In August 1994, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) opened the doors to a newly designed school that will offer students unique and challenging learning experiences, focusing on an integrated approach to curriculum. The Rice School/La Escuela Rice, the product of a collaboration with Rice University, will serve youngsters in kindergarten through eighth grade in an environment that will nurture lifelong learning, critical thinking, and responsible citizenship. (See the philosophical vision of the Rice School for the guiding principles of this collaboration.)

The photo above shows the side of The Rice School/La Escuela Rice during construction - March 2, 1994.

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Planning and Design

In designing The Rice School/La Escuela Rice, a planning committee of school and community representatives decided how best to create a school that would serve as a model for innovative, effective instruction and professional development for teachers throughout the area. After three years of careful planning, the result is an exciting new program that makes full use of available resources and challenges both students and teachers to reach their full academic potential.

The building itself is a model of architectural excellence, from its uniquely crafted structure to its highly functional interior. The two-story, 167,000-square-foot facility was custom-built with the school's mission in mind--to encourage learning in small clusters. The center core of the facility is the library, which will be fully equipped with video discs, CD-ROM, and the latest in computerized, on-line access to external data bases and other resources that stimulate research and problem-solving. The building also features project rooms and laboratories designed to engage students in science, art, computer-assisted learning, and music.