Friday, January 9, 2015

SBISD Purchasing Department Earns State Award for a Fourth Consecutive Year

Posted on 9:37 PM by School Zone | No comments
For a fourth consecutive year, Spring Branch ISD’s Purchasing Department has been honored for best practices in school district purchasing. The TASBO Award of Merit for Purchasing and Operations with Recognized Status will be officially awarded to the department on Feb. 17 at the state association’s 69th Annual Conference in Houston.

TASBO is the acronym for the Texas Association of School Business Officials. SBISD Director of Purchasing and Contracts is Barbara Robillard.

The TASBO Award of Merit for Purchasing Operations honors Texas public school districts that are committed to following professional standards in the acquisition of goods and services. All districts that earn this award are considered to be among the top innovators in their field.

“Learning that the SBISD Purchasing Department team has been awarded this recognition for a fourth time is truly awesome news,” Director Robillard said. “The award represents an ongoing professional goal for myself and our team in Purchasing Services, and a personal goal for myself for many years now. To earn this award for a fourth time for team excellence in Purchasing and Central Warehouse Services is phenomenal!”

To be considered for an Award of Merit, TASBO reviews a variety of procedures and practices. These include organization, policies and procedures, contract operations, staff training and certification, p-card systems (if applicable), warehousing, use of technology, communication and management of cooperative programs. Each school district application was reviewed by two independent reviewers, or judges.

“Our team is dedicated to providing quality goods and services to the district on a daily basis. Team employees embody a tireless work ethic and a passion for their craft and in supporting the district’s T-2-4 Goal,” Director Robillard also said.

To learn more, visit the SBISD Purchasing Department website.

Meet the Purchasing Department Team:
Barbara Robillard, Director of Purchasing and Contracts
Elvanna Galbreth, Administrative Assistant to the Director of Purchasing
Wayne Schaper, Jr., Manager of Central Warehouse, Textbooks, Logistics and Auctions
Jessica Hindmarch, Manager of Purchasing Operations and Records
Gerald McCall, Construction & Technology
Tameisha Davenport, Administrative Bid Specialist
Cristina Varisco, Buyer II
Sharday Warner, Buyer I
Candy Garrison, Central Warehouse and Textbook Buyer
Nina Shephard, Contract Specialist
Jessica Escobar Galvez, MUNIS Support and Records Management
Kenneth Shorts, Warehouse Team Leader
Daniel Rivera, Warehouse Materials Handler/Driver
Carl Ann Pervis, Shipping Specialist/Driver - Shipping Questions
William Ervin, Receiving Specialist/Driver - Receiving Questions
Rolando Hernandez, Warehouse Materials Handler/Textbooks/Driver
Lorenzo Bee, Mailroom Specialist

SBISD Fine Arts Seasonal Productions Announced

Posted on 9:16 PM by School Zone | No comments
Spring Woods HS cast of The Addams Family
Ready to laugh and to be entertained? Several Spring Branch ISD high school theater groups will open the new year with a delightful set of modern musicals, musical comedies and parodies. In theater, four high schools will present new productions beginning in late January.

Elsewhere, SBISD choir, orchestra and band performances are planned for this winter and spring.

Among the shows coming soon, Memorial High School will showcase The Drowsy Chaperone, a parody of an American musical comedy of the 1920s. Northbrook High plans to present the ever popular comic strip musical, Annie. Spring Woods High thespians will bring to zany life “creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky” fun in The Addams Family. At the Stratford High Playhouse, Bye Bye Birdie will rock audiences of all ages in a family-minded show.

Later this spring, high school theater offerings will range from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged and Disney’s High School Musical at Memorial High to the hilarious and screwball comedy of The 39 Steps at Stratford High.

