More than 500 district students recognized by College Board

The College Board has recognized 511 Spring Branch ISD high school graduates and students that together earned 555 separate Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar Awards.

The students were honored for high scores on numerous Advanced Placement Exams administered during the 2011-2012 school year.

Students in the Classes of 2012, 2013 and 2014 (May graduates, current seniors and juniors) who completed rigorous college-level courses were eligible for these national-level tests. In many cases, higher scores like these can earn students college credits as well as advanced placements.

The AP Program offers AP Scholar Awards to recognize high school students who have demonstrated college-level achievement through AP courses and exams.

Although there is no monetary award, in addition to receiving an award certificate, this achievement is acknowledged on any AP score report that is sent to colleges the following fall.

National AP Scholars Award

Forty-four Spring Branch students were named National AP Scholars. This is the highest award given. To earn the award, students must receive an average score of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of the exams. Five is the highest possible grade.

Memorial High

Class of 2012: Lauren Ammerman, Elizabeth Cai, Mark Camero, Madeline Campbell, James Casanova, Eric Chiang, Kelley Dickey, Bohan Fan, James Fan, Kevin Graham, Sutton Guldner, Seth Haber, Victor Harter, Michelle Hong, Caitlin Hruzek, Brittany Iler, Sun Ji, David Kim, Tech Kuo, Charles Lai and Lindsay Limbaugh.

Also, Sarah Maguire, Spencer Muncey, Reika Nakayama, Mary Kathryn Nommensen, Rose Palermo, Aryan Pashaei-Marandi, Nicholas Pohl, Megan Quinn, William Raley, Joan Sanborn, Emily Snow, Andrew Tinsley, James Topp, Charles Wanna, Carson White, Michael White, Jeffrey Wu, Jigyan Yue and Simon Zhang.

Class of 2013: Yezhou Feng.

Stratford High

Class of 2012: Moira Applebaum, Emily Johnson and Andrew Kelly.

AP Scholars with Distinction Award

These students received an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of the exams:

Memorial High

Class of 2012: Omar Alnatour, Lauren Ammerman, Emmalee Bergez, Vance Berk, Mars Berwanger, Dylan Betts, Alina Bondarenko, Eliza-Ann Bornman, Demeris Burritt, Rebecca Bushmire, Elizabeth Cai, Mark Camero, Madeline Campbell, Gabriela Canto, Yuanxue Cao, Angela Carroll, Callan Carson, James Casanova, Cole Chandler, Eric Chiang, Kendall Crouch, Kelley Dickey, Tony Do and Ryan Doyle.

Madeline Duncan, Rebecca Dunn, Andrew Edmonds, Katherine Ewing, Annum Faisal, Bohan Fan, James Fan, Kevin Graham, Sutton Guldner, Seth Haber, Lauren Hackworth, Lauren Harris, Victor Harter, Bonnie Helm, Robert Hogan, Michelle Hong, Caitlin Hruzek, Brittany Iler, Sun Ji, Sang Ju, Meghan Kelley, Nathaniel Kelly, David Kim, Taylor King and Tech Kuo.

Samuel Kusin, Charles Lai, Dillon Larberg, Stefan Lemire, Lindsey Limbaugh, Sara Maguire, Andrew Martin, Melanie Martin, Kate McMordie, Meredith Miller, Emily Morris, Spencer Muncey, Reika Nakayama, Mary Kathryn Nommensen, Hannah Ochs, Caitlin Owens, Camille Owens, Rose Palermo, Heekyung Park, Joon Su Park, Aryan Pashaei-Marandi, Patricia Perrin, Sara Peterman, Kevin Pisters, Nicholas Pohl, Edward Pritchard, Megan Quinn and William Radney.

