At Highpoint School, science isn’t just a subject—it’s a spark that ignites curiosity and transforms classrooms into vibrant discovery hubs. With the help of teachers Andrew White and Xavier Montgomery, students are diving into hands-on experiences and exploring their curiosity about the natural and social world.  

The pair joined #TeamHCDE in August and bring nearly 25 years of combined experience to the classroom. White believes science opens students’ minds to every living part of the world and is necessary to continue building a better society. Montgomery shows scholars they can learn from their mistakes through various experiments and turn those errors into new ideas.

Students can explore several branches of science throughout the year, including earth, life and chemistry, by participating in mock frog dissections and reactive experiments like soda geysers and popping bags. Educators plan to wow the classroom with a mystery matter experiment as a liquid in a bag becomes solid upon touching.  

“My philosophy is simply fun,” said White. “I incorporate learning ideas and strategies that ensure students will be engaged through fun, hands-on activities.” 

The knowledge and skills gained through those activities build a foundation for their next step. Campus leaders are helping the science and mathematics departments collaborate for Highpoint’s inaugural science fair, where students will draw inspiration from their classroom activities and bring new experiments to life.  

“A science fair is a way to showcase the students’ talents and inspire their peers with their development and hopefully give everyone a chance to learn more from one another,” said Montgomery.  

Added White: “This would allow our students to express their creativity through research, data analysis and presentations while facilitating abstract thinking and problem-solving skills.” 

To learn more about HCDE’s Special Schools, visit hcde-texas.org/special-schools.