River Oaks Elementary School is a Vanguard magnet school for the Houston Independent School District. Located in the Oaks River neighborhood of Houston, Texas, United States and serves as a neighborhood school for River Oaks, Avalon Place, Oak Estates, and the Royden Oaks neighborhood in addition to being a Vanguard school. By 2017 Dr. Keri Fovargue is the principal.
The school motto is "Where discovery is the foundation", indicating that everything done daily at school promotes learning (reflecting the fact that it teaches kindergarten to fifth grade). The mascot is a roadrunner.
River Oaks Elementary School has an accelerated multidisciplinary curriculum. This became one of the first three primary schools in Texas to obtain authorization for the Baccalaalaureat International Year Program (primary school division of the IB program) during the 2002-2003 school year, and the curriculum changed accordingly during the same school year.
In 2001 Lisa Gray of Houston Press described River Oaks as the most popular "base level Vanguard" program on HISD.
Video River Oaks Elementary School (Houston)
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River Oaks Elementary was designed by architect Harry D. Payne, who, in 1926, arrived in Houston after being hired by the Houston Independent School District to design the school. Payne delivers the same floor plan to River Oaks, Briscoe, Field, Henderson, Poe, and Wharton elementaries. He insists on giving each school a unique exterior. Payne said that River Oaks design is one of his favorite designs. The landscape architect William M. Anderson created a landscape plan. The River Oaks Corporation provides the land where the school is built, which is worth $ 50,000; the corporation wants the school to be built as soon as possible, thus selling the land for half the price to HISD.
Ima Hogg, Ny. Agnese Carter Nelms, and Mrs. Pat Houstoun was originally thought to have set up a private school, but after they approved the philosophy of the supervisor of HISD Edison Oberholtzer, they supported his efforts. Since HISD distributed most of the funds to junior and senior high schools, the "Complementary Auxiliary Committee" established by Hogg and other women funded a library furnished for the River Oaks. Hogg, a HISD official, and a group of mothers chose Eva Margaret Davis as first principal. Estelle Sharp, Hugh Potter, and Hoggs created a telephone campaign that made Oaks River mothers make phone calls to persuade Edison E. Oberholtzer, the supervisor of HISD, to model school education programs after John Dewey's ideals. The Oaks River opened in 1929.
As the school grew, more classrooms were added. The first permanent addition was built. Then the temporary building was erected in the school yard. In 1974 most of the Oaks River was assigned to the River Oaks Elementary School.
River Oaks Elementary was originally a white school; it was separated in 1970. The "ESG" Program (Sekolah Dasar untuk Yang Anggak) was established shortly thereafter. It was not the first magnet program in Houston, as the High School for Performing Arts and Visual Arts (HSPVA) was the first.
Before the desegregation, River Oaks Elementary had about 800 children. After the desegregation, many parents moved their children from River Oaks Elementary School, and the school was far below capacity. River Oaks became an exclusive public magnet school in 1986; during the previous school year, a total of 60 students were residents in the Oaks River neighborhood. At that time, the River Oaks mostly had older families. At that time the remaining families who have children have the money to send their children to private schools and prefer to do so.
From 1986 to 1995, up to 50% of homes in the Oaks River have changed ownership. In 1995 River Oaks Elementary had a waiting list, and it became one of Houston's most prestigious primary schools. In that year several new families had established themselves in the River Oaks and many of them were interested in sending their children to public schools.
Vanguard and environmental controversy
On March 2, 1995, HISD board Ron Franklin introduced a request by the River Oaks neighborhood to have an environmental school on the council table. Parents from the Oaks River, Oak Estates, Royden Oaks, and Avalon Place pressed schools to re-add environmental programs. Some Vanguard parents were concerned about the proposal, because they liked the Vanguard program and feared that introducing neighboring children would fabricate the Vanguard program, believing that the Oaks River parents would use political influence and money to underpin unqualified children accepted in the Vanguard program. Some parents believe that the River Oaks environmental program will reduce racial diversity in schools. In 1995 the school had about 500 students, with 40% White, 30% Black, 28% Hispanic, and 1% Asian. A large number of white, black, and Hispanic parents protested the proposal. Donald R. McAdams, former HISD trustee and author of Fighting to Save Our Urban Schools - and the Win!: Lessons from Houston , stated that Vanguard's parents feared having to give up complete control over the school and share power with people old neighbor.
