Wichita Northwest High School
Wichita Northwest High School, known locally as Northwest High, is a public secondary school in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is operated by Wichita USD 259 school district and serves over 1,500 students in grades 9 to 12. History. The school opened in 1978. The first principal, John Gasper, was hired in the Spring of 1977 in order to oversee building construction, develop academic programs, hire staff, and make other preparations necessary to open the $10.4 million facility. In 2013, Gil Alvarez became principal after 2 years at Northeast Traditional Magnet. Facility. The school building  features a commons area, which includes a student activity center, a dining facility, a study area, and an informal social gathering place. The commons area can also be used as a 330-seat theater. Surrounding the central commons are administrative offices, instructional areas, student lockers, and food service. An 800-seat auditorium is also located adjacent to the commons. The physical education complex, located at the terminus of one of the wings (referred to as "halls,") consists of a large multipurpose gymnasium with bleacher seating for 2,900 and a six-lane swimming pool short-course competition swimming pool with retractable  bleachers for 400 spectators. Northwest is receiving multiple updates per a 2008 bond issue, such as: new tennis courts (completed 2010), new astroturf football field (completed 2009), new bleachers, permanent concessions stands and locker rooms in the football stadium, new physical education classroom (previously wrestling room), new wrestling room and weights room (previously north 1/3 of gym), new gymnasium (south of current gym; on current baseball field), as well as a new business department and more classrooms. Extracurricular activities. Athletics. Wichita Northwest is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) and competes in the 6A division . The following sports are offered: