Legislation significantly changes graduation requirements

New legislation will significantly change the state’s graduation requirements, beginning with freshmen who enter high school in the 2014-15 school year.

HB 5, passed during the 2013 regular legislative session, moves from the state’s “4x4” graduation plan to a 22-credit Foundation High School Plan that allows students to receive endorsements in specific areas.

The total number of credits required for a student to earn an endorsement is 26, which is the number of credits currently required under the Recommended High School Program and the Distinguished Achievement Program.

The new graduation program allows students to earn performance acknowledgments for outstanding performance in areas such as bilingualism and biliteracy or on tests such as the SAT or ACT.

They can also earn a distinguished level of achievement by completing a total of four math credits, including Algebra II, a total of four science credits, and earning at least one endorsement.

“This bill calls for something of a culture change,” House Public Education Chair Jimmie Don Aycock told the State Board of Education. He said the bill calls for a less prescriptive graduation plan that allows local communities to craft courses or requirements that fit their needs. A side-by-side comparison of the current three plans and the new Foundation program is pages 11 and 12 of this newsletter.

“In the new world, we’re going to have a single diploma with add-ons,” said Monica Martinez, director of the Texas Education Agency’s curriculum division, referring to the endorsements and performance acknowledgments. Aycock said the legislature intentionally left many of the decisions that must be made about graduation plans to the State Board of Education.

These decisions include defining which courses constitute an “advanced” English, mathematics or science course, creating new courses for the endorsements and adjusting the academic achievement record. The board will work to update the graduation plans throughout the fall semester.

As already defined by the new law, the Foundation High School Program will consist of:

 Beginning with those who are freshman during the 2014-2015 school year, a student will be placed on the Foundation Graduation Program and the law requires the student to select an endorsement.

At the end of the 10th grade year, a student with his parents’ permission can opt to follow the 22-credit Foundation plan without an endorsement. A student will earn an endorsement by successfully completing four credits of math, four credits of science, two additional elective credits and the curriculum requirements for the endorsement.

The SBOE will determine those curriculum requirements. The endorsement areas are: science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); business and industry; public services; arts and humanities; and multidisciplinary studies. “An endorsement should be viewed as areas of interest. We need to give students enough latitude to find areas of interest,” Aycock said. Each school district or charter must offer the courses necessary for students to complete at least one endorsement.

A school district or charter that offers only one endorsement must offer the multidisciplinary studies endorsement. Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, a member of the Senate Education Committee, told the board in July that legislators want to provide students with flexibility in selecting courses and specifically do not want rigid course sequencing requirements to be enacted, except where absolutely necessary.

While the new graduation program won’t be implemented until the fall of 2014, students in the Classes of 2015, 2016 and 2017 will be given the option of continuing on one of the current graduation programs or switching to the new program.

For updates, or additional information on how HB5 will impact graduation planning, visit the SBISD website.

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Looking for a great job? SBISD is currently hiring Bus Drivers and Mechanics!

Spring Branch ISD (SBISD) is now hiring experienced and beginning bus drivers and mechanics. Call 713.251.1064 today for more details.

Training is available for those who are new to the transportation field. For those with bus driving experience, we have great opportunities for immediate employment.

• Are you seeking part-time employment with full-time benefits?
• Summers off?
• Want to be home for the holidays?

Then please consider joining our SBISD bus and bus mechanic teams.

We're waiting for you to apply.

Starting pay for SBISD bus drivers is $13.65 with work experience. Commercial drivers licenses (CDL) are a plus for hiring, but a CDL Learner’s Permit is acceptable.

For more information or to apply in person, please visit the SBISD Human Resources Department located at 955 Campbell Road, Houston, TX, 77024. Or call us at 713.251.1064 for more information about bus driving and driver training.

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International Baccalaureate Diplomas awarded to WAIS graduates

Thirteen graduating seniors enrolled in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Westchester Academy for International Studies (WAIS), the award-winning district charter secondary school, have earned an internationally recognized IB Diploma.

Program Coordinator Valerie Harelson reports that a little more than half of the school’s 24 students received this distinction. To earn their IB Diplomas, students devote their junior and senior years to fulfilling program requirements in English, a foreign language, math, science, history or social studies, and fine arts, as well as a Theory of Knowledge course.

Students also write a lengthy research paper, fulfill other class activities and participate in many activities, including traditional community service projects.

IB Diploma recipients this year include the district’s only Gates Millennium Scholar, Bushra Bangash, who plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin, as well as a German Bilingual Diploma recipient, Juliane Berger.

“The students who have earned their IB Diploma this year represent an awesome variety of interests from architecture to international relations, music, biology and mathematics. They all worked hard; some have a wonderful sense of humor and others are more serious,” Coordinator Harelson said.

An IB science requirement was a Group 4 Project where students chose a theme and developed projects around that theme. This year’s theme was biomimicry, a new science that studies models from nature and then uses these designs and processes to solve human problems.

“Students worked in groups to create products that mimicked some feature of nature that would solve a problem faced by people today. I learn as much from the students and their research as I hope that they learn from me in history class,” Coordinator Harelson adds. “They are all great kids, and I will miss them, but I look forward to our new group of IB students and repeating the process.”

IB Coordinator Harelson a history instructor, has taught in Venezuela, Kuwait and South Korea.

