The Kinkaid School

The Kinkaid School is a private PK–12 non-sectarian college preparatory school in Piney Point Village, Texas, United States in Greater Houston. The Kinkaid School is the oldest independent coeducational school in Greater Houston. The student body is divided into the Lower School (PreK – 4th Grade), the Middle School (5th grade – 8th grade) and the Upper School (9th grade – 12th grade). The school motto is: "Lux per Scientiam" meaning, "Light through Knowledge". The School colors are purple and gold, and the school mascot is the falcon. The school is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest. The current head of school is Jonathan Eades. The current chairman of the Board of Trustees is Steven P. Mach. A feature of Kinkaid's Upper School is its Interim Term, which provides three weeks in January for teacher-designed and student-selected curricula. Teachers at the School provide classes that they would otherwise not be able to teach as part of the normal semester, including military histories of the Civil War and World War II, introductory courses in digital programming and engineering, courses in photography and art history, and a course in Disney films. Students may also go on international trips sponsored by the school, such as tours of China, Italy and Greece; homestays in Mexico and France are also possibilities. Finally, the School provides connections with companies throughout the greater Houston area and, if the students prefer, throughout the world, in which its senior students may find internships. Athletics Kinkaid sports teams compete in the Southwest Preparatory Conference of the Independent Schools Association in the Southwest. An alumni event is the Kinkaid vs. St. John's School football game played each year at Rice Stadium, with the winning record belonging to Kinkaid. Kinkaid offers multiple sports per each sports season (fall, winter and spring). In the fall, it offers football (boys only), cross country, volleyball, cheerleading and field hockey (girls only). In the winter, it offers soccer, basketball, wrestling (boys only) and swimming. In the spring, it offers lacrosse, baseball (boys only), softball (girls only), track & field, tennis and golf. For students who don't choose to play competitive team sports, Kinkaid offers yoga, badminton, cardio fitness, beginner golf, physical conditioning, and recreational tennis as alternatives. Arts Kinkaid offers courses in the performing and visual arts to its upper and middle school students. The performing arts include dance, acting, choir, band, and orchestra. There are performances during the year. Visual arts courses include drawing and illustration, painting, printmaking, photography, film, and ceramics. Arts students can participate in the annual Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) Arts Festival. History The School was founded in 1906 by Margaret Hunter Kinkaid. When the School was first established, it was located in the dining room of Margaret Hunter Kinkaid's house, which was at the intersection of Elgin and San Jacinto in what is now Midtown Houston. Tuition at the School ranged from $90 per year for first and second grades to $130 per year for sixth graders. Tuition for the 2016–2017 school year was $20,500 for Pre-K through Grade 4, $23,720 for Grades 5 through 8, and $25,000 for Grades 9 through 12. Books, lunch, and a one-time $1000 new student fee are not included. The Richmond Campus The School's second location was at the intersection of Richmond and Graustark in the Neartown neighborhood. The School moved to this location in the fall of 1924. The School had its first Open House that year to celebrate the new facility. Kinkaid also added its upper school program beginning in the late 1920s. After more than thirty years, the school eventually outgrew its campus and was forced to look for a new location. The administration bought land in Piney Point Village. Piney Point Village campus Since 1957 and through the present day, the school has been on a 40-acre (16 ha) site in the city of Piney Point Village, an enclave of Houston, at the junction of 201 Kinkaid School Drive and San Felipe. Beginning in the early 1990s, the campus began a construction program in an effort to modernize its facilities. A new lower school building was constructed, and the old building was torn down, along with the "little" gym and lower school art and science buildings. A new middle school building was also constructed, and the existing upper school was expanded into the old middle school building. A new auditorium and cafeteria were built, and the remaining campus buildings were renovated. Since 2022, improvements to the school have been made through Kinkaid's "All In" plan for campus renovations and restructuring. As of May 2024, the total amount raised for the campaign was over $141 million. In June 2025, the new Upper School was completed in time for the 2025-2026 school year. Formal headteachers Jonathan Eades is now the sixth head of school. Margaret Hunter Kinkaid, the school's founder, was the first headmistress until 1951. John H. Cooper, worked at the school for over two decades. Cooper helped move the campus from its Richmond location to the current Memorial site. Cooper left to co-found The John Cooper School in Woodlands in 1972. Glenn Ballard was recruited to replace Cooper in 1972. Ballard retired after 24 years. Donald C. North was recruited to replace Ballard. North led Kinkaid from 1996 to 2013. Andrew D. Martire was appointed Kinkaid's fifth headmaster in 2013. The Kinkaid School Archives The Kinkaid School Archives contain the historical materials of The Kinkaid School including some of the earliest records of founder Margaret H. Kinkaid, as well as yearbooks, scrapbooks, newspapers, and photographic materials. The Archives became the repository of the School in 2005 when a committee of school faculty, staff, and volunteers began collecting and organizing the materials. Located in the Upper School Moran Library, the Archives has since grown to a collection of faculty manuscripts, school administrative records, athletics records, architectural plans, early student records, present-day digital records, and some of the earliest class photos. The Archives are accessible to the general public. Academics In a 2015 national survey, Kinkaid was one of the 50 "Smartest Private Schools in the United States." Kinkaid is also known for its quiz bowl team. Their team was ranked first place nationally in the 2021–2022 season. "The Tipping Point" controversy On November 11, 2009, a Kinkaid parent, Hugh "Skip" McGee III, sent an irate letter (entitled "The Tipping Point") to the School's board of trustees. An investment banker, McGee was angry that a teacher's comment about bankers had upset his son. The letter led to tension among the student body in response to the letter's reference to the student body president dressing in drag for a skit used during his campaign. In popular culture Philip Roth's novel, Exit Ghost, features a character who is described as having been a valedictorian at Kinkaid, prior to attending Harvard. In 1998, the movie Rushmore filmed scenes at Kinkaid. St. John's alumnus Wes Anderson used the now demolished Lower School Building for scenes set in an elementary school. Kevin Kwan’s novel, Sex and Vanity, features a character who is described as having attended Kinkaid while living on Lazy Lane—the most expensive street in Houston. Notable alumni References External links Official website Architectural information on the Kinkaid Theatre's Brown Auditorium Article from Stage Directions magazine about the Kinkaid Theatre