Odyssey Academy Students Participate in the Future Cities Competition

Published on February 27, 2009 in Article. Closed Tags: , .

Future Cities Competition Team

Students at Odyssey Academy participated in the Future Cities competition on Saturday, January 26 at the Central Campus of San Jacinto College. Each team is required to design and build a city of the future that demonstrates the theme of the year. This year’s theme was “Self Sustained Water Conservation Systems in the Home”.

Odyssey students were awarded with a 5th place finish, Best Human-City Interaction Award, and one student, Adam T., was awarded with a special presenter’s award. Team members included Jackie V., Elizabeth R., Adam T., Angel R., Katelyn C., Jessica A. and Claudia P.

Action Alert: American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan

Published on February 10, 2009 in Press Release. Closed Tags: , .

We need the help of all teachers, parents and any other interested parties to take action NOW! Please send the message to congress that charter schools are public schools and deserve their fair share of the economic stimulus education funds that are to be given to public schools.

The House has passed, and the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved, the two Chambers’ versions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan (ARRP), the economic stimulus bill President Obama has called for. Both bills contain significant increases in education spending with new resources dedicated to school modernization, renovation, and repairs. The Senate bill reached the floor this week, and the two bills will need to be reconciled. The House bill is far more favorable to charter schools, and it is critical that the movement mobilize quickly to support it.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools has set up an easy way for folks to take online action: http://capwiz.com/publiccharters/issues/alert/?alertid=12516236. To accomplish this goal, we will need both grassroots efforts and direct approaches to key leaders. To request more information please contact resourcecenter@charterstexas.org

JetStream: Vol. 1, Issue 2

Published on February 2, 2009 in Link. Closed Tags: , .

Download the current issue of Jet Stream, Odyssey Academy’s student published newspaper! Vol. 1, Issue 2: January 7, 2009
Jet Stream

First Choice Power Fund Awards $50,000 in Grants to Innovative Teachers

Published on January 6, 2009 in Press Release. Closed Tags: , .

(IRVING, TEXAS) – The nonprofit First Choice Power Fund awarded $50,000 to provide 23 Texas teachers additional tools for creative teaching. Several recipients are in Galveston and its surrounding communities, including two Odyssey Academy teachers.

“First Choice Power Classroom Innovation Grants allow Texas teachers to provide fascinating and challenging educational experiences for our students,” said Diane Harrison Ogawa, executive director of the First Choice Power Fund, a division of the PNM Resources Foundation.

Applications for the annual grants were due in March. The awards are announced in the spring, giving teachers the summer to prepare their programs.

Texas teachers in communities served by First Choice Power applied. Local programs receiving funds for the coming school year are:

  • $2,800 to Lauren McDaniel of Odyssey Academy in Galveston for “Striking the Chord of Achievement”: Music is important to 13-year-olds’ life. Students will learn about the songwriting process, publishing and copyright issue. This class will put real guitars into the hands of its students and allow their creative expression to flow, nurturing imaginative, flexible and tough-minded thinking. Students will learn to read music, play the guitars, writing their very own song, and performing their songs for a school wide audience as they manage and produce the end of year school-wide Talent Show.

    Lauren McDaniel accepting award with students.

  • $2,800 to Bobby Markle of Odyssey Academy in Galveston for “Odyssey Wild”: Kindergarteners to eighth-graders will explore concepts such as weather, birding, local habitats, environmental cycles and reinforce invaluable skills such as journaling, data collecting and analyze, critical thinking. These projects will apply to science, math, writing and technology studies in the classroom.

    Bobby Markle accepting award.

For a complete listing of First Choice Power Classroom Innovation Grant recipients, visit www.FirstChoicePower.com/innovation/.

About First Choice Power Fund

The First Choice Power Fund is a division of the PNM Resources Foundation, a nonprofit established in 1983 to improve the quality of life in communities where the company’s customers and employees live and work. The PNM Resources Foundation is a separate nonprofit tax-exempt corporation and was originally endowed by a gift from earnings by shareholders of PNM Resources. No customer funds are part of the endowment. For more information, visit www.FirstChoicePower.com/community.

About First Choice Power

Based in Las Colinas, Texas, First Choice Power is one of Texas’ largest retail electric providers. It is one of four subsidiaries of PNM Resources, an investor-owned energy holding company. First Choice Power is committed to Simply Better prices, programs, customer care and community involvement. For more information, visit www.FirstChoicePower.com.

Bears for Brighter Spirits

Published on December 4, 2008 in Article. Closed Tags: , , , , .

Girl with donated bear.

Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department visited Odyssey Academy and donated teddy bears to all Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and First Grade classes. The students were so thrilled to receive the bears. Tamia said “I was so happy to get my bear!” The bears were given in hopes to brighten their spirits with all they have been through recently.

Special thanks to Linda Simpson, Diana Simpson, Lilli Crews and Rita Cortez for taking the time to make our students feel special.