The high school productions support large student casts and, in some cases, include outreach efforts to area elementary campuses. Advance tickets can be purchased online or through the following campus offices:

·         Stratford Playhouse – www.shsplayhouse.org
·         Memorial High Theater – www.mhstheatre.com
·         Spring Woods Safari Players – www.safariplayers.com/tickets

See Calendar Listings (below) for a complete list of district fine arts events and performances:
                                                                                                
January 2015

12, Nexen Dessert Theater, Spring Woods High Black Box Theater, 7 p.m.
29-31, Annie, Northbrook High School Auditorium, 7 p.m.
29-31, The Drowsy Chaperone, Memorial High School Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m.
29-31, Bye, Bye Birdie, Stratford High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
30, Opening Night Dinner With the Stars, Spring Woods High Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. (fee)
30-31, The Addams Family, Spring Woods High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
31, Annie, Northbrook High School Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.
31, The Addams Family, Spring Woods High Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.
31, Bye, Bye Birdie, Stratford Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.

February 2015

2, The Addams Family, Spring Woods High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
5-7, The Drowsy Chaperone, Memorial High School Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m.
5-7, Bye, Bye Birdie, Stratford High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
6, Talent Show, Spring Forest Middle School Auditorium, 4 p.m. & 6 p.m.
6-7, The Addams Family, Spring Woods High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
7, The Addams Family, Spring Woods High Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.
7, The Drowsy Chaperone, Memorial High School Performing Arts Center, 2:30 p.m.
7, Bye, Bye Birdie, Stratford High Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.
16, Nexen Dessert Theater, Spring Woods High Black Box Theater, 7 p.m.
20, Masterworks Orchestra Concert, Memorial High School Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
26, Chamber Music Concert (Camerata Green & Symphony), Stratford High School Auditorium, 6 p.m.

March 2015

3, Symphony Concert, Memorial High School Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
9, Nexen Dessert Theater, Spring Woods High Black Box Theater, 7 p.m.
10, SBISD High School Choir Festival, Memorial High School Performing Arts Center, 4-10 p.m.
12, Spring Band Concert, Stratford High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
25, Concert Band Festival, Memorial High School Auditorium, 4 p.m.

April 2015

9-11, Spartanaires Spring Show, Stratford High School, TBA
9-11, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged, MHS Black Box Theatre, 7 p.m.
20, Nexen Dessert Theater, Spring Woods High Black Box Theater, 7 p.m.
23-24, Disney’s High School Musical, Memorial High School Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
30, The 39 Steps, Stratford High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

May 2015

1-2, The 39 Steps, Stratford High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
5, Spring Pop Concert, Spring Branch Middle School Auditorium, 6 p.m.
6-9, Musical Theatre, Spring Forest Middle School Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
8, Spring Orchestra Concert, Memorial High School Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
8-9, The 39 Steps, Stratford High Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
9, The 39 Steps, Stratford High Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.
11, Nexen Dessert Theater, Spring Woods High Black Box Theater, 7 p.m.
12. Orchestra Spring Concert, Spring Forest Middle School Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
12, Spring Concert, Spring Branch Middle School Auditorium, 6 p.m.
12. Band Spring Concert, Memorial High School Auditorium, 7 p.m.
12, Orchestra Spring Concert, Spring Woods High Auditorium, 7 p.m.
14, Band Concert, Spring Oaks Middle School Auditorium, 6 p.m.
14. Band Spring Concert, Spring Forest Middle School Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.
14, Spring Concert, Stratford High School Auditorium, 7 p.m.
14-15, Memorial Choir Pop Show, Memorial High School Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
15, Choir Pop Show, Stratford High Auditorium, 7 p.m. 
21, Spring Choir Concert/Pop Show, Spring Forest Middle School Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.

Note: Special reservation and pricing policies may apply for some theater and related 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.

Restorative Justice Coalition Founder earns $1,000 Grant

Posted on 8:40 PM by School Zone | No comments
A nonprofit organization that issues $1,000 a day, every day, to change-makers and activists has awarded a grant to Anita Wadhwa, founder of The Restorative Justice Collaborative of Houston. Anita Wadhwa also teaches at the Academy of Choice in Spring Branch ISD.

 The $1,000 award was issued by The Pollination Project, founded by Dallas-based businessman and philanthropist Ari Nessel. The nonprofit group has issued hundreds of thousands of dollars to worthy projects and individuals since its founding in 2013.  

