We are so proud of our Sablatura and PJHW Quiz Bowl teams! Students studied general trivia and the Industrial Revolution all year by reading, sharing notes, and creating quizzes. Their hard work paid off at the district competition where the teams showed what fierce competitors they truly are.

🏅Fifth grade won first and second place in Super Quiz, and first place Themed Quiz.

🏅Sixth grade won first place in Super Quiz and first place in Themed Quiz.

🏅Seventh grade won second place Themed Quiz, first and second place Super Quiz.

🏅Eighth grade won first and second place Super Quiz.

Read more about the 2024 Quiz Bowl competition here.

Our Future Problem Solvers (FPS) and Math Club (TMSCA) teams will be heading out of town soon! Over 150 Sablatura and Pearland Junior High West students and sponsors are boarding busses on April 12th to travel to San Antonio and Waco for a weekend of competition. Students have worked hard all year to qualify for the opportunity to represent Pearland ISD. Good luck to all!

For more information about TMSCA, click here.

For more information about Texas Future Problem Solving, click here.

Twelve Sablatura teams attended the Gulf Coast Destination Imagination competition on Saturday, February 17th at Dulles High School. These creative teams worked together for four months to brainstorm, write scripts, design costumes and scenery, and practice to creatively solve a challenge. From the Blue Blobs to the Mighty Creators, all teams did an outstanding job at the competition and refined their skills in problem solving, teamwork, and perseverance along the way.

Check out the 2024-2025 challenges, then grab some creative friends to start a team in the fall!

Fifty young inventors shared their innovative ideas at the 2024 Sablatura Inventors' Showcase on February 9th. Students spent six weeks learning about the invention process and refining their ideas in a mini course taught by Mrs. VanderWoude and Mrs. Sadler. Inventions were evaluated by professionals on criteria such as practical value, originality, design and construction, Inventor's Notebook, and enthusiasm. The top inventors will represent Sablatura at the Houston Young Inventors' Showcase on May 18th at the Ion District. Our top 2024 inventions are:

• Bookly by Mila N.
• Aqua Smart by Manu G.
• Pet Perfect by Arnavi N.
• NoLeak Water Bottle by Henry W.
• Teeth Revival by Conrad K.
• Traveling Bakery by Jayce C.

We had a great season of robotics, full of teamwork, building, coding, and fun. Our PJHW First Tech Challenge (FTC) teams attended several competitions at Lutheran South Academy and improved each week. Under the leadership of Ms. Henderson, they are on a great trajectory and we hope to see our seventh graders return next year. First Lego Teams, under the leadership of Mrs. Beicker, did an awesome job at the regional competition. The teamwork and dedication exhibited by the Pearanauts, GrizzBots and Robo Tots throughout the season was fun to watch. The Texas Computers in Education (TCEA) teams, led by Mr. Tillis, hosted a friendly competition with Friendswood Junior High, where they were able to showcase their exceptional teamwork, programming skills, and strategic thinking.

We are extremely thankful for our robotics mentors this year: Pearadox team members, Mr. Pettys, and the awesome Andy Swafford. Andy started robotics with us as a fifth grader, continued through junior high, and has returned for several years to mentor our students. He has created instructional videos, constructed competition tables, judged competitions, and showed up each week to coach our TCEA teams. We will miss him as he is off at college next year!

"G/T Awareness Week happens the first full week of April every year and was created to increase awareness and encourage support of gifted education in Texas. Through online community discussions and social media posts, parents, educators, and advocates come together to celebrate giftedness. All throughout the week, TAGT will push out information and create conversations to dispel myths and provide a deeper understanding of the purpose of gifted education. This April, we ask you to share #whyGT matters to you, your family, and your school." (G/T Awareness Week. www.txgifted.org/gtawarenessweek)

GT Academy students are sharing what gifted education has meant to them this week and posting it on our #whyGT boards in the hallways. Students, parents, and teachers are invited to share their #whyGT stories with the Texas Association for the Gifted & Talented (TAGT) this week. Share your story here.

Texas Performance Standards Projects are an integral curriculum component for Pearland ISD GT Academy students. Through these projects students:

• explore an area of interest;
• develop confidence in their abilities to complete an independent research project;
• use their own research to produce an innovative, discipline-based product;
• are stretched to discover what they are capable of doing academically;
• learn to accept challenges in order to perform at a high academic and intellectual level; and
• improve communication and presentation skills.

