Sienna’s second elementary school, Scanlan Oaks, welcomed students in 2004 and is now in its third year. This state-of-the-art facility has grade-specific pods with networked, multimedia computers in each classroom, as well as a computer lab, computerized library, performance stage and space devoted specifically to musical and artistic pursuits. In addition, the floor of the physical education room is laid out with basketball and volleyball courts.
Michael Hejducek, an educator for more than 20 years and previously principal of Fort Bend Independent School District’s Mission West Elementary, serves as principal of Scanlan Oaks. Hejducek brings a “hands-on” approach to the school. “My philosophy of education is simple – make a difference to make an impact,” Hejducek said.A careful curriculum
Scanlan Oaks students receive a strong reading foundation that begins the first day of kindergarten. Students in lower grades work in small groups to learn literacy skills, build comprehension and improve reading fluency through the school’s guided reading program. Those with similar skills are grouped together and read a variety of materials at their specific levels. Teachers work with each group to strengthen and challenge students’ reading abilities. Students requiring extra help participate in a mentoring program, which pairs one student with one trained volunteer who works with the child throughout the year to improve fluency.
Students in all grades are invited to participate in the Texas Readers’ Club. Through this program, students read a variety of fiction and nonfiction books and submit written book reports. The number of books required for the Texas Readers’ Club increases in upper grades. Students meeting Texas Readers’ Club requirements are rewarded at the end of the year.
Scanlan Oaks’ reading emphasis is just one component of the school’s language program, which includes expressive and technical writing, grammar and spelling. This program complements a well-rounded curriculum that exposes children to a variety of math, science and social studies subjects, each carefully tailored to specific grade levels. In all areas, teachers use a hands-on approach, encouraging students not only to read, but to see, touch and hear through a variety of presentations, experiments, role-playing activities and more. Teachers also work to strengthen critical thinking skills through the Thinking Maps program, which provides eight different maps designed for students and teachers to utilize in all subject areas. The maps provide visual cues that help establish thought processes – classifying, comparing and contrasting; identifying cause and effect; and sequencing – and apply those processes in a manner that supports strong critical thinking skills.
A TAKS leader
Scanlan Oaks students made a name for themselves in the district, scoring well above their peers on the state-mandated Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test. TAKS covers more subject areas and tests more grades than the previously administered TAAS test, and also requires students to do more analysis and use higher-order thinking skills. The percentage of Scanlan Oaks students passing the various portions of the TAKS test for the 2005-2006 school year were:
| - | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
| Reading | 92 | 97 | 92 | 93 |
| Math | 98 | 97 | 97 | 96 |
| Writing | 99 | |||
| Science | 89 |
Even more impressive is the percentage of students achieving commended status on the tests, as high as 58 to 66 percent in some areas. For the 2005-2006 school year, sixth-grade students who would be zoned to Billy Baines Middle School when it opened remained at Scanlan Oaks and Sienna Crossing elementaries for their sixth-grade year because of overcrowding at Lake Olympia Middle School and continuing construction of Baines, now open along Sienna Parkway. The two Sienna-based elementaries now serve kindergarten through fifth-grade students. Scanlan Oaks has earned a Recognized rating from the Texas Education Agency.
Parents working together
A visible presence at Scanlan Oaks, parents raised nearly $20,000 before the school opened its doors, enabling Scanlan Oaks’ PTO to purchase extensive playground equipment for the school in its first year, a feat usually not accomplished at most schools until after several years of fundraising. The PTO raised an additional $45,000 during the 2005 inaugural Family Fit Fun Run, evening gala and live auction. Funds from that event were used to add fitness center outdoor equipment – complete with rock-climbing wall – to the school’s existing playground. Parents are targeting additional computer equipment as this year’s fundraising goal, with a significant amount of fundraising revenue allocated to that project. The popular event continued in 2006, again earning tens of thousands of dollars for the school.
In addition, MUD Nos. 2 and 3, which serve households zoned to Scanlan Oaks, each gave the school approximately $25,000 during the last school year. Those funds were used to erect a shade structure offering students protection from the sun during hot weather.
Visit their website: Scanlan Oaks Elementary