William Raley, Julia Rogers, Margaret Rogers, Devon Rubbo, Charles Russell, Sahar Sadoughi, Nooshin Saidi, Joan Sanborn, Joseph Scavoone, Nikolos Schillaci, Brandon Simon, Caroline Sladic, Kelsey Smith, Emily Snow, Sara Stiff, Stephen Sykes, Brooks Taylor, Catherine Taylor, James Tebbe, Andrew Tinsley, Mary Titus, Martin Tolentino, James Topp, Margaret Tran, Kristopher Van Norman, Taylor Vickers, Taylor Walker, Alice Wang, Charles Wanna, Conner Waughtal, Carson White, Michael White, Ariel Wilks, Jeffery Wu, Jingyan Yue, and Simon Zhang.

Class of 2013: Elyssa Berney, Cooper Cain, Casie Chen, Timothy Davis, Yezhou Feng, Kristen Heaton, Tram-Trieu Hoang-Nguyen, Sang Ji, Dmitriy Khripkov, Connor McCampbell, Anna Peel, Colin Rockwell, Kaijia Tian, Audrey Vinall, Jevons Wang, Selma Wanna and Tzu Ming Yeh.

Spring Woods High

Class of 2012: Edward Alvarez, Brooke Fritts and Mahnoor Zia.

Class of 2013: Kim Nguyen.

Stratford High

Class of 2012: Michael Aldridge, Moira Applebaum, Christopher Arcy, Kellie Barranco, Ellen Barth, Susan Burrows, James Cardenas, Alex Dubois, William Duffy, Valerie Finstad, Glenn Frutiz, Thomas Fuller, Matthew Greene, Holly Hendrickson, Mason Hurtte, Taylor Jackson, Alyssa Johnson, Emily Johnson, Andrew Kelly, Mark Leader, Matthew Lien, Thomas Maranuk, Kamryn Richard, Lara Samameh, Sarah Slack, Austin Stephens, Ammarah Tario, Respina Vaezian and Preston Wall.

Class of 2013: Hyo-won Jeon, Samuel Kim, Matthew Lastrapes, Elaine Lui, Andrew Palughi, Olivia Pope, Lydia Sweet and Tian Yao.

Class of 2014: Alison Sunderhaft.

Westchester Academy

Class of 2012: James Chambers, Christopher Eustice and John Petty.

AP Scholars with Honors Award

These students received an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of the exams:

Memorial High

Class of 2012: Rebecca Allums, Cody Birdwell, Lamar Bretches, Laura Cale, Julie Chong, Tinglan Dai, Nicholas Dennis, Christina Depena, Kyle Dobbins, Kendall Fitzpatrick, Amy Fricks, Melanie Gaw, Seung Han, Baikal Hong, Katherine Huddleston, Donya Iranpoor ,Tori Karren, Cameron Kato, Kyle Koch, Kimberly Landa, Daniel Lewis, Stuart McNulty, Jennifer Millard, Ryan Moritz, Eric Olsson, Alison Peachee, Patricia Phillips, David Rowe, Hamza Salim, Samantha Scioneaux, Conrad Shillings, Mengdi Sun, Drew Tolson, Elaine Wilkerson, Daniel Wong and Lisa Zulkarnain.

Class of 2013: Maryam Amjadi, Albert Amran, Carla Bendy, Emma Bravo, Benjamin Butler, Donald Egan, Austin Espey, Marie Evans, Kimberly Heaton, Manusha Jayasinghe, William Jou, Sydney Keller, Min Woo Kim, Jiyeun Lee, Subrat Mahapatra, Kelsey Moreland, Annalee Noel, Anna Pendergrass, Ashley Reischman, Victoria Rushing, Mary Schatzman, Sunidhi Singh, Paul Snow, Aditya Srinivasan and Riccardo Stella.

Spring Woods High

Class of 2012: Jordan Cabrera, Ian Ray and Xiadani Tovar Castillo.

Class of 2013: Parker Blome, Wendolyne Castillo, Candace Edgley and Jack Rodgers.

