Save a Life - Summer CPR Training

Save a life! 

What: Adult CPR & AED Training

When: Saturday -  June 1, 2013

Kickoff  National CPR Awareness Week by registering for a life-saving CPR class and receive a CPR Anytime® kit to take home and train your family.  Space is limited and participants must register in advance. Participants must be 12 years of age or older. Groups are welcome. Across from Reliant Stadium FREE PARKING AVAILABLE

• Download Event Flyer (pdf) English /Spanish

For more information go to: www.HoustonSaveaLife.org

Free Hands-Only CPR & AED Training
Non-Certification (English & Spanish)
8 a.m. • 9:30 a.m. • 11 a.m.

Heartsaver CPR AED Certification
$25 Registration Fee (English Only) 1 - 6 p.m.

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International Architecture, at the Annual International Festival 4/19

Westchester Academy for International Studies Students, Faculty & PTA proudly present International Architecture, at the Annual International Festival 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., Friday, April 19, 2013

This event is free to all, come, join us!

WAIS AUDITORIUM
6:00 – 7:00pm: Celebration of Languages; enjoy an evening of multi-cultural student performances. (poems, skits, songs, folk dance)

WAIS DINING HALL
7:00 – 9:00pm: Reception with International exhibits, cuisine, music, & dance.

• Ever wondered what Architecture in Space or on the surface of Mars & Moon is like? Come, find out at the NASA Exhibit.
• Learn more about Guthrie Center Architecture program.
• Discover creativity at WAIS as you explore Architecture in Design and Cultural Arts through a display of theme-based student projects.

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Student Physicals Offered at Don Coleman Coliseum on April 13

On Saturday, April 13th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, Memorial Hermann physicians and support personnel will be on hand at Don Coleman Coliseum to provide physicals for the 2013-2014 school year for all students who will be participating in Spring Branch ISD athletics, band, drill team, cheerleading, and ROTC in middle school and high school.

Every student must have a completed medical history form with them in order to be given a physical. Physicals will be $10, or free for students on free/reduced price lunch. In addition, Cypress ECG will be present and will be offering voluntary EKG screening for all students who have the completed permission form from their parent/guardian. The cost for the screening will be $15. Students on free/reduced lunch will be screened free of charge.

 

Transportation will be provided to and from the schools for those that need it. Schools will be brought in shifts as numbers are determined to reduce the wait time for those participating. Parents are also welcome to bring their children as their schedules permit.

 The forms for the physical, medical history form, and ECG program are available on the Athletic Department website. The district website is located at www.springbranchisd.com

Or, download a PDF of event information here.
ECG Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
ECG Consent/Decline Form (PDF)

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Skeeters will host first Spring Branch ISD Day

SBISD Day at Skeeter Stadium is Saturday

 

On Saturday, April 6, four Spring Branch ISD high school baseball teams will compete in rival games at Constellation Field, the new minor league baseball facility in Sugar Land for the Skeeters baseball team. Spring Woods and Northbrook high schools will square off at noon, followed by Stratford vs. Memorial high schools at 3 p.m.. Tickets are $3.00 for students and adults; employees and their families are free. Pre-sale tickets will be available at all of the schools and the district athletic office as well.

 

Members of the Spring Branch-Memorial Sports Association (SBMSA) and Spirit baseball and softball teams in uniform will gain free entry. Free entry and transportation will also be made available to middle schools and elementary schools that are able to participate through the SBISD Athletic Department-Memorial Hermann partnership.

For more information, please contact Dwayne Eggerman in the Spring Branch ISD Athletic Department at 713-251-1224. Constellation Field is located at 1 Stadium Drive, Sugarland, TX 77498.

 

 

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Student Art Show - Community Event May 2

Join Newspring for their sixth annual student art auction, which will feature over 50 pieces of artwork from talented Spring Branch Independent School District (SBISD) art students.

Thursday, May 2nd, 6-8:30 pm
BeHUMAN Gallery CITYCENTRE
12848 Queensbury Ln

Newspring provides a venue for talented, low-income and minority students to recognize and strengthen their talents while learning how art can be part of a future story that includes post-secondary success.

