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YES Prep Comes to Northbrook High School

August 28, 2015, 9:43 am
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By Annette Baird/Memorial Community Extra
Published Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Yes Academy and Northbrook High School formed a partnership for the 2015
school session. Anna Caudle, Student Support Counselor, meets with students
for information gathering. Photo by Eddy Matchette
It was circle time - or more accurately restorative team-building circle time - one recent July morning for the students who will forge a path for a new high school in Spring Branch Independent School District.

The 138 students who attended the four-day introductory summer camp for YES Prep Northbrook High School had been split into small groups to talk about values, such as pride, respect, community and determination; to find their voice; and to strengthen relationships.

YES Prep is an open-enrollment public charter school system serving students grades 6-12 in Houston's most disadvantaged communities.

The morning exercise, an essential part of the new school's programming, will continue through the school year in an effort to instill in students the oft-repeated values promoted by the SKY Partnership, an academically rigorous program that YES Prep Public Schools, Knowledge is Power Program, a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory schools, and the district launched three years ago.

The idea behind it was to offer more choices in SBISD and fill underused campuses.

"Obviously, I'm incredibly excited to build this from the ground up," said Bryan Reed, the school's director, a Teach for America alumnus who came up through the ranks of YES Prep.

"Part of that is focusing on creating a strong culture so that every student feels connected to the school."

A majority of the expected 150 students, who started ninth grade on Aug. 11, graduated from YES Prep Northbrook, one of two middle schools under the SKY Partnership that feeds into the new high school, housed within Northbrook High School, located at 1 Raider Circle.

YES Prep Northbrook, for grades 6-8, is housed at Northbrook Middle School, 3030 Rosefield Drive, while KIPP Courage College Prep at Landrum, for grades 5-8, is within Landrum Middle School, 2200 Ridgecrest.

KIPP Courage will graduate its first class of eighth- graders next year, and the high school will continue to add grades until it reaches a capacity of about 1,000 students.

Jasmine Razeghi and Raul Puente, graduates of YES Prep Northbrook middle, look forward to the challenges of the new high school as well as participating in Northbrook high's sports and electives.

"I'm excited about doing sports - basketball - and orchestra, and I'm also happy to be able to take all the (Advanced Placement) classes," said Razeghi, who aspires to going to Harvard and becoming a neuroscientist. Puente, who admitted to multiple discipline issues in middle school, said he's glad he stuck with the program, but understands his role at the new high school.

"We play a big part in the success of the school," said Puente, who wants to go to Texas A&M and become a petroleum engineer.

The new high school, like the YES Prep model, offers a longer school day, 50 minutes longer, and is geared toward advancing every student into a four-year college.

The additional 50 minutes will be a seminar class to prepare students for college - whether it's SAT and ACT prep, researching colleges or applying for scholarships - and ensuring they are successful in college.

"Our rallying cry is every student, despite their ZIP code, deserves a great education," Reed said.

YES Prep students will take their core classes in a separate modified wing of the Northbrook campus, but they can take advantage of the array of electives and extracurricular activities that a comprehensive high school like Northbrook has to offer. Northbrook Principal Randolph Adami said the strong fine arts and athletics' programs can only strengthen YES Prep Northbrook, while he hopes the culture of YES Prep will rub off his students and reinforce the district-wide goal to double the number of students within a five-year period who graduate a two-or four-year college, complete a technical program or a stint in the military under T-2-4.

"One thing we are looking forward to is sharing ideas and best practices. "I'm hoping they take what we do well to help them and vice versa, " Adami said.

Details: http://www.yesprep.org/schools/northbrook.


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SBISD’s Fall Fine Arts Season Filled with Big Events

September 3, 2015, 12:39 pm
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Spring Branch ISD’s high school theater departments will present an all-district musical, In The Heights, to kick off this year’s incredibly ambitious fall season.

Aside from big holiday time productions like A Christmas Carol, SBISD hasn’t produced an all-district student musical like this before.

An ensemble cast of 39 students will bring the high-voltage In The Heights show to life with lovable characters, a contemporary Latin-flavored musical score, and Tony Award-winning, hip-hop dance moves.

Set in New York City’s Latin-American neighborhood of Washington Heights, In The Heights won Best Musical and three other Tony Awards while on Broadway. Its neighborhood characters all wear their hearts on their sleeves. The story told is sweet and sentimental.

Student auditions were held in May. “We chose The Heights after looking at a lot of shows,” says Terry Hibbert-Ismert of Spring Woods High, who is a production manager. “We felt that it was exciting and contemporary, a solid show that would engage all members of the community. We have a huge commitment from theater departments across the district.”

Helping Hibbert-Ismert to stage this all-district musical are a Spring Woods High School alumnus, Monroe Moore, who will direct. Christine Cutler, also of Spring Woods High, is music director. Nicole Morgan and Jay Matthew, Memorial High, are technical directors. Stratford High’s Cece Prudhomme coordinates costuming, and Westchester Academy’s Andrew Maddocks is production stage manager. The instrumental music will be handled by Danielle Prontka with Memorial High, and Rick Keith. Northbrook High’s Jack McEwen will assist with technology needs.

Memorial High’s Theater Director Nicole Morgan notes that collaboration is one of the benefits for all involved. SBISD encourages partnership and collaboration, she says. “Theatre is collaboration each and every day, and In The Heights lets us show how pulling together works. It builds relationships among our students, and allows more students to benefit from our programming,” Morgan says.

In addition, the stage production calls for a diverse ensemble cast, which would be difficult to perform at a single school due to casting requirements. Students have a new opportunity to work with teachers who specialize in certain areas, too, giving them new insights into learning as well as new theater-related techniques.

The all-district musical will be presented Oct. 15-17 in the Memorial Performing Art Center auditorium on Echo Lane at Memorial High School. A special matinee will be held for district schools. Cost is $15, and tickets can be purchased through www.mhstheatre.com.

Other fall musical productions include Leading Ladies, presented by the Stratford High Playhouse. The production is based on a pair of down-on-their-luck English Shakespearean actors trying to make a fast fortune while touring the Pennsylvania Amish countryside.

At Memorial High, the season will include several Black Box Theatre offerings, as well as the November family comedy Over the River and Through the Woods. The Spring Woods Theatre Safari Players will present Almost, Maine, in November, an imaginative set of short plays about love and loss.

Westchester Academy for International Studies will present Cinderella this fall. It will be followed next spring by Antigone, the Greek tragedy written by Sophocles.

A variety of band, choir and orchestra performances will be offered, too, including the annual, all-district bands Extravaganza production held at Tully Stadium. Fine arts performance listings reported at this time include the following:

September 2015

17, A Night of Theater, Memorial High Black Box Theatre, 7 p.m.
30, SBISD Band Extravaganza, Tully Stadium, 6:45 p.m.

October 2015

2, Murder Mystery Dessert Theatre, Memorial High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
5, Spring Woods High/Spring Oaks Middle Choirs Fall Preview, SWHS Auditorium, 7 p.m.
6, Northbrook High Combined Choir Concert, NHS Auditorium, 6 p.m.
6, Stratford HS Symphony Honor Orchestra Concert, Tallowood Baptist Church, 7 p.m.
6, Memorial High Choir Fall Short & Sweet Concert, Memorial High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
6-8, AYAM Biennale 2015, Altharetta Yeargin Art Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Daily
8, AYAM Biennale 2015, Altharetta Yeargin Art Museum, 5-7 p.m.
8, Choir Fall Concert, Landrum Middle School Auditorium, 6 p.m.
9, Memorial Orchestra Fall Concert, Memorial High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
9, Westchester Choir Classical Concert, Westchester Academy Theatre, 7 p.m.
15, Stratford High Orchestra Fall Concert, Stratford High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
15-17, In The Heights (All SBISD Production), Memorial High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
17, In The Heights (All SBISD Production), Memorial High Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.
22, Spring Branch Middle Band Concert, Dinner & Auction, SBMS Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.
22, Spring Woods High Fall Orchestra Concert, SWHS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
22-24, A Bad Year for Tomatoes, Northbrook High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
22-24, Leading Ladies, Stratford High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
24, Leading Ladies, Stratford High Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.
27, Spring Woods Middle Band Fall Concert, SWMS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
27, Coffee House, Memorial High Black Box Theatre, 7 p.m.
27, Stratford Choir Fall Concert, Stratford High Theater Auditorium, 7 p.m.
28, Band Halloween Concert, Spring Oaks Middle Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
28-30, Leading Ladies, Stratford High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
29, ComedySportz HS League Improvisational Theatre, SWHS Mini-Theatre, 7 p.m.
30, Singing With the Stangs (Memorial High, Memorial Middle and Spring Branch Middle choirs) Star-Spangled Banner, Tully Stadium, 7 p.m.

