Triumph Public High Schools is a group of public charter schools that offer high-quality, non-traditional education with small class sizes, flexible schedules, and a focused curriculum. Triumph Public High School San Antonio will open in August 2024, offering a dropout recovery program that provides accelerated and compensatory instructional services for youth ages 14 to 21. We have put together a guide to help you learn more about Triumph Public High School San Antonio and take steps to enroll for the next school year.
About Triumph Public High Schools
Student Alternatives Program Inc. (SAPI) was founded in 1990 by Eduardo Gutierrez to assist youth who are considered to be at risk or who have dropped out of public education. The goal was to provide them with educational alternatives, help them reach higher levels of educational or vocational attainment through remediation and competency based curriculums, and offer programs to prepare them for living successfully in their communities. SAPI applied to the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) as part of Generation 3 and in 1998, the SBOE awarded four charters to Triumph Public High Schools, serving the regions of El Paso, Lubbock, Laredo, and the Rio Grande Valley.
The mission and vision of Triumph Public High Schools are what unites teachers, principals, and staff and motivates them to bring their very best to school. The vision of Triumph Public High Schools is to guide all students to be successful life-long learners and to be respectful and responsible citizens who will continue to triumph throughout their lives. The mission of Triumph Public High Schools is to provide quality educational programs in a community-based, non-traditional setting in which teachers are free to be creative and innovative, and students are free to explore their full potential.
The purpose of Triumph Public High Schools comes to life through their teaching philosophy. They believe that all students have the desire and ability to achieve their full potential as successful, productive, and caring members of the local and global community. Both students and teachers realize that obstacles are not excuses. Students must acquire skills to be able to cope with difficulties in an appropriate manner: they must learn to be self-disciplined, considerate to others, and self-motivated.
In August 2024, Triumph Public High Schools will expand by opening schools in two new cities: San Antonio and Abilene.
To read more about Triumph Public High Schools in the news, we recommend that you click on the articles linked at the bottom of this post. Also, we invite you to join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook and ask questions; the group includes current charter school families who can comment with answers based on their own experiences.
Triumph Public High Schools in San Antonio
During the 2024–25 school year, Triumph Public High Schools will have one campus in the San Antonio region. Triumph Public High School San Antonio will serve students ages 14 to 21. The campus will be located at 735 Fredericksburg Rd., San Antonio, TX 78201 (map).
The San Antonio campus is new and doesn’t have a school report card yet; it will be part of the Laredo district, which earned an A on alternative standards on its most recent report card. The El Paso and Rio Grande Valley regions also earned ratings of A on alternative standards, while the Lubbock region is not rated. With the opening of the San Antonio and Abilene campuses in August 2024, there will be a total of 11 campuses in the Triumph Public High Schools network.
You can find campus information about Triumph Public High Schools (and many other schools of choice) on our page Guide to Charter Schools in San Antonio.
How to Enroll
Students and families can apply online to enroll at Triumph Public High School San Antonio. The school is currently enrolling students for the 2024–25 school year. Enrollment is open and year-round, meaning students can apply and register for classes at any time during the school year.
We recommend following these Triumph Public High Schools social media accounts to learn more about them and stay informed of upcoming events as they introduce themselves to the community.
- Triumph Public High School San Antonio on Facebook
- Triumph Public High Schools on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), YouTube, and LinkedIn
- SAPI on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn
In addition, please join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook to post questions and search previous discussions about Triumph Public High Schools and SAPI.
Facts about Triumph Public High Schools
Triumph Public High School San Antonio will provide a community-based educational option for non-traditional students and at-risk youth. It is designed to reach a population that traditionally is underserved. The goal is to help students come back to high school, finish up their credits, and get their high school diploma. Along the way, the school will prepare them for either college, career, or military service.
As a charter school, Triumph Public High School San Antonio is a tuition-free public school. Class sizes are small, allowing for teachers to structure lessons to the specific needs of their students. Nontraditional students may need flexible schedules, so Triumph allows students the freedom to choose a morning or afternoon schedule. The curriculum is focused; students experience a personalized learning environment that allows them to thrive and graduate alongside their peers.