Stratford High

Class of 2012: Samuel Benneck, Riley Bradshaw, Kyle Brickhouse. Tyler Denney, Connor Drysdale, Hayley Gibler, Matthew Haws, Julia Hoagland Sorens, Andrew Humphrey, Michael Killough, Matthew Lathrop, Daniel Leeper, Isai Martinez, Kyoung Oe, Blake Schreiber, Brian Skulski, Madeline Stone, Agatha Tutia, Rachael West, and Shuyu Zhang.

Class of 2013: Anna Chong, Isabel Deakins, Nahyeon Kim, Homin Lee, Andrew McCleary, Hayden McMordie, Amy Penick, Matthew Sibley, Kathleen Temple, Oscar Truong, and Ruoxi Wu.

Westchester Academy

Class of 2012: Jarred Gillie, Anna Hagee and Eric Miller.

AP Scholars Award

These students completed three or more AP Exams with scores of 3 or higher:

Memorial High

Class of 2012: Kiana Alirezaei, Ellen Anderson, Lauren Bender, Katherine Bushong, Benjamin Carl, Megan Carrigan, Michael Cisarik, Amanda Collins, Patricia Curry, Brock Davidson, Bonnie Diehl, Matthew Furrow, Caleigh Geiser, Samuel Gibson, Annie Green, Sarah Herzig, Sarah Jeu, Ester Kim, Howard Kim, Lauren Laderman, Alexis Le, Janice Lin, Macy Livingston, Aleena Madni and Taylor Maloney.

Emma Mattson, Emma McArthur, Daniel Miller, Robert Miller, Ayesha Mirza, Kendall Oelfke , David Oh, William Powell, Jackson Randolf, Aaron Ruzinsky, Nadine Sabir, Arturo Salomon-Said, Allison Sawyer, Ajita Sen, Saad Siddiqui, Alyssa Smith, Emma Sutton, James Thompson, Henry Vu, Wayde Wendell, Suzannah Whitehead, Kelly Wilson, Katherine Wright, Tengfei Wu, Rachel Wyatt, Hao Xu, Sheng Xu, Dain Yi and Bevan Zuri.

Class of 2013: Emily Ackerman, Joy Ahn, Pooja Bollampally, Bradleigh Breland, Fraser Bronston, Haley Brunner, Mariana Carmona Aguiler, Lalisa Chiravanich, Kevin Colbert, Matthew Compian, Meili Criezis, Michael Davidson, Lorenzo De-La-Torre, Lisa Ellis, Andrew Frewer, Alexander Gerome, Mitchell Groesbeck, Jack Henington, Dustin Jaoude, Erin Kreindler, Da Eun Lee, Charlotte McDermott, Rachel Moore, Pardis Moravej, Eric Ohman, Yestle Ough, Olivia Peel, Taylor Phillips , Allison Sawyer, Erika Schroeder, Kenneth Shim, Eric Simmons, Sarah Song, Blair Tysob, Katherine Ustick, Farrin Velasco, Jason Vila, Jack Wagner, Lee Winkler and Brian Young

Class of 2014: Sophie Wilczynski.

Northbrook High

Class of 2012: Saul Pina and Oscar Ramirez.

Class of 2013: Fernando Ruiz

Spring Woods High

Class of 2012: Brian Alvarado, Angela Arroyo, Geovani Chico, Sydney Coffey, Kyle Guillemette, Francisco Gutierrez, Jessica Jones, Kassandra Jost, Saad Khan, Caitlin Luper, Ignacio Montano, Brittany Moore, Scott Moore, Phuong Ngo, Vannessa Potts, Edgar Ramirez, Jacob Rogers and Theresa To.

Class of 2013: Victoria de la Guardia, Kevin Pham, Shawna Promsakanasakol, Ruby Salazar and Kimberly Warburton.

