Demographic Study

Jennifer Johnson
Internship
Historical Background of Community
Community History, Development, Historical Events
Thirty children in the Bammel community were being taught by one teacher
in a building donated by a Mr. Harrell. When the school building burned it
was rebuilt with the help of men from Spring. In !"## a single room school
was built on the Bender estate and was mo$ed the ne%t year up to Spring.
In !"!& the Missouri 'aci(c )ailroad mo$ed to Spring. Two new schools were
built on *ldine+West(eld and Hardy Street to handle the increase in students.
These two schools consolidated and a new building was built in Spring on the
old Sellers estate across the trac,s on *ldine+West(eld. In !"!- this
building was mo$ed and a new two+story eight+room bric, building was built
in its place.
During the !"&#.s hard times fell on Spring. The Missouri 'aci(c )ailroad
mo$ed its roundhouse to Houston ta,ing with it many employees. The mo$e
almost destroyed the town with once thri$ing businesses being closed. The
school was hit particularly hard. The 'T* stepped in one year and raised
money necessary to pay the teachers to the end of the year.
The push for accreditation was under way directed by Superintendent James
H. /oettee. *ccreditation was granted in !"01 when the school added
science and foreign language and the ele$enth grade. 2o longer were
students graduating in the tenth grade re3uired to ta,e a year of pre+college
before they were considered college freshmen. 2ow they could directly enter
college. 4onsolidation brought together the Spring and Harrell schools and
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two schools that ser$ed the blac, communities 5 4low 6lementary and
Spring 6lementary and Junior High later called Southwell. In !"0"
Superintendent /oettee accepted a position with the Houston School District.
Willard 7randolig was superintendent for one year before going to another
position. John *. Winship then ser$ed as superintendent until his death in
!"80. The Wunsche family donated !0 acres to the district in !"08 for a new
school with the stipulation that it be named for their ancestor 4arl Wunsche
Sr.. It was completed in !"0". The *ldine+West(eld building ser$ed as an
elementary school for many years housing the children from Spring and
Bammel.
The war too, its toll on Spring. Teachers money and teaching supplies were
scarce. 6$en students were few in !"91 with only two in the graduating
class. In !"98 an addition housing elementary students was made to
Wunsche High School. The old *ldine+West(eld building was bought by M.).
Duce. The building was later torn down after (nding the cost of reno$ation to
be too high. The old foundation still remains.
In !"1! the Southwell school burned and was replaced by a bric, structure.
B.7. 4lar, was principal there from !"1! until the schools were completely
integrated in !"::. *ccording to a$ailable records Spring ISD started
electing its Board of Trustees to speci(c positions possibly ma,ing the
District one of the earliest in Te%as to do so. Spring 6lementary was built on
ad;oining property to Wunsche High in !"1".
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Spring ISD integrated its high school students in !":9. <ntil this time
ele$enth and twelfth grade *frican *merican students were transferred to
4ar$er High School in *ldine ISD because the teachers and facilities needed
to teach them in Spring were not a$ailable. Integration was completed in
!"::. Southwell continued to be retained by the District but was later sold
to the county for con$ersion into a community center. Bammel 6lementary
School was built in !":1 gi$ing the west side of the District its (rst school
since consolidation in !"01. Spring High School was built in !":" to meet the
booming growth beginning to a=ect the area.
)apid e%pansion around the 7M !":# area necessitated the construction of
ten new schools during the !"8#s. The inno$ati$e mo$e to open+concept
classrooms was made by administrators and the Board of Trustees in the
early !"8#s. They determined that schools with a minimum of interior walls
would most economically accommodate the educational program of a rapidly
growing district. >ate in the !"8#s when families mo$ing into the district
e%pressed concern o$er whether the open concept idea was the best choice
for Spring ISD changes were made toward another concept referred to as
?e%ible space. Dr. Joseph S. Bene,e ;oined the district in !"8# as director of
curriculum and instruction was named assistant superintendent in !"8! and
ser$ed as superintendent from !"80 to !"-#.
<sing the ?e%ible space concept un$eiled in the !"-0+-9 school year
demountable partitions of metal and glass were placed inside schools
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separating grade le$els in elementary schools and sub;ect areas in
secondary buildings. 7i$e more schools were constructed in the !"-#s.
Dr. /ordon M. *nderson became superintendent in !"-!.
In !"-& the Board of Trustees adopted an educational philosophy a ($e+year
educational plan a planning and management system and a statement of
commitments understandings and e%pectations which pro$iding clear
direction for the district and creating an atmosphere for achie$ement.