German Bilingual Diploma recipient Juliane Berger grew up in Boxberg, a small town in south Germany. Juliane moved to Houston with her family and entered WAIS in 10th grade.

“My English was not very good. I did not know English terms well, but by my senior year I got used to the language and all the IB homework, too,” she says.

Her goal is to study education in Karlsruhe, Germany, the site of Paedgogische Hochschule, and to be an elementary school teacher. “I’ve always loved working with children, and I don’t want to work in an office all day,” she says.

At WAIS, she was a member of both French and German Honor Societies and the National Honor Society.

Eric Alexander will enter the University of Texas at Austin this fall. He plans to major in architecture with an emphasis in the new field of therapeutic architecture. “The IB program and this school helped me pick courses that prepared and helped me know what I wanted to do. This program really helps you come out of your box,” he says.

At WAIS, he was secretary in Mu Alpha Theta, the math society. A member of the Advanced Choir, Eric played the character Kenickie in “Grease” and Jack in “Into the Woods.”

  Dorian Granizo, who is headed to chemical engineering at Rice University, says that IB prepared him to think deeply rather than check off a standard course list of essays, tests and quizzes. Math and science are his favorite subjects. He also holds Tae Kwon Do medals.

Tatyana Guy is headed to the University of Houston, but she plans to transfer to the Texas A&M, where she hopes to major in zoology. An intern at the Houston Zoo, she dreams one day of doing research far, far away – maybe in Africa with wild animals. She wants to be a veterinarian.

“I think that IB is more rigorous than AP or Pre-AP courses. It’s challenging because it is hard. You feel good about yourself, and feel that you are doing this with a family as a part of the IB program,” she also said.

Since it opened more than a decade ago, WAIS has received the nation’s highest ranking from the U.S. Department of Education, the Blue Ribbon School designation.

IB Diploma graduates and their college/university choices include:

• Eric Alexander, University of Texas at Austin
• Bushra Bangash, University of Texas at Austin (Gates Millennium Scholar)
• Juliane Berger, Undecided, (German Bilingual Diploma)
• Dorian Granizo, Rice University
• Tatyana Guy, University of Houston
• David Kassir, Rice University
• Brittany McCune, Texas A&M University at College Station
• Emily McKitrick, Colorado State University at Fort Collins
• Sandra Reyes, Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas
• Emerald Rodriguez, Texas A&M University at College Station
• Balil Tariq, University of Houston
• Jay Wang, University of Texas at Austin
• Reina Wong, Texas A&M University at College Station

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Free and Reduced-Price Meals 2013-14

SBISD recently announced the 2013-14 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) policy for free and reduced-price meals for children enrolled the district. The USDA's school meals programs help ensure all students have access to nutritious meals at school.
SBISD will mail letters to district households about eligibility and  necessary action for benefit application. Copies of the policy can be found at each campus site, or in the central office.

Applications also are available at Child Nutrition Services, 1031 Witte Rd., Bldg. D, Houston, TX 77055 or any Spring Branch ISD School or online at http://freeandreduced.springbranchisd.com.

Criteria for Free and Reduced-Price Meal Benefits
The following criteria will be used to determine a child’s eligibility for free or reduced-price meal benefits:

Income
1. Household income that is at or below the income eligibility levels

Categorical or Automatic Eligibility
2. Household receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

Program Participant
3. Child’s status as a foster child, homeless, runaway, migrant, or displaced by a declared disaster
4. Child’s enrollment in Head Start or Even Start

Income Eligibility
For those households that quality for free or reduced-price meals based on income, an adult in the household must fill out free and reduced-price meal application and return it to M. Michelle Dickson, Program Supervisor at 1031 Witte Rd., Bldg. D, Houston, TX 77055 .

Those individuals filling out the application will need to provide the following information:
1. Names of all household members
2. Amount, frequency, and source of current income for each household member
3. Last 4 digits of the Social Security number of the adult household member who signs the application or, if the adult does not have a social security number, check the box for “I do not have a Social Security number”
4. Signature of an adult household member attesting that the information provided is correct

Categorical or Program Eligibility
is working with local agencies to identify all children who are categorically and program eligible. Spring Branch Independent School District will notify the households of these children that they do not need to complete an application.

Any household that does not receive a letter and feels it should have should contact M. Michelle Dickson, Program Supervisor at 1031 Witte Rd., Bldg. D, Houston, TX 77055. Any household that wishes to decline benefits should contact M. Michelle Dickson, Program Supervisor at 1031 Witte Rd., Bldg. D, Houston, TX 77055.

Applications may be submitted anytime during the school year. The information households provide on the application will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility. Applications may also be verified by the school officials at any time during the school year.

Determining Eligibility
Under the provisions of the free and reduced-price meal policy, M. Michelle Dickson, Program Supervisor will review applications and determine eligibility. Households or guardians dissatisfied with the Reviewing Official’s eligibility determination may wish to discuss the decision with the Reviewing Official on an informal basis. Households wishing to make a formal appeal for a hearing on the decision may make a request either orally or in writing to Chris Kamradt, Child Nutrition Director, 1031 Witte Rd., Bldg. D, Houston, TX 77055 or Phone 713-251-1150.

Unexpected Circumstances
If a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size increases, the household should contact the school. Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for benefits if the household’s income falls at or below the attached current income eligibility guidelines.

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