Stratford High

Class of 2012: Rebekah Adair, Christie Alexander, David Anderson, Hannah Ashcroft, Benjamin Bogaert, Mathew Bogaert, Jeffery Bourdon, Jackson Braband, Hailey Bramhall, Katherine Canales, Aditya Dargan, Caroline Dodd, Kristina Duskin, Kirbie Ermler-Gonzales, Katie Grooms, Sarah Hendrickson, Miles Hennington, Heather Henry, Michael Hezberg, Kyle Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Rebecca Jones, Shannon Kelley, Marina Khalid, Linden Lanier, Daniel Lee, Jeffrey Lee, Matthew Lee, Harold Lynde IV, Michael MacCrory, Mckenzie Martin, John Martinez, Margret Mclurkin, Sean McDermott, Matthew Milan, William Miller, Leah Nash, Laura Nazarenus, Jessica Newman, Kenneth Nouri, Kathy Oh, William Okeefe, Katherine Perez, Kristin Peters, Hannah Price, Clarissa Rodriguez, Emma Ross, Heather Rovner, Gretchen Schneider, Marshall Settegast, Kirstyn Smith, Madison Smith, Alyssa Sturgis, Henry Strum, Parker Tennet, Eleanor Thomas, Jawed Wajiha, Brooke Wallace, Douglas West, Evan White and Kathryn Wood.

Class of 2013: Andres Acosta, Walter Baker, Jordan Bernstein, Sarah Bostick, Elizabeth Butler, Nathan Byerly, Steven Cisneros, John Craig, Kathryn Dickinson, Anne Dimitrov, Timothee Flichy, Amy Fox, Emily Frazelle, Hayley Friedman, Catherine Frost, Katherine Goss, Lianna Gregorian, Eduardo Guzman, Omid Hadj, Holly Heckmann,Stephanie Humburg-Meaux,Nicholas Jones, Kurt Kaiser, Young Kim, Thomas Leyden, John Lynch, Stephen Martinez, Jacqueline Mask, Patrick Miller, Evan Moore, Cesar Muniz, Conner Parker, Mallory Parker, Kyle Rathgeb, Cai Rohleder, Sarah Ross, Evan Stone, William Strong, Othniel Tay, Paige Tormey, Grace Touchstone, Fernando Trujano, Harrison Vaporciyan, Alexander Weber and Bronte Ye.

Westchester Academy

Class of 2012: Nkosi James, Blake Lindsay, Tyler Loving and Jack Thornton.

Class of 2013: Katrina Benwell.

Class of 2014: Adam Kassir and Alyssa-Uyen Nguyen.

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Toy Drive Gets Results

Spring Branch Community Health Center (SBCHC) distributed more than 350 toys on Dec. 19 to students at The Lion Lane School for the third year in a row.

SBCHC has partnered with GE Oil & Gas, Community Health Choice, (CHC), and SBISD for several years now to provide holiday gifts to two area preschool centers, Lion Lane and Tiger Trail Schools for Early Learning. 

The partnership started three years ago when Ana Padron, a Community in Schools employee, shared with SBCHC that many students at both schools did not receive outside support during the holidays. SBCHCs and started an annual Toy Drive for the holidays.

“Every year our partners come through and help collect over 600 toys to distribute to every child at each school! Each class is also able to take a group picture with Santa after they receive their gift. For the first time this year, volunteers from SBCHC, GE, and CHC read a holiday book to each class. Afterwards, Santa Claus came by during the Lion Lane Sign-Along to greet every child,” Edlin Maldanado with SBCHC said. “The children were all smiles the entire morning.”!

 The community partners are already looking forward to next year when the tradition will be shared with more students, Maldanado also said.

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IB Science News

International Baccalaureate (IB) students in the 11th and 12th grade program at Westchester Academy for International Studies (WAIS) presented special group projects in science to the entire school earlier this year.

Known as the Group 4 Project, the student presentations are a huge undertaking that all WAIS IB Science students complete once in their two years of the IB Diploma Program. These projects were presented this year on Nov. 27.

The project encompasses IB Biology and IB Chemistry for juniors and seniors. Mixed biology and chemistry groups are created, each with eight or nine students. This year, 71 IB students formed eight separate groups. Each group was presented with an article about bioengineering to spark thinking.  

Students were then introduced to the theme created annually by WAIS IB science teachers.
This year’s theme was, “How do scientists and engineers mimic natural mechanisms or structures in nature to create products or machines that will improve or enhance human performance or efficiency?”