Visitors to the campus at 735 Fredericksburg Rd. and the office at 731 Fredericksburg Rd. may recognize these historic buildings as the former homes of KIPP Texas—San Antonio and San Antonio Catholic Schools.
If you like what you have learned so far about Triumph Public High School San Antonio, we recommend that you apply for enrollment. You are also welcome to join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group to learn from other families about support for nontraditional students.
Charter Moms Chats
Watch Frances Berrones-Johnson, Superintendent of Triumph Public High Schools, and Dr. Geneva Salinas, Principal of Triumph Public High School San Antonio, speak with Inga Cotton on Charter Moms Chats on February 9, 2024 at 4:00 PM Central live on Facebook and YouTube.
Frances Berrones-Johnson is the Superintendent of Triumph Public High Schools (TPHS) and the CEO of Student Alternatives Program, Inc. (SAPI).
As superintendent of Triumph Public High Schools, Ms. Johnson’s
chief responsibility is to ensure that all board approved policy is
implemented effectively, efficiently and with consistency and integrity. She
believes in setting up strong systems to create organizational stability.
She is a first generation Mexican American and first-generation college
graduate. Her humble beginnings are what keeps her grounded and focused on what is important.
Ms. Johnson holds a bachelor of science degree in applied learning and development from the University
of Texas at Austin with a concentration in bilingual special education. She received a master’s degree in
educational diagnostics from Texas A&M International University (Laredo, TX).
Her education career began in 1992 as a special education resource teacher working at the same
elementary school she attended as a student (Farias Elementary). After receiving her master’s, she
worked as an educational diagnostician (K–12) and soon after received her mid-management/principal
certification and moved into a supervisory role.
In 2001, she performed some contract work for the special education department at Gateway Academy
Charter High School, now known as TPHS Laredo North. After completing this contract work, she was
offered an opportunity to serve as the school’s principal, a position she held from June 2001 to June 2007.
Ms. Johnson was Charter District Director from June 2007 to 2009 and in June 2009, moved to San Antonio to serve as Assistant Superintendent for the charters under SAPI.
In February 2012, the charter holder board appointed her as superintendent, a position she is honored
and privileged to serve in. In October 2022, the board also appointed her as CEO of SAPI.
Dr. Geneva Salinas is the Principal of Triumph Public High School San Antonio and has been an educator for 18 years. She has been principal at St. Matthew Catholic School and Somerset ISD. Prior to school administration, Dr. Salinas was a classroom teacher. She has dedicated most of her career to serving Title I schools in Bexar County.
Dr. Salinas graduated from Our Lady of the Lake University with a BA in Liberal Studies/ Communication Arts and a Master’s Degree in Education. She also earned a second Master’s Degree in School Administration and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Lamar University. Her focus of study was how socioeconomic status and parental involvement impact student success. She strongly believes in all students’ potential regardless of their background. Given the proper support and resources, all students can triumph!
Dr. Salinas loves spending time with her family. She is a lifelong learner and is passionate about supporting students, families, and staff. She was born and raised in San Antonio and is honored to serve her beloved city and the Triumph community as principal.
Read More About Triumph Public High Schools
- “New school coming to San Antonio offering high schoolers flexibility,” KSAT, May 30, 2024
- “New San Antonio charter school focuses on serving at-risk students, dropouts,” Isaac Windes, San Antonio Report, February 24, 2024
- “New public high school coming to Abilene in August,” Ìrìs Ybarra, FOX West Texas, January 31, 2024
- “Triumph schools recruiting Laredo students, hosting open house events,” Louis San Miguel, Laredo Morning Times, February 2, 2023
- “Triumph Public High School prepares to welcome back students,” Ruby Villarreal, KGNS, August 9, 2022
- “Triumph Public High Schools launches industry-based certification program,” KLBK, April 27, 2021
- “Charter school system unveils new name in El Paso—Triumph,” Kyle Jones, El Paso Times, June 14, 2019
- “South Plains Academy changes name to Triumph Public School,” Sarah Self-Walbrick, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, June 4, 2019