November 2015

4, Stratford High Symphony Performances, The Renaissance Festival, All Day
6-7, Cinderella, Westchester Academy for International Studies Theatre, 7 p.m.
12-14, Rhinoceros, Stratford Black Box Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
12-14, Over the River & Through the Woods, Memorial High Black Box Theatre, 7 p.m.
13, ComedySportz HS League Improvisational Theatre, SWHS Mini-Theatre, 7 p.m.
13-14, Cinderella, Westchester Academy for International Studies Theatre, 7 p.m.
14, Over the River & Through the Woods, Memorial High Black Box Theatre, 2:30 p.m.
19-21, Almost, Maine, Spring Woods Mini-Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
20, War Letters, Spring Woods Middle School Auditorium, 6 p.m.
21, Almost, Maine, Spring Woods Mini-Theatre, 2:30 p.m.
23, Almost, Maine, Spring Woods Mini-Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

December 2015

3, All Choir Holiday Concert, Landrum Middle School Auditorium, 6 p.m.
3, Stratford High Orchestra Winter Concert/Potluck Dinner, SHS Auditorium, 7 p.m.
3, Memorial High Choir Winter Concert (Combined Choirs), Memorial High Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
3, Northbrook High Orchestra Winter Concert, Northbrook High Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
4, Westchester Choir Winter Concert, Westchester Academy Theatre, 7 p.m.
5, It’s Showtime! Choir Camp Performance (Elementary and Middle school choirs), Memorial High Auditorium, 2 p.m.
8, Stratford Choir Wassail Dinner, Norris Conference Center/Town & Country, 6 p.m.
8, Northbrook High Band Winter Concert, Northbrook High Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
8, Spring Woods High Orchestra Winter Concert, SWHS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
8, Stratford High Choir Winter Concert, Stratford High Theater Auditorium, 7 p.m.
8, Memorial High Band Winter Concert, Memorial High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
10, Band Christmas Concert, Spring Oaks Middle Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.
10, Spring Branch Middle Winter Concert, SBMS Auditorium, 6 p.m.
10, Band Holiday Concert, Spring Woods Middle Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
10, Stratford High Band Winter Concert, SHS Auditorium, 7 p.m.
10, Landrum Middle Orchestra Concert, Landrum Middle Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
11, Memorial High Orchestra Winter Concert, Memorial High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
12, Aladdin Junior with Kids Camp day experience, Memorial High School, 2:30 p.m.
13, Landrum Middle Choir Christmas in the Park, Spring Branch Presbyterian Church, 4 p.m.
15, Spring Woods High Sounds of the Season, Tallowood Baptist Church, 7 p.m.

January 2016

14-15, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Student Art, Altharetta Yeargin Art Museum, 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
19, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Student Art, Altharetta Yeargin Art Museum, 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and also 5-7 p.m.
28-29, Northbrook High Winter Musical, NHS Auditorium, 7 p.m.
28-30, Anything Goes, Stratford High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
28-30, The Producers, Spring Woods High Main Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
28-30, Kiss Me, Kate, Memorial High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
30, Guys and Dolls, Northbrook High Auditorium, 2 p.m.
30, The Producers, Spring Woods High Main Theatre, 2:30 p.m.
30, Anything Goes, Stratford High Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.
30, Northbrook High Winter Musical, NHS Auditorium, 7 p.m.

February 2016

1, The Producers, Spring Woods High Main Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
1-6, Kiss Me Kate, Memorial High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
4-6, The Producers, Spring Woods High Main Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
4-6, Anything Goes, Stratford High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
4-6, Kiss Me, Kate, Memorial High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
5, International Baccalaureate Theatre Showcase, Westchester Theatre, 7 p.m.
5-6, The Producers, Spring Woods High Main Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
6, Kiss Me, Kate, Memorial High Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.
6, The Producers, Spring Woods High Main Theatre, 2:30 p.m.
6, Anything Goes, Stratford High Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.
9, Northbrook High Choir Valentine Concert, NHS Auditorium, 6 p.m.
9, ComedySportz HS League Improvisational Theatre, SWHS Mini-Theatre, 7 p.m.
18, SBISD Middle School Choir Pre-UIL Contest, Spring Oaks MS Auditorium, 5 p.m.
22, ComedySportz HS League Improvisational Theatre, SWHS Mini-Theatre, 7 p.m.
23, Coffee House, Memorial High Black Box Theatre, 7 p.m.
24, Cinderella, Spring Woods Middle School Auditorium, 6 p.m.
26, Memorial High Orchestra Masterworks Concert, Memorial High Auditorium, 7 p.m.

March 2016

1, Choir Pre-UIL Concert, Landrum Middle School Auditorium, 6 p.m.
3, SBISD Pre-UIL One-Act Plays, Northbrook High Auditorium, All Day Event
3-5, Sophocles’ Antigone, Westchester Academy Theatre, 7 p.m.
7, SBISD Pre-UIL Choral Festival (High School Choirs), Memorial High Auditorium, 3 p.m.
8, ComedySportz HS League Improvisational Theatre, SWHS Mini-Theatre, 7 p.m.
10, Stratford High Band Spring Concert, Stratford High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
10, Memorial High Choir MadJazz Show, Memorial High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
23, SBISD Pre-UIL High School Band Concert Festival, SWHS Auditorium, 3 p.m.
28, Memorial High Choir Spring UIL Preview Concert, Memorial High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
29, Northbrook High Pre-UIL Concert, NHS Auditorium, 6 p.m.

April 2016

1, Memorial High Symphony Orchestra Concert, Memorial High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
4, Pre-UIL Concert, Spring Woods High Main Auditorium, 7 p.m.
5, Stratford High Choir UIL Concert, Memorial Drive United Methodist Church, 7:30 p.m.
7, ComedySportz HS League Improvisational Theatre, SWHS Mini-Theatre, 7 p.m.
7, Spring Woods High One Act UIL Play, Spring Woods High Main Theatre, 7 p.m.
14-16, Crimes of the Heart, Memorial High Black Box Theatre, 7 p.m.
21, ComedySportz HS League Improvisational Theatre, SWHS Mini-Theatre, 7 p.m.
22, Westchester Choir Spring Concert, Westchester Academy Theatre, 7 p.m.
28-30, A Chorus Line, Stratford High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
29-30, Markette Spring Show, Memorial High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
29-30, Northbrook High Spring Play, Northbrook High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
30, Running For the Arts, Memorial City Mall, 8 a.m.

May 2016

5-8, What’s My Colour?, Spring Woods High Main Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
6, Memorial High Orchestra Spring Concert, Memorial High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
6-7, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Westchester Academy Theatre, 7 p.m.
6-7, A Chorus Line, Stratford High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
7, A Chorus Line, Stratford High Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.
7, What’s My Colour?, Spring Woods High Main Theatre, 2:30 p.m.
10, Spring Woods High Orchestra Spring Concert, SWHS Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
10, Stratford High Band Awards Concert, SHS Auditorium, 7 p.m.
10, Memorial High Band Spring Concert, Memorial High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
11, Band Spring Concert, Spring Oaks Middle Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.
12, Landrum Middle Orchestra Concert, Landrum Middle Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
12, Spring Woods High Choir Pop Show, Spring Woods High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
12, Northbrook High Talent Show, Northbrook High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
12, Stratford High Orchestra Spring Concert, Stratford High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
12, Stratford High Senior Show, Stratford Black Box Theatre, 7 p.m.
12-13, Memorial High Choir Pop Show, Memorial High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
13, Stratford High Choir Pop Show with Senior Solos, 7 p.m.
13, Westchester Advanced Choir Pop Show, Westchester Academy Theatre, 7 p.m.
13, Bandoleras Spring Dance Show, Northbrook High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
17, Northbrook High Spring Band Concert, Northbrook High Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
18, Band Spring Concert, Spring Woods Middle Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
19, Northbrook High Spring Orchestra Concert, Northbrook High Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
19-21, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Memorial High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
21, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Memorial High Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.
24, Northbrook High Choir Pop Show, Northbrook High Auditorium, 6 p.m.
24, Choir Spring Show, Landrum Middle School Auditorium, 6 p.m.

Note: Special reservation and pricing policies may apply for some theater and additional campus events. Seniors who are 65 years old or older seeking STARCard discounts for events should always check special reservation and pricing policies ahead of time.
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Spring Branch ISD Navy Jr. ROTC Cadets Honor Military Veterans

September 8, 2015, 2:49 pm
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Holding flags, ROTC cadets stand with Rep. Ted Poe.
Seven student cadets with Spring Branch ISD’s Navy Jr. ROTC program based at the district’s Guthrie Center attended the Honor Our Heroes program held at Trini Mendenhall Sosa Community Center on Aug. 20.

