Summer Seminar for Parents - Taming Perfectionism

On Tuesday, July 28, Lisa Van Gemert – the Gifted Guru – will offer an evening seminar just for parents on the topic of perfectionism. Join us for a special evening!

Perfectionism is an occupational hazard of giftedness, and its effects can be truly debilitating.Learn what perfectionism looks like in gifted kids, and come away with a toolbox full of big ideas and strategies for turning this terrible master into a compliant servant.

View flyer >>

Tuesday, July 28, 2015
7:00 p.m.

Westchester Academy - Auditorium
901 Yorkchester
Houston, TX 77079

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Let Me Run

It’s not just girls who need a boost to achieve at the highest levels and feel good about themselves, too.

Two Spring Branch ISD elementary schools piloted a seven-week athletic training and fitness program for young boys recently that combined a 5K personal run with special life lessons about feeling and emotions, respect and anti-bullying behavior.

Called Let Me Run, the pilot program was a first for Texas schools. With support fromSpring Branch ISD Athletics and Fitness Department and Advanced Movers, staff at Pine Shadows and Sherwood elementaries held twice-a-week sessions for 24 boys.

View Let Me Run video >>

The boys trained for a practice 5K at the annual Running for the Arts event held at Memorial City Mall in early May. The two schools then held a personal 5K race at Terry Hershey Park on May 16.

The Let Me Run pilot is based on the popular, school-based Girls on the Run program, which now includes more than a half dozen school-based programs in SBISD elementary and middle schools.

Samuel Karns, who coordinates the district’s Advanced Movers program, said he is impressed with pilot program results.

“The boys made bonds and built relationships with one another that will last them a lifetime,” Karns said. “They got a chance to be themselves, and this was evident as they lived by these words: ‘Be yourself because everyone else is taken.’ [They] just finished a chapter of their journey in life [recently] as they completed their 5K at Terry Hershey Park.”

The founder of the Let Me Run program is a Girls on the Run Coach who had two sons and saw the need for just such a program, and started one in Charlotte, N.C.

SBISD school and parent groups interested in learning more about the Let Me Run program or in starting a campus program for fourth- through eighth-graders should attend a planned Aug. 11 training.

Cll Samuel Karns at 713-251-8460 to learn more, or follow the Advanced Movers program through these social media options:

www.twitter.com/advancedmovers
www.facebook.com/sbisdadvancedmovers

www.twitter.com/futurecoachesac
www.facebook.com/sbisdfuturecoachesacademy

www.twitter.com/SBISD_CSH

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Spring Branch Education Foundation Announces Spring Grants

Record $125,140 awarded to projects for SBISD students

Spring Branch Education Foundation (SBEF) directors have approved $125,140 in grants that will fund diverse education-enhancing projects throughout Spring Branch ISD. This is the largest amount the Foundation has awarded in a single granting session.
           
The grants are designated for district-wide projects and SBISD campuses. Twice each year, the Foundation calls for grant applications from any of its 47 school campuses or district departments. Volunteers, as well as faculty members, are encouraged to apply.
           
“Generous community members support the Foundation’s fundraisers and make donations to support these grants,” said Donnie Roseman, a member of the SBEF Board of Directors and chair of the Program and Assessment Committee. “The committee is always impressed with the creativity of the requests. All applications are carefully evaluated for the long-term affect they will have for students.”

“We encourage PTAs, principals and teachers to apply for these grants,” said Cece Thompson, SBEF executive director. “We will call for fall 2015 grant applications in September, and the recipients will be announced in December.”

Community members who wish to support a specific program at a designated campus can make a tax-deductible donation to the Foundation and earmark it for it for that school. Call 713-251-2381 or visit sbef@springbranchisd.com for more information.

Grants that will benefit students on a district-wide basis include:

• Altharetta Yeargin Art Museum – The grant will help fund Road Shows that take the museum to first-grade classrooms and Study Trips for second graders who travel to the museum. Both programs are closely coordinated with grade-level curriculum.
• Houston Prep Summer Camp – A grant of $18,600 will assure transportation for up to 80 high-performing students from SBISD schools to The University of Houston Downtown Houston Prep Program where they will study science, technology, engineering and math. This first-time exposure to a college campus can be life-changing.
• J. Landon Short Mini-Grants for Educators – Thanks to a $12,500 block grant, individual grants will be awarded to SBISD educators who wish to go beyond standard curricula activities and materials to enrich the learning environment. This program fosters new best practices for teaching and learning.
• The Kinesthetic Classroom – Pre-K and kindergarten students on seven campuses will use kinesthetic classrooms designed to strengthen basic gross motor development skills that correlate with academic brain function.
• National Hispanic Institute Freshman Project – SBISD freshman students will be recruited for a four-year program that includes leadership, support and college readiness. Students will meet twice monthly to prepare for participation in The Great Debate in June 2016.
• SpringBoard Mentor Program – More than 550 mentors spend an hour each week with students on 30 SBISD campuses. This relationship helps students build self-confidence, develop communication and interpersonal skills, discover their passions and find meaningful connections between school and the future. A grant of $28,302 will benefit the program.

