Spring Branch’s two highly regarded district charter schools, Cornerstone Academy, a middle school, and Westchester Academy for International Studies, a middle and high school campus, will host open houses in January for prospective new students and parents. Both schools will accept new student applications soon, too.

Recent donations by district groups reflect Spring Branch's spirit of giving. Toys were donated to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program recently by SBISD counselors, while at Northbrook High, students in the Childress Foundation Academy program adopted a family from Treasure Forest Elementary School.

Several Spring Branch campuses are singing happy tunes after they were nominated recently for regional Tommy Tune Awards.. Four district high schools have been nominated and will be reviewed as part of the 2008 Tommy Tune Awards competition.

Two SBISD high schools, four middle schools and five elementary schools in Spring Branch have been named to Texas Monthly magazine’s annual list of the state’s Best Public Schools. The top performing schools -- including 11 Spring Branch campuses -- are listed in this month's issue of the well-known magazine.

The works of 25 art students at Landrum Middle School were exhibited during November inside Terminal E at Bush Intercontinental Airport as part of a "Celebration of Diversity" celebration sponsored by Continental Airlines. Three students of art teachers Andres Bautista and Morna Simon-Raffel received savings bonds for their efforts.