The program, sponsored by U.S. Congressman Ted Poe, attracted 35 or more local veterans and active duty military personnel, as well as their family and friends.

The student cadets formed a flag line for veterans and their guests to pass through during arrival. In addition to U.S. Rep. Poe, native Texan and decorated war hero Congressman Samuel Robert “Sam” Johnson, 83, of Plano, Texas, and Texas Rep. Dwayne Bohac of Spring Branch attended the tribute to military heroes.

U.S. Rep. Johnson, a former U.S. Air Force pilot, was shot down in his plane over North Vietnam in 1966. He was imprisoned for seven years in the “Hanoi Hilton,” a site used by the North Vietnamese to house, torture and interrogate prisoners of war during the Vietnam War.

The following Navy Jr. ROTC cadets took part in the Honor Our Heroes program:  Jocelyn Fox and Guillian Arroyo, both seniors, and Joseph Castelli, a junior at Spring Woods High School; Stephen Caballero, a senior, and Chris Barron, a sophomore at Westchester Academy for International Studies; Azucena Gonzales, a sophomore at Spring Woods High School; and Abraham Salazar, a senior at Stratford High School.

Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jerry Coufal and Master Chief Mark Heuser lead cadets at the Guthrie Center as program naval science instructors.
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SBISD Breakfast/Lunch Prices Announced for 2015-2016

September 10, 2015, 3:16 pm
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Student breakfast and lunch prices have been announced for the new school year that begins on Monday, Aug. 24. Student meal prices for the 2015-2016 school year are:

Breakfast Regular Price (Elementary and Secondary)– 75 cents
Breakfast Reduced Price (Elementary and Secondary)– 30 cents

Elementary Lunch Regular Price – $1.75
Secondary Lunch Regular Price– $2.00
Reduced Price Lunch (Elementary and Secondary) – 40 cents

Adult Meal Prices (Staff and/or Visitors) – Breakfast, $2; Lunch, $3.50

SBISD participates in the National School Lunch Program and offers the School Breakfast Program in qualifying schools. Applications for free and reduced-price meals should be completed online and submitted as soon as possible at the beginning of the new school year. These applications may also be completed and submitted at campus locations.

Elementary and secondary students who meet eligibility criteria may qualify for reduced-price meals. SBISD’s Child Nutrition Services Department serves more than 1.7 million breakfasts and more than 4.1 million school lunches each school year.

Monthly menus and nutritional information are posted on the CNS Website at www.springbranchisd.com. Additionally, the District accepts online pre-payments towards student accounts. Please visit www.parentonline.net and follow the directions to find your student. This link also provides families an easy way to monitor their students eating habits. Cash and personal checks are accepted at all campuses while credit or debit card payments are only accepted online.

To access the online payment system or submit applications, please visit the district’s Child Nutrition Services website at www.springbranchisd.com/cns and follow payment directions. For details, call 713-251-1150.

Director Chris Kamradt leads the Child Nutrition Services Department. The department, with about 340 employees, is one of SBISD’s largest. It operates under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program with policies and direction from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Spring Branch ISD Media Contact: Steve Brunsman, 713-251-2465
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Summer in the Bahamas Inspires Two JASON National Argonauts

September 14, 2015, 10:08 am
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Blondine Delva
Spring Branch ISD ninth-grader Blondine Delva and seventh-grade teacher Jessica Licarione returned from the Bahamas recently with stories and experiences they will never forget as the district’s latest JASON Learning “Argonauts.”
Spring Branch ISD’s latest two JASON National Argonauts had an unbelievable summer in the Bahamas. Out at sea, they even held in their hands a sea creature that had yet to be named, a newly discovered species.

Blondine Delva, a Spring Woods High School ninth-grader, and Jessica Licarione, a seventh-grade instructor at Spring Woods Middle School, researched invasive species of fish and collected data on lemon sharks surrounded by sky blue water and soft white island sands.

At the Cape Eleuthera Research Institute, the two joined a dozen other students and teachers at the end of July during a once-in-a-lifetime journey that blended science exploration with active learning and island fun during a five-day trip sponsored by Jason Learning.


Jessica Licarione with a lemon shark
In their blog, Jessica and Blondine wrote about an amazing adventure that included morning yoga on a deck overlooking the Caribbean Sea, snorkeling trips, fileting a variety of fresh ocean fish, and jumping off the island cliff into the so-called Ocean Hole, a popular swimming hole that is more than 500 meters deep.

“Every time I jumped,” wrote Blondine, “I got such an exhilarating feeling that I couldn’t settle down, even after I hit the water. One of the best feelings you can ever get is from being able to do something you would never be able to do on your own, and having someone support you every step of the way.”

Jessica and Blondine's blog - Read more >>

Together, the SBISD pair had a weeklong adventure that began in late July with a two-day trip to Atlanta, Ga., where they toured the Georgia Aquarium and CNN’s original studios. At CNN, they were given a tour by a former Jason Argonaut. At the state aquarium, they took a behind-the-scenes tour and learned about research into whale sharks, which are found in the Philippines.

During their July 27 to August 1 trip to the Bahamas, they met scientists working on lemon shark research topics, and they stayed in dorms powered by the sun and wind. They helped collect data on invasive species like the lion fish, which is not native to the Bahamas. They also met Mackey, a researcher in her 20s who just discovered two new species of isopods, a sea crustacean with a rigid, segmented exoskeleton.

“We got to go out in the deep sea to gather research with her and actually hold newly discovered species. One of the new species, had not even been named yet!” Licarione said.

Among other new skills acquired, Blondine was rated tops in fish dissections and fileting among JASON Argonauts. The pair also hiked into the woods where they learned about Banyan trees, the vine-like tree that live for hundreds of years on some areas of the island.

“Each student was so engaged. Blondine was constantly doing hands-on activities, and she was always asking questions. She talked for over an hour about all of the things she learned when she got back home,” Licarione said.

“As a teacher, I really benefited from seeing how excited the students got about science and how much they learned by doing it themselves,” she also said.  

Blondine was selected earlier this year along with Ms. Licarione for the summer trip with JASON, which is supported by Chevron as a public-private partnership that collaborates on the need for higher-quality science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education program for students.

“It was wonderful that both Blondine and Jessica were selected by JASON to participate in this rich, hands-on experience alongside world-class scientists,” said Ro Luecken, SBISD’s JASON grant coordinator.

“They return to us from their journey to serve as true ambassadors to the idea that STEM is both fun and exciting. Blondine and Jessica are real role models to other students and educators who aspire to be the Argonauts of the future,” she added.

Since 1990, more than 460 students and educators worldwide have been provided hands-on, scientific field training and research opportunities through the JASON National Argonaut Program. Many students have gone on to earn STEM degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

In SBISD, National Argonaut students have included Allie Eggert of Memorial High, a senior; Fredy Corrales, a senior, and Chase Gonsoulin, a junior, both of whom attend Northbrook High; and Paloma June, who is a junior at Westchester Academy of International Studies.

About JASON Learning 
JASON Learning is an independent 501(c)(3) organization. Named for a mythological Greek explorer, JASON is a nationally acclaimed, exploration-based program that links students – inside the classroom and out – to real science and scientists through technology-intensive, inquiry-based curricular experiences.  To learn more, please visit www.jason.org.
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A Legacy of Style - Fashion Show and Luncheon

September 15, 2015, 7:29 am
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Oct. 9 fashion show benefits Spring Branch Education Foundation

Designs by Chloe Dao and Elaine Turner to be featured in 5th annual runway event
Houston trendsetters will gather on Friday, Oct. 9 for A Legacy of Style, a sophisticated, fun-to-wear runway show featuring looks from designers Chloe Dao and Elaine Turner. The popular luncheon is in its 5th year raising money for the Spring Branch Education Foundation (SBEF), an institution that has gifted almost $9 million in grants and scholarships in Houston’s Spring Branch Independent School District since 1993.

Chloe Dao is known around the country as the winner of Project Runway, Season 2 – the immigrant designer living out her American dream. Houstonians flock to her boutique, DAO Chloe DAO, for her bridal collection, as well as evening and sportswear, clothing that reflects her understanding of women’s bodies and her ability to flatter them in all her designs. Visit www.chloedao.com.

Luxury accessories designer Elaine Turner® is known for her handbags and shoes, classic styles with a feminine edge. Her new apparel line includes separates for every body type in fabrics chosen for ease, quality and comfort. The line is the culmination of her dream that dressing should be fun, glamorous and effortless. The designer’s mission is to leave a legacy of giving and making women feel beautiful. Visit www.elaineturner.com.