The *ssociation of School Business @Acials awarded the District a 4erti(cate
of 6%cellence in 7inancial )eporting for (scal year !"-0 the third such award
for its comprehensi$e annual (nancial report. * 4erti(cate of 4onformance in
7inancial )eporting for !"-!+-& was awarded by the Municipal 7inance
@Acers *ssociation. Spring ISD was one of only eight school districts in Te%as
to recei$e this award.
4omputers were introduced as an instructional tool into the mathematics
curriculum in ,indergarten through twelfth grades in !"-&+-0. The 'yramid
'rogram for academically able students was begun in !"-9+-1.
The Spring ISD 6ducation 7oundation was established in !""0 to bene(t
students and teachers. Dr. John 7ol,s became superintendent in !""8 and
ser$ed until &##&. 4onstruction slowed in the !""#s with only two schools
and a show barn being constructed.
Dr. Michael Hino;osa was superintendent from &##& until &##1. Dr. )alph H.
Draper became superintendent in &##1.
DEMOGRAPHIC STD! 1
)apid growth made it necessary to construct new schools districtwide. Bond
referendums were appro$ed by $oters in &##! &##0 and &##8. 7orty+four
building pro;ects were completed including !- new schools and numerous
campus reno$ations. * new building was constructed on the original
Wunsche site to house the 4arl Wunsche Sr. High School a nationally
recogniBed model career academy. * nontraditional middle school of choice
Dr. 6dward )oberson Middle School was opened for students who are
interested in math science and the (ne arts. The Spring ISD Cirtual School
began ser$ing students who bene(t from the ?e%ible schedule pro$ided by
online learning.
In &##- the Board of Trustees appro$ed the following $isionD By &#!1 Spring
Independent School District will be recogniBed nationally as a leader among
learning organiBations and ,nown for e%emplary student achie$ement.
4onstruction was completed on /loria Marshall 6lementary School the
district.s (rst EgreenF campus which is scheduled to open in *ugust &#!! as
the (rst school in Houston to use geothermal heating and cooling.
Pioneers of the Community
Throughout the years many of the District.s schools and facilities ha$e been
named in honor of the men and women who ha$e contributed to the
District.s growth and reputation for educational e%cellence.
6ducators and board trustees who ha$e had schools or facilities named after
them include the District.s (rst Superintendent of Schools John *. WinshipG
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Mildred Jen,ins nurseG @tto H. Meyer and *$alt H. Meyer board trusteesG
6dwin M. Wells board trusteeG 'earl M. Hirsch teacherG /eorge 6. *nderson
board trusteeG @. B. Dueitt board trusteeG Joan >in, secretaryG J.@. Salyers
board trusteeG Dr. Joseph Bene,e superintendentG >ewis 6ugene Smith
principalG B. 7. 4lar, teacher and principalG Deloras Thompson board trusteeG
)ichard 4rain band dirctorG >eonard /eorge athletic directorG /ordon M.
*nderson superintendentG Stelle 4laughton administratorG 4het Burchett
board trusteeG Milton 4ooper administratorG James >eo administratorG 'hil
/eiger band directorG 'at )eynolds principalG )ic,ey 4. Bailey board
trusteeG /inger Mc2abb teacher and assistant principalG and *ndy De,aney
board trusteeG 4arolee Boo,er teacherG ).J. Hoyland board trusteeG Helen
Ma;or teacher and principalG )alph 6ic,enroht band directorG Dr. 6dward
)oberson Houston 2orthwest Medical 4enterHs (rst chief of sta= and
chairman of the boardG and /loria Marshall teacher and principal.
@ther school namesa,es represent founding families and e%ceptional
$olunteers. They are 4arl Wunsche familyG 4harley Bammel familyG and
/ertie Mae Salyers >.4. 2agy and Donna 4. >ewis $olunteers.
Schools and Facilities
The district currently has si% high schools one being a career academyG
se$en middle schools one for (eld e%periences and &: elementary
campuses. We ha$e Si% facility buildings one early childhood center and
one football stadium.
Campus Opening and Namesake
DEMOGRAPHIC STD! 8
The /eorge M. *nderson >eadership 4enter was opened in &##!. Spring
ISD.s administration building located at !:8!8 6lla Bl$d. was renamed the
/ordon M. *nderson >eadership 4enter in honor of the educator who led the
District from May !"-! through June !""8. His spirit established Spring ISD
as the E'eople 'lace.F Dr. *nderson established the District.s (rst ($e+year
education plan as a part of the district management system.
