General Information

Mark Twain Elementary is a community of life-long learners, built upon a collaborative spirit that fosters inquiry based learning.  Our purpose is to promote and develop responsible, active and reflective citizens of the world.

Mark Twain Elementary School opened its doors on September 11,1950. It was named for one of America's most beloved writers and humorists, Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Mark Twain lived from 1835 to 1910. His best known books, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) were written as children's stories.

The school opened with approximately 800 students in 1950. It served a newly developed neighborhood in southwest Houston. As the neighborhood families matured, school enrollment dropped off. Mark Twain was actually scheduled for closure in the early 1980's, but the repopulating of the neighborhood by younger families, and the addition of the Extended Day Program and the G/T Program resulted in increasing enrollment. Over the last several years enrollment has increased 5% per year. 2001 marks the 51st year of elementary education at Mark Twain.

Mrs. Verna Jones was the first principal of Mark Twain Elementary.  Mrs. Jones served the school and the community for nineteen years until she retired in 1969. Eugene Wellingham served as principal for three years, from 1969-1972. Betty Ramazetti was principal for eight years, from 1972-1980. Joan Dotris was principal from 1980 to 1983. Dorothea Smith was principal from 1983 to 1985. Sally Clyburn was principal from 1985 to 1989. Steve Amstutz was principal from 1989 to 1992. Joyce Dauber became our current principal in 1992.  In 2005, Mark Twain became one of the first three elementary schools in Texas authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. 

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