Grants for individual campuses include:

• Cedar Brook Elementary School – Students will touch, feel and hear their own music with new “elemental” instruments – xylophones, metallophones and glockenspiels.
• Edgewood Elementary School – Learning Together® provides proven cross-age tutoring for second and third graders who are struggling with math and reading. They will be tutored by fifth graders, emerging leaders, who will benefit from additional instructional time.
• Frostwood Elementary School – A garden educator will help kindergarten through third-grade students, teachers and parent volunteers with hands-on learning opportunities in the school’s vegetable garden.
• Meadow Wood Elementary School – Up to 30 first and second graders will be selected to participate in a Fall Prep Program prior to the 2015-16 school term.
• Northbrook High School – Sophomores will be introduced to the Chromebook Classroom in preparation for becoming digital learners before college.
• Nottingham Elementary School – New books will be available to kindergartners and first graders who will read the texts with parents and discuss the books with friends in their classroom Itty Bitty Book Club.
• Spring Oaks Middle School – A school-wide literacy program will transform the campus into a language-rich environment.
• Spring Woods High School – Ninth graders will receive student planners to foster a smooth transition into high school and begin practicing organization and time management skills.
• Valley Oaks Elementary School – The school library will turn into a public library during June, as students, accompanied by an adult, enjoy daily read-alouds, learn keyboard skills, create projects and read, read, read.
• Westchester Academy for International Studies – Sixth graders will enjoy a field trip to the Pine Cove Institute of Wilderness Studies where they will enhance their team work, peer encouragement and self-confidence.
• Westwood Elementary School – First through fifth graders will learn to solve problem using the 4 Cs: communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity.

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News from the Spring Branch Education Foundation - Thank you for a great year!

Our Mission: Spring Branch Education Foundation is committed to supporting our students and educators. We partner with the district and community to fund programs that enhance education and prepare our students for the future.

Here is how SBEF has helped SBISD and its 35,000 students.

Thank you to the SBISD community for a successful 2014-2015 year!

Awarded $207,368 in grants to campuses and district          

• Bendwood Elementary - Functional robots for SPIRAL Gifted and Talented students
• Cedar Brook Elementary - Percussion instruments for the music program
• Edgewood Elementary - Cross-age tutoring in reading and math
• Frostwood Elementary - Gardening skills education
• Hollibrook Elementary - Portable hands-on science labs for K-5
• Hunters Creek Elementary - Campus gardens and a school-wide recycling program
• Landrum Middle and Northbrook Middle - Graphing calculators for 7th and 8th graders
• The Lion Lane School - A young reader program that includes siblings and family
• Meadow Woods Elementary - A Fall Prep Program for 30 students
• Memorial High - iPads and college-level coursework apps for Language Arts III students
• Northbrook High - A Chromebook Classroom to promote digital learning
• Nottingham Elementary - An Itty Bitty Book Club to promote reading
• The Panda Path School - Science-related staff development for Pre-K teachers
• Pine Shadows Elementary - An action-based learning lab for K-2 students
• Rummel Creek Elementary - iPads and creative techniques apps for music classrooms
• Sherwood Elementary - Drying racks for the art classroom
• Spring Forest Middle - A multi-sensory lab for Life Skills students
• Spring Oaks Middle - A school-wide literacy program
• Spring Woods High and Stratford High - Student academic planners
• Valley Oaks Elementary - The school library opens to the public during June
• Westchester Academy for International Studies - 6th grade field trip to Pine Cove Institute of Wilderness Studies
• Westwood Elementary - Netbooks for 3rd graders & 21st-century problem-solving
• District-wide projects

• Altharetta Yeargin Art Museum - Road Shows for 1st grade and Study Trips for 2nd grade
• Houston Prep Summer Camp - Transportation for 80 students to learn science, technology, engineering and math at UH Downtown
• J. Landon Short Mini-Grants for Educators
• Kinesthetic classrooms on seven campuses to help K and Pre-K students strengthen gross motor skills that correlate with academic brain function
• National Hispanic Institute Freshman Project - a 4-year program to promote college-readiness
• SpringBoard Mentor Program - matches adult mentors with students
• SBISD Council of PTAs - student scholarships 

Added to SBEF's Endowment

Fund for the Future is a permanent endowment that provides a perpetual source of income to the Foundation. Earned income is now funding education-enhancing programs, while the principal is preserved. Endowment funds are being conservatively invested with the Greater Houston Community Foundation.