District Go"#rnanc#
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Organiational Chart
Chain of Command
DEMOGRAPHIC STD! "
!. Specialist
a. 4oordinator
i. Director
!. 6%ecuti$e Director
a. *ssistant Superintendent
i. *ssociate Superintendent
!. Superintendent
a. Board of Trustees
District Site!"ased Committee # Function
* committee of elected teachers and nonteaching professionals and selected
parent community and business representati$es shall be established
annually by June ! to participate in establishing and re$iewing educational
goals and ob;ecti$es of the District and Districtwide classroom instructional
programs.
SCOPE OF $ESPONS%"%&%'(
The committee to be ,nown as *46 I*d$isory 4ommittee on 6ducationJ
shall meet at least si% times during the school year with the Superintendent
andKor designeeIsJ. The committee shallD
Ma,e recommendations concerning the 7i$e+Lear Strategic 'lan which ser$es
as the District impro$ement planG
Ma,e recommendations concerning Districtwide classroom instructional
programsG
'ro$ide comments regarding the Student 4ode of 4onductG
'ro$ide comments regarding District policy and procedures ensuring that
systematic communications measures are in place to periodically obtain
broad+based community parent and sta= input and to pro$ide information
to those persons regarding the recommendations of the committeeG
DEMOGRAPHIC STD! !
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'ro$ide comments regarding any proposed wai$er of or e%emption from a
state statute or state Board rule rele$ant to the District as a whole prior to
consideration by the BoardG
'articipate in de$eloping the local teacher and administrator appraisal
process and performance criteriaG
'ro$ide for campus+le$el input for professional learning acti$ities that
support the District.s $ision mission and goalsG
'articipate in the de$elopment of the administrati$e procedure that de(nes
the respecti$e roles and responsibilities pertaining to planning and decision
ma,ing at the District and campus le$elsG
Be in$ol$ed in the consideration of any other sub;ects deemed appropriate
by the SuperintendentG and
De$elop criteria for and participate in the e$aluation of the e=ecti$eness of
the committee.
*t least one committee meeting shall be open to the public. That meeting
shall be held after the annual District performance report is recei$ed from
T6* and shall be for the purpose of discussing the performance of the
District and the District performance ob;ecti$es.
CO)POS%'%ON
The committee shall be composed of one classroom teacher from each
elementary school two classroom teachers from each middle or special
school three classroom teachers from each high school three other campus+
based or District+le$el professionals who are not classroom teachers two
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community members with children attending District schools two community
members without children attending District schools and two persons who
operate businesses.
E&EC'O$*& P$OCESS
6ach principal shall be responsible for conducting an election in his or her
school to elect the appropriate number of classroom teachers for that school.
*ll professional sta= members assigned to a school whether full+ or part+
time shall be a=orded the opportunity to $ote for that school.s classroom
teacher representati$eIsJ but shall not be re3uired to $ote.
The Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for conducting an
election to elect the other campus+based or District+le$el professionals who
are not classroom teachers. *ll professional sta= not assigned to a campus
and those campus+based professionals who are not classroom teachers
whether full+ or part+time shall be a=orded the opportunity to $ote for the
other campus+based or District+le$el professional representati$es but shall
not be re3uired to $ote.
SE&EC'%ON P$OCESS
The Superintendent shall be responsible for selecting the community and
business representati$es who ser$e on the committee. In ma,ing selections
of community and business representati$es appropriate representation of
the District.s di$ersity shall be considered.
DEMOGRAPHIC STD! !
&
Enrollm#nt$Gro%t&$Ac&i#"#m#nt
District Enrollment
School Enrollment
2ot on a campus
DEMOGRAPHIC STD! !
0
Strong and +eak *reas of Student Performance *reas
Based on our &#!0 accountability data our strength is in Science. We
performed at 8:M across the grades on Science ST**) e%am with all of the
sub+groups performing at 8#M or better with the e%ception of our S'6D and
6>> population. Small gains across each of the sub;ect areas were made from
&#!& to &#!0G howe$er &#!& was not an accountability year. The a$erage
increase for each of the sub;ect areas is nine percentage points.
Writing seems to be our lowest sub;ect area across the grade le$els howe$erG
writing appears to be the lowest for our )egion as well as State. >ess than
1#M of our *frican *merican S'6D and 6>> populations were able to pass
the state assessment at 'hase in I >e$el &.
Spring ISD is currently Stage 0 for the 'erformance Bases Monitoring and
*nalysis system due to the performance of our S'6D and 6>> populations.
We ha$e large achie$ement gaps across each of the sub;ect areas for our
S'6D and 6>> students. @f the 08 campuses that our district has &- of those
campuses missed system safeguards in the S'6D and 6>> categories for one
or more sub;ect areas.
