Mendenhall Elementary School

Achievements

District Science Fair, History Fair & Fire Poster winners; Plano ISD Education Foundation Grants to Educators; Plano ISD’s 2010 Superintendent Service award winner, Hortensia Chaves; Plano ISD’s 2015 Superintendent Service award winner, Patricia Carbajal; multiple district Excellence in Teaching award winners; Sam's Club Teacher of the Year winner; Presidential Academic Achievement award winners; and NASA Summer Institute participant and mentor teacher/presenter at Kosmos Energy STEM Teacher Institute-Perot Museum, Christine Barrantes. NASA Summer Institute participant and participant in the Perot STEM Institute, Shannon Sparks

Campus Programs

Title I reading & math; literacy support; special education; TAKE FLIGHT reading program; Strategic Reading; bilingual classrooms; English as a Second Language (ESL); One Way Dual Language Program; First Lego League (FLL) Robotics; art; physical education; fitness; music; Plano Academic Creative Education (PACE) for identified gifted and talented students;Social Emotional Learning (SEL); Longhorn Leaders; mentoring program; Young Readers program; guidance / counseling; PASAR after-school childcare; Buddy Field day; musical programs; field trips; spirit assemblies; Collin County Adventure camp (fifth-grade); Student Support Team (SST); Mendenhall Broadcast Company (morning announcements); Citizen of the Month; Marathon Kids; STEM Expo; Reading Buddies; school carnival; self-manager citizenship program; and After-school Academy.

Parent Involvement Opportunities

Parent/Teacher Association (PTA); classroom volunteers; School-Based Improvement Committee (SBIC); library volunteers; camp counselors; science fair judges; student and family services; parenting classes; Academia De Padres; mentors; school carnival; school-wide family nights; and book fair.

Community/Business Partnerships

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Plano; Chase Oaks Church; City of Plano; COSTCO; Kohl's Department Store; LULAC; McDonalds; Plano Rotary Club; Prestonwood Christian Academy;North Dallas Community Bible Fellowship; St. Vincent DePaul; Williams High School Peer Assistance and Leadership (PAL) Students; and Women's Service League.

History of Mendenhall

Mendenhall Elementary was built in 1952 as Plano’s first separate elementary school. It was named Plano Elementary School until its name was changed in 1961 to honor Aline Harrel Mendenhall, long time Plano educator.

Pioneer teacher Aline graduated from Mary Nash College in Sherman in 1894 and began teaching first-grade in the Plano schools. She left in 1900 when she was married, but returned to the public schools in 1920, retiring in 1947.

When the building was first constructed, it consisted of the present east wing, the cafeteria (now library), and the front west wing, which was shorter. The first addition to the building was before 1961 when two rooms were added at the west end of the front west wing.

In 1965 the wing for fifth and sixth-grade Open Classroom Team Teaching was added, and also the gym. That wing is the area now called the multi-purpose room and the second-grade. Further remodeling and renovations were done in 1973, 1987, and 1991. The last additions being the new kitchen and third, fourth and fifth-grade wings.