Through the student art auction, Newspring hopes to provide Spring Branch art students an opportunity to discover potential career opportunities in the arts, as well as to encourage them to stay in school. 100% of proceeds go directly to the student artists in the form of college savings funds and gift cards.

Students have earned over $60,000 through previous Newspring auctions. Bidding will begin online at www.newspringcenter.org on April 25th, and will continue until May 1st. Additional bids will be taken in silent auction format on May 2nd. Framing for the artwork is provided by Bradley's Art & Frame and Framecrafters.

The Newspring Art Auction is a free event that is open to the public. Bidding at BeHUMAN Gallery begins at 6:00 PM and will continue until 8:30 PM. Hor d'oeuvres will be served, and beverages will be available. Click here for more information.

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Send A Message - GenTX Day is Friday, May 3rd

Join us on May 3!

Imagine if every person across Texas wears a college T-shirt on GenTX Day on May 3rd. Students will see people all around them united in their belief in higher education. Wearing a college T-shirt invites conversations for people to share their own personal stories, choices, and careers – a conversation that could inspire and change a student’s life.

So take that easy step by wearing your favorite college T-shirt on GenTX Day. Get your friends and family to join in with you.

 

GenTX Day celebrates and congratulates the students of Generation TX—especially graduating seniors. As students take their next steps towards realizing their futures, communities across Texas are coming together to applaud their successes and support them as they go on to college and begin career training.

Wearing your favorite college T-shirt is fun and easy to do, and when we all do it together we send a powerful message.

 

Click here for more information on GenTx.

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Wear a college tee!  Apply for college!  Take a tour!  Be a mentor! 

No matter what you do - TAKE A STEP!

The 2013 GenTX Day campaign theme is “Take a Step on GenTX Day.”

 

Generation Texas is asking students, parents, educators, nonprofits, businesses, and all participating groups to celebrate the day with college enrollment activities that help close educational gaps in communities.

 

Wear a college T-shirt AND take one of 3 steps towards college on GenTX Day:

 

1) Fill Out a College Application If you’re a high school senior, go to www.GenTX.org to locate one of the GenTX partners in your community that is hosting a college application drive or can help you fill out an application online. If you’re a school campus or organization, collaborate with a community college or open enrollment university to host a college application drive in your community.

 

2) Take a College Tour Many aspiring first-generation college graduates have never walked the halls of a college campus. Whether you’re a school, nonprofit, or community organization, collaborate with a local community college or open enrollment university this GenTX Day to organize a college tour for students (and even parents!). If you’re a business, consider helping a local school or nonprofit to organize a college tour.

 

3) Be a College Mentor Studies show that students with mentors are more likely to graduate high school and complete college. If you’re a college student, working professional, or community leader, show your support by mentoring a K-12 student on GenTX Day. Go to www.GenTX.org for help finding local mentorship programs in your community.

 

Visit www.GenTX.org to learn how regional P-16 Councils, schools, and organizations all around the state will Take A Step on GenTX Day.

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Your GenTX Success Story - Win an iPad from GenTx
Has Generation Texas helped guide you to college or inspired you to get more active in your community to create a college going culture? Submit your story about how GenTX has impacted your life. Deadline to submit your entry is 5 p.m. (CST) on April 30. This contest is open to students in 6-12th grade, college students, organizations and select individuals based in Texas.

Two grand prize winners will be awarded an iPad mini with two runner ups also receiving prizes.
Go to http://is.gd/GenTXSuccessStory2013 to submit your entry. Some restrictions apply.  This promotion is through GenTX.  Please contact them directly for more details.

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Northbrook High student heads to Washington, D.C.

Isaiah Rodriguez, an 11th-grade Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. History student at Northbrook High School has been invited to attend the Bill of Rights Institute’s 2013 Constitutional Academy in Washington, D.C., this summer.