Both collections will be featured on Oct. 9 and worn by model-like volunteers with an enthusiasm for fashion and a love for Spring Branch. Co-chairs Lara Bell and Patty Busmire, both SBEF Board members and Spring Branch parents, expect a sell-out.

“We are over-the-top excited to showcase Houston designers who are sought-after around the country,” said Busmire. “This show will have a local flavor, with designs we can wear to any of the Foundation’s signature events, on a cruise or to Broadway – wherever our social calendars take us.”

“It’s a lot of fun for the audience to see familiar faces on the runway,” said Bell. “The SBISD alumni and employees personify the strong legacy and loyalty we enjoy in the school district.”

A Legacy of Style
Fashion Show & Luncheon

Friday, October 9, 2015
Royal Sonesta Houston
2222 West Loop South
11:00 a.m. – Reception
12:00 p.m. – Luncheon and Fashion Show

Tickets start at $1,000 for a table of 10 or $125 for individual tickets. Guests who purchase Couture Runway Tables at $5,000 will be invited to special events hosted by the designers. For more information, visit springbranchisd.com/sbef or call 713.251.2381. For regular updates, "like" SBEF on Facebook and/or follow it at SBEF93 on Twitter and Instagram.

About Spring Branch Education Foundation:
Spring Branch Education Foundation is committed to supporting SBISD students and educators. It partners with the district and community to fund programs that enhance education and prepare students for the future. Since 1993, the Foundation has donated almost $9 million to the district and received the Houston Business Promise Award from the Greater Houston Partnership. SBEF is a 501(c)3 organization; all donations are tax deductible.
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New Teachers Choose Spring Branch ISD for Many Good Reasons

September 15, 2015, 1:38 pm
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New district teachers this year include Gina Blanco, Northbrook High; Yessenia Vazquez, Cedar Brook Elementary; Alex Montes-Torres, Northbrook Middle; Morgan Williams, Memorial Drive Elementary; Yvonne Evans, Stratford High; Julie Wilhelm, Hunters Creek Elementary; and Kaila Irons, Frostwood Elementary.
Spring Branch ISD’s new school year has opened with 326 new teachers. They include district graduates and out-of-state recruits. Some are just starting out, and others have years of experience. All of them chose SBISD as their best local option for teaching.
Gina Blanco has returned happily to Northbrook High School, her alma mater. She is teaching integrated physics and chemistry classes there as a first-year instructor. “For me, it’s home, and a loving community,” she says.

This year, some Hunters Creek Elementary fifth-graders will study math with Julie Wilhelm, a new teacher who graduated from this elementary school and then went on to attend Spring Branch Middle and Memorial High schools. “SBISD is special to me because that is where I grew up and graduated from,” she says.

Alex Montes-Torres grew up thousands of miles away from Northbrook Middle School in San Diego, Calif. As a Teach for America Houston Corps member, he now leads a sixth-grade World Cultures class at the district middle school.

He did not grow up in Spring Branch, but as a young student coming from Mexico and knowing little about the United States, he believes that his life story is one that other first-generation learners should hear. “My goal is to help empower students,” he says.

SBISD’s school year has opened with 326 new teachers, including Spring Branch-Memorial area natives like Gina Blanco and Julie Wilhelm, as well as new recruits like Alex Montes-Torres.

Many other new teachers arrived in SBISD with years of classroom experience in other public or private school systems. The district continues to recruit and to hire many experienced teachers from across the region.

“I am passionate about working with children and their families. I have heard from so many that Spring Branch feels the same way,” says Kaila Irons, who taught both second and third grade in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD.

“Faculty all over this school district are focused on each and every student, as well as dedicated to their success. I am excited to work for a district that values and looks for the best in everyone,” she says of SBISD, her new school district home.

“I really look forward to working with the faculty and community of Frostwood Elementary. Everyone refers to the school staff as ‘family,’ and they’re incredibly supportive of one another. The parents are so involved and prideful at Frostwood, and I can’t wait to get involved,” Kaila says, a Texas A&M University graduate.

Pride in school and community led Gina Blanco back to Northbrook High, where she’s teaching both chemistry and integrated physics and chemistry courses. Gina worked in a dentist’s office and liked it, but her student experiences in University of Houston’s TeachHouston program led her back to Spring Branch.

Gina’s parents immigrated to the United States in the 1980s from El Salvador. She earned a bachelor of science degree in biology with a minor in education from UH after earning her Northbrook High diploma.

“SBISD is my home town and I know this neighborhood like the back of my hand. I feel so blessed, and I’m so grateful for the opportunities in my own life. I plan to make a difference and inspire my students to do more in their lives,” she says.

“If I can make it, then my students can, too. They just have to keep pushing and dreaming. I believe SBISD is here to inspire and help lead the next generation to success,” she adds.

The desire to help others achieve and do their best inspires Alex Montes-Torres, a graduate of the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y. He’s a 2015 Teach for America Houston Corps members who was hired by SBISD.

“Like some of the students that are served here in Spring Branch, I came to the United States from Mexico as a young child knowing nothing about this country. School became my safe place,” says Alex, a new Northbrook Middle teacher.

A San Diego native, he graduated from The Preuss School at the University of California-San Diego. The Preuss School is a charter secondary school designed for low-income students seeking to be the first in their families to graduate from college. Alexis hopes to motivate his students to pursue college diplomas, too.

“School became my safe place,” he says. “I can name every single teacher that made a significant impact on my dreams and aspirations. They inspired me to be better than I ever thought I could be. They taught me how to be a good citizen of this country. They taught me how to speak better English than some of my native-born peers!”

Great teachers led Alex to be a teacher. He supports the district’s growing SKY Partnership, which includes a YES Prep charter program at Northbrook Middle School, where he will teach in the traditional campus program.

“I think the SKY Partnership shows that SBISD truly cares about the success of every student and that it’s willing to experiment with new ideas to give every child a great education,” he says.

Julie Wilhelm is a proud graduate of SBISD schools. She attended Hunters Creek Elementary and Spring Branch Middle, and then graduated from Memorial High School in 2011. In high school, she took part in the Future Teacher program.

She later graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor of science degree in interdisciplinary studies with a focus on fourth- through eighth-grade math and science. Her father is a former Westchester High School grad. She began teaching at Hunters Creek Elementary in August.

“SBISD is special to me because that is where I grew up and graduated from. As a student, I realized how wonderful this district is and how well it prepares students for the rest of their education career,” the new fifth-grade math teacher says.

“So many of my teachers have been wonderful mentors and instilled a passion in me for learning and teaching others to have that same passion. I am blessed to be able to make this full circle and to return as a teacher to the district that means so much to me!” Julie exclaims.

When longtime Board of Trustees Member Wayne Schaper Sr. greeted 300-plus new teachers at orientation with a warm “Welcome Home!” announcement, new teacher Yvonne Evans felt right at home. Her husband was a former Westchester High grad, too. “I really do feel that I am at home and am so proud to be a part of this team,” she says.

A Houston native, Yvonne has 20 years of experience in education. She will work as a special education transition specialist at Stratford High School. “I am excited about joining SBISD because of its stellar reputation. I’ve seen other districts wax and wane in regards to professionalism and high standards, but SBISD has always remained a constant,” she says.

Morgan Williams, who will teach kindergarten at Bunker Hill Elementary this year, grew up in a small town in Oklahoma. The University of Oklahoma grad feels close to home in Spring Branch, part of a large city but in a “small town” suburban setting.

“I was inspired to be a teacher because of my love for kids and the opportunity to help a child grow and learn their full potential. I love being a part of this district, the closeness of all the staff and the way they support and welcome everyone,” Morgan says.
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SBISD Team Chosen for Blended Learning Grant Workshop This Fall

September 15, 2015, 2:11 pm
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Spring Branch ISD is one of 75 school district applicant teams from Texas selected to attend upcoming workshops on blending learning, the popular term for mixing together traditional and online learning. The nonprofit Raise Your Hand Texas supports the $2.5 million Blended Learning Grant Initiative. Ten finalists will be named in January 2016, and then five winning teams will share $500,000 and technical support when final winners are named next April.
The nonprofit educational group known as Raise Your Hand Texas has chosen a Spring Branch ISD team as one of 75 applicant teams for its new and ambitious $2.5 million Blended Learning Grant Initiative. The team will compete for a shared final prize valued at $500,000, which will be announced next spring.

SBISD’s team will attend a semifinalist workshop this fall focused on blended learning, the term in public education for mixing together traditional bricks-and-mortar school with online learning options. The district team will attend two-day, expenses-paid blended learning workshops.

Planned workshops will be led by Heather Staker, who co-wrote “Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools.” She’s also a senior research fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute, a nonprofit national group that promotes an education innovation model based on high-quality blended learning.

