Fulshear-Katy Community Guide & Directory 2023-24

EDUCATION for Christ! While we have achieved much, we continue to look forward and advance the cause of Christ in the hearts and minds of our children. We continue to develop our administrative, faculty and staff teams to support our growing enrollment and service to our families.” Second Baptist also saw the need for expansion this year. The school was already home to students throughout the metroplex but is now ready to expand its locations in our area. Says Dr. Davis, “Families yearning for value-based education, and the forced rise of virtual education from the pandemic, were two factors that made it clear there was a need for a new education model at SBS. The school saw easy alignment between the market need, the mission/vision/values of our existing school, and the facilities available at additional campuses. These three factors were critical to the explosive growth of our University Model® schools on three (soon to be five) additional campuses.” When it comes to making the decision to enroll a child at a private or public school, Bickerstaff at Faith West Academy notes one big difference. “It is incredibly important to our school’s vision that we are able to choose curriculums that further our mission and purpose. We adopt, use, and alter

them to fit not only our academic needs but also the values of our school. Decisions are made in the best interest of our students and teachers, not in the best interest of the state.” She adds, “Faith West Academy provides rigorous academics in a safe, Christian environment grounded in reverence, respect, and responsibility.” Keeping God in the classroom and the lesson plans is preferred by some families, as it does not affect the ability to learn the same information as a public-school curriculum. Parenting decisions don’t come easy these days, so finding comfort in a school that feels like home for their children brings a sigh of relief for many. REACH FOR THE STARS “The World is Your Oyster”, “Grab Life by the Horns”, and “The Sky is the Limit” are just a few of the phrases a high school senior or new graduate is likely to hear. Believing in those idioms is where the excitement begins for a bright-eyed and ambitious young adult. KISD and LCISD graduation statistics are telltale signs of just how far a student can go when they take prestigious next steps. Lamar Consolidated reports a 4-year graduation rate of 94.4% for the Class of ’21, while Katy also saw an almost 95% graduation rate. In a recent

LCISD survey, 54% of grads were going to a Texas public college or university, 11% to private or out-of-state college or university, and the remaining 35% were considering other options like trade school, taking a break, or entering the workforce. As students enter the next level of education, their true passions can take shape. For many, that comes at a pace they can manage. Enrollment is now reaching pre-pandemic levels across the board. One trend at Houston Community College noted by Community Outreach Coordinator Montrose Cunningham, M.S., is the increase in online demand for working adults, while younger students are eager to get back to in-person classes. Whether the student is skilled in the workplace environment or unclear about where to focus their studies, there are notable areas of growth for all enrollees. The largest area of interest for students is in English and Communication, with business and liberal arts coming in behind. At The University of Houston at Katy, Senior Director of Communication Marisa Ramirez points out their popular areas as well. “The University of Houston at Katy (which is part of the UH main campus) features programs from the UH Cullen College of Engineering and the UH College of Nursing. These

subjects were decided by careful research (demographic studies, community task force, industry needs) when the instructional site was in its planning form. At UH at Katy, students may pursue the traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (starting the freshman/sophomore pre-nursing classes at main campus and finishing at Katy instructional site) or a variety of programs from Engineering.” Ramirez is also aware of the growth in our bustling area for young professionals and students. “The pandemic forced us to shut our doors just as we opened (the campus opened in August 2019 and had to close in 2020). We are seeing more interest in UH at Katy, as we anticipated. We look forward to more students learning about the Tier One university located right in Katy. We want to be part of the success of the region.” At Texas A&M University, Mays Business School is seeing growth across the board as well. Michael Alexander, Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, says, “We see strong demand for all our programs, and we have grown the number of programs we offer. Our MS Human Resource Management Program has a strong history in College Station. We created a version at CityCentre after the pandemic specifically to allow working professionals to enter the

ENROLLMENT FOR 2023 - 2024 SCHOOL YEAR IS NOW OPEN! SPOTS ARE FILLING QUICKLY!

2225 Porter Road Katy, TX 77493 www.faithwest.org

66 FULSHEAR-KATY COMMUNITY GUIDE & DIRECTORY 2023-24 ISSUE