The Bill of Rights Institute offers free teaching materials and lesson plans about the Bill of Rights to teachers in grades kindergarten through 12th grade. To apply for the weeklong summer academy, Isaiah had to write a winning essay.

His AP U.S. History instructor is Nancy Jackson. Isaiah won a scholarship to cover his expenses, but he must still pay for round trip transportation between Houston and Washington, D.C.

For more information about the Bill of Rights Institute, please visit these websites: http://billofrightsinstitute.org/ https://billofrightsinstitute.org/programs-events/students-programs-events/academy/

To find out more on how you can support Isaiah, click here.

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A Top Speller

Eight-year-old Emily Madaras, a fourth-grader at Wilchester Elementary, won the heart of the audience if not the top award itself during the 2013 Houston PBS Spelling Bee, broadcast live March 23 from the station’s University of Houston studio.

Emily, who was Spring Branch ISD’s Spelling Bee winner this year, was the youngest of the final seven students left standing when she slightly misspelled “noctilucous,” losing her place in competition.

Her difficult word was a term for “shining at night.” The Houston Chronicle, in its report on the Bee, said that Emily was “the biggest crowd pleaser of the night,” and a “fan favorite.” Her mom, Karen Madaras, reports that Emily won eyes, ears and hearts – and big bursts of applause – every time she walked up to the microphone.

“Her dream is to go to nationals. She has a gift for spelling,” Mrs. Madaras said. Before her misspelling, Emily correctly spelled “vicarious,” “wedel,” “tattersall” and “soilure.” Her only chance to memorize words ahead of time came in the first round, when all students in the competition had a chance to recall the correct spelling of 1,500 words.

After that, each new word could be any of tens of thousands of possible English language words. “She has had a natural ability since age 2 to spell words,” Mrs. Madaras said. “She spells faster than I can process what she’s saying so it makes it really hard to practice with her.”

“I just always wanted to go to nationals,” Emily told the Chronicle after the Spelling Bee.

For the first time, PBS will send two finalists as co-champions to the nation’s capital to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. Students sharing this honor are Shobha Dasari, a 12-year-old from Pearland ISD, and Syamantak Pyra, 11, from Clear Creek ISD.

The National Spelling Bee awards more than $40,000 in cash and prizes.

To read the full Houston Chronicle article, please visit: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/One-by-one-breaking-the-spell-of-words-4379548.php

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National Geographic State Bee Qualifier

Kendrick Foster, a seventh-grader at Memorial Middle School, has been named a National Geographic Bee semifinalist in the 2013 Texas National Geographic Bee.

In January, Kendrick won the Memorial Middle School Bee. He took a written test to qualify for the state Bee. In Texas, more than 1,000 public school districts, private schools and home school organizations had school winners take the written exam, but only 101 students qualified for the state Bee.

Kendrick is the first students from Memorial Middle to qualify for the state Bee. Several proud teachers, classmates and family members plan on attending the state event to support him. The National Geographic State Bee will be held at the Pay May Center located in Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD on April 5.

The winner of the state Bee will receive a $100 prize and a trip to Washington, D.C., to represent Texas in national finals at the National Geographic Society headquarters. The national meet will be held May 20-22.

The student who wins the national competition in D.C. will receive a $25,000 college scholarship along with a lifetime membership to the Society and an all expenses paid trip to the Galapagos Islands.

For additional information on the National Geographic Bee visit www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee.

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Teacher Wins Garden Club Award

Jeannette Domaschk, a kindergarten teacher at Hunters Creek Elementary for 40 years, was recently named one of the national winners of the Garden Club of America’s Elizabeth Abernathy Hull Award for her work involving the early environmental education of children.

For years, Mrs. Domaschk has taught kindergarten students and local Boy Scouts about the environment and gardening through the garden and planting beds located near Hunters Creek’s prekindergarten wing.

She piloted the school’s recycling program, too. Established in 1992, the Hull Award includes a $1,000 cash award to recipients like Mrs. Domaschk who honor Hull’s common sense approach to environmental awareness by inspiring children under age 16 to appreciate the beauty and fragility of the planet.

