Wichita East High School

Wichita East High School, known locally as "East", is a public secondary school in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is operated by Wichita USD 259 school district. The centrally located school's campus and the building's Collegiate Gothic styling make it an urban landmark. The square footage of the East High campus today is 443,814. East's enrollment for the 2018–19 school year was 2,462, making it the largest high school in Kansas. The school offers the International Baccalaureate program, a magnet program that teaches students at a college level, and which attracts students from across the city. The campus is also home to WSU Tech, a division of Wichita State University which provides technical training and education. History Wichita East traces its roots back to 1878, although the current building was completed in 1923. Originally known as Wichita High School, East was the first of seven traditional public high schools to be built in USD 259, Wichita's Unified School District. In 1929, when Wichita North High School was completed, the school's name was changed to Wichita High School East. Originally built on a campus shared with Roosevelt Junior High School, the high school's growing enrollment forced the conversion of the junior high school into a second wing of the high school. The junior high school and high school were joined by a third structure in 1976–1977, a library and cafeteria that connected the second floor of the two buildings. In 2004, a construction project added a new gymnasium, converted the old gym into the science wing, and provided air conditioning to the entire building, but the renovation removed the building's swimming pool, auto mechanics building and 500 Hall, which housed the wood shops. In 2011, East added a secondary gym and a new swimming pool. In 2012, the school opened the new performing arts center, featuring a 600-seat theater, instrumental rehearsal spaces and vocal music room.