Pat Neff Elementary School

Pat M. Neff Elementary School

Principal Administrator	Anita Lundvall
Grade levels	Pre-K - 5
Founded	1965
School type	Public school (U.S.)
Religious affiliation	None
Location	Houston, Texas, United States
Enrollment	940 students (2005-2006 school year)
Motto	Neff Educates For the Future
Campus surroundings	Urban
Mascot	Eagles
School colors	Blue, Gold
School Hours	7:40 AM to 3:00 PM on Mon. - Thurs. 7:40 AM to 1:00 PM on Fri.
Average Class Size	24

Pat Morris Neff Elementary School is an elementary school in Houston, Texas located at 8200 Carvel Lane with a zip code of 77036. Neff, which serves grades Pre-K through 5, is part of the Houston Independent School District.

Neff is located in the Sharpstown area of southwest Houston. It is situated in the neighborhood bounded by the street of Beechnut, Gessner, Bellaire Boulevard, Fondren, and the U.S. Highway 59 (Southwest Freeway.) Approximately 940 students in grades PreK - 5, including Early Childhood, attend Neff Elementary School. The school was named after Pat Morris Neff, a former Governor of Texas.

Pat Neff's instructional programs include special education (ECH, Resource, Speech and BAC), bilingual, English as a second language (ESL), gifted and talented classes (including gifted bilingual programs) and after-school tutorials and clubs.

At Pep Rally for Excellence, Neff celebrates and honors those students who are on the Principal's Honor Roll or Neff's Honor Roll, those who have 100% attendance, and those who have excellence in conduct. Students who bring up all grades are recognized by receiving Neff's B.U.G. (Bringing Up Grades) award. Neff also offers after-school clubs that stimulate creativity, self reliance, and self-esteem.

At Neff, after-school tutorials are offered for student who are at risk of failing or who need special help. These classes are taught by classroom teachers. In addition to after-school tutorials, students are offered an extended day through the YMCA. Trained staff offer a well-supervised environment Monday-Friday until 6:00 p.m. An after-school Vietnamese tutoring class which includes sessions on Vietnamese Culture for grades K-1 and 2-3 is also offered at Neff.

Neff has established a Shared Decision Making Committee (SDMC). This committee is composed of the principal, teachers, parents, and community members. Based on test scores, attendance records, and parent surveys by the district, the committee has established these priority goals: 1) improve reading, writing, and math skills at all grade levels; 2) improve daily attendance by students and teachers; 3) increase parental and community involvement. The responsibility of education children is a combination of the efforts of parents, community, and the school. This involves communication between home, community, and school.

Neff has been granted a waiver by the Texas Education Agency that will alter the school day. The students will be in attendance the same number of hours and minutes weekly, but the daily schedule will change. This schedule will allow for a period (1:30-3:15) each Friday for teacher and staff training, parent workshops, and parent-teacher conferences.

History

Pat Morris Neff Elementary was built in the summer of 1965 in the young community of Sharpstown. Later on, Sharpstown Junior/Senior High School (the campus now houses Sharpstown Middle School) was built across the street west of Pat Neff Elementary. Every child living in the boundaries of Sharpstown was zoned to Pat Neff Elementary. Later on, Ed White Elementary was built to relieve Neff. In the fall of 2000, Pat Neff was so overpopulated that Sharpview Elementary was opened across the street, which later closed by HISD officials. Pat Neff was, in 2006, [http://www.houstonisd.org/HISDPortal/departments/ContentPage/0,3099,45555309_53732651_65892889,00.html] renovated with improvement of water pipes, air conditioning, and lavatory facilities.

Location

As mentioned, Pat Neff Elementary is located in the Sharpstown Area of Houston. Pat Neff Elementary is just a few minutes form the Sharpstown Center in Bellaire Boulevard and the U.S. Highway 59 (Southwest Freeway). Also, Neff is close to the currently renovated, Memorial Hermann Hospital Southwest on Beechnut and Highway 59.

tudent body

During the 2005-2006 school year, Pat Neff had an enrollment of some 940 students [http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/Neff_ES.pdf] .

Pat Neff Elementary opened as a predominantly white elementary school. As of 2006, Neff is a majority Hispanic school.

During the 2005-2006 school year, Pat Neff Elementary was 63% Hispanic, 16% Asian/Pacific Islanders, 13% African-American, and 8% White. Approximately 81% of students qualify for the free or reduced breakfast/lunch program. Due to the high percentage of students qualifying for the free or reduced breakfast and lunch programs, Neff continues to qualify as a schoolwide Title I school.

Neighborhoods served by Neff

Many parts of Houston southwest of Downtown Houston that are inside Beltway 8 and outside the 610 Loop are zoned to Pat Neff." [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/NeffES.pdf Neff Elementary Attendance Zone] ." "Houston Independent School District".]

The school serves most of the community of Sharpstown, which was Houston's first-ever master planned community. In addition, Pat Neff Elementary also serves the communities of Braeburn Glen, a portion of Braeburn Valley, a portion of Robindell, a portion of Sharpstown Country Club Estates and Sharpstown Country Club Terrace.

Transportation

Houston ISD provides school buses for students who live more that two miles away from the school or who have major obstacles between their houses and the school.

chool uniforms

Neff requires school uniforms. [" [http://es.houstonisd.org/neffes/Info/uniforms.htm Uniforms] ." "Neff Elementary School".] Students at Neff may wear Navy blue trousers, or walking shorts. In addition, girls may also wear skirts or Jumpers. All Neff students must wear solid white tops (collared shirts only). Acceptable shirts include White polo shirts. All shirts should have sleeves and a collar. White turtlenecks may be worn during cooler weather. The school does not allow any sort of T-shirts.

The school requires students to wear white socks (ankle socks are not allowed). Students in grades 1 through 5 must wear belts and looped pants.

Kindergarten students wear elastic waist trousers with no belts. All shoes must be closed-toed; sandals are not allowed.

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 [" [http://www.tea.state.tx.us/field/uniforms.html Uniforms] ." "Texas Education Agency".] ; parents must specify "bona fide" reasons, such as religious reasons for philosophical objections.

chool Song

The Pat Neff Elementary School song (adopted 1966) is as followed. [" [http://es.houstonisd.org/neffes/Info/learner.htm Neff Proud] ." "Neff Elementary School".]

Oh dear Pat Neff,
How great you are!
And for ever you will be,
So wonderful, so beauiful,
the only school for me!

The school colors,
are blue and gold.
The stand out bright and bold!
Neff has spirit,
and we are proud.
We gladly sing it loud!

Oh dear Pat Neff,
How great you are!
And forever you will be,
SO wonderful, so beautiful,
the only school for me!

BE NEFF PROUD!!

Feeder patterns

Pat Neff Elementary School's attendance boundary feeds into Sharpstown Middle School. [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/SharpstownMS.pdf Sharpstown Middle Attendance Zone] ." "Houston Independent School District".]

Neff's boundary feeds into two high schools: students north of Bellaire Boulevard attend Lee High School [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/LeeHS.pdf Lee High School Attendance Zone] ." "Houston Independent School District".] and students south of Bellaire Boulevard attend Sharpstown High School. [" [http://dept.houstonisd.org/ab/schoolboundarymaps/SharpstownHS.pdf Sharpstown High School Attendance Zone] ." "Houston Independent School District".] Students who are zoned to Lee may also go to Lamar or Westside High School.

References

External links

* [http://es.houstonisd.org/neffes/ Pat Neff Elementary School]