The Restorative Justice Collaborative of Houston is a diverse coalition of educators, students, researchers, academics, parents, clinicians, lawyers and advocates who are committed to breaking the school to prison pipeline through creative, community driven models of justice.

 The collaborative will sponsor its second annual conference on April 25, 2015, at the University of Houston’s College of Education. Its goal is to spread restorative justice practices in Houston.

 “We are grateful to the Pollination Project for helping to promote the advancement of alternatives to punitive disciplinary practices in schools, as well as practices in the juvenile justice system that disproportionately impact young people of color,” said Wadhwa. “This grant will allow us to convene multiple stakeholders at our conference.”

 The Pollination Project funds projects that benefit people, planet, animals in areas like environmental sustainability, social justice, community health and wellness, arts and media.

 For more about “Seeding Restorative Justice in Houston Schools,” please visit:
www.thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/anita-wadhwa-seeding-restorative-justice-in-houston-schools/

 About The Pollination Project
The Pollination Project awards $1000 in seed money to individual changemakers and activists who are working to make the world – or just their own community – a better, more peaceful, just and more sustainable place. The Pollination Project is a platform for investing directly in committed people who just need a little money to launch their social change vision.

 For more information or to apply for a grant: www.thepollinationproject.org
To view a full list of recipients to date: www.thepollinationproject.org

 Peace Circle
On Jan. 21, students in the Restorative Justice Program at AOC will facilitate small group talking circles at the “Peace Circle for Restoring Police-Community Relationships in Spring Branch”.  Read more >>

 Story Contacts

 Anita Wadhwa
Restorative Justice Collaborative of Houston
restorativehouston@gmail.com
832-731-5369,

 Alissa Hauser
The Pollination Project
ahauser@thepollinationproject.org
510-710-5236

FAFSA Initiative - A Key Step in Funding Higher Education

Posted on 2:42 PM by School Zone | No comments
Students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) is a key step in continuing education after high school. Help is available!

The Houston FAFSA Initiative strives to increase the FAFSA/TASFA completion rate in the greater Houston region. Research has shown that students who complete a FAFSA or TASFA are 90% more likely to enroll in a college or university the fall after graduation.

 Join us in February and March to learn more about the FAFSA and TASFA process and how to best help your child achieve their college or university dream.

Calendar of Events - Completion of Financial Aid Applications

CAMPUS FAFSA/TASFA TRUSTED CENTERS ROOM
Northbrook Tues., 3/03/15 (11:30 AM-5:30 PM) Lecture Room 2
Sat., 3/07/15 (9:00 AM-12:00 PM) Lecture Room 1
Tues., 3/10/15 (11:30-5:30 PM) Lecture Room 1
Spring Woods Wed., 3/04/15 (4:30-6:30 PM)
Westchester Academy Tues., 3/03/15 (6:00-8:00 PM) Library

Events:


¡Los estudiantes que completen la Solicitud Gratuita de Ayuda Federal para Estudiantes (FAFSA) or la Solicitud de Ayuda Económica Estatal de Tejas (TASFA) es un paso clave en la educación continua después de la secundaria.Ayuda está disponible!

La Iniciativa FAFSA Houston se esfuerza por aumentar la tasa de terminación FAFSA / TASFA en la mayor región de Houston. La investigación ha demostrado que los estudiantes que completen la FAFSA o TASFA son 90 % más propensos a inscribirse en un colegio o universidad de la caída después de la graduación.

Únase a nosotros todo el mes de febrero para conocer más acerca de la FAFSA y proceso TASFA y cómo ayudar mejor a su hijo a alcanzar su sueño universitario o universidad.

Haga clic aquí para obtener una lista completa de FAFSA / TASFA sitios en su zona de confianza. ¿Quieres ser un Houston FAFSA Iniciativa socio? Haga clic aquí para más detalles de asociación.