Blended learning, as described by the Christensen Institute, describes what occurs when students in traditional schools learn at least in part through an online model, with students having personal control at some level over the time, place, path and pace of their learning.

Raise Your Hand Texas leaders note that blended learning is separate from a broad public trend to simply equip classrooms with digital devices and software, or place students into a full-time, solitary virtual education environment.

David Anthony, Ed.D., Raise Your Hand’s CEO, said in a recent news release that the Blended Learning grant will “test and showcase blended learning strategies that personalize instruction with the goal of improving student achievement,” in particular among schools and districts with persistent student achievement gaps.

“Expecting one teacher to tailor lessons to each child in a classroom of 20 to 35 students using 20th century classroom models is not only ineffective, but nearly impossible,” he said. “Blended learning represents the engine to power student-centered, competency-based learning at scale.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott included blended learning as one key to innovation and professional development in education proposals issued during his campaign for the state’s highest office.

Grant semifinalist workshops are scheduled in Fort Worth and San Antonio in September, and in San Antonio and South Padre Island in October. Learn more:

Read the full Raise Your Hand Texas news release:
http://www.raiseyourhandtexas.org/press-releases/raise-your-hand-texas-launches-2-5-million-blended-learning-grant-initiative-for-schools-and-districts/

Review the full list of Selected Teams:
http://www.raiseyourhandtexas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Districts-Accepted-to-Attend-Workshops.pdf

Learn more about the Raising Blended Learners Grant Initiative:
http://www.raiseyourhandtexas.org/programs/blended/

Learn more about the Clayton Christensen Institute:
http://www.christenseninstitute.org/
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Texans Wide Receiver Surprises Meadow Wood Teacher

September 16, 2015, 7:12 am
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Houston Texans wide receiver Cecil Shorts surprised Meadow Wood Elementary teacher Elise Cooper earlier today by choosing her student-submitted nomination for public honor and reward as a “Star in the Classroom.”

The Stars in the Classroom recognition program is supported by both the Texans and First Community Credit Union. As a winning educator, Ms. Cooper earns an autographed Brian Cushing jersey, two Texans home game tickets, plus donation of $500 to Spring Branch ISD and her campus.

Wide receiver Shorts visited with second-graders after surprising Ms. Cooper. He autographed for her entire class and family, and posed for dozens of photos during his visit to the elementary school on Memorial Drive.

Second-grader Luke Szilagyi and his family submitted the winning entry. It states the following:

“Ms. Cooper has passion for what she does! She is known for being an incredible teacher, but mostly for her caring heart. Her heart is bigger than Texas! She is the type of teacher you hope your child has at least once in a lifetime. We are blessed that my son and our family have the pleasure of knowing her.”


In addition to meeting Cecil Shorts and taking photographs with him, Luke went home with a football autographed by the Houston Texans. Talk about starting the new school year on a bright note!
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Klussmann Honored by City of Houston

September 16, 2015, 8:32 am
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Former SBISD Superintendent Duncan Klussmann (center left) was recognized Tuesday, Sept. 15, by the city of Houston for his service to children and the community. District A Council Member (and SBISD alumna) Brenda Stardig and other council members praised Klussmann and his leadership in Spring Branch, recognizing both his accomplishments and SBISD’s reputation in both excellence and innovation.

Klussmann was named permanent superintendent of SBISD in December 2004 after serving several months as interim superintendent. Under his leadership the district passed and executed a $597.1 million bond, rebuilding 14 schools and making improvements district-wide; became part of the SKY Partnership with KIPP and YES Prep charter schools; and established an aggressive, single goal – T-2-4 – that will double the number of SBISD graduates who successfully complete some form of higher education.

He announced his retirement on Oct. 10, 2014, effective Aug. 15, 2015.



With Klussmann and the proclamation in Council Chambers are Stardig and Mayor Pro Tem James Rodriguez. From left are At-Large Council Member (and former SBISD Trustee) Jack Christie; Assistant Superintendent for Human Resource Marianne Cribbin; former SBISD Trustee Mike Falick; Assistant Superintendent for Finance Karen Wilson; Community Relations Officer Linda Buchman; Klussmann, Stardig and Rodriguez; SBISD Trustee Katherine Dawson; Chief Information Officer Venu Rao; Spring Branch Education Foundation Executive Committee member Patty Busmire; Assistant to the Board of Trustees David Sablatura; At-Large Council Member Michael Kubosh; and District G Council Member Oliver Pennington.


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Down to the Wire, Districts 'Scrambling' for Teachers

September 16, 2015, 10:36 am
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Gus Cesar, an assistant principal at Alief Middle School, helps Beau Bennet, a first-year teacher, collect textbooks. Bennett left his job in retail hoping to find something more meaningful, despite the pay cut.  Photo by John Shapley

By Leah Binkovitz and Ericka Mellon / Houston Chronicle
August 23, 2015 Updated: August 23, 2015 11:18pm

Beau Bennett wanted a more meaningful career. Houston-area schools needed more teachers.

Bennett's job dissatisfaction and a hiring rebound in Texas schools converged this spring. The former Walgreens store manager will greet students Monday for the first day of classes in Alief ISD. He will teach language arts after finishing a fast-track certification program.

Bennett joins thousands of new teachers benefiting as Texas school districts scramble to recover from state budget cuts in 2011. Hiring hasn't kept up with booming student enrollment statewide, particularly in the Houston region, and persistent teacher shortages in high-demand subjects such as bilingual education, math and science have intensified.

To compete for teaching talent, districts continue to raise starting salaries - the Houston area's 20 largest systems will pay at least $50,000 this year, and several districts increased specialty stipends, especially for bilingual teachers.

Bennett, 35, has the mission-driven spirit that public school recruiters seek as the private sector lures and pressure mounts for teachers to accelerate student test scores.


More Information

By the numbers

48,200
Number of teachers projected to be hired
in Texas this year

10,800
Number projected to be hired in the seven-county Houston region this year

1,902 
Teachers hired by HISD for this year

17 percent
The teacher turnover rate in the region in 2013-14

"A couple years ago I made the most money I ever made, but I was the least satisfied with my job," said Bennett, who took a pay cut from $68,000 to $52,000.

Rose Benitez, the former human resources director in the Alief Independent School District who now runs the state association for school personnel administrators, said the perennial teacher shortage areas have worsened since the 2011 budget cuts.

"Districts are still scrambling trying to fill all the positions," Benitez said Thursday.


Recruiting, retaining

School systems across Texas have been playing catch-up to hire teachers since state lawmakers cut $5.4 billion from education in 2011. The following academic year, districts statewide eliminated more than 10,700 teaching positions, or 3 percent of the 2010 teaching corps, according to Texas Education Agency data. In the Houston area, nearly 3,100 teaching jobs were lost, mainly through attrition and some layoffs.

With lawmakers restoring much of the funding in 2013, most of the Houston area's biggest districts approached their 2010 staffing levels last school year. And yet, as student populations continue to climb, the pool of new teachers has shrunk.

More than 48,200 teachers were expected to be hired statewide for this school year. Yet the state's colleges of education and alternative teacher-preparation programs were projected to produce fewer than half that many certified teachers, according to the Region 4 Education Service Center. The state-created agency supports local districts.

The seven-county Houston area, with 50 districts and about 40 charter schools, is particularly competitive. The region was projected to hire about 10,800 teachers this year, taking into account student enrollment increases and staff turnover.

"We continue to be not only a state that is growing, but an area of the state that is growing," said Robby McGowen, a chief officer at the education service center in Houston. "So, it is imperative that our recruiting be more proactive, looking beyond our geographic boundaries."

McGowen, a former superintendent of Brazoria County's Alvin ISD, said district leaders also must focus on retention. Teacher turnover hit 17 percent in the region in 2013-14, according to the most recent state data.

"Texas has had a problem recruiting and retaining teachers for a long time," said Louis Malfaro, president of the Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers. "I remember as far back as the early '90s, Houston and Dallas starting the school years with 300 to 500 substitute teachers in the classroom."

Houston ISD, the state's largest district, had hired 1,902 teachers and had 37 vacancies as of Thursday, said human resources chief Gloria Cavazos.

Texas isn't alone in struggling to fill teacher vacancies, yet some states have faced bigger setbacks. Pay freezes and lower salaries in North Carolina spurred more out-of-state poaching (HISD, for example, hired away 55 teachers last year). And California repeatedly has issued pink slips to teachers.

"They were laying off anyone, or threatening to lay off anyone, with less than three years of experience," said Kate Walsh, president of the National Council on Teacher Quality. "You can't do that and think it won't have an impact on people's thinking about whether they want to go into teaching."

Scott Muri, superintendent of Spring Branch ISD, said his district continues to struggle financially. It had 15.9 students per teacher last school year, up from 14.4 in 2010, state data show.

