Southeast High Child Development Center

Wichita High School Southeast opened in September 1957 with 1,578 students and a faculty of 67 teachers and three administrators. Designed by the architectural firm of Wendell Parks and Sons, the building was modern in style and was faced with salmon colored bricks accented by exposed concrete structural elements. Built originally on a single level, its 66 classrooms and its auditorium, cafeteria, library and two gymnasiums ranged over a considerable portion of its 60 acres of campus.

A major addition to the building in 1968-69 raised the number of classrooms to 98, and the low line of the building was changed slightly by the addition of a high ceiling library and mezzanine area totaling over 12,000 square feet of floor space and a second-story addition of five classrooms in the inner court area. Also included in the new additions were specialized educable mentally handicapped and reading laboratory facilities as well as classrooms, language laboratories and team teaching rooms. The expansion provided for a student body of 2,480 pupils and required the faculty be expanded to 108.

In the fall of 1988, all ninth graders were moved to high schools, making them four-year institutions.

In 1992, a classroom was converted into a black box theatre for the drama department.

In 2004, a new wing was constructed at the south end of the building. The classrooms were constructed specifically for science and foreign language classes.

In 2008, Wichita citizens approved a multi-million dollar bond issue to construct new classrooms, gymnasiums, swimming pools, fine arts classrooms, and safe rooms.