This year, seventh grade students had the opportunity to connect their research topics to community outreach or career path exploration. We partnered with several community organizations and professionals so that students could experience their areas of interest in an authentic settings. The students learned a lot and were able to make meaningful connections. Thank you to GTA parents Mr. Pettys, Mrs. Muoki, Mrs. Gordy, and Ms. Kieffer for helping to organize our trips.

Quilting in the hallways after Spring Break has become a rite of passage for GT Academy students. Fifth graders are working together to design and sew quilts related to their Texas Performance Standards Projects research and will share them with the public at the annual GT Academy Student Showcase at the Pearland ISD Education Support Center on May 15th. We are so appreciative of our quilting volunteers that come to help.

As fifth graders are busy sewing quilts, sixth, seventh and eighth graders are creating maps, recording vlogs, writing grant proposals, choosing artifacts, making timelines, and preparing display boards for upcoming TPSP presentations.

We could not do this without our resident technology guru, Dr. Manning. She helps coordinate greenscreen photos and video recordings, provides tech tutorials, and supports any creative idea GTA teachers and students have involving technology.

Take a look at students in the product development process, and come see their presentations at the annual GT Academy Student Showcase at the PISD Education Support Center May 15th & 16th.

The 2024 GTAB Winter Hoopla and Silent Auction was a huge success! The Sablatura cafeteria was packed with GTA families eager to support our students and teachers. The talent showcase featured talented musicians, dancers, singers, artists and incredible aerial yoga performers. GTAB met their fundraising goal of $6,500 which will help to support student field experiences and mini courses throughout the year.

Students and teachers have been connecting through the fun "teacher experiences" that were won as part of the auction. Mrs. Maldonado hosted a murder mystery dinner, Mrs. Briggs hosted a sign painting party, and Ms. Singleton, Mrs. Needler, and Mrs. Arnold broke a sweat at the Nerf War with a determined group of students. Mrs. Mueller is looking forward to an afternoon of games and ice cream at Marble Slab with a few special students. Thank you to all the parents, teachers, students and community members who donated items for the auction and bake sale.

If you haven't already, join the GTAB fun! Become a member, or better yet, volunteer as a committee chairperson. There are so many ways to connect.

April 1-5 GT Awareness Week

April 2 - Spring Python course starts 4:00-5:30

April 4 - Sab Robotics Party 4:00-6:00

April 4 - Sab Incoming Parents Night 6:00-7:00 (incoming 5th grade)

April 8 -Solar Eclipse!

April 10 -7th / 8th ELAR STAAR

April 11 - 5th / 6th ELAR STAAR

April 12 -7th TPSP display boards due

April 12-14 TMSCA & FPS state competitions

April 16 - 6th Grade TPSP due

April 17 - 7th TPSP after school work session 4:00-6:00

April 18 - 5th / 8th Science STAAR

April 19 -Robotics to GRB Convention Center for World Robotics Competition

April 19 - 7th TPSP journal due

April 20 -8th Grade Formal 6:30-8:30

April 22 - 6th TPSP class presentations begin

April 23 - 7th Math STAAR / 8th History STAAR

April 24 -Algebra STAAR

April 24 - PJHW Parent Meeting "High School Ready"

April 25 - 5th / 6th / 8th Math STAAR

April 27 - Baylor TIP Recognition Ceremony in Waco

May 3 - 8th TPSP display boards due / 7th TPSP videos due

May 9 - 8th TPSP presentations

May 14 - 8th Awards & NJHS Induction 6:30

May 15 - 7th to Top Golf

May 15 - GTA Student Showcase (5th & 7th) 6:00-7:30 p.m.

May 16 - GTA Student Showcase (6th & 8th) 6:00-7:30 p.m.

May 17 - Sab GTA Game Night 4:00-6:00

May 17 - 8th to Galveston Pleasure Pier

May 18 - Houston Young Inventors' Showcase

May 21 - PJHW Spring Band Concert

May 23 - Last day for students

Wow! There's A LOT going on at the GTA. If you or someone you know is struggling with procrastination or organization, take a few minutes to listen to what our friend Seth Perler has to say. It might help.