Edgar Allan Poe Elementary School | |
---|---|
Location | |
United States | |
Coordinates | 29°43′40″N95°24′25″W / 29.72778°N 95.40694°W |
Information | |
Type | Elementary school |
Established | 1928 |
School district | Houston Independent School District |
Principal | Jeff Amerson |
Grades | K-5th |
Communities served | Boulevard Oaks (including Broadacres), Southampton, Shadyside, Neartown (including Montrose), Houston Museum District area, a portion of Riverside Terrace, a portion of Upper Kirby, Greenway Plaza |
Website | houstonisd.org/Domain/12254 |
Architect | Harry D. Payne |
---|---|
Part of | Boulevard Oaks Historic District (ID02000117 [1] ) |
Designated CP | February 22, 2002 |
Edgar Allan Poe Elementary School is a primary school located at 5100 Hazard Street in Houston, Texas, United States. A part of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), the school, which was built during the 1920s, [2] is located in the Chevy Chase subdivision of the Boulevard Oaks neighborhood west of Rice University. [3] The school, a National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) historic district contributing property of Boulevard Oaks, [4] was named after Edgar Allan Poe.
Poe Elementary, as of 2001, had about 700 students. It has bilingual programs for all grade levels and a fine arts magnet program. [5] The 1980 Houston/Harris County Metropolitan Area Southwest-Westpark Corridor Transitway Alternatives: Environmental Impact Statement of the Urban Mass Transportation Administration described Poe as "a thriving, well-integrated magnet school". [6]
From 1974 to 2021 the Poe Cooperative Nursery School (Poe-Co), a privately-operated pre-school, was located on the Poe school grounds; it was established in 1974 in order to revive enrollment at Poe Elementary. It earned National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation in 1991, making it the first parent cooperative preschool to do so. Poe-Co moved from the Poe Elementary grounds after HISD removed private preschools from public school properties.
Poe was established in 1928. [7] It was originally an elementary school reserved for white people and others who were not black. It was previously called "Chevy Chase Elementary School". [8]
The Poe Elementary School Attack occurred on September 15, 1959, when a man named Paul Orgeron detonated a bomb during recess at Poe Elementary School, killing himself, a teacher (Jennie Katharine Kolter), a custodian (James Arlie Montgomery, for which Montgomery Elementary was named [9] ), and three 7-year-old boys (Billy Hawes, Jr., John Fitch, Jr., and Dusty Paul, Orgeron's son). Ruth Doty, the principal, was partially deafened in one ear by the blast.[ citation needed ] Unlike school attacks in the early 21st century, there was no constant national and international media coverage of the Poe attack. No memorial was constructed at Poe Elementary. HISD named two new elementary schools after victims of the attack: Kolter Elementary School in Meyerland and Montgomery Elementary School in Southwest Houston. [10]
Poe was desegregated by 1970.
In 1985 a new classroom wing opened. [11]
From 1986 [12] to 1996, [13] Poe Elementary served a section of River Oaks as the neighborhood program of River Oaks Elementary School had been removed. [14]
Ann McClellan served as principal of Poe beginning circa 1990, and according to the Houston Chronicle , during her tenure Poe "earned its reputation for high TAAS scores and academic standards." [15] She served in that capacity until 2001, when Debbie Verdon became principal on July 23. Verdon previously worked in the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District as a principal. [15]
When the 2005-2006 school year concluded, Will Rogers Elementary School closed. Poe Elementary School gained the portion of the Will Rogers zoning boundary that was east of Weslayan. [16] [17]
Jeff Amerson became principal in 2011; he formerly taught at Pershing Middle School and The Rice School, and prior to becoming Poe's principal he was the principal of Garden Oaks Elementary School. [18]
Poe became an International Baccalaureate Primary Years school on February 22, 2016. [19]
Poe Elementary, which has a light pink, velour brick exterior, copper sheet metal in a natural tone, and a multicolored natural slate roof, uses an American Colonial and Georgian theme. It was the prototype of Architect Harry D. Payne's school design for HISD. [20] Poe's sister schools are River Oaks, Briscoe, Field, Henderson, and Wharton elementaries, which all share the same floor plan. Payne gave each of those schools its own unique exterior. [21]
The school library, previously consisting solely of the area of three classrooms, received an over $80,000 renovation and expansion in 2002. Parents and other area residents contributed $50,000 while the parent-teacher organization (PTO) held fundraisers and other events to generate $40,000. As of 2002 [update] the school library had six IBM compatible computers and four iMacs. [22]
Poe Elementary has a fireplace and chimney given to the school by Ima Hogg. As of 2010 the fireplace is located in the art classroom. [23]
The building is a contributing property of the Boulevard Oaks Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. [1]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2016) |
The school has dance, music, Suzuki violin, and visual art classes as part of its magnet program. [18]
As of 1985 [update] about 200 Poe students lived north of U.S. Highway 59 and used a bridge on Woodhead Drive to travel to the school, south of the freeway; at least twenty students regularly traveled as pedestrians while about 66% of those north of U.S. 59 were driven in private cars. School bus service was not available since the students lived too close to the school. [24]
Every year Poe Elementary holds a carnival patronized by members of the Boulevard Oaks community, parents, and future parents. The carnival raises funds to cover budget gaps not supported by HISD or by the State of Texas. [25] The school also holds an annual auction fundraiser. [26]
Poe students (since fall 1998,[ citation needed ] as of 2006) have to wear school uniforms. [27]
At first, students had a choice of white, red, yellow, or navy blue T-shirts and polo shirts and school T-shirts. [28] Later the school banned all non-Poe logo shirts. As of 2006, all shirts must have the Poe logo.