To remain competitive, the school board approved raises of 3 percent on average this year. However, balancing the budget required the district to take an estimated $9 million from savings.

"As the new superintendent, that's alarming to me," said Muri, hired in July. "The funding model has got to change."

Spring Branch ISD joined more than 600 districts suing the state over the school funding system. The Texas Supreme Court will hear arguments Sept. 1. A district court judge sided with the districts.

As dean of the University of Houston's College of Education, Robert McPherson has seen school officials step up their recruiting efforts. They host job fairs earlier in the spring, contact aspiring teachers before their senior year and entice them to student-teach in hopes they'll return.

Still, attracting candidates to the teaching profession - and to traditional colleges of education - remains a challenge. Alternative certification programs, which offer an accelerated path to teaching, have upped competition while helping alleviate some staffing shortages.

In 2012, the number of newly certified teachers in Texas dropped to its lowest level in eight years, from a high of 26,360 in 2008 to fewer than 18,100. Certifications increased the next two years, topping 21,360 in 2014. About half came through alternative programs, according to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. UH, which worked with districts to revamp its teacher education program, has seen an uptick in students taking the certification exam since 2010 after years of decline. But increasing overall numbers won't solve the problem entirely, said Arthur Levine, former president of Columbia University's Teachers College. States face chronic shortages of bilingual, special education, math and science teachers, yet have surpluses in other areas.

"I don't know of a state where there isn't a glut of elementary school teachers," explained Levine, now president of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, which provides scholarships to aspiring science, technology, engineering and math teachers.


'Demonization of teachers'

Zeph Capo, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers, blamed staffing shortages on "the constant demonization of teachers in the media and from both political spectrums."

"Until we turn around the rhetoric and really provide the supports necessary to help our teachers, especially new teachers, we're probably going to see a shortage for some time," he said.

Malfaro, of the state union affiliate, added that districts also should offer incentives to seasoned teachers to stay on the job. A teacher with 20 years of experience earns roughly $60,000 - about $10,000 more than first-year teachers - in the Houston area's biggest districts.

Fort Bend ISD has tried to distinguish itself with a "talent draft," said Kermit Spears, the chief human resources officer.

It's like a juiced-up job fair, held the first time on the district's football field and the next year at the Sugar Land Skeeters' minor league baseball park. Some 735 people showed up in 2014. About 1,500 attended this year despite stormy weather.

Recruiters in Spring ISD went with transparency when talking to job candidates, said human resources officer Tameka Bruce. The district had been in the news after a transcript scandal that the new superintendent, Rodney Watson, vowed to fix.

"One of the things we leveraged was telling our story," Bruce said. "I think our honesty served as a great approach."

HISD is working to entice its own top-ranked students into education careers. It plans to launch a program this year to pay tuition for up to 100 students who attend the University of Houston and then teach in the district.

HISD has yet to return to 2010 staffing levels, despite a spike in student enrollment. After the 2011 budget cuts, the district eliminated 892 teaching positions, or 7.5 percent of its teaching workforce, state data show.

Last school year, HISD had nearly 19 students per teacher, up from 17 in 2010, the data show.
Cavazos, who became human-resources chief in April, said she has not yet analyzed whether the district is short on teachers.

In HISD, unlike in most districts, principals make staffing decisions. Yet the district has given principals less money under its standard budget formula since the budget cuts. The amount remains $78 per student less than in 2010. The HISD school board, however, agreed with Superintendent Terry Grier's recommendation to pour nearly $48 million more into salaries and stipends for this school year.

Cavazos said higher starting salaries are important, though official board approval of the amounts comes late in the recruiting season. This year, she said, she plans to focus on retention by, among other things, bolstering a mentor program for teachers.

Bennett, who spent last week setting up his classroom at Alief Middle School and planning lessons with colleagues, said he was optimistic he made the right career change.

"I'm hearing stories of kids (who) graduated from high school and invited their middle school teacher to the ceremony," he said. "I'm looking for that."
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Meet Our New Teach For America Recruits

September 16, 2015, 1:35 pm
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Ten young adults have joined Spring Branch ISD as Teach For America (TFA) corps members and new educators. TFA is a nonprofit organization that recruits recent college graduates to teach for at least two years in school communities across the nation with lower than average family incomes.

Teaching in SBISD schools this year with TFA are Tannya Benavides (Terrace Elementary), Alice Bennett (Cedar Brook Elementary), Robert Bujosa (Northbrook High), Brittany Carr (Northbrook High), Cassandra Freudenberger (Ridgecrest Elementary), Joanna Lopez (Northbrook Middle), Alex Montes-Torres (Northbrook Middle), Andrea Nelson (Spring Oaks Middle), Michelle Nguyen (Ridgecrest Elementary) and Asley Petryszak (Spring Shadows Elementary). (See photo)

Several of these new TFA corps members shared details about their lives, as well as their hopes and dreams for this year, during the first weeks of the school year:

Alice “Honey” Bennett– A Nashville, Tenn., native, Honey graduated from Ensworth High School. In 2014, she earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. She is teaching fifth-grade science at Cedar Brook Elementary.

“I chose to join Teach For America because I love its goal and mission. Teach For America values closing the education gap and giving everyone an equal chance to receive a great education. Those goals align with my own personal and individual goals. By joining a program and being a part of something bigger than myself to reach that goal is something I’m really excited about. I want to help teach students in areas who really need that extra help in their education and that extra motivation to try their best, and to prove to them that they can get through both high school and college, and then be great at whatever they do.”

Robert Bujosa– A graduate of Riverside Poly High School in Riverside, Calif., Robert earned bachelor of science degrees in chemistry and environmental science from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. He teaches chemistry at Northbrook High School.

Brittany Carr– A California native, Brittany graduated from William J. “Pete” Knight High School in Palmdale, Calif. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and is teaching English I and English II classes at Northbrook High School.

“I was blessed to go to an amazing college because I had parents and teachers that believed in me and my dreams. I chose TFA to inspire my students – to get them to and through college, to open their eyes to a world of possibilities after high school, and for them to have absolute confidence in me that I will be their biggest fan, always!”

Alex Montes-Torres– A San Diego native, Alex is a graduate of The Preuss School at the University of California-San Diego, a charter school is focused on helping low-income students get to and through college. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y. He’s a new teacher at Northbrook Middle School.

“Like some of the students here in Spring Branch, I came to the United States from Mexico as a young child knowing nothing about this country. School became my safe place. I can name every single teacher that made a significant impact on my dreams and aspirations. They inspired me to be better than I ever thought I could be. They taught me how to be a good citizen of this country. They taught me how to speak better English than some of my native-born peers!”

Andrea Nelson– A Hastings, Minn., native, Andrea attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. She studied political science, economics and global leadership there. Andrea is now teaching sixth-grade English Language Arts at Spring Oaks Middle School.

“I am really excited to learn more about my students through their writing, and to teach their impressionable minds about how important reading and writing will be in their education. You can learn so much about the world through reading and writing, and I am so lucky to experience this with my students!

“I want to be the great teacher to my students that I had in my educational experience. I want to help my students realize that they have the potential to shape our world, and that with hard work and determination, they can achieve what they set their mind to. Having the opportunity to help develop young, sixth-grade scholars is an opportunity I could not pass up!

Andrea also said, “I am so happy to be working in a district as unique and diverse as SBISD. It is clear that the sense of community in this district is strong and I do look forward to becoming a part of it.”
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Bookworm Festival Earns A $5,000 Foundation Grant

September 16, 2015, 2:29 pm
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The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation has awarded three $5,000 grants to festivals that promote children’s literature and books, including the Bookworm Bookfest held each year at Spring Oaks Middle School. The grants are funded by generous support through Phillips 66, a Houston-based multinational corporation.

Neil and Maria Bush co-chair the relatively new foundation, organized to provide additional literacy support and services across Houston, the nation’s fourth largest and most diverse city.

“We’re honored and excited to receive this award from the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation. The foundation came to us because it had heard all about the festivals. We never contacted them, which makes this an even greater honor to us,” said JoAnn Conlon, who directs SBISD’s Innovative Resource Media Systems, an area of management that includes school libraries and library systems.

The grants were announced recently. “By sponsoring these free reading festivals, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation hopes to provide all of our city’s children and teens with the opportunity to meet or discover some of their favorite authors,” foundation President Dr. Julie Baker Finck said.

