Oak Forest Elementary School - Houston, TX

Oak Forest Elementary School, nestled in a historic Houston neighborhood that has been revitalized into a vibrant, fast-growing and diverse community, maintains a small-town sense of community. Its 812 students hail from various cultures and academic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Oak Forest is an exemplary magnet school that has been serving gifted and talented students for 40 years. It also serves students with multiple disabilities and students with autism.

The school is home to a beautiful arboretum, outdoor stage and playground, compost vat, covered pavilion and vegetable garden, all part of a learner-centered environment. Campus life reinforces the school's commitment to educating the whole child and instilling strong lifelong habits. There's a Healthy Kid initiative that includes health and wellness (Yoga), a school-wide Fun Run, and the opportunity to participate in an off campus triathlon. There's an award-winning 4th and 5th grade band.

Oak Forest is a No Place for Hate campus, proud of its record embracing diversity and ensuring all students feel safe and valued. The school supports seven EMPOWER values - Effort, Motivation, Perseverance, Ownership, Wisdom, Empathy, and Respect - to EMPOWER students and families to be responsible members of society. To nurture students' leadership skills, Oak Forest began the Peer Assistance and Leadership Students (PALS) program to focus on teaching leadership skills through campus and community service.

Even as the neighborhood welcomes growing numbers of newcomers, many families remain generation after generation because of its beauty, its tightknit community, and the opportunities available at Oak Forest Elementary.