Political and G#ogra'&ical C&aract#ristics
Socio!Economic levels of Families
*ppro%imately 80M of Spring Independent School District deri$es from low
socio+economic homes. *ccording to the &#!# census that was completed
the a$erage household income was N99!&9 compared to the sta$es a$erage
household income of N1#"&#. The district currently ser$es 0& campuses
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9
under Title I 'art *. 6ach of those 0& campuses ha$e school+wide programs
$ersus targeted assistance programs.
Parental,Community %nvolvement
6ach month the district holds 'arental *d$isory 4ouncil meetings as well as
'arental In$ol$ement Seminars. @n a$erage out of the 0:### students in the
district we a$erage about !## to &## parents and or community members
attending parental or community e$ents.
Parent,'eacher Organiation
4urrently &1 of the 08 campuses in Spring ISD ha$e acti$e 'arent Teacher
@rganiBations I'T@J. 6ach 'T@ is made up of a 'resident who the building
principal chooses a Cice 'resident who is elected a Treasurer a Secretary
and other members. The 'arent 6ngagement 4oordinator for the districts
conducts audits of 'T@ accounts and (les at the beginning of each school
year. The 'T@ is re3uired to submit monthly (nancial statements to the
building principal as well as the 'arent 6ngagement 4oordinator. Teachers
are allowed to be members but are not allowed to hold oAce positions.
Signi-cant .eographical Characteristics
To my ,nowledge there are currently no geographical characteristics that
impact students or families.
District Professional Sta/
Lears of 6%perience
(#"#l of E)'#ri#nc# *um+#r P#rc#nt
Beginning Teachers !81 O-M
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1
!+1 Lears 6%perience 8!! O00M
:+!# Lears 6%perience :#9 O&-M
!!+&# Lears
6%perience
9:8 O&&M
@$er &# Lears
6%perience
!"0 O8M
>e$els of 6ducation for Teachers
Hig&#st D#gr## *um+#r P#rc#nt
2o Degree &0 !M
Bachelor.s Degree !:&! 81M
Masters Degree 9"9 &9M
Doctorate Degree !! #.1M
Demographic 4haracteristics
(#"#l of E)'#ri#nc# *um+#r P#rc#nt
Male 9"- &0M
7emale !:1& 88M
*frican *merican :!- &"M
Hispanic 08- !-M
White !#": 1!M
@ther 18 &.8M
Pot#ntial Ar#as for Im'ro"#m#nt
@ur district currently has si% campuses that are in school impro$ement under
the state accountability system with facing reconstitution. We ha$e &0
campuses that missed one or more system safeguards for Writing Special
education and or 6nglish >anguage >earners. We ha$e si% campuses that are
in school impro$ement under the federal accountability system. We ha$e
the opportunity to impro$e the performance of Special 6ducation students by
implementing a co+teach model that e=ecti$ely uses the general education
DEMOGRAPHIC STD! !
:
teacher as well as the Special 6ducation teacher. We could also impro$e the
performance of Special 6ducation by pro$iding training to teachers as well
as campus leaders about di=erentiationG this would also help to increase the
performance of our 6nglish >anguage >earners. We can also impro$e the
performance of 6nglish >anguage >earners by implementing a uniform model
for bilingual and 6nglish as a second language programs across the district
that are speci(c to elementary and secondary needs. It may also be helpful
to begin a push to ha$e all core+content area teachers becoming 6S>
certi(ed and trained in a either the Sheltered Instruction Model or the
Sheltered Instruction @bser$ation 'rotocol. In reference to the Writing
de(ciencies which are also state de(ciencies we should begin trying to
implement writing across sub;ect areas as well as a uniform model across the
district where 6nglish >anguage *rts teachers are able to e=ecti$ely teach
reading and writing together instead of isolation.
,#y Stak#&old#rs and Community
Pey sta,eholders in Spring ISD include the parents and students. The
parents that are currently the most $ocal are those that feed into the Spring
High School. 'lanet 7ord is also one of the districts biggest business partners
at this time. We also ha$e a Spring alliance of pastors of churches that
include 7allbroo, Woodlands 4hurch and 4hampion 7orest Baptist 4hurch.
(#ad#rs&i' Strat#gi#s
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Some of the leadership strategies that are currently followed in Spring ISD
include that of adherence to the chain of command open lines of
communication between all in$ol$ed parties inno$ati$eness as well as
ma,ing sure that all in$ol$ed parties understand their role in assisting the
district meet goals as well as li$e out the mission and $ision of Spring ISD.
DEMOGRAPHIC STD! !
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