Students must wear khaki bottoms.
The Texas Education Agency specified that the parents and/or guardians of students zoned to a school with uniforms may apply for a waiver to opt out of the uniform policy so their children do not have to wear the uniform; parents must specify "bona fide" reasons, such as religious reasons or philosophical objections. [29]
There is a formerly affiliated private preschool, Poe Cooperative Nursery School (Poe-Co), which historically shared a campus with the public Poe elementary school. It was established after a decline in enrollment at Poe Elementary in the 1970s that occurred due to racial integration. [30] While the parents themselves administered the school and served as assistants in the classrooms, HISD provided the building space and the supporting utility and maintenance services. [30]
Then-HISD superintendent Billy Reagan suggested that a private preschool open on the grounds of Poe Elementary. [31] The preschool opened on February 4, 1974, [11] with two classes of students. The enrollments of these two classes were filled shortly after PoeCo opened. Poe Elementary received an increase in enrollment after PoeCo opened. [30] The preschool was originally held in temporary locations, [11] with some located in the Poe property and some outside of Poe. [30] In 1985 two classrooms in the north wing of the Poe school building were converted into preschool classrooms. [11] The preschool earned National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation in 1991, making it the first parent cooperative preschool to do so. [11]
Each parent of an enrolled student must work at the preschool for two days out of every month. [32]
PoeCo holds an annual garage sale to support its operations. [33] PoeCo parents also assist in the wider Poe Elementary carnival by manning booths and/or babysitting for parents who work in the carnival. [34]
In 2020 HISD announced that it will expel private preschools from HISD campuses. HISD was trying to build its own public preschools, and HISD receives funding from the state for public preschool students but not private preschool students. [31] It moved to St. Matthew Lutheran Church effective June 2021. [35]
The school serves multiple neighborhoods and areas: [36] Boulevard Oaks (including Broadacres), [37] Ranch Estates,[ citation needed ] Southampton, [38] Shadyside, [39] Rice Village,[ citation needed ] a portion of Neartown [40] (including sections of Montrose, [41] Castle Court, Dearborn Place, Richwood Place, and a portion of Lancaster Place [42] ), portions of the Houston Museum District area, [43] a portion of Riverside Terrace, [44] and a portion of Upper Kirby (areas of the district located west of Edloe and north of Westpark, residential areas located east of Edloe, west of Kirby, and north of U.S. Route 59, and residential areas east of Kirby). [45]
In addition, the 2727 Kirby condominium complex, [46] and the Greenway Condominiums (14 Greenway and 15 Greenway), are zoned to Poe Elementary.
A Houston Housing Authority (HHA) public housing complex, the Ewing Apartments, is zoned to Poe. [47]
Most residents of the Poe attendance boundary are zoned to Bob Lanier Middle School (formerly Sidney Lanier Middle) in Neartown, [48] while a few are zoned to Cullen Middle School. [49] All residents of the Poe attendance boundary are zoned to Mirabeau B. Lamar High School in Upper Kirby. [50]
Poe Elementary serves as a polling location during elections. The Houston Press ranked it as the best polling center in Houston in 2003. [51]
River Oaks is a residential community located in the center of Houston, Texas, United States. Located within the 610 Loop and between Downtown and Uptown, the community spans 1,100 acres (450 ha). Established in the 1920s by brothers Will Hogg and Michael Hogg, the community became a well-publicized national model for community planning. Real estate values in the community range from $1 million to over $20 million. River Oaks was also named the most expensive neighborhood in Houston in 2013. The community is home to River Oaks Country Club, which includes a golf course designed by architect Donald Ross and redesigned in 2015 by Tom Fazio.
Montrose is an area located in west-central Houston, Texas, United States and is one of the city's major cultural areas. Montrose is a 7.5 square miles (19 km2) area roughly bounded by Interstate 69/U.S. Highway 59 to the south, Allen Parkway to the north, South Shepherd Drive to the west, and Taft to Fairview to Bagby to Highway 59 to Main to the east. Montrose neighborhoods include Cherryhurst, Courtlandt Place, Hyde Park, Montrose, Vermont Commons, North and East Montrose, Mandell Place and Winlow Place. Montrose is also less well known by the moniker Neartown, encompassing Superneighborhood #24.