Students are given the freedom to interpret the theme as they like, as long as it ends with a student presentation/model and or process to emulate. The open-ended project gives students an opportunity to work together and respect individual contributions, while illustrating student creativity, ingenuity and intelligence. 

The students were given one month to complete the project and prepare presentations. The projects were counted as a test grade for both IB Chemistry and IB Biology classes. The Group 4 Project is required to earn the IB Diploma. Students must participate.

After teacher and peer evaluation, projects were opened up to the entire school for students to showcase their hard work. Presentations also demonstrate the power of group sharing to solve global inquiries. “The concept of the project is really process based, versus product based. The end results are normally very diverse and creative. It is exciting to see what the students come up with and the direction each group chooses to take,” said IB Biology and AP Biology teacher Laura Sigworth.

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Summer in France

The director of National Geographic Student Expeditions will speak three separate times on Friday morning, Jan. 11, 2013, at Memorial High School about group’s summertime Europe travel program. A Houston trip to France with Spring Branch ISD is planned, organizers say.

Director Jeff Shumlin will speak in the high school auditorium about the Houston-SBISD trip and about possible job opportunities in the future for students at the following Memorial High bell times:

• Period 2 – 8:47 a.m. to 9:38 a.m.
• Period 3 – 9:44 a.m. to 10:41 a.m.
• Period 4 – 10:47 a.m. to 11:38 a.m.

District parents and families are invited. Memorial High School is located at 935 Echo Lane. All visitors should enter through the high school main entrance early so that visitor registrations can be conducted as required.

For more information about this program, contact Memorial High Photography instructor Cathy Bottoms at 713-251-2578.

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Making Toyland Real

Hundreds of Memorial Middle School students responded to class requests for children’s toys to help make the lives of those less fortunate brighter this time of year.

 

In all, about 500 toys were delivered to the Houston-based Good Neighbor Program for delivery on Saturday, Dec. 22, to a local apartment housing complex.

All children’s toys will be distributed to families in assisted living situations with children 13 years old or younger.

Memorial Middle students in the Yearbook and Digital Photography Class taught by Stephanie Aguirre distributed toy drive posters, made school announcements, collected toys from campus students, and then organized, boxed up, loaded and delivered the gifts to the local program.

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Rummel Creek Educator Rocks Instruction

For most of us, when we think of music class a cowbell and choir robes pops into mind.  Well, today's music class is not your mother's.  From computer screens to audio equipment, students are gaining relevant, real-world  instruction on much more than just the art of making music. Rummel Creek Elementary's Curtis Donohue is on the frontline of this instructional revolution. 



As music teacher, Mr. Donohue is determined to engage his students through a combination of passion for the arts and modern computer technology as delivered up, in the form of GarageBand.

GarageBand is a streamlined digital audio music sequencer that can record and play back multiple tracks of audio. Thanks to a range of built-in instruments and sound loops, students can create, record and put together their own music masterpiece and easily share it with others. The enthusiasm Mr. Donohue's students have for making music extends into other areas of instruction as well.

Students in Mr. Donohue's class are applying techniques used in their music projects to assignments in mathematics, science and other core areas of study.  One student even took on the creation of a video project to celebrate the campus turning 50 this year.

For educators like Donohue, success is seeing students excited about learning. As Mr. Donohue prepares for the next big project, students continue to wait with breathless anticipation for the next jam session and new lesson that will be rocking their classroom.

Why is this type of instruction important? 

Technology, when integrated into the curriculum, revolutionizes the learning process. Studies show that technology integration in the curriculum improves students' learning processes and outcomes. Teachers who recognize computers as problem-solving tools change the way they teach. They move from a behavioral approach to a more process-driven, hands-on approach.

Technology and interactive multimedia are more conducive to project-based learning. Students are engaged in their learning using these powerful tools. They can become creators and critics and not just consumers.  For more information on how SBISD is changing the way we learn and teach, visit the Educational Technology website.

