Spring Branch Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Hedwig Village, Texas, United States in Greater Houston. The district serves portions of western Houston, including most of Spring Branch. It also serves several small municipalities known as the Memorial Villages in its jurisdiction, such as Hedwig Village and Spring Valley Village. A majority of the district lies within Houston city limits.
The school district's boundaries include Hempstead Road to the northeast (formerly US 290), Interstate 610 to the east, Clay Road to the north, the Addicks Dam to the west, and Buffalo Bayou to the south. Spring Branch serves 35,000 kindergarten through 12th grade students and includes a region with 188,000 residents.
The Spring Branch ISD area is served by the Houston Community College System, but it is not within the tax base.
SBISD is not to be confused with the Spring Independent School District, also located in the Greater Houston area (the latter is located in the northern portion of the region).
There are currently four traditional high schools (grades 9-12), one of which is 6A, and three 5A high schools, eight middle schools (grades 6-8), and twenty-six elementary schools (grades K-5), and six early education Pre-K centers in the district. Three more high school centers serve students in grades 9-12 with various purposes, including one public charter school.
In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.
History
The school district originated from the Spring Branch School Society, which was sponsored by the St. Peter's Church in 1856. The first school opened in 1889. By 1905, the white school had one teacher with 49 pupils and the black school had one teacher with 29 pupils.
The area did not become urban until the expansion of Houston city limits in the 1950s, which followed a failed attempt by the entire Spring Branch region to incorporate into a single entity, leading to the establishment of the Memorial Villages. The schools desegregated.
In 1979, The New York Times said that the district was "highly regarded".
Hal Guthrie became superintendent in 1986 and retired in 2001. During Guthrie's term, an influx of Hispanic and low income students entered the district. By 2001, SBISD established free preschool for all students at all income levels. Melanie Markley of the Houston Chronicle wrote that Guthrie "not only guided the district back to health, but his retirement this year caps the end of a career that many say has earned Spring Branch a reputation as a trailblazer."
In 2009, SBISD began a partnership with Houston Community College Northwest, allowing students to take community college credit. Each student may earn up to 30 credits while enrolled at an SBISD school.
Governance
Spring Branch ISD is led by a Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Scott R. Muri, chosen by the Board of Trustees, headed by President Karen Peck. The Board of Trustees is elected by voters living in Spring Branch ISD.
Student body
In 2001 SBISD had 32,000 students. SBISD's student body was 48% Hispanic, 39% White, 7% Asian, and 6% African American. By 2002 over half of the district's student body consisted of Hispanic and Latino Americans.
As of 2001, most students north of Interstate 10 are Hispanic and lower to middle income, while most students south of Interstate 10 are White and middle to upper income.
In 2008 it had 32,000 students.
In 2009 55% of SBISD students qualified for free or reduced lunch.
SBISD cities
SBISD covers all of the following cities:
- Bunker Hill Village
- Hedwig Village
- Hilshire Village
- Spring Valley Village
SBISD covers portions of the following cities:
- Houston (portions around the villages)
- Hunters Creek Village (areas north of Buffalo Bayou)
- Piney Point Village (areas north of Buffalo Bayou)
Schools
Secondary schools
6-12 schools
- Westchester Academy for International Studies (Houston, Charter school, Grades 6-12)
- National Blue Ribbon School in 2011-12
High schools
AAAAAA (Zoned)
- Memorial High School (Hedwig Village)
- Northbrook High School (Houston)
- Spring Woods High School (Houston)
- Stratford High School (Houston)
Other
- The Guthrie Center (Houston) (Career & Technical Center)
- School of Choice (Spring Valley Village, Alternative Education Campus)
Middle schools
Zoned
- Landrum Middle School (Houston)
- Memorial Middle School (Houston) 1988-89 National Blue Ribbon School
- Northbrook Middle School (Houston) 1994-96 National Blue Ribbon School
- Spring Branch Middle School (Hedwig Village) 1997-98 National Blue Ribbon School.
- Spring Forest Middle School (Houston) 1994-96 National Blue Ribbon School
- Spring Oaks Middle School (Houston) 1994-96 National Blue Ribbon School
- Spring Woods Middle School (Houston)
Other
- Cornerstone Academy (Spring Valley Village, Charter School)
Primary schools
Zoned
- Buffalo Creek Elementary School (Houston)
- Bunker Hill Elementary School (Bunker Hill Village)
- 1991-92 National Blue Ribbon School
- Cedar Brook Elementary School (Houston)
- Edgewood Elementary School (Houston)
- Frostwood Elementary School (Bunker Hill Village)
- National Blue Ribbon School in 1989-90 National Blue Ribbon School and 2005
- Hollibrook Elementary School (Houston)
- Housman Elementary School (Houston)
- Hunters Creek Elementary School (Hunters Creek Village)
- 1993-94 National Blue Ribbon School
- Meadow Wood Elementary School (Houston)
- Memorial Drive Elementary School (Piney Point Village)
- 1996-97 National Blue Ribbon School
- The school is used regularly to host City Council meetings.
- Nottingham Elementary School (Houston) - Located in Nottingham Forest VIII
- 1991-92 National Blue Ribbon School
- Pine Shadows Elementary School (Houston)
- Ridgecrest Elementary School (Houston)
- Rummel Creek Elementary School (Houston)
- 1985-86 National Blue Ribbon School
- Shadow Oaks Elementary School (Houston)
- Sherwood Elementary School (Houston)
- In 2007 Sherwood was the only SBISD school to get a Texas Education Agency ranking of "unacceptable." In 2008 it gained a "recognized" rating.
- Spring Branch Elementary School (Houston)
- In 1998 Spring Branch Elementary had a mostly Hispanic student body. During that year the Texas Education Agency ranked the school as "recognized." 55% of the students were exempted from taking the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). 20% took the test, but their scores did not factor into the state's ranking since the students were new to the school district.
- Spring Shadows Elementary School (Houston)
- 1996-97 National Blue Ribbon School
- Terrace Elementary School (Houston)
- Thornwood Elementary School (Houston)
- Treasure Forest Elementary School (Houston)
- Valley Oaks Elementary School (Houston)
- Westwood Elementary School (Houston)
- Wilchester Elementary School (Houston)
- 1989-90 National Blue Ribbon School
- Woodview Elementary School (Houston)
Other
- Bendwood Campus Elementary School (Houston)
- The school was later converted into the Bendwood School for GT and special ed students.
Gallery of primary schools
Pre-kindergarten schools
- Bear Boulevard School (Spring Valley Village)
- Early Childhood Collaborative
- Lion Lane School (Houston)
- Panda Path School (Houston)
- Tiger Trail School (Houston)
- Wildcat Way School (Houston)
Former schools
- Spring Branch High School (Now known as Spring Branch School of Choice)
- Westchester Junior High (Both Westchester Juinor High and Westchester High are now part of and serve as Westchester Academy for International Studies)
- Westchester High School
- Bendwood Elementary School (Now serves as the Bendwood School for GT students and special ed students)
See also
- List of school districts in Texas
References
See also
External links
- Spring Branch ISD website