Raised funds for grants and scholarships

• The 19th annual Spring Classics golf tournament, co-chaired by Doug Goodson and Rob Stewart, raised nearly $86,000.
• The 4th annual Style Show and Luncheon, co-chaired by Susan Griffin and Debbie Slack, featured Trina Turk fashions and raised more than $41,000.
• SBEF's 3rd annual Sporting Clay Tournament, co-chaired by Kirk Guilanshah and Pat Zadow, raised $24,000.
• The 2nd Legacies of Spring Branch Gala, co-chaired by Duncan and Marissa Klussmann, raised $134,000 for SBEF and an additional $7,900 for scholarships. The event honored Mallory and James Shaddix with the SBEF Lifetime Achievement Award, Chief Judge Diane P. Wood with the SBISD Distinguished Alumni Award and Mike Feinberg with the Susan and Larry Kellner Champion for Education Award.
• The 23rd annual Running for the Arts celebrated 2,243 registrations and participation from 41 SBISD's schools. The event benefits SBISD's Fine Arts and Health Fitness departments and the Altharetta Yeargin Art Museum.

Save these dates for 2015-2016 special events - you're invited!

• Friday, October 9, 2015 - Style Show and Luncheon, co-chairs: Patty Busmire, Lara Bell
• Saturday, November 21, 2015 - Legacies of Spring Branch Gala, co-chairs: Melissa and Mano DeAyala
• Thursday, February 18, 2016 - Sporting Clay Tournament, chair: Kirk Guilanshah
• Sunday, April 3, 2016 - Golf Tournament, co-chairs: Rob Stewart and Doug Goodson
• Saturday, April 30, 2016 - Running for the Arts
• Friday, May 13, 2016 - Bright Stars of Spring Branch, co-chairs: Michelle Majewski, Leanne Newton, Casey Rowe

SBEF awarded 89 scholarships in the amount of $118,000. The Foundation hosted the second annual Bright Stars of SBISD, Celebrating Academic Excellence event to recognize a record number of scholarship recipients as well as Teachers and Principals of the Year.

SBEF Employee Campaign Scholarship   

Thanks to very generous employees, SBEF's 2014-15 Employee Campaign had a banner year! Scholarships of $1,500 were awarded to 32 graduates, children of SBISD employees.

• Memorial High School - Molly Balderach, James Iler, Mason Montgomery, Nathaniel Morgan, Richard Reese, Alexandra Younger
• Northbrook High School - Joshua Lee Castro-Donathen, Cristina Ochoa
• Spring Woods High School - Miguel Angel, Carly Batterson, Natasha Camarillo, Zasha Cantu, Makayla Franco, Megan Greer, Hannah Harlow, Christopher Rice, David Romay
• Stratford High School - Clay Addison Barden, Abigail Boessling, Jack Brasher, Autumn Crawford, Emily Demeris, Jonathan LaBaume, Hildamari Marin, Julia Matteucci, Nathaniel Scott, Callie Terrell, Kendall Ward
• Westchester Academy for International Studies - Alexus McNeil, Alyssa Mahabir, Alex Schmidt, Elizabeth Ucles

Altharetta Yeargin Art Museum Scholarship, $1,000: Stratford High School - Christina Gregory

Mike Feinberg Scholarship, $1,000: Stratford High School - Riley Green

Friends Scholarship, $1,500: Memorial High School - Sarah Salas

Frostwood PTA Scholarship, $1,000: Memorial High School - Jason Walker

Goldstein Altman Scholarship, $2,000: Memorial High School - Rebecca Grekin, Hudson Lorfing, Madeline Margraves, Jisoo Park, Sarah Thomas, Elvira Tobias, Kaela Todd

Dr. Hal Guthrie Scholarship, $1,000: Stratford High School - Jacob Frenza, Polina Golikova

Houston Westchase Rotary Club Scholarship, $4,000: Stratford High School - Abigail Jackson, Justin Todes

Hunters Creek PTA Scholarship, $1,000: Spring Woods High School - Rebeca Castro

Meadow Wood PTA Scholarship, $1,000: Stratford High School - Matthew Martin

Memorial Middle PTA Scholarship, $1,000: Stratford High School - Timothy Purvis

Monica Neubauer Scholarship, $1,000:Memorial High School - Laura Aguilar, Soraya Pashaei-Marandi

Northbrook High School Scholarship, funded by Stratford High PTA, $1,000: Northbrook High School - Maribel Paredes, Genaro Uriostegui

Prosperity Bank Scholarship, $1,000:

• Spring Woods High School - Lauren Vierling
• Westchester Academy for International Studies - Filipe Sanchez, Nancy Tran

Rachel Pendray Scholarship, $1,000: Spring Woods High School - Bram Sebio-Brundage, Lesley Campos Cruz, Luis Fernando Sanchez

