The Branch School was founded in 1977 by Helen Shaner Hankins to provide an excellent educational environment for preschool children who attended a Christian Science Sunday School in the Houston area. Through the years, the school has grown to include kindergarten through sixth grade students, and in 1993 the school began accepting students from all religious backgrounds.

The Branch School moved into its present facility in January 1995. The 15,000 square-foot facility was made possible by a generous gift from benefactors LeRoy and Lucile Melcher and a major capital campaign. The building includes spacious classrooms, a library, a multi-purpose room, administrative offices, and a large, wooded playground. Our multi-purpose room used for events, Monday morning assembly, and stage productions is named the Lucile B. Melcher Hall.

Over the years The Branch School gained wide recognition through its participation in the world-wide Odyssey of the Mind program. Our teams consistently placed well in competitions, and they have even competed at the World Finals, winning eighth in 2003 and third in 2004. Currently, students are learning problem-solving skills based on the Odyssey of the Mind model. More recently our Outdoor Classroom program has won major awards, including “Best of Texas” from the Texas Parks and Wildlife in 2004 and the Lucie Wray Todd Environmental Education Award from the Houston Audubon Society in 2005.