Three free book festivals won foundation awards. All three festivals are supported by Blue Willow Bookshop. They are:
  • Bookworm Bookfest. This morning event celebrates emerging readers ages 4-8 and local and national authors who write for them. This year’s festival is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, at Spring Oaks Middle School, located at 2150 Shadowdale. For updates, follow on Twitter @bookwormbkfest, and at bookwormhouston on Facebook.
  • The Tweens Read Festival. Now in its fifth year, this festival focuses on middle-grade readers. It will be held on Saturday, Oct. 3, at South Houston High School in Pasadena ISD. The morning keynote will be delivered by writer and graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang, then followed by panel discussions with 26 notable authors. Newbery Award winning writers Rebecca Stead and Katherine Applegate will speak in keynote presentations ending the day. Author book signings are planned. For details and advance registrations, visit tweensread.com, or follow @tweensread on Twitter or on Facebook at tweensread. Volunteer opportunities are available through Connect4Literacy.com.
  • TeenBookCon. Also known as The Greater Houston Teen Book Convention, this festival features books for teens. Now in its seventh year, TeenBookCon will occur Saturday, April 2, at Alief Taylor High School in Alief ISD. Visit www.teenbookcon.org, or follow on Twitter at @teenbookcon, or on Facebook at teenbookcon.
The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, co-chaired by Neil and Maria Bush, is a 2-year-old charitable organization focused on improving the quality of life for Houston residents through the power of literacy.

The Foundation advocates for literacy as a fundamental right of everyone and a foundational skill towards success in life. It is founded on the belief held by Barbara Bush, former First Lady, “If you help a person to read, then their opportunities in life will be endless.”

Two years ago, the Bush Family created the Houston-based foundation separate from the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, a national foundation, in response to the need to deepen the awareness of and intensify services and support in Houston – the nation’s fourth largest and most diverse city.

For details, please visit www.bushhoustonliteracy.org/ or follow the organization on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bushhoustonliteracy or on Twitter @bushhoustonlit.

Book Festivals Press Release >>
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SBEF Announces Co-Chairs of 2015 Gala

September 18, 2015, 12:24 pm
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Mano and Melissa DeAyala
A Magical Masquerade Ball enchants community on Nov. 21

Spring Branch Education Foundation (SBEF) will host its annual gala, A Magical Masquerade Ball, on Saturday, November 21. Melissa and Mano DeAyala have been tapped to serve as co-chairs of the celebration. The event will raise funds to support Spring Branch ISD students and teachers through grants and scholarships – an effort that is important to the DeAyalas. Both are SBISD-educated, elementary through high school.

“We are honored to chair the Foundation’s Magical Masquerade Ball,” said Melissa DeAyala. “We are grateful for what SBEF does for SBISD’s 35,000 students. This is one way we can do our part in assuring this generation gets the excellent education we enjoyed. Mano and I look forward to seeing old and new friends at the gala. We promise a magical evening!”

Community service is a way of life for the DeAyala family. Early in their marriage, they focused their volunteer efforts on children. Involved in their own children’s schools, Melissa broadened her efforts district-wide by joining Spring Branch Education Foundation’s Board of Directors and Executive Board.

Through the Junior League, she became active in Texas Children’s Hospital. She and Mano are both engaged in SpringSpirit Baseball and various children’s charities. After coaching Spring Branch Memorial Sports Association teams for 13 years, Mano stepped into a governing role for the organization. He serves in leadership capacities for Hispanic Republicans of Texas and the C Club of Houston.

Melissa and Mano DeAyala went to elementary, middle and high schools in SBISD. They met at Memorial High School before he left for The University of Texas. She attended Southern Methodist University, where he joined her for law school.

The DeAyalas have three sons: Marcus, a biology major at UT; Matthew, a high school student at Briarwood; and Mitchell, a sixth-grader at Memorial Middle.

Guests at A Magical Masquerade Ball will meet Scott Muri, SBISD superintendent, and enjoy cocktails, dinner, extraordinary live and silent auctions, unique games and dancing to the music of the Doppelganger Band.

For regular updates, "like" SBEF on Facebook and follow SBEF93 on Twitter and Instagram. To make reservations, visit www.sbef.ejoinme.org/gala.

About Spring Branch Education Foundation:
Spring Branch Education Foundation is committed to supporting SBISD students and educators. It partners with the district and community to fund programs that enhance education and prepare students for the future. Since 1993, the Foundation has donated almost $9 million to the district and received the Houston Business Promise Award from the Greater Houston Partnership. SBEF is a 501(c)3 organization; all donations are tax deductible.
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New School, New Program: A New Day for YES Prep Northbrook High School Students

September 18, 2015, 2:53 pm
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On a Monday morning in late July, while most Spring Branch ISD students were still enjoying summer vacation, the charter students at YES Prep Northbrook High School were reminded of their significance in district history.

“There are very few times in life that you get to say you were the first,” Bryan Reed, the school’s founding principal, told YES Prep Northbrook High students during summer session, a required orientation in July.

Not only are the some 140 ninth-grade students at YES Prep Northbrook High the initial high school class in Spring Branch ISD’s innovative SKY Partnership, they’re the first Spring Branch ISD students to return to classes for the 2015-16 school year.

They’re also the largest ever grade-level class at YES Prep, Reed said. Program administrators are hoping to be closer to 150 students once the dust settles on the new program and school year.

Now in its fourth year, the SKY Partnership is an innovative alliance between Spring Branch ISD, a public school district, and YES Prep and KIPP Academy, public charter schools. Most of the YES Prep Northbrook High students completed middle school at YES Prep Northbrook, located at Northbrook Middle School.

KIPP Academy operates KIPP Courage at Landrum Middle School. KIPP Courage also opened three years ago but with fifth-graders, who are this year’s eighth-graders and who will matriculate next year.

Back at Northbrook High, though, YES Prep students are attending school for their second day on August 12, releasing around noon following a morning of assembly and schedule adjustments.

The assemblies are designed to impart both information and the YES Prep culture, which emphasizes not only college-readiness but college success. They’re a combination traditional school assembly and pep rally, with teachers and administrators leading cheers and chants.

The class was divided into two groups during summer session – maroon and gray, the colors of the Northbrook Raiders – who take turns repeating lines of the chant before ending silently with an extended fist.

Side 1: Up to It
Side 2: Down to It
Side 1: Northbrook, we power through it
Side 2: Do it cause we used to it
Together: Fight, Raider Nation, Fight!

As for the first day of school, Reed said that YES Prep Northbrook had a great day, but only one of many.

“I told the staff and the kids that it was a great day, but that it really just felt like a stop along the journey,” said Reed, “because we spent four days getting to know one another (during summer session). We already felt like a family.”

Adds Dean of Students Chris Di Matteo: “This is an outstanding group.”

Northbrook High School Principal Randolph Adami said it’s fun having students back on campus and in the building, adding that “they’re so well behaved you barely realize they’re here.”

A portion of the Northbrook High School facility was reconfigured throughout the spring semester for the YES Prep Northbrook High, which not so much a school-within-a-school as it is a program-within-a-school.

“(The YES Prep students) are Northbrook students,” Reed said. “That’s such a huge advantage. We just don’t have these kinds of resources at other YES Prep (campuses).”

YES Prep students are indeed Northbrook Raiders, with a number already participating in athletics, band, orchestra, theater and other activities. Reed said there is a commitment at Northbrook to making sure extracurricular activities aren’t going on while YES Prep students are in class. YES Prep uses a slightly longer school day than Spring Branch, attending class from 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Paola Martinez was one of four teachers who told students about the reasons they want to teach YES Prep Northbrook High students.

A first-year teacher – and Northbrook High School alumna – Martinez told students that she loved growing up and attending school in Spring Branch, and that she always knew she wanted to come back.

“And the best way,” she said, “is as a YES Prep teacher.”

Other teachers talked about how important social change and social justice is to them personally, and that the power of that change comes from individuals like the YES Prep students.

And Dean of Instruction Jeremy Williams told students that what’s happening at Northbrook right now gives him hope, and brought home again the notion of firsts, with the founding class of both YES Prep Northbrook Middle and YES Prep Northbrook High schools.

“When we prove that it works,” Williams said, “everybody will know that it started right here.”
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College Nights 2015 - Learn from College and University Representatives

September 21, 2015, 7:20 am
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College Nights 2015, a two-evening informational program designed especially for high school students and their families, will be Oct. 6-7 at Spring Woods High School, 2045 Gessner. The College Nights programs are designed as one-stop “shopping” events and will be held from 6-8 p.m. on both evenings.

High school nights and schedules are: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 6-8 p.m. This session is recommended for Stratford and Spring Woods high schools and Westchester Academy for International Studies families. Wednesday, Oct.7, 6-8 p.m. This session has been recommended for Memorial and Northbrook high schools families, as well as students who are enrolled at the Spring Branch Academy of Choice.