Links of Interest:

Photo Gallery >>

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Student Safety is Our Top Priority

Dear SBISD Parents,

The horrific Connecticut school shooting Friday has all of us in Spring Branch ISD deeply shocked and saddened. Our hearts and prayers go out to all of the families who have lost loved ones in this awful tragedy.

Over the next few days, your children’s questions, fears and emotions may come forth at home and, perhaps, at school. As you help your children navigate this tragedy, please consider the helpful tips below, provided by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Additional comprehensive information from NASP may be found at www.nasponline.org.

The safety and security of our students is always our highest priority. Safety protocols are in place across SBISD. All schools have a School Emergency Response Team, and every school regularly practices safety procedures with students and staff through discussions and emergency exercises.

Our SBISD Police Department officers are on duty 24-7, and Police Chief Brawner works closely with school administrators to assure they are equipped to lead in a time of crisis. Additionally, security entrances, enhanced camera surveillance, fencing and other safety-enhancing features are in place across the district as a result of our 2007 Bond Program.

National Association of School Psychologists Tips for Talking About Tragedy:
Model calm and control. NASP experts say children take their emotional cues from the adults in their lives. Adults should try to avoid appearing anxious or frightened.

Reassure children that they and their loved ones are safe. The NASP says parents can point out specific reasons why they are safe from danger.

Remind them that trustworthy people are in charge. The NASP suggests telling children about the various government officials, such as police, who are working to ensure that no other tragedies occur.
Tell children it is okay to feel upset. NASP experts say parents should give children the opportunity to talk about their feelings and help them understand why they may be feeling that way. It is also important to tell them it is okay to have feelings, even anger, about national tragedies.
Observe the child's emotional state. Not all children may express their feelings verbally. The NASP says parents should consider the child's age and focus on nonverbal signs, such as sleep, appetite, and behavior when evaluating their emotional state.

Look for children at greater risk. Some children who have suffered from personal loss, had a previous traumatic experience, or suffer from mental illness may have a stronger reaction to national tragedy than others. Parents should contact professionals if they feel their child is reacting dangerously to tragedy.

Tell children the truth. The NASP says parents shouldn't try to downplay the event. Children could be even more worried if they think their parents are too scared to tell them what is happening.
Stick to the facts. NASP experts say parents should not embellish on what happened or what might happen as a result of the tragedy. They also say not to dwell on the scale of the tragedy.

Keep your explanations developmentally appropriate. NASP says elementary school children need brief and simple info with explanations of why they are safe and why their lives will not change. The older the child is, the more questions and opinions they will likely have.

Monitor your own stress level. Experts say parents need to take care of themselves as well by talking to loved ones and other community leaders about their own feelings of grief and anger.

The NASP also says parents should focus on their child over the week following the tragedy, maintain a normal routine, and spend extra time reading or playing quiet games with their child before bed.

We take very seriously the responsibility we have in keeping your children safe and secure. Our teachers, counselors and administrators will be there to support your child on Monday.

Thank you,

Duncan F. Klussmann, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools

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New Schools win Architecture Awards

One-year-old Shadow Oaks Elementary School was one of only three new schools to be evaluated as an Honorable Mention winner in the 2012 School Architecture Competition during the recently held Texas Association of School Administrators/Texas Association of School Boards (TASA/TASB) Convention. The new Shadow Oaks Elementary, located at 1335 Shadowdale, opened August 2011.

It was designed by Pfluger Associates and built by Drymala Construction. The strikingly modern, two-story building of 39 regular classrooms and additional learning spaces is constructed of brick and Texas limestone with a geometric plan, angled metal roofs, exterior tile and curtain wall glazing. At its capacity, more than 700 students in kindergarten through fifth grade will learn at this new school.

