tracks Offered | On-Track, Honors, AP |
| Advanced Placement Courses Offered | 15 |
| Languages Offered | Chinese, Spanish |
| Calendar (Semester / Trimester / Other) | Semester |
| Interscholastic Sports Programs | 11 |
| Graduating Seniors | |
| National Merit Semi-Finalists 2013 (#/%) | 0 |
| Average SAT Scores (Class of 2012) | 1784 |
| Mathematics | 593 |
| Critical Reading | 587 |
| Writing | 604 |
| % Students Admitted to 4 Year University | 100 |
| Admissions | |
| Prime Entry Points | K, 1, 6, 9 |
| Pre-Kindergarten | $9,036 |
| Kindergarten – Grade 2 | $12,528 |
| Grades 3-4 | $13,428 |
| Grades 5-8 | $15,576 |
| Grades 9-12 | $17,076 |
| New Student Fee (PreK-4 / 5-12) | $300 / $400 |
| Students on Financial Aid | N/A |
Excerpted from General Academic’s publication, “Houston Private & Select Public Schools: Survey, Analysis, and Research, 3rd Edition.”