Bob Lanier Middle School, formerly Sidney Lanier Junior High School/Middle School, is a middle school in Houston, Texas, United States, with a ZIP code of 77098. Lanier, a school of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), handles grades 6 through 8. Named after former mayor of Houston Bob Lanier, the school is located in Neartown and near Montrose and has both neighborhood non-magnet and Vanguard/IBMYP gifted/talented programs. Lanier's neighborhood program serves Montrose, Afton Oaks, Boulevard Oaks, River Oaks, Southampton, and other communities.
River Oaks Elementary School is a magnet school, and neighborhood school, part of the Houston Independent School District. It is located in the River Oaks neighborhood of Houston, Texas, United States As of 2022, Brett Gallini is the principal.
Lamar High School is a comprehensive public secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States. It is a part of the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Lamar High School, was established in 1936 in memory of Mirabeau B. Lamar (1798–1859), a leader in the Texas Revolution and the second President of the Republic of Texas. Lamar has a four-year program, serving grades 9 through 12.
George Cameron Scarborough High School is a secondary school located at 4141 Costa Rica in Houston, Texas, United States with a ZIP code of 77092. Part of the Houston Independent School District, Scarborough serves grades nine through twelve and has Houston ISD's Futures Academy.
Southampton Place, also known as Southampton, is a neighborhood located in Houston, Texas. The Southampton Civic Club Inc. is the homeowners' association.
Boulevard Oaks is a neighborhood in Houston, Texas, United States, containing 21 subdivisions north of Rice University and south of U.S. Highway 59. Developed primarily during the 1920s and 1930s, Boulevard Oaks contains two National Register historic districts, Broadacres and Boulevard Oaks. The Boulevard Oaks Civic Association (BOCA) is the common civic association for all 21 subdivisions.
Edgar Gregory-Abraham Lincoln Education Center (GLEC) is a K-8 school located at 1101 Taft in the Fourth Ward area of Houston, Texas, United States. Gregory-Lincoln is a part of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and has a fine arts magnet program that takes students in both the elementary and middle school levels. Originally built in 1966 as Lincoln Junior and Senior High School, it later operated as Lincoln Junior High School until Gregory Elementary School merged into it in 1980, forming Gregory-Lincoln. The school moved into its current building in 2008; the rebuilding was delayed due to concerns that U.S. Civil War-era graveyards would be disturbed by the rebuilding process.
Montrose is a neighborhood located in west-central Houston, Texas, United States. Montrose is a 7.5-square-mile (19 km2) area roughly bounded by Interstate 69/U.S. Highway 59 to the south, Allen Parkway to the north, South Shepherd Drive to the west, and Taft to Fairview to Bagby to Highway 59 to Main to the east. The area is also referred to as Neartown or Neartown / Montrose.
Evan Edward Worthing Early College High School is a secondary school located in the Sunnyside area of Houston, Texas, United States.
Ross Shaw Sterling High School, also known as Sterling Aviation High School, is a secondary school located in Houston, Texas. Sterling, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the Houston Independent School District. The school was named after Ross S. Sterling. Sterling has Houston ISD's magnet program for Aviation Sciences.
James D. Ryan Middle School was a secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States. The Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan, a magnet middle school, now occupies the campus.
Harvard Elementary School is a public primary school in the Houston Heights neighborhood of Houston, Texas, United States. Harvard, a part of the Houston Independent School District, serves grades Pre-Kindergarten through 5.
Dora B. Lantrip Elementary School is a primary school at 100 Telephone Road in the Eastwood community in the East End region of Houston, Texas, United States. The school is within the Houston Independent School District (HISD).
William H. Wharton K-8 Dual Language Academy, formerly William Wharton Elementary School, is a public school in the Neartown area of Houston, Texas, and part of the Houston Independent School District. Also known as the Wharton Dual Language Academy, the school serves gifted and talented students in the Language Magnet program from Pre-K through 8th grade.
Hyde Park is a historic community located in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston, Texas. Its southeast boundary is the intersection Montrose Boulevard and Westheimer. The neighborhood was established in the late 1800s on the summer farm of the second President of the Republic of Texas, Mirabeau Lamar. In the 1970s, Hyde Park became a central part of the Gay Rights Movement in Houston. Like much of Montrose, the neighborhood is now experiencing significant gentrification, and is home to an abundance of restaurants, including Mexican, Italian, Greek, American, Lebanese, coffee houses, and numerous bars.
Ella J. Baker Montessori School, formerly Woodrow Wilson Montessori School and Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, is a public K-8 Montessori school in the Cherryhurst Addition subdivision in the Neartown area of Houston, Texas. A part of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), Baker serves as the neighborhood elementary school for a section of Neartown, including a portion of Montrose. It also serves as a magnet school for all of HISD's territory. As of 2014 it is one of three public Montessori programs in Houston. It was the first HISD school to use the Montessori style for all students, as well as housing HISD's first Montessori middle school program.
St. Matthew Lutheran Church 5315 Main St. Houston, Texas 77004
2727 Kirby