During the year, the HISD school board voted on a proposal to open a school to neighboring parents. The four white board members agreed, while five non-white board members voted against it. Lana Shadwick, Harris County government's lawyer's assistant, campaigned for the HISD board to allow environmental registration at River Oaks. Two board members, Esther Campos and Robert Jefferson, said that the entity, through an intermediary at the request of Shadwick, offered $ 50,000 in contributions to a council elections campaign if they would change their votes, and threatened to mobilize a group of parents to campaign for their opponents. if they do not change their voice. Jose Salazar, an intermediary who contacted Campos, said that no such offer had ever been made. McAdams stated that the controversy caused public attention to focus on the HISD board and its racial makeup.
In an editorial, the Houston Chronicle staff argued that "Until there is another voice, HISD must continue its work to refine all HISD environmental schools to alleviate the concern that a child should be eligible for some type of magnet program, and is opposed at the whole city to ensure quality education, "and that voting is done from decentralization and not racial reasons, and so the perception that it is racial" helps to give inappropriate racial problems, which only serve to worsen a tense situation. "
Laurie Bricker, a member of the white board of HISD, introduced a new plan that allows Vanguard parents to include non-Vanguard children in the ward classes together with River Oaks environmental students. Bricker has an environmental program as an in-phase for calming Vanguard's parents but some poor HISD citizens dislike the program aspect. On 21 March 1996, the council voted in favor of the Bricker 5-2 program, with 2 abstentions. Many parents in the neighborhood accept the plan. Some of Vanguard's parents objected. McAdams said the vote ended the River Oaks controversy.
In the 1996-1997 school year, River Oaks Elementary introduced an environmental program, with a value for kindergarten until 2 soon recognized. A value of 3 to 5 is entered into the system. Prior to rezoning, parts of the Oaks River neighborhood were categorized to the Wilson Elementary School in Neartown, while the other sections were categorized into the Will Rogers Elementary School (which closed after the 2005-2006 school year), and other sections categorized into the Poe Elementary. School on Boulevard Oaks.
Post-controversy
River Oaks Elementary celebrated its 75th anniversary in the 2003-2004 school year. Jeff Bezos, an alumnus of the Oaks River, spoke at lunch during this event.
A new addition, which replaced the temporary building, commenced construction during the winter of 2005 and completed in summer 2007. The main architect is Joiner Partnership, Incorporated, and the main project manager is Heery International.
Maps River Oaks Elementary School (Houston)
Campus
The campus is located on Kirby Drive and San Felipe Road, close to River Oaks Country Club. As of November 2008 the school building has 7,570 square feet (703 m 2 ) space, and the site is 15-acre (6.1Ã, ha). The school, which has a sand-like color, has Colonial Revival/French colonial architectural style. The design, using natural slate, Texas limestone exterior, and light cement cement, received inspiration from the castle and smaller French buildings in New Orleans.
The original building is an "H", with the auditorium behind. The initial plan lies that 5 hectares (2.0 ha) will be dedicated to a play area with three playgrounds, with one for young children of both sexes, one for older boys, and one for older girls, as well as basketball courts, baseball diamonds for students of both sexes, gym equipment, jumping pits, tracks, sandboxes, swings for smaller kids, and volleyball courts. Playgrounds for smaller children will be placed in the middle of the play area tracts, playgrounds for older boys will be placed on the south side of the play tracts, and playgrounds for older girls will be placed on the north side. from the play channel. The plan calls for trees to be planted parallel to the sidewalks along Avalon Road, Kirby Drive and San Felipe Road. Auditorium built in square.
His kindergarten area once housed a fireplace, which, along with his chimney, was given to the school by Ima Hogg. In 2005, the fireplace was moved to the teacher's room during the renovation, and then placed in the attic. In 2010 there was an attempt to restore the fireplace, with donations being a source of funding. Azalea flowers, used in the landscape of various Houston landmarks, have been present in the school's landscape.
