FW: Gordon Elementary School

Allan-- we estimate 40-55% of the Enron sponsors have been severed, this would translate to approx. 200 kids. Of these, we have only needed to re-sponsor 12 children, but we won't know the final tally until Friday afternoon.

I also understand HISD public relations is issuing a PR today inviting all the press to Gordon elementary next week. The Holiday Party is 12/20. HISD phone is 713-892-6393.

Below is description of Gordon Elementary given to me by the school.

Let me know if you have questions.
kh 713-853-5559

Geneva - this is the overview of Gordon. Let me know if I can provide any
additional information.
ANNE E. STRYKER
Title I Coordinator
Maud W. Gordon Elementary
713-295-3767

< ----------
< From: Brenner, Arlene
< Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2001 12:01 PM
< To: Stryker, Anne E
< Subject: Gordon Elementary School
<
< Gordon Elementary School which is located in Bellaire, is an HISD school
< which is used solely as a relief school for the overcrowded and capped
< schools in Southwest Houston. Everyone of the 500+ students who attend
< Gordon is bused to the school from the Gulfton, Fondren Southwest and
< Westbury areas. These children who attend classes from kindergarten to
< fifth grade come from families that are primarily immigrants, refugees,
< and first generation Americans. They represent every inhabited continent
< except Australia (so far). All of Latin America has been represented at
< our school including the Caribbean, as are most of the major Asian nations
< such as India, Pakistan, Vietnam and Mainland China. European and Middle
< Eastern countries such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Saudi Arabia, and Iran have also
< been represented. At last count, we have enrolled children from more than
< ten Africa countries including Rwanda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sierra Leone,
< and Nigeria. We also have American born inner city children as well.
< However, our school is overwhelming Hispanic which at last count was 77
< per cent. In term of needs, although most of our families have one or
< more parents working, the number of students receiving free or reduced
< lunch this year was 98. 2 per cent which is down from last years figures
< of 99 per cent. We have had 100 per cent in years pass as well. These
< numbers indicate the percentage of families below the poverty level. As a
< result, we provide students with free or reduced lunch and breakfast each
< day. We also provide a free extended day program. What that means is that
< some of our children get on buses as early as 6:15 a.m. and don't return
< home until almost 6:00 p.m. What we have discovered over the years is that
< the needs don't stop there. We have learned to stock or attempt to supply
< all sorts of items. We try to stock RID over the counter head lice
< treatment as well as underwear and socks for little ones who have
< accidents. We have an on going need for school supplies, children's'
< shirts, blouses, slacks and jumpers, as well as sweaters and jackets for
< Houston's short winter. We try to give each student one gift at Christmas
< because we discovered that many families don't have the money to provide
< their children with more than the basics. We try to collect used bicycles
< to give away as door prizes for our family math and family reading nights
< to encourage parents to get involve in school. Both our library and
< classrooms are in need of literature books both in English and in Spanish.
< We do not have a PTO, so we have to find other sources to provide treats
< for field day or field trips or special day activities. We are always in
< need of tutors. We struggle to support our own home grown soccer league.
< We take the funds we collect from our Fall Festival (Halloween Carnival)
< to pay for a school wide field trip to the Oil Ranch which gives children
< an opportunity to see cows and chickens and cattle and to paddleboat on a
< lake. We pay for those children who cannot afford the $5 admission fee and
< we pay for the bus transportation. We try to underwrite the cost of buses
< for field trips and we raise funds for cultural performances such as
< plays, or musical performances because we realize this is the only
< exposure most of our children experience. We have been slowly
< incorporating MacIntosh computers into classrooms and are always in need
< of assistance in that area especially for the upper grades. We have wanted
< for a long time to plant bushes around our 9 t-buildings to make our
< campus more attractive for our children because so many of them stare at
< concrete apartment surroundings. On a personal level, I wish I could
< provide my teachers with tokens of appreciation that PTOs so often give to
< teachers but I have only sporadically been able to accomplish this.
<
<