Owls on path to success
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B-Rated District by the Texas Education Agency, Joshua ISD covers about 76 square miles in Johnson County, employs a staff of nearly 900 employees who serve about 6,000 students and is classified as a 5A enrollment institution by the University Interscholastic League.
Ten campuses serve students from early childhood to 12th grade.
Joshua High School has a 99.2 % four-year graduation rate and offers 16 Career and Technical pathways. It is also home to a nationally-recognized Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps program.
There are numerous advanced academic opportunities including Pre-AP, AP, dual credit and a fully paid Associate’ s Degree Program. The JHS UIL Academic team has won 9 straight district championships and 16 since 2006.
JHS is home to many excellent athletic teams and student organizations such as the Spirit of Joshua Band, Sweethearts Dance Team and more.
More than $ 3.5 million in scholarships were awarded to the Class of 2025.
New Horizon High School is a unique, accelerated campus that is designed to
allow students to complete at their own pace and even graduation early. Many students take advantage of this so they can start college, enlist in the military, or join the workforce.
In addition to the Joshua Ninth Grade Campus, there are two middle schools— Loflin and Nichols— and five elementary campuses— Caddo Grove Elementary, Elder Elementary, North Joshua Elementary, Plum Creek Elementary and Staples Elementary.
In 1868, Caddo Grove Academy was built by J. R. McKinsey and located just east of Farm-to-Market Road 1902 and south of County Road 913 in the Caddo Grove community, which is across from where Caddo Grove Elementary School is located today.
In 1869, the schools on the property that exists as Joshua ISD today started making headlines and have been making headlines ever since.
On April 3, 1869, the Cleburne Chronicle reported,“ There are 103 pupils in Caddo Grove Seminary, six of whom are boarding pupils.”
Residents came from far to attend this school because of its reputation. It is said that Maj. E. M. Heath, one of
the main forces in organizing Johnson County, bought land in Caddo for a home when returning home from the Civil War.
It was the attraction of one of the most progressive schools in the county that led him to buy that land. Both of his children attended Caddo Grove Seminary.
In 1890, the first school in the town of Joshua was built, which was 40 by 60 foot located west of the railroad tracks. The school was closed in the early 1900s due to the need for a larger facility.
In October 1899, Willie Denton College opened where Staples Elementary School is located today. Even though the school was named a college, the education program started at the firstgrade level and continued through the 13th grade.
On Dec. 27, 1909, the land that Willie Denton College was located on was turned over to the Joshua Independent School District. In 1917, the name of Willie Denton College was changed to Joshua High School.
It was in 1918 that the full class of JHS students graduated. The district celebrated its centennial milestone during the 2017-18 school year.
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