Memorial Elementary: A Century of Community and Learning in Rice Military
Memorial Elementary: A Century of Community and Learning in Rice Military
This year, Memorial Elementary School is celebrating a special milestone: its 100th anniversary. Located in the heart of the Rice Military and Crestwood neighborhoods, the school has a long history of serving the community. The land beneath the school was once part of Camp Logan, a large military training site during World War I.
A bird’s-eye view highlights Memorial Elementary’s place in the local residential area. When the school first opened in 1926, students attended classes in a repurposed Red Cross building left over from the military camp that had occupied the grounds.
1Between 1917 and 1919, more than 25,000 soldiers lived in tents on these grounds while preparing for service. The camp functioned like a small city, with its own hospital, library, and newspapers. 2The main entrance was located where the traffic roundabout at Washington Avenue and Westcott Street sits today. According to school records, Memorial Elementary was established in 1926 to replace the old Roberts Elementary School, which had been operating out of an original Camp Logan Red Cross building.
A Culture of Pride and Support
Principal Angela Lavergne shares that while high-quality instruction is a top priority for this A-rated campus, the "community feel" is what truly makes the school stand out. She describes the school as a place where staff is receptive to feedback and coaching, with a current focus on strengthening math skills and raising scores.
“So just being a Mustang, it’s pride, its growth, its achievement—it’s a culture here,” says Principal Lavergne.
This supportive environment is felt by teachers and students alike. Jimmy Purdon, an English and Social Studies teacher who was named campus Teacher of the Year, remembers how much help he received as a first-year teacher at Memorial. He found that the campus provided the right guidance and partnership to help him grow.
Campus Teacher of the Year Jimmy Purdon works with a student in his classroom. Purdon credits the strong mentorship and supportive leadership at Memorial Elementary for helping him grow from a first-year teacher into a leader on campus.
“It was definitely not a sink-or-swim situation,” Purdon shares. “There were really, really good mentor teachers here on campus. The leadership is always helping.”
Thinking Critically and Learning in Two Languages
Memorial Elementary offers students an International Baccalaureate (IB) program and a Dual Language (DL) program.
In the Dual Language classes, students spend half of their day learning in English and the other half in Spanish.
“Our goal is to develop our students to be internationally-minded, be critical thinkers, make real-world connections across disciplines and ask questions,” says Dr. Alejandra Perez, Assistant Principal and IB Coordinator. “The benefits are to ensure we’re developing a well-rounded student who can function in any space, whether that’s at school, at home, in the community, anywhere.”
Fifth-grader Grace Henley takes her science lessons entirely in Spanish. She says her teacher has been a huge help as she masters a second language.
Fifth-grader Grace Henley sits near the school garden to discuss her science lessons. Grace shares that the class is "legitimately" immersive, requiring her to both speak and write entirely in Spanish.
“My teacher is really awesome because he’s really helped me in Spanish,” Henley shares. “He’s been doing lessons at the end of the day that’s really helped me with my grammar, my mechanics and all that stuff.”
Second-grader Tony Glaze is a member of the Dual Language program, and he excels in English-language public speaking through UIL (University Interscholastic League) competitions.
Second-grader Tony Glaze travels to schools across the area for UIL Public Speaking. He says the practice of connecting with new people has made him a more confident student.
Tony travels to different schools to compete against other students, and he says he never gets nervous when it is his turn to speak. “I like public speaking because I get to share my story,” says Tony.
Lessons in Bloom: Science Grows in the School Garden
Science comes to life in the school garden, where teacher Courtney Jennaro and parent volunteers help students grow crops like strawberries and purple broccoli.
The garden also features a composting program. Fifth graders collect food scraps from the cafeteria to turn into rich soil for the plants. Jennaro says this "whole circle" of learning helps students understand exactly where their food comes from.
“When they pull a carrot out of the ground, they can smell it,” says Jennaro. “It connects them back to where their food comes from. And maybe they're more likely to eat it in the cafeteria."
Students at Memorial Elementary grow crops like strawberries and purple broccoli in the campus garden. These hands-on lessons help students understand exactly where their food comes from.
Campus Close-Up: Memorial Elementary
You can learn more about the students and staff at Memorial Elementary by watching the video series below.
References
For more information about the history of the land and the school, you can access the following historical records:
- Camp Logan History (1917–1919): Details on the 25,000 soldiers and camp operations can be found through the Texas State Historical Association.
- Geographic Layout: Information on the camp entrance at the Washington Avenue roundabout is available via the Texas Historical Commission Atlas.
A bird’s-eye view highlights Memorial Elementary’s place in the local residential area. When the school first opened in 1926, students attended classes in a repurposed Red Cross building left over from the military camp that had occupied the grounds
Campus Teacher of the Year Jimmy Purdon works with a student in his classroom. Purdon credits the strong mentorship and supportive leadership at Memorial Elementary for helping him grow from a first-year teacher into a leader on campus.
Fifth-grader Grace Henley sits near the school garden to discuss her science lessons. Grace shares that the class is "legitimately" immersive, requiring her to both speak and write entirely in Spanish.
Second-grader Tony Glaze travels to schools across the area for UIL Public Speaking. He says the practice of connecting with new people has made him a more confident student.
Students at Memorial Elementary grow crops like strawberries and purple broccoli in the campus garden. These hands-on lessons help students understand exactly where their food comes from.