Rummel Creek PTA Scholarship, $1,000: Stratford High School - David Humphrey

Mallory & James Shaddix Scholarship, $1,000, Stratford High School - Reginald Green

Shadow Oaks Elementary Scholarship, funded by Valley Oaks PTA, $1,000, Spring Woods High School - Morgan Jump

Shantamboo Charity Scholarship, $1,000:

• Memorial High School - Inchan Hwang
• Westchester Academy for International Studies - Konnie Le

Spring Branch Education Foundation Scholarship, $1,000:

• Memorial High School - Andrea Olvera
• Spring Woods High School - Christopher Hivnor
• Stratford High School - Charles Boyle, Michaela Cherry, John Goss, Harper Jones, Emily Lindsey, Griffin Rathgeb

Spring Branch Lions Club Scholarship, $1,000: Academy of Choice - Regina Salazar

Valley Oaks PTA Scholarship, $1,000: Memorial High School - Alexandra Kaldis

Judy Weisend Memorial Scholarship, $1,000: Stratford High School - Noah Garcia

Chief Judge Diane P. Wood Scholarship, $1,000: Stratford High School - Adrian Sanchez Lohff

Also at the Bright Stars event, the SBISD Council of PTAs awarded scholarships:

Duncan Klussmann Legacy of Leadership Scholarship, $1,000: Stratford High School - Kory Casanover, Reese Davis, Benjamin Johnson, Tucker May, Kristen Peck, Jacob Peter

SBISD PTA Council/SBEF Scholarship, $1,000:

• Stratford High School - Kylen Chen-Troester, Alexandra Hayes, Emily Hunter, Sarah Nash
• Spring Woods High School - Natalie Elizondo, Lillian Monteiro

Wells Fargo Scholarship, $1,000: Stratford High School - Anna Whitmire

Now, we're preparing for next year   

Lisa Schwartz will lead the Board of Directors as chair, with J. Carter Breed serving as secretary-treasurer. The Board welcomes new members Jennifer Cobb, Becky Fenn, Sheri Gross, Tamma Howell, Daniel Irving, Marc Magness, Jeff Majewski, Vincent Montalbano, Kristi Robishaw, Warren Sloan, Laura Stein and Dmel Tatum.

The SBEF Board and staff work throughout the summer to prepare for the next school year. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation. You may send a check to SBEF, 955 Campbell Road, Suite 206, Houston, TX  77024, or click here to make a donation electronically. For information about upcoming events, or to volunteer, e-mail sbef@springbranchisd.com.

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Spring Woods Middle School Designated FEMA Mobile Registration Intake Center

REPRINT FROM: District A News Council Member Brenda Stardig June 5, 2015 FEMA Assistance  A Mobile Registration Intake Center (MRIC) by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been set up at Spring Woods Middle School to answer questions and to provide information on assistance.  Spring Woods Middle School (Hammerly side) 9810 Neuens Road Houston, Texas 77080 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM, 7 days a week until further notice. If you had storm damage, you can either come to the MRIC and/or register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov. You may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM daily.  Multilingual operators are available. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs for other serious disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses.  Those eligible may register with FEMA even if they have insurance.  FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled. If you are interested in donating to the Greater Houston 2015 Flood Relief Fund, please visit www.ghcf.org/GreaterHouston2015FloodReliefFund    Please share this email with your neighbors!

Storm Debris Clean Up  Beginning tomorrow, the Solid Waste Department will begin picking up storm debris in District A. Although it will take time to reach all areas of the district, please be ready with your storm debris outside.  For safety reasons as well as Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regulations, the City asks residents to help by separating storm debris into the following six categories: Normal Household Trash - Normal household trash and bagged debris of any kind will not be picked up with debris as part of this program. You should continue to follow your normal garbage schedule. Vegetative Debris - leaves (do not put in bags), logs, plants, tree branches. Construction & Demolition Debris - building materials, carpet, drywall, furniture, lumber, mattresses, and plumbing. Appliances & White Goods - air conditioners, dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers and water heaters. Electronics - computers, radios, stereos, televisions, other devices with a cord. Household Hazardous Waste - cleaning supplies, batteries, lawn chemical, oils, oil-based paints, stains and pesticides. Residents should place debris in the segregated piles as detailed above but not near other objects like fire hydrants and mailboxes or under power lines. Call 3-1-1 for Structural Flooding If you had water in your home, please call 3-1-1, or use the 3-1-1 app on your phone.  Click here to download the app.  Reporting structural flooding to 3-1-1 is the only way for the City of Houston to know that you are experiencing a problem.  After making the report, you will be given a Service Request Number (SR#).  Make sure you write it down.  If you need further assistance, please either call my office at 832-393-3010 or email us at districta@houstontx.gov with the SR#.

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