The Garden Club of Houston will present the national award to Mrs. Domaschk on April 10 at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston.

After a local Eagle Scout project created the garden at Hunters Creek, Mrs. Domaschk and her kindergarten students have worked together to cultivate, harvest and maintain a beautiful and active garden. Food is grown for a science study unit. After harvest, many students take home sacks of beans that they have picked by hand.

Student plant flowers and other plants, too. “I believe Mrs. Domaschk is the perfect candidate to receive the Elizabeth Abernathy Hull Award because she exemplifies a person who provides outstanding and hands-on environmental and earth-friendly education for the children at Hunters Creek Elementary and for the surrounding community of Scout-aged youth,” said parent Elizabeth Rotan in her winning nomination.

Supporting letters were submitted by former Hunters Creek parents Margaret Rotan and Debbie Robinson, who is president of the Garden Club of Houston.

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Odyssey of the Mind prepares for state contest and Germany trip

Thirty-two Odyssey of the Mind teams from Spring Branch ISD placed at the recent regional Odyssey of the Mind competition and 22 of the student teams are advancing to state.

State finals will be held at Spring Woods High School on April 13. More than 2000 people are expected to attend. The all-day state competition is open to the public. Come out and support Spring Branch ISD students and the Odyssey of the Mind program.

In addition to 22 regional winners, a team from Spring Woods High School will be traveling in late April to Berlin, Germany to compete at the Odyssey EuroFest.

The Spring Woods High team that is headed to Berlin is composed of Parker Blome, Richard Young, Adam Tutt, Emily Mitchell, Odalis Garcia and Jermey Jackson. They will compete with others on the announced Problem 5, titled “It’s How You Look At It.”

Odyssey of The Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college.

Teams apply their creativity and understanding to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. Following months of practice, students compete each year on the local, state, and world level.

SBISD has had student teams in Odyssey of the Mind for many years, and teams have often advanced to state and world levels. Teams have also been recognized for other awards this year.

The Renatra Fusca Award, which is given to teams that show exceptional creativity through their problem solving, or in extraordinary idea, has been given to two high school teams this year.

Student teams from Westchester Academy for International Studies and Spring Woods High School won this award this year.

State Qualifiers:

Problem 1: Pet Project 


Division 1 (Elementary)

First Place                          
Ridgecrest-Nicholas Garcia, Sally Hernandez, Jose Herrera, Mayreli Rodriguez, Flavia Tepozotian, Jessica Rosella

Fourth Place                      
Bunkerhill-Connor Cook, Chad Ellaham, Russell Creighton, Gabriel Mercio, Bradley Creighton, Nicholas Ojeda

Fourth Place                      
Terrace-Kaiden Guillemette, Michelle Young. Emily Gomez, Alexis Castillo, Hannah Kmiecik, Christopher Hogue, Kiera Yetiv

Division 2 (Middle)

First Place
Cornerstone-Geoffrey Baring, Adair Fulweber, Michael Stewart, Bryan Dumesnil, Riley Shelby

Division 3 (High)

First Place
Spring Woods-Jeremy Jackson, Emily Mitchell, Lillian Monteiro, Miguel Angel, Paul Harman, Charles Bellow, Kyle Modlin

Problem 2: The Email Must Go Through

Division 1 (Elementary)

Fifth Place
Valley Oaks-Anna Sucec, Abigail Mohun,Ava Speros, Rachel SeditaValerie Lucio, Elena Sucec, Claire Fournier

Division 2 (Middle)

Second Place
Memorial MS-Raymond Zrike, Jacob Lewis, Andrew Teske, Sam Curry Gavin Young

Third Place
Cornerstone-Natalie Lee, Jacinda Isbell, Wesley Jones, Madeleine Wylie, Addison Barrett, Elizabeth Glover, Krista Drysdale

Division 3 (High)

First Place
Westchester-Sam Farrokhi, Gustavo Rocha, Diana Villarreal, Sara Farrokhi, Lilian Velez, Adrian Villalobos