Students are encouraged to attend on the night their high school is scheduled, but may check the list of participating universities for each evening to insure that they do attend the program that includes the colleges or universities they are most interested in.

View College Spotlight videos >>

Typical sessions attract as many as 200 representatives from regional, state and national colleges and universities, both public and private, as well as many technical and military-related institutions. Representatives share information with students and family members about college cost, size, undergraduate majors and the particular application process, plus other items of interest.

View list of participating representatives >>

For more information on College Nights 2015, contact your campus counselor, or call 713-251-1992 for additional details and information. 
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Ridgecrest Elementary Fiddlers Pick Up Early Violin Skills

September 21, 2015, 12:25 pm
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Third-grader Sergio Pescador signed up for summer violin lessons through a grant-funded program at Ridgecrest Elementary School. He’s back this fall for additional lessons through an after-school program.

“I kind of like music and the violins,” he says. “I like to sing songs so I came here for violin. We learned how to hold our bows, and how to take violins out of cases, and what all the strings are and how they sound.”

His instructor, Landrum Middle School Orchestra Director Katie Hemphill, knows that every hour of practice in second and third grade will add up to big strides later after Sergio and his third-grade friends get hooked on playing violin.

Hemphill began the summer school program with funding from a Texas ACE grant managed by site coordinator Nora Hernandez. Nine third-graders have signed up to continue this fall, and another dozen second-graders are in the first-year pipeline.

Grant funds help pay for the pint-sized practice violins, among other costs.

The instructor is hoping young fiddlers will show up in middle school orchestra, too. Music students who begin playing early in life tend to do better than students who start later in life.

Studies show that music education can improve student grades, as well as cognitive measures like IQ. The violin has a way of capturing hearts, too.

“At the end of the summer program, we played for our parents. My parents said I sounded good so they signed me up for violin again. I like it,” reports third-grade violinist Ethan Gonzalez.

Director Hemphill encourages them all. “When you come to Landrum [Middle] after playing violin in this program, you will have three years of experience and you will be a rock star!” she tells the students as their hour together comes to an end on a recent afternoon.

“Elementary students in many other schools start as early as kindergarten, and the students who begin that young are often the ones who become the Texas All-State players in the high school programs,” she notes. “The more experience all these students can have the better they will do and the better that they will play and achieve.”

“Too many kids in our north side schools do not know what an instrument is. We’d like them to start as early as second or third grade here at Ridgecrest so the practice they get here will help them form a stronger orchestra at Landrum Middle School,” Hernandez says.
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Dyslexic Writer Pens More Than 100 Children’s Books

September 22, 2015, 7:55 am
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As a young child, author Patricia Polacco loved to draw, but she had great trouble reading, writing, spelling and even doing calculations. Years later, she learned the names for her learning disabilities, which include dyslexia and dysgraphia among other related issues.

“Back then, we did not know what was wrong. It was obvious that it was serious. As a young person, it was daunting. I did get further and further behind, but I do know that my family did not make me feel different,” she said during an afternoon gathering recently in the Frostwood Elementary School library.

On Sept. 9, Polacco visited with students there in two separate sessions. Later that day, she talked about growing up on a Michigan farm and her learning disabilities to a small student group as well as KHOU-TV 11 broadcaster and reporter Shern-min Chow. (View KHOU’s story broadcast between 6-7 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23, during morning news.)

At age 71, Polacco has written 115 children’s books, all but three of which are still in print. Just as incredible, the prolific author might not have become a writer were it not for a teacher who understood that she couldn’t read easily and helped her.

She endured teasing and bullying about her learning disabilities until she learned to make visual and mental adaptations. Her book, Thank You, Mr. Falker, retells this pivotal life moment with a teacher and how it changed her life and career.

Many of her books focus on childhood years she spent on her grandmother’s farm in Union City, Mich. A great born storyteller, Polacco’s parents are of Russian and Ukrainian descent on her father’s side and Irish on her mother’s side.

She was just 3 years old when her parents divorced, which resulted in years on the family farm with her grandparents for both Polacco and her brother.

She spoke to Frostwood Elementary students in two separate school sessions, part of a Houston schools tour sponsored her publisher, Simon & Schuster, and several area elementary campuses.

“This amazing author had all of the students and teachers mesmerized with stories about her own family, growing up with dyslexia, and making right choices when it concerns others,” reports Frostwood’s Lisa Branon, a teacher-librarian.

Polacco brought part of a small meteor that landed years ago in her mother’s front yard in Michigan to the school sessions. She allowed students to touch and make a wish on the space debris, which was the subject of her first book, Meteor!

“The [meteor] experience will be a lasting one for Frostwood teachers and students after listening to this author who writes from the heart,” Branon says.

Polacco wrote and illustrated her first book in 1987. By then, she was 41 years old.

During a library session with students, Polacco displayed a recent copy of the quilt her grandmother, or babushka in Russian, created from scraps of old clothing. She said that the quilt was one of her favorite memories.

This family memento is at the center her early book, The Keeping Quilt, which was published a quarter century ago.

Today, Polacco considers her 115 books to be both a personal legacy and testament to overcoming childhood learning disabilities.

In addition to earning her masters of fine arts, or MFA, and doctorate, or Ph.D., in art history from Ohio State University, Polacco is the mother of two adult children.
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The Gift of Knowledge

September 24, 2015, 2:40 pm
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With the start of school comes new experiences, new teachers and, thanks to an annual program organized by the district’s Community Relations Department, a new dictionary for every Spring Branch ISD third-grade student.

Thanks to the generosity of community members and organizations, more than 2,600 third graders took home their dictionaries along with supporting lessons about reading, proper word use and encouragement to become life-long learners.

More than a decade ago, Housman Elementary School volunteer, Ormonde Smith, spotted a Wall Street Journal article about the Dictionary Project, an effort to promote language arts skills among the young by giving them a main tool for reading, spelling and oral pronunciation. What began as a gift of a single dictionary from a mentor to his student, The Dictionary Project continues to be a district-wide initiative.

Sponsors of the program this year include Germaine Champion, Katherine Dawson, Chris Gonzalez, Doug and Pam Goodson, Rusty Graham, Theresa Kosmoski, Larry and Patricia McDowell, Barbara Potts, Mary Sherwood, Daniel Measurement & Control, Kids Hope Mentors at Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church, the Northwest Harris County Retired Teachers Association, the Spring Branch Lions Club, United Way of Greater Houston, and the Village Republican Women. Additionally, a grant from the Houston CPA Society was used to support half of the district’s Title I campuses.

“This program would not be possible without the continued generosity of our community members who believe in our students, our schools and this wonderful program,” program coordinator Abby Walker says. “Putting a new dictionary in the hands of every SBISD third grader at the start the school year sends a powerful message to our students that the community supports their educational pursuits.”

Participating in the Dictionary Project is just one of the ways community members support literacy and participate in SBISD’s Good Neighbor program. To learn more about the Dictionary Project, literacy initiatives in need of community support or the Good Neighbor program, please contact Abby Walker at 713.251.2289 or visit: www.springbranchisd.com/goodneighbor.
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Good Financial Stewards = SBISD’s Finance Department

September 28, 2015, 11:35 am
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The SBISD Finance Department continues to earn state and national recognition and honors for sound governmental budgeting practices, financial reporting, and fiscal transparency. During a Sept. 28 Board of Trustees Meeting, Finance Dept. staff members and leaders were recognized for the following awards:

Gold Leadership Circle Award. For the sixth year in a row, SBISD’s Finance Division has received a Gold Leadership Circle Award for financial transparency from the Texas Comptroller’s Office. For the year ahead, the special honor will be recognized through an insignia that will be published on the district website, and on the Board of Trustees and Finance Department’s webpages. 

Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. Also for the sixth consecutive year, the Government Finance Officers Association, the leading group of its kind in North America, has issued the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award to the Finance Dept. SBISD rated highly for issuing budget documents that functioned as policy documents, financial plans, policy guides and communications tools. The honor is the only national awards program of its kind for governmental budgeting.  

Certificate for Excellence in Financial Reporting. This award, also issued by the Government Finance Officers Association, was presented to SBISD for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) It is the highest award possible for governmental accounting and financial reporting. An impartial judging panel assessed the district’s CAFR for high program standards, including demonstration of a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate SBISD’s fiscal story and financial position.

TASBO Award of Merit for Purchasing. For the third year, SBISD’s Finance Division and Purchasing Department have been honored by the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO) for following professional standards in the acquisition of goods and services. Texas school districts that earn this high honor are considered to be among the top innovators in the purchasing services field.

SBISD’s award-winning Finance Department is led by Associate Superintendent for Finance Karen Wilson, who has worked for years in public school accounting and finance. She has also held senior positions in the Katy and Dallas ISDs.
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