In November 2008 River Oaks Elementary alumni started a campaign to collect $ 3.4 million ($ 3864544.05 when adjusted for inflation) to build a new library. They have received a $ 1 million prize ($ 1136630.60 when adjusted for inflation). Plans for the library include a reading area with 16,500 books, a technology center with 32 computers, and a page. Jennifer Radcliffe of McClatchy - Tribune Business News said "The addition will put the Oaks River library - which already has one of HISD's biggest collections - head and shoulders above other campuses." Barry Bishop, a library information director at the Spring Branch School of Independent Schools, said the River Oaks Elementary library expansion "shook up equity issues" but because schools with poor students have access to federal funds, foundations and grants are inaccessible to schools with bodies richer students, "If you really see the money spent per student, at least from a library perspective, it's sort of an outgoing balance." An environmental activist from Sunnyside, Alice Pradia, believes that HISD is not enough to improve the school campus library.
River Oaks Elementary has a "natural center", which opened in 1990, which has a variety of plants as well as some insects and small animals in it.
Demographics
In the 2011-2012 school year, River Oaks Elementary has 717 students. 50% white, 20% are Asian or Pacific Islanders, 16% are Hispanic, 7% are black, and less than 1% are Native Americans. 8% of students are eligible for free lunch and reduced.
In 2014, approximately 56% of elementary school-aged children living at the River Oaks Elementary baseline attend SD River Oaks, according to HISD estimates.
Donald R. McAdams writes that in 1995, during a political area battle involving River Oaks Elementary students and the environment, River Oaks was a "middle-class school." Student mix is ââ40% White, 30% Black, 28% Hispanic, and 1% Asian. 9% of students are eligible for free lunch and deducted. According to HISD standards, all students are gifted and talented. McAdams writes that most of the gifted and gifted minority children of HISD come from middle-class households. In 1995, the largest group of River Oaks Elementary School parents lived in the City of West University Place and the immediate neighborhood.
McAdams writes that in 1995, White parents favored demographics because there was "expensive first class education in an almost perfect mix of ethnicities, and all of this with ethnic harmony." McAdams writes that demography makes schools appealing to River Oaks parents who want to send their children there.
Academics and talented and talented designations
Donald R. McAdams writes that in 1995 River Oaks "was not really full of gifted children". He cites the fact that, at the time, HISD placed an ethnic balance on a talented and talented list, with no more than 35% White and Asian and at least 65% Black and Hispanic as a whole, causing many White and Asian children to be excluded. In addition McAdams cited the mechanism for testing that was gifted at the time. In 1995, under Texas law, a gifted child was defined as a child in the 95th percentile. Testing for talented and talented status takes place in Kindergarten. McAdams writes that many children identified as gifted under this formula are only highly educated by their parents and this becomes apparent in the third grade. But the school will not fire a child who has been identified as gifted at the time. In 1997, HISD removed ethnic guidelines for Vanguard registration after a counter discrimination suit was filed in federal court.
McAdams writes that in 1995, compared to other Vanguard programs, the River Oaks test scores were on the "low" side. McAdams stated that eight neighborhood schools in the district's trustee district, 5, had higher average test scores than the Oaks River. The schools have minority enrollment from 27% to 52%.
Feeder pattern
All students categorized into Oaks River are also categorized to Lanier Middle School and Lamar High School.
Famous Alumni
- Jeff Bezos, the world's richest man, founder and CEO of Amazon.com
- Linda Ellerbee
- Adrian Garcia (member of Houston City Council)
- John Gray, author of Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus
- Fred Hofheinz (former Mayor of Houston)
References
- Ferguson, Cheryl Caldwell. Highland Park and the River Oaks: The Origin of Suburban Garden Planning Park in Texas . University of Texas Press, 2014. ISBNÃ, 0292759371, 9780292759374.
- Kirkland, Kate Sayen. Hogg and Houston Family: Philanthropy and Ideal Civic . University of Texas Press, September 21, 2012. ISBN: 0292748469, 9780292748460.
- McAdams, Donald R. Struggling to Rescue Our Urban Schools-- and Win!: Lessons from Houston . Teachers College Press, 2000. ISBNÃ, 0807770353, 9780807770351.
- Ulmer, Francita Stuart. "Introduction." In: Becker, Ann Dunphy (contributor: George Murray). Houston River Oaks . Arcadia Publishing, April 29, 2013. ISBN: 0738596698, 9780738596693.
Note
See also
External links
- the River Oaks Elementary School website
- River Oaks Elementary School at Wayback Machine (index archive)
- River Oaks Elementary School in Wayback Machine (index archive)
- Old Oaks River Oaks Organization
- Alumni River Oaks
- Article on IB River Oaks' status
- Urban Harvest Garden page for River Oaks Elementary
- Houston Press Class War
Source of the article : Wikipedia