Problem 3: ARTchitecture: The Musical 


Division 1 (Elementary)

First Place
Terrace-Caroline Sparks, Haven Harlow, Edin Garibovic,Lauren Kmiecik, Brandon Lee, Summer Strohbehn, Brandon Le

Third Place
Ridgecrest-Kenya Cruz, Leah Holewyn, Colby Nguyen, Bryan Menchaca Bryanna Salinas, Maritza Hernandez, Kaitlyn Menchaca

Division 2 (Middle)

First Place
Spring Oaks MS-Katie Dickerson, Hannah Morphey, Jay Moyle, Meg Schomburg, Amy Dickerson, Karly Anderson, Joshua Castillo

Fourth Place
Cornerstone-Rachel Williamson, Mary Mouton, Eleanore Green, Grace Barret, Kati Stubits-Gallagher, Channing Green, Kara Hildebrand

Sixth Place
Memorial-Kieran Cremins, Kendrick Foster, Nickzad Rafieha, Demetri Zacharakis, Varun Dixit, Jun-Yong Kim, Carl Wolff

Problem 4: Tumble-wood 
 


Division 1 (Elementary)

Third Place
Rummel Creek-Tetsuki Morita, Jessica Bucek, Rachel Whipple, Ethan Kwon, Paul Choi, Emily Whipple, Nicholas Pao

Division 2 (Middle)

First Place
Spring Forest-Madeline Harms, Taran Morford, Marissa Homell, Rebekah Lamaire, Alexis Hyde, James Martinson,Alex Parizot Second Place Memorial MS-Max Wolff, Josephine Lim, Jerry Han, Connie Lee, Nia Choi, Zachary Lay, Trey Gregory

Division 3 (High)

First Place
Westchester-Mia Alfonso, Mitchell Benson, Josh Diaz, Ted Bauer, Caroline Bik, Paige Williams

Second Place
Spring Woods-Richard Young, Parker Blome, Odalis Garcia, Nathan Lerner,Adam Tutt, Brenda Rivera

Problem 5: It's How You Look at It

Division 1 (Elementary)

First Place
Nottingham- Branham Banks, Ashlyn Whitefield, Kinsey Jeansonne, Dylan Schick, Samantha Banks, Alexander Thurow, Sara Duval

Division 2 (Middle)

Fourth Place
Westchester-Katelyn Coolidge, Laura Rinconc-Bianchi, Michelle Diaz, Darius Dixon, Isabella Boone, Nazlee Khadjeheian, Jordan Meza

Division 3 (High)

First Place
Spring Woods-Parker Blome, Richard Young, Adam Tutt, EmilyMitchell, Odalis Garcia, Jeremy Jackson

Renatra Fusca Award at the Regional Level: “Tumble Wood” : Westchester

1st place- Mia Alfonso, Mitchell Benson, Josh Diaz, Ted Bauer, Caroline Bik, Paige Williams “Tumble Wood”: Spring Woods

2nd place- Richard Young, Parker Blome, Odalis Garcia, Nathan Lerner, Adam Tutt, Brenda Rivera Communications Dept. student intern Kali Venable compiled this report.

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Students medal at district UIL

Spring Branch ISD high school students competed March 22-23 at the Region 4A District 22 Academic UIL district competition held at Spring Woods High School.

SBISD high schools including Stratford High, Spring Woods High and Northbrook High won a total of 44 medals, with 35 individuals or teams advancing to regional competition.

In addition to individual winners, Stratford High School placed first in combined score of meet events, as well as first in science and journalism departments.

Spring Woods High was second in event combined score. Students that placed first, second and third will advance to regional competition at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, April 18-20. Students that placed fourth will advance as alternates.

They will be competing if a regional qualifier is not present or able to compete.

