Valley Oaks Elementary School (VOE) proudly unveiled its newly renovated campus during a ribbon-cutting ceremony this month, marking a significant milestone for the community as part of the 2022 Bond Program. The event highlighted the expanded facilities and enhancements made possible through the community's support for the bond initiative.

This ceremony underscores the district's commitment to the 2022 Bond Program, with ongoing projects to replace the Guthrie Center and the Agricultural Science Center. These efforts reinforce the district's dedication to Career and Technical Education (CTE) and align with the vision of T-2-4 for Every Child.

Project Highlights

Located at 8390 Westview Drive, the campus now boasts an additional 21,328 square feet, significantly increasing student capacity. This expansion includes new classrooms, collaborative learning spaces, and crucial upgrades in technology, safety, and security.

A key feature of the new design is the emphasis on collaborative learning environments, equipped with ActivPanels and flexible furniture that support dynamic teaching methods. Each classroom is also outfitted with modern technology to enhance the educational experience.

Safety and security were top priorities in the renovation. The new front entry vestibule and reception area meet current safety standards and enhance access control, while updated door hardware in classrooms adds an extra layer of security.

The project was the result of a collaborative effort among Spring Branch ISD (SBISD), the architectural firm PBK, and a dedicated Project Advisory Team.

We extend our gratitude to the voters who approved the 2022 Bond Program in May 2022, enabling this essential growth at Valley Oaks Elementary.

For more information on the Bond Program and other district projects, please visit www.springbranchisd.com/bond.

• View photos from this event
• Project informational flyer (pdf)

 

What would you write if tasked with creating a short story or poem on the theme of Fantasy? Dragons? Wizards? Time travel? Other worlds? 

For students at the Spring Branch Academic Institute (SBAI) in Spring Branch ISD (SBISD), the theme of Fantasy was a perfect fit, given their mascot is a Dragon. Under the guidance of Ashlee Wilson and Laura Ripple, elementary and middle school Language Arts teachers, respectively, students began crafting their entries for the 2024 iWRITE Publishing Contest when the theme was announced a year ago. 

“We start brainstorming ideas for stories or poetry by the end of the first semester,” said Ripple. “By the second semester, students have time to work on their drafts before I set a due date for the Writers’ Workshop. At this point, students share their stories for revision and critique.” 

One of this year’s winning Dragons began her fantasy-themed poem as an elementary student at SBAI. “I got inspiration from a dream I had,” said Anika Roy, now an 11-year-old middle school student. “I wrote my rough draft first, but then had to cut it down to meet the iWRITE limit of eight to 24 lines.” 

During the SBAI Writers’ Workshop, students read their work to their peers and receive comments and suggestions for revisions. It is up to each author to decide whether to incorporate the feedback. 

Winning Authors 

Seventeen SBISD students were selected as winners in the fifteenth annual iWRITE Publishing Contest, which honors 125 young authors and illustrators from the Houston area. Of these, 16 are SBAI Dragons. The winners and their entries are: 

Short Stories: 

• Aria Allen – The Silver Dragon Queen 

• Noah Anderson – Bo Ling: Beating Billiards Boys and Bashing Badminton Birdies 

• Paul Dupre – The Food’s Escape 

• Gwyneth Galimberti – Terra Perfecta 

• Joshua Ghattas – Blast to the Past 

• Aubrielle Gomez – Somewhere in an Undisclosed Location 

• Benjamin Nguyen – The Divine Games 

• Eli Pham – The Power of Words 

• Rhea Roy – Pages of Enchantment 

• Evan Ung – World X 

• Kelly Xiong – Logbook: The Andromeda 

Poetry: 

• Clara Cho – Siren 

• Kathryn Fargason – Phoenix Rebirth (Pantoum) 

• Madelyn Reyes – Dragon 

• Anika Roy – An Unlikely Pair: The Dragon & The Dove 

• Stephanie Shen – He Falls 

“Our Dragons continue to excel in writing, and the iWRITE contest offers them a platform to express their creativity and enhance their writing skills,” said Patricia Kassir, director of SBAI. “The contest aligns with SBISD Superintendent Blaine’s emphasis on literacy and the development of effective writing skills. I’m also proud of our dedicated teachers who nurture our students’ literacy and writing abilities every day.” 

Additionally, Grace Federico from Memorial High School (MHS) was named a winner for her short story titled A Nearly Extinguished Candle. 

Published Authors 

Entries in the iWRITE Publishing Contest are judged on creativity, theme incorporation, and grade-level appropriate content, grammar, and spelling. Each year, the iWRITE organization compiles the 125 winning pieces into a single book, making the students published authors. 

Awardees, their families, and teachers are invited to attend the iWRITE Book Signing and Literacy Festival in November. At the festival, guests can meet many of the young authors and illustrators, receive autographed books, and hear authors read their stories and poems. The event also features local Houston children’s authors, creative writing activities, and opportunities for kids to learn about illustration, comics, mural painting, and zine creation with iWRITE’s Youth Club. 

Looking Ahead 

Next year’s iWRITE contest theme is Heroes & Superheroes. Creative minds in SBISD are already brainstorming ideas for action-packed and heroic short stories and poems. Best of luck to all as you find inspiration and craft your entries this school year. With such talent, SBISD is sure to see even more fantastic winners next year.