BARBARA PIERCE BUSH ELEMENTARY

13800 Westerloch

Houston, Texas 77077-1900

281-368-2150 * FAX 281-368-2153

Barbara Bush Elementary School opened at mid-term in 1992. During its history, Bush Elementary has established a tradition of academic excellence. Bush is a neighborhood school that serves the students living within the geographic attendance zone. The student body is very cosmopolitan and represents many countries of origin.

Bush offers a number of programs to meet the special needs of its population. The Special Education Department includes the following classes: PSI (Preparing Students for Independence), SLL (Skills for Learning and Living), resource, and speech. The instructional program is diversified and exciting. It is a balance of tried and true methods, such as the systematic teaching of phonics, along with newer, more holistic approaches to learning. Students are grouped heterogeneously, except for gifted and talented Vanguard classes at each grade level. All students benefit from specialists in P.E., music, computer, art, and library. Bush has evolved from using a totally self-contained format to the use of teacher specialists in reading, math, and science. Teachers are “paired” to facilitate the delivery of instruction.

Bush has been ranked by the state of Texas as an Exemplary School since 1994. In 2001, Bush was ranked as a Five Star School by Texas Monthly magazine. We had the added honor of being rated one of the ten “Best of the Best” from among the Five Star Schools in the same demographic category. In 2002 and 2005, Bush was named as an Honor Roll School by the Texas Business Education Coalition/Just For The Kids Honor Roll (TBEC). In the fall of 2009, Bush Elementary received the TBEC Honor Roll award for the fifth time. The December 2006 and December 2007 issues of Texas Monthly listed Bush Elementary as one of the “Best Public Schools in Texas.” The National Center for Educational Achievement consistently recognizes Bush Elementary as one of the highest performing schools in Texas. In 2010, Bush Elementary was honored by the Children at Risk foundation as the second best elementary school in the greater Houston area which includes 40 counties. Children at Risk also ranked Bush Elementary as the sixth best school out of the 8,000 elementary, middle, and high schools in Texas. This major award is proof that Bush Elementary provides a challenging and rigorous academic program for all children. The Children at Risk Foundation continues to rank Bush Elementary as a top performing/high achieving school.

There are thirty-five different languages spoken by our students at home including: Spanish, Norwegian, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, and Korean. Bush has an English Language Learning (ELL) certified teacher at every grade level to meet the needs of the ELL students.

One of the greatest assets of the school is the supportive parent base. Bush began with a high spirit of parental ownership and involvement. That ownership has continued and grown. It is evident in the 850 volunteer hours donated each month and in the “standing room” only crowds at every school event that Bush parents are involved parents. On behalf of our school, the PTO has elevated fundraising to an “art form.” They have raised money for computerizing the library checkout system and for putting the card catalog on computer. They built a track and an outdoor nature center. PTO provides funds for inservice presenters and teacher workshops. The group also provides teachers on each grade level with funds to buy support materials.

Bush Elementary is an example of what can be accomplished when school district officials, building administrators, teachers, parents, and students work together to create a learning community for children.