District results include the following:

Accounting
1st Place: Ruoxi Wu, Stratford High
2nd Place: Jordan Jump, Spring Woods High
3rd Place: Morgan Jump, Spring Woods High
4th Place: Ben Riedel, Stratford High

Calculator Applications
3rd Place: Paul Shin, Stratford High

Computer Applications
1st Place: Ruoxi Wu, Stratford High 2
nd Place: Justin Todes, Stratford High
4th Place: Philip Chan, Stratford High

Cross Examination Debate
1st Place: Aby Brugo and Jenny Payton, Stratford High
2nd Place: Mohammad Ali and Nathaniel Barbour, Stratford High
3rd Place: Tom Patalakh and Kelvin Perez, Stratford High

Editorial Writing
1st Place: Kali Venable, Stratford High
2nd Place: Zeriba Jaheinger, Stratford High
3rd Place: Jack Rodgers, Spring Woods High
4th Place: Sara Boyle, Stratford High
 
Feature Writing
4th Place: Jack Rodgers, Spring Woods High

Headline Writing
1st Place: Justin Todes, Stratford High
2nd Place: Jack Rodgers, Spring Woods High

Informative Speaking
1st Place: Wars Mohammad, Spring Woods High
2nd Place: Max Rombado, Spring Woods High
3rd Place: Avery Reinhart, Spring Woods High
4th Place: Billy Graves, Stratford High

Lincoln Douglas Debate
1st Place: Fariha Jawed, Stratford High
4th Place: Lizeth Urdiales, Spring Woods High

Literary Criticism
1st Place: Timothee Flichy, Stratford High
2nd Place: Megan Botha, Stratford High

Mathematics
3rd Place: Amy Penick, Stratford High

News Writing
1st Place: Sara Boyle, Stratford High
3rd Place: Jack Rodgers, Spring Woods High
4th Place: Samantha Lopez, Spring Woods High

Persuasive Speaking
1st Place: Chris Rice, Spring Woods High
2nd Place: Fariha Jawed, Stratford High
3rd Place: Lizeth Urdiales, Spring Woods High

Poetry Interpretation
1st Place: Baniel Cienfuegos, Spring Woods
2nd Place: Andrea Gomez Prose, Spring Woods High

Prose Interpretation
1st Place: Josselyn Gomez, Spring Woods High
2nd Place: Nicole Jackson, Spring Woods High
3rd Place: Celina Silva, Northbrook High 4th Place: Courtney Thompson, Spring Woods High

Science
1st Place: Gordon Walker, Stratford High
2nd Place: Amy Pennick, Stratford High
3rd Place: Nathaniel Barbour, Stratford High
4th Place: Andrew Paulghi, Stratford High

Ready Writing
2nd Place: Sara Boyle, Stratford High

-- Communications Dept. student intern Kali Venable produced this report.

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Terrace Elementary Wins First Tee Grant

The Houston Golf Association and The First Tee of Greater Houston have awarded a $4,000 grant to Terrace Elementary.

The grant will cover equipment, curriculum and teacher training for The First Tee National School Program at Terrace, which will be delivered during regular Health Fitness classes.

Terrace Health Fitness instructor Michael Foster and fourth-graders Kaylee Terrell and Jonathan Watkins attended the First Tee Program-Champions Challenge, which was held March 23 in Humble as part of the run up to this weekend’s PGA Tour Shell Houston Open.

The Champions Challenge event was conducted at the Redstone course location. Spring Branch ISD joins many area school districts offering this program; Terrace Elementary is the 184th elementary school in the region to offer the program.

The First Tee curriculum introduces students to the game of golf and program’s Nine Core Values – honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment – and its so-called Nine Healthy Habits that include energy, play, safety, vision, mind, family, friends, school and community.

The First Tee Greater Houston chapter currently ranks No. 2 in a worldwide network of nearly 200 chapters. It reaches more than 90,000 youth annually through its in-school programs and its three green-grass facilities located in Humble, Hockley and Missouri City.

