Spring Branch ISD School for Highly Gifted Students director named

Lynda Maxwell has been named the inaugural director of the Spring Branch ISD School for Highly Gifted Students, a program designed for highly, exceptionally and profoundly gifted students.

The new school opens August 26 with 36 kindergarten through fourth-grade students enrolled. The SBISD School for Highly Gifted Students will be housed at Valley Oaks Elementary School.

A Texas native, Lynda has 29 years of experience in Texas education including 26 years here in Spring Branch ISD. A graduate of Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, she taught for 10 years at Spring Shadows Elementary School, and was as an assistant principal and principal for 10 years at Frostwood Elementary School.

She then served for four years as the district coordinator for teacher induction and retention and has served as director for curriculum and instruction for the past two years. In addition to a bachelor of science degree in education and psychology, Lynda earned a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of St. Thomas.

During her distinguished career, she has completed 152 hours of Gifted and Talented (GT) staff development, which includes the 30 hours needed for the state GT Awareness certificate. She also holds the Texas GT Supplemental Certification.

Lynda says, “I love education, and enjoy working with parents, teachers and students. I believe that school should be a safe and caring environment, learning should be exciting, and education should prepare students for a successful future.”

If you want to get to know Lynda better, just ask her about her five grandchildren! Leadership, faculty and staff at the SBISD School for Highly Gifted Students are committed to working together to ensure that every student is well equipped with the academic and life skills to meet the district goal known as Spring Branch T-2-4.

This goal calls for all of our students to successfully complete some form of higher education after graduation – a technical certification, two-year degree, or four-year degree. Believing that collaboration between home and school will be a critical component in the future success of the School for Highly Gifted Students, Director Maxwell held a meeting with parents in June and then followed up with parent and student conferences during the summer.

Due to new school construction, the SBISD School for Highly Gifted Students will meet for the next year and a half with Valley Oaks Elementary at the district’s East Transition Campus, located at 8655 Emnora.