The 1960s brought rapid growth to the district

Northside Through the Decades - NISD experiences expansion in enrollment & facilities: The 1960s

The 1960s saw the beginning of growth in construction and population on the northwest side of San Antonio.

In 1961, with a District enrollment of 5,545, Glenoaks and Westwood Terrace elementary schools and Pat Neff Junior High were opened. A year later, Glenn and Thunderbird Hills (now Powell) elementary schools, and Rayburn Junior High opened. Two more elementary schools were opened the following year. 

In 1964, when the district's enrollment reached 9,333, a second high school (Holmes) was added. 

At the same time, construction of the Texas Medical Center began within the District. This facility benefitted Northside financially and as a collaborator in education. 

In the later 1960s, the District fully embraced integration with the closing of West San Antonio Heights and the transfer of African American students to 10 elementary schools. Northside also started the first bilingual education program with summer school classes for non-English-speaking children and developed special education programs by approving the education of all children regardless of handicaps.

1960

  • Lackland City Elementary opens. 
  • Northside decides to name high schools for Supreme Court Justices, junior highs for Texas Governors, and elementary schools for the subdivisions in which they are located. 
  • Northside High School is renamed for U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall.
  • Northside Jr. High is renamed Sul Ross Jr. High School.
  • NISD begins the first bilingual education program.
  • The Special Education Program is established. 
  • A $2.5M bond issue is approved. 

1961

  • Glenoaks Elementary, Westwood Terrace Elementary, and Pat Neff Jr. High open.  Sul Ross Jr. High is closed. 

1962

  • Sam Rayburn Jr. High, John Glenn Elementary and Thunderbird Hills Elementary open.

1963

  • Mary Hull and Valley Hi Elementary Schools open.
  • A $3M bond issue is approved. 

1964

  • Ed Cody becomes Superintendent.
  • Oliver Wendell Holmes High School opens.  Mrs. Jack Jordan writes the words for the alma mater.

1965

  • A new central administrative office building opens on Evers Road.
  • West San Antonio Heights Elementary School closes, and African American students are transferred to 10 district schools.
  • A vocational shop is built at Marshall High School.
  • Secondary art classes are established. 

1966

  • Colonies North Elementary and (new) Sul Ross Jr. High open.  
  • Marshall High School principal establishes skirt length policy. 
  • Marshall High School Rams win State Boys’ Basketball Championship, the first for NISD. 
  • A $5M bond issue is approved. 

1967

  • John Jay High School opens.

1968

  • The District begins using an open space design for elementary schools to allow flexibility in instruction.  Forest Hills, Meadow Village, and Oak Hills Terrace Elementary Schools are opened. 
  • An $11.2M bond issue is approved. 

1969

  • Shenandoah Elementary opens.
  • Northside Stadium is built at the Alamo Downs Race Track site.