To learn more, please visit the First Tee web address: www.thefirstteegreaterhouston.org/club/scripts/section/section.asp?NS=GPI

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11th Annual Tommy Tune Awards 2012-2013 Nominees Revealed



Two Spring Branch ISD high schools received a total of 12 nominations for the 11th Annual Tommy Tune Awards. Stratford High’s musical “Crazy for You” is up for nine first-place ribbons awards, while Spring Woods High’s “Children of Eden” is nominated in three categories.

Forty-five musical productions from Houston-area high schools competed during the 2012-2013 year. A panel of 29 Houston-based theatre professionals made 163 nominations in 15 categories. An additional committee is considering 38 potential scholarship recipients.

The Theatre Under the Stars (TUT’) Tommy Tunes Awards are designed to acknowledge outstanding musical theatre talent at the high school level and encourage future theatrical development. TUTS’ will present eight scholarships to outstanding participating students of the Tommy Tune Awards at the award ceremony.
The Tommy Tune Award Show will be held at the Hobby Center on April 16 at 7:30 p.m.

The awards ceremony is open to the general public, and tickets will be available April 3. For more information on tickets sales to the 2013 Tommy Tune Awards ceremony, call (713) 558-2600 or visit www.tuts.com/TTA.

Tommy Tune Nominations for Spring Branch ISD:

Stratford High School: “Crazy For You”

• Best Leading Actor- Graham Baker (12th) for the role of Bobby Child
• Best Supporting Actor-McGregor Dalton (11th) for the role of Bela Zanglier
• Best Featured Performer- Caitlin Ehlinger (10th) for the role of Patsy
• Best Musical
• Best Musical Direction
• Best Direction
• Best Crew
• Best Lighting Design
• Best Ensemble/Chorus

Spring Woods High School: “The Children of Eden”

• Best Scenic Design
• Best Direction
• Best Lighting Design

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Principals of the Year named for 2013

Leaders at Ridgecrest Elementary and Spring Woods Middle School were recently named by their peers as Spring Branch ISD’s 2013 Elementary and Secondary Principals of the Year.

Ridgecrest Elementary School Principal Trish Thomas and Spring Woods Middle School Principal Karen Liska won this year’s honors in the district’s eighth annual recognition of campus leaders. In 2011, Principal Liska was named Elementary Principal of the Year.

Nominated and selected by their peers, Principals of the Year must meet these criteria:

• Concern for all staff and students and their ability to inspire both of these groups
• Ability and willingness to work cooperatively with all staff and administrators
• Proven drive to initiate and implement effective strategies supporting continuous improvement in student performance
• Ability to work with diverse community groups and all district stakeholders
• Proven desire for continuous personal professional growth
• Ability and willingness to make meaningful contributions to education

Principal Thomas has been the school leader at Ridgecrest Elementary, 2015 Ridgecrest, since 2006. A Houston native who graduated from Bellaire High School, she worked in banking before going into the education field. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University in College Station, and was later awarded a master’s degree in bilingual education from Houston Baptist University.

She completed principal certification in May 2004 at the University of Houston. Principal Thomas currently is enrolled in the REEP (Rice Educational Entrepreneurship Program) Business Fellowship Program for School Leaders.

For 10 years, Thomas taught first grade in a bilingual classroom in Houston ISD, ran a student computer lab, and had administrative duties when the principal was off campus. She was the school instructional coordinator, too. She joined SBISD as a Spring Shadows Elementary bilingual special education teacher, and was a support instructional specialist in math, science and technology.

In 2004, she was named assistant principal at Ridgecrest Elementary, then became principal in 2006. Her many recognitions include Teacher of the Year, Chapter 1 Teacher of the Year, and Outstanding PTO Volunteer in HISD, Teacher of the Year at Spring Shadows Elementary School and Spring Branch Educational Support Staff Association (SBESA) Boss of the Year.

Two local nominations she wrote for Houston West Chamber of Commerce Business Partnership Award were named winners recently. “I am so honored and humbled to be named Elementary Principal of the Year,” Principal Thomas says.

“I was very surprised when they announced that I had won because I work with such an outstanding group of administrators. We all contribute and work closely together to share ideas that will help our students meet the expectations of our shared T-2-4 goal.” Under the Spring Branch Plan 2012-2017, the district has set a goal to double the number of graduates earning either a technical degree, a two-year or four-year degree.

