There’s more to learning than sitting at a desk. At Meridiana Elementary, teachers and staff believe learning should be an adventure with hands-on opportunities that excite kids.
Meridiana Elementary is located in the Meridiana master-planned community, giving them access to the enclave’s learning labs. Galileo’s Lab, for example, is an outdoor classroom that looks like a playground. The play equipment resembles a planetarium with a sextant and telescopes. The school principal works with the Meridian lifestyle director to find ways to use community resources to further engage students.
The school is committed to creating a culture of respect, integrity and commitment. Teachers and staff have been so successful that the school earned a Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase SchoolsTM award for the 2019-2020 school year from the Flippen Group. The award is given to schools that build an environment that helps children feel safe and accepted.
According to Niche, Meridiana is among the top 15 schools for having the best elementary school teachers in Brazoria County. That’s not surprising. Teachers at the school average 10 years of experience in education.
What else makes Meridiana a great choice for parents? It is part of the Alvin Independent School District. Niche ranked the district No. 145 out of 1018 school districts on its list of the Best School Districts in Texas. It ranks No. 15 in Houston.
Sierra Vista is proud that our young residents have the opportunity to attend Meridiana. Let the adventure begin!
Skip the expensive prix-fixe restaurant dinner and demonstrate your love with a home-cooked meal. What’s that you say? You can barely boil water? Not to worry. We’ve rounded up simple recipes anyone can do.
Love at First Sip
Shake up something pink, bubbly or chocolatey your special someone will fall in love with. Skip the box of chocolates and hand over the best chocolate martini you’ve ever had courtesy of The Pioneer Woman. Easy sophistication can be yours with this simple two-ingredient Kir Royale recipe from Ina Garten. Go classy with this vintage cherry sidecar. If your sweetheart doesn’t imbibe, stir up this hibiscus mocktini from Real Simple.
Big Love, Small Plates
As much as you might want to nibble on your lover’s ear, it’s probably better to start with one or more of these simple, yet delicious appetizers. Got Bisquick®? Then you can make these adorable red pepper-filled appetizer hearts. Figs are considered an aphrodisiac, so try this easy figs with bacon and chile recipe from Epicurious. Bake up brie with cranberry chutney to serve with heart-shaped crackers.
Time for the Main Course
Spend more time with your sweetie and put an elegant meal on the table with this quick-and-easy air fryer scallops with lemon herb sauce recipe. You too can master lobster (it’s really not that hard). Serve it with Geoffrey Zakarian’s herb-roasted beef rib-eye with roasted shallots for a perfect surf-and-turf meal. Single vegetarians won’t be single long with this Rachel Ray vodka cream pasta recipe.
Sweets for the Sweet
Everyone knows the way to your sweetheart’s heart is a decadent dessert. Try this two-ingredient chocolate mousse guaranteed to make your love say “wow.” You’re sure to get a kiss or two when you serve up Ree Drummond’s Oreo truffles. A match made in heaven deserves a similar dessert — like this peanut butter cheesecake covered in chocolate. Running short on time? Whip up these sophisticated raspberry truffle shortcakes.
Junior high schools prepare students for the academic rigors of high school and beyond. Doing so with panache is Manvel Junior High School.
The mission of Manvel Junior High School is to engage and empower students to become lifelong learners and problem solvers. Their 55 teachers average eight years of experience giving them the skillset to prepare students academically and emotionally for the future success.
Students need more than a strong academic program, and Manvel Junior High offers a number of sports and arts programs. Students can participate in football, volleyball, track, soccer, basketball, tennis and cross country. Students hoping to get a good grounding in football will be happy to hear that the eight-grade football team won back-to-back district championships in 2019 and 2020. The eight-grade girls volleyball team were the undefeated district champions in 2021.
Choir, band, theater, art and dance programs are also offered. Many students have gone on to participate in district show choirs, band ensembles and dance competitions. Students also have won awards in one-act play competitions.
Manvel Junior High benefits from being in the Alvin ISD. Niche ranked the district No. 145 out of 1018 school districts on its list of the Best School Districts in Texas. Nationally, the district ranks among the top 100 for Best School Districts for Athletes in America.
The district also is a finalist for the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards program.
Sierra Vista students are zoned to Manvel Junior High School ensuring they have a bright future.
Kitchens are one of the most used rooms in our homes yet when it comes to paint, they often get overlooked. Given that most kitchens are open to family rooms and dining areas, that’s a shame. Paint can set a mood, tie your kitchen to the family room and breakfast nook, make a small space feel larger or serve as the backdrop for elegant get-togethers. If you’re heading to your Sierra Vista builder’s design center, talk to the design representative about painting your walls and cabinets to harmonize with your countertops and backsplash. Not sure about the color? Here are the top colors for 2022.
Green
Green is “THE” color for 2022. From light mint to dark emerald, shades of green bring the outdoors inside. Choose a shade that contrasts with natural wood elements such as oak or walnut cabinets. Alternatively, paint your cabinets and island a dark hunter green as a sophisticated contrast to white walls and a tile backsplash.
Light Gray
Seen more and more in model homes, gray is the new beige. Dove gray cabinets pair nicely with black-veined marble countertops. Gray walls and white cabinets give the kitchen a modern look without the sterility of white on white.
Blue
Vibrant hues of blue are trending this year. Navy blue cabinets can make a kitchen feel cozy. Antique gold or brass hardware takes cabinets to the next level of elegance. Blue also provides depth to kitchens. If your kitchen is mostly white, paint the vent hood blue for a pop of rich color.
Yellow
Used correctly, shades of yellow can add warmth to cabinets and walls. Soft yellows contrasted with white cabinets make for a sunny kitchen. Use it to accent windowsills, door frames and islands. You can even mix it up a little with blues and greens. Remember too much yellow can be overwhelming.
Black
Monochrome kitchens may sound boring, but the look is crisp and elegant. Contrast it with a white subway tile backsplash and white counters for a modern look. Gray tile floors and black cabinets are elegant and perfect for homeowners that love throwing cocktail parties. Dark tones can make a small space feel even smaller so only try this combo on large kitchens.
Home buyers continue to flock to Sierra Vista, which saw a 22 percent increase in the sale of new homes last year and is now ranked No. 32 on a list of the nation’s 50 top-selling master-planned communities.
Robert Charles Lesser & Co. (RCLCO) recently released its annual tally, which takes the number of new homes sold in master-planned communities across the nation to compile the ranking. In 2021, Sierra Vista builders sold an impressive 579 homes — more than 100 homes than the year before. For 2020, RCLCO ranked Sierra Vista No. 45 on its list.
Prices from the $200,000s and a wide array of floor plans from 10 leading builders contributed to the sales increase last year. Builders in Sierra Vista offering new homes in Houston include Adams Homes, Anglia Homes, Ashton Woods Homes, CastleRock Communities, Colina Homes, Davidson Homes, Devon Street Homes, KB Home, Liberty Home Builders and Meritage Homes.
Other draws are Alvin ISD schools and immediate access to amenities, with Sierra Vista residents able to enjoy amenities at Sterling Lakes, another Land Tejas community that is adjacent to Sierra Vista. Those amenities include SplashPad Texas Water Park, a junior Olympic pool, an exercise facility, recreation center and more. Currently onsite in Sierra Vista are a playground, dog park and trails.
Sierra Vista is located along the Highway 288 corridor, minutes south of shopping and dining at Pearland Town Center and about 20 minutes south of downtown Houston.
