8 Greenway Plaza
Suite 900
Houston, TX 77046
2025 Awardee
Elementary School
Part of the “Houston Schools That Inspire” Series
By Meron Tekle
Nitsch Elementary is a 2025 Houston School That Inspires because it proves what’s possible when you build a school that runs like a well-oiled machine, and as Principal Ward says, “protect instructional time like a grizzly bear”. Rather than look for silver bullets, Nitsch got to work on the intentional rollout of carefully designed systems. Tight routines. Clear expectations. Relentless follow-through. It’s not always flashy, but it’s effective, and every student knows exactly what’s expected of them, every single day.
At Nitsch, success isn’t about one great lesson or one superstar teacher. It’s about consistency across every classroom, every minute, every student. This is a place where data drives planning, systems drive consistency, and students drive their own learning. This kind of consistency doesn’t stifle creativity, it makes space for it. Because when students feel safe, structured, and seen, they can focus on what really matters: learning.
Systems that create predictability and calm
Every minute counts, every moment is planned
Weekly PLCs where student progress guides instruction
Grade-level leaders who drive consistency and support
Staff aligned on goals, expectations, and accountability
When Principal Frank Ward arrived in 2019, Nitsch was grappling with a culture of low expectations. Ward and his team didn’t start with slogans or high-stakes mandates. They began with alignment. Everything at Nitsch, from how lessons are taught to how transitions are managed, is guided by a shared belief in The Mission: Every child. Every day. It’s not a motto for the walls; it’s a bar for how the school operates. Meeting that bar means building a school where instructional time is sacred.
Nitsch’s turnaround success began with clear expectations for lesson planning, classroom management, and student work. As Brené Brown says, “Clear is kind.” Teachers know exactly what’s expected of them, and students are equally clear on what’s expected of them. This creates an environment where everyone knows what excellence looks like and how to achieve it.
At Nitsch, systems are the foundation that brings that clarity to life. Classrooms follow a “basic shell” of direct instruction with tight mini-lessons, guided practice, and independent work. Every day at Nitsch begins with 30 minutes of Response to Intervention (RTI), a targeted effort to meet each student where they are. This is followed by Tier 1 instruction, designed through backward planning from district benchmarks. The schedule is purposeful and tight, ensuring that every moment counts. Every minute is accounted for.
This consistency creates a calm, focused learning environment that doesn’t depend on any one teacher’s charisma. During my visit, I entered a classroom where 60 students were deeply engaged, working quietly in small groups. Only later did I find out the teacher was covering two classes in the absence of a team teacher. The learning hasn’t paused because the systems protect instructional time, and there is always a plan to ensure that no student gets left behind.
These PLCs are not just about looking at data; they’re about making data actionable. Lead teachers play a critical role in coaching their peers on how to refine instructional practices to meet the needs of their students. These conversations focus on identifying gaps and exploring instructional strategies to address them. Every teacher has the tools they need to adapt their instruction to meet the exact needs of their students.
What’s striking about Nitsch is how visibly students own their data. Students plot their own data on classroom walls at the end of every lesson. They are familiar with the language of the TEKS. They can tell you whether a task is meant to get them to “approaches,” “meets,” or “masters.” The focus is on ensuring that each teacher and student has a clear, actionable path forward. This culture of data-driven precision creates an environment where no one has to guess about what works. They know exactly what’s working and why, every single week.
For all the structure, there’s plenty of personality at Nitsch. Students earn a grand-prize trip each year on a charter bus, a reward that feels just extravagant enough to be memorable. There are yearly themes–this year’s is “Blue Skies,” inspired by The Princess and the Frog–and Assistant Principal Gilbert is known campus-wide as the Countdown Queen. Even these joyful touches reflect a deeper strategy. As Ward puts it, “I was raised on the principle that you have to build it extrinsically to get it intrinsically.” Here, joy is the result of safety built through systems and predictability. Students feel it. Families name it. And it’s only possible because the adults are working with shared goals, clear expectations, and unwavering belief in kids’ potential.
If you visit Nitsche these days, you may not find Principal Ward or any of his administrative team where you expect them. Principals here aren’t readily found in an office behind a desk: Ward himself leads grades 3-5 PLCs, while his assistant principals work with K-2. To replicate his campus’s success, he also coaches two other principals in the district as they attempt similar turnaround efforts.
Perhaps the most inspiring thing about Nitsch is that, by spreading Principal Ward’s genius, the school is no longer an outlier, but a blueprint. This is a school that proves a campus doesn’t have to rely on superheroes or shortcuts to improve outcomes. You just need a team willing to build systems, stay consistent, and move with steady intention.
At Nitsch, the work is never done. But that’s the point. Every child. Every day.
8 Greenway Plaza
Suite 900
Houston, TX 77046
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