The goal is called T-2-4 in brief. “The Ridgecrest staff is one of the best in the district. They work so hard to serve all our students and the community of Ridgecrest, and they make it a pleasure for me to come to work every day,” she said. Principal Thomas is married and has two adult children, both of whom attended SBISD schools, as well as a grandson. Karen Liska has served as the principal at Spring Woods Middle School, 9810 Neuens, for the past two years.

She was principal for four years before that at Thornwood Elementary School, where she was named Elementary Principal of the Year in 2011. Principal Liska has 19 years of classroom experience, and has now worked the past 16 years as either a principal or administrator. From 1986 to 2007, she worked as a special education teacher, assistant principal and principal in Spring ISD. She was also named a Teacher of the Year in 1997.

A 1978 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she began her long career teaching special education in Milwaukee and in Green Bay. She later earned a master’s degree in education from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, then the Principal Academy at Lamar University in Beaumont.

At Spring Woods Middle, Principal Liska and her team turned around low student scores in particular subjects through a strategic, planned focus on academics and achievement in every classroom. Separately, she joined a group of 412 U.S. educators invited by the College Board to visit and travel through China, observing Chinese schools in Beijing and Tainjin.

The overseas trip provided her insight into Chinese student experiences in elementary, middle and high schools. In China, she talked to youths, teachers and staff members and visited classrooms during the Nov. 7-15 College Board-sponsored trip. “It was a truly great immersion experience to see what it is like in a different country with a different language, culture and schools setting.

It greatly helped provide me the ‘real world’ setting that I share now with all our students and staff,” she said. Returning to a middle school setting after years of teaching and supervising in elementary schools has been a wonderful opportunity for Principal Liska to share all her views about student and staff success.

“As an elementary administrator, my 16 years of middle school teaching experience has helped me to prepare students to be academically successful for middle school. Now as a middle school principal, my 19 years at the elementary level helps to guide our practices for students to be successful. We know where the students are coming from when they arrive at our Spring Woods Middle School doors,” Principal Liska said.

“Both experiences have proven invaluable to student, staff and school success.” She reserved her deepest thanks for her middle school staff and principal peers after being named Secondary Principal of the Year.

“I am extremely fortunate to work with a very dedicated staff of professionals who work tirelessly for all our Spring Woods Hawks to SOAR to success. You can not be a successful leader without a great team to work with,” she said. “It is a privilege and honor to be recognized by your peers for what we all do each day for our students. I want to thank all of the great teachers, students, parents, staff and administrators I work with daily – You are all the best!”

Principal Liska and her husband have two adult children, including a son who is a Miami architect and a daughter who is a pharmacist.

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Texas Youth Preparedness Camp 2013

For the past two summers, the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC), Texas State University-San Marcos has held a summer camp for youth that focused on emergency preparedness, leadership and action planning. The TxSSC, in conjunction with Extreme Youth Leadership Camp, will again host its Youth Preparedness Summer Camp in 2013!

The TxSSC will scholarship 3 teams of 10 individuals (9 youth and 1 adult) to attend camp, which will take place June 24 - 28, 2013 at Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas. Scholarships include camp registration fees, lodging and meals, and CERT backpack with equipment.   The only cost to teams will be travel to and from the camp. Participants (including the adult sponsor) will receive a full 20 hour Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training that includes a CERT certification, develop a community action plan as a team, and acquire the leadership skills needed to address emergency preparedness in their schools and/or communities when they return home - all of which will be achieved while having one of the most exciting weeks of summer!

Youth with an adult sponsor should apply for a scholarship as a group, and submit all application materials together. Youth participants must be in grades 8-12.

An application can be downloaded from: http://www.txssc.txstate.edu/K12/youth-preparedness

Applications are due no later than May 1st, 2013. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments please feel free to contact Joe McKenna, Camp Coordinator, by email at jmm272@txstate.edu.

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