Ver SBISD 2015 Ayuda Financiera Sesiones y Trusted >>

Valley Oaks Elementary Opens New School at Westview Site

Posted on 9:58 AM by School Zone | No comments
Stunning.  Awesome. A corner of heaven.

Fresh. Bright. Beyond my wildest dreams. Looks like a college campus.

Those were some of the unprompted words of praise heard from students, parents, teachers and staff as Valley Oaks Elementary School opened for its first instructional day on Jan. 6 in a shiny, new two-story facility located at 8390 Westview Drive.

Valley Oaks is the 12th elementary school rebuilt as part of the district’s 2007 Bond Plan. This new school clearly won hearts and minds based on first-morning shared impressions. A Grand Opening will be held at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 22, at the new school. The public is invited. 

Fifth-grade science and language arts teacher Marcia Looper taught for 23 years inside the old Valley Oaks Elementary, which was based on a once popular design concept where classrooms opened up to outdoor corridors and courtyards.

Marcia Looper’s happiness is summed up in two key ways: It’s all new, and it’s all about being together inside rather than moving from inside to outside to inside constantly. “We only need jackets for recess,” she quipped.

“It feels like a corner of heaven,” said Looper, a former SBISD Teacher of the Year. “It’s beyond my wildest dreams. I’ve taught for 27 years, but never in a new building or with so many new things. This new school feels like a gift to me, a great gift! I wouldn’t change one single thing. It’s beautiful.”

Third-grade teacher Melissa Cernosek spent the early hours in the new school having students describe what they saw and observed: “The kids were writing words for the new school such as ‘awesome,’ and ‘fresh,’ and ‘bright.’ Many said that it looked like a college to them.”

“It’s exciting,” said mom Ashley Zahn, who noted fifth-graders like her son Carson had mixed feelings due to their class rank. “The fifth-graders upstairs are bummed because they only get one semester in the new building. But they are still excited. They all want to use the new broadcast studio.”

Valley Oaks teachers and staff spent holiday hours unpacking and arranging their new rooms and offices for Jan. 6 opening. A packed Meet Your School Hour was also held Jan. 5 to allow parents and students to get oriented.  Principal Gary Henry noted that the opening was both smooth and orderly. “Everyone knew where to go quickly,” he said.

The modern building’s exterior includes stone, red and cream colored brick, metal panels and overhanging canopies. Inside, natural light flows through big classroom and hallway windows, as well as opaque overhead skylights in some areas.

Built with quiet in mind, long and wide hallways separate classroom learning spaces from the noises associated with gym class, lunch time and music practice. A modern library positioned near the front entrance includes a Texas themed carpet graphic, a broadcast room and space for both traditional and electronic books.

Librarian Becky Lee, a former district Teacher of the Year finalist, gathered third-graders and showed them how the new library works. Electronic curtains can shade the library’s window walls.  Student tables designed for digital learning devices dot the big, light-filled area. Single chairs and small couches stand in small groups, broken up by mobile book shelves.

“I brought the best books from the old library with me – you’ll see all of your favorites.  I also ordered a bunch of new ones for you, and they’re so cool!  Today I’ll show you around so you can learn about your brand new super-awesome library,” Lee told third-graders.

Elsewhere, kindergartners in Becky Smith’s class gathered on the floor together and worked together to assign classroom jobs – door holder, office manager, art organizer, calendar and computer helpers. Outside, other students began to visit the new bathrooms and learn how these essential facilities worked.

Upstairs, students in older grades learned how to navigate the stairways as a group. By mid-morning, classroom groups began to meet and pass each other silently and successfully – as if new schools were nothing.

Around them, subtle graphics ranging from Texas college and university logos to the state’s regional ecologies and wildlife infuse the new Valley Oaks with repeating themes focused on Texas points of pride.

PBK Architects designed the new building, which can accommodate 750 or more students. Durotech Construction built it. Valley Oaks students, faculty and staff met for 18 months at Edgewood Elementary during construction.

Valley Oaks Elementary will celebrate its Grand Opening with a public program and new school tours on Thursday, Jan. 22, beginning at 4 p.m. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is also planned. 
Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )