It's Been a Great Year in SBISD!

Because of the combined efforts of our educators, staff, community and parents, our students will leave for summer vacation  equipped with new learning, new friendships, new skills and new ideas about the world around them. As we end this school year, I would like to share some of our major accomplishments during the 2012-13 Academic Year.

This year, we launched Spring Branch T-2-4, our district’s rigorous goal to double the number of students completing some form of higher education. To my knowledge, no other public school system has adopted such a goal. I am so proud of the way in which so many of you have embraced this vision for our students and their futures.



An area of T-2-4 that makes me very proud is the Employee Scholarship Campaign. This scholarship program donates 100% of the funds donated to support the higher education aspirations of our employees’ children who graduate from a Spring Branch high school. This year, a record-breaking 41 of our employee’s graduating seniors earned Employee Campaign Scholarships. The Employee Scholarship Campaign is promoted and managed by the Spring Branch Education Foundation.

Also, this school year, we saw major progress on our 2007 Bond Program. We reopened Pine Shadows and Housman Elementary schools, began construction on Frostwood Elementary School, broke ground on Valley Oaks, and completed the design development for Rummel Creek Elementary.

Since 2007, we have rebuilt 10 elementary schools and completed roughly 98% of our renovation projects. In addition to construction, we have also provided wireless access throughout our system and made significant technology upgrades at all levels.

In addition, our SKY Partnership successfully launched KIPP Courage at Landrum Middle and YES Prep Northbrook at Northbrook Middle. SKY’s unique model of co-location and collaboration between SBISD and two high performing charters – KIPP Houston Public Schools and YES Prep Public Schools – resulted in a $2 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

This coming year, we will open our new Highly Gifted Academy at Valley Oaks Elementary School and Secondary Dual Language Programs at Spring Woods and Spring Forest Middle Schools.

Legislatively, we are pleased to anticipate some financial relief that will enable us to provide salary increases for our educators and staff, and we achieved passage of significant legislation to reduce testing and expand flexibility of graduation plans for students. Whether or not these pieces of legislation become law is in the hands of Governor Perry.

Have a restful and enjoyable summer!