View Shadow Oaks Photo Gallery >> 

As one of three Honorable Mention competition schools, Shadow Oaks earned awards in multiple areas. These included awards for value, planning process, design, educational appropriateness, innovation and sustainability. Separately, the newly rebuilt Wilchester Elementary School earned awards for value and its educational appropriateness from the two Texas school groups in the same competition. Wilchester was designed by PBK Architects. Several other rebuilt SBISD schools qualified for recent competition. They include Spring Branch and Meadow Wood elementaries.

Spring Oaks Middle qualified as a renovated school building. Also earning Honorable Mention ranking were Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy in Dallas ISD and the Sarah Hollenstein Career and Technology Center in Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD. The contest winner of the annual Caudill Award was Lady Bird Johnson Middle School in Irving ISD.

The TASA/TASB Convention is the annual meeting of Texas school groups. It was held earlier this fall in Austin. Under the 2007 Bond program, SBISD has now rebuilt nine of 13 planned elementary schools. Housman Elementary School, the district’s 10th rebuilt school, is expected to open by January 2013.

 In separate but related news, the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) has recognized two new elementary schools – Edgewood and Wilchester – as earning CHPS Designed status. The awards are issued by the Sacramento, Calif.,-based organization to buildings that meet benchmarks that ensure youth learn in healthy, comfortable spaces that minimize impact on the environment. CHPS believes that qualifying schools can improve occupant health, increase student performance, lessen operating costs and provide energy savings.

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SBISD Administration Building has been renamed Wayne F. Schaper, Sr., Leadership Center

The Spring Branch ISD Administration Building located at 955 Campbell Road has been officially renamed the Wayne F. Schaper, Sr., Leadership Center after recent action taken by the district Board of Trustees.

Trustees voted in May 2012 to rename the central administration building in honor of Schaper, who remains a long-serving Trustee and was a district administrator, Memorial High School principal, math teacher and coach. He is currently serving as Board Secretary.

The Wayne F. Schaper, Sr., Leadership Center includes offices for the Superintendent of Schools and many other administrators. It also functions as the main location for monthly public meetings of the SBISD Board of Trustees. In addition, many public workshops and other meetings are held there.

May’s Board renaming action occurred as Schaper’s combined service as a Trustee and former SBISD employee reached the 50-year mark. The Spring Branch Education Foundation also honored him in May by creating the Wayne F. Schaper Sr. Fund for Excellence. That fund raised more than $20,000 as it was announced

Schaper has now served more than a decade as a SBISD Trustee. His career in the Spring Branch community began in 1961 when he joined Landrum Junior High School as a mathematics teacher and coach. After a year of teaching and coaching at Spring Woods High, he became principal at Memorial High. He was Memorial principal for 23 years before joining SBISD central administration.

After retiring, he was elected to the SBISD Board of Trustees in 2002. He was the Board President for three years, and he has also served as the Board Secretary for several years now

Schaper remains active in Holy Cross Lutheran Church, the Memorial Spring Branch Rotary Club, East Spring Branch Food Pantry, and the American Heart Society Neighborhood Fund.
Schaper and his wife, Ruby, are the proud parents of four children who are all graduates of SBISD. Several of his grandchildren are also SBISD graduates.

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Guthrie Ag Science Program & FFA Hosted Event Spreads Holiday Cheer and Inspires Future Leaders

Spring Branch ISD community members and area families turned out last Friday night for the annual Santa's Farm event hosted by SBISD's Guthrie Center Ag Science Program and Future Farmers of America (FFA) members.  The night of community service included a petting zoo, refreshments and hot chocolate, hay rides, visits with Santa, and the chance for elementary and middle school students to learn more about the FFA Program and Ag Science from student leaders in Spring Branch.

Through programs like FFA and Ag Science, students have the opportunitty to discover their individual talents, their values, and their ambition in life. Student participants have the opportunity to investigate careers in agriculture, and develop their leadership skills while earning vital real-world skills as they progress through the phases of their leadership, academic and career development.

For more information about student choice in SBISD, extracurricular activities and programming, visit the district website.

Links of Interest:

• The Guthrie Center Ag Program Website
• Photo Gallery
• SBISD Student Choice Website
• Extracurricular Information

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