Two HISD schools nominated for national Blue Ribbon Schools award

Two Houston Independent School District campuses have been nominated for the prestigious 2019 Blue Ribbon Schools designation.

The HISD schools are Field Elementary School and Project Chrysalis Middle School, which is a two-time nominee. The two HISD schools are the only ones in the greater Houston area to receive nominations. A total of 26 Texas schools have been nominated by the Texas Education Agency.

“I applaud the dedication and work ethic of the students, parents, teachers, staff, and principals for earning such prominent recognition,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Grenita Lathan said. “As the district leader, I want to ensure that every child receives the support they need to reach their full potential and we are able to create high-performing campuses across HISD.”

The national Blue Ribbon Schools award is given annually to public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students perform at very high levels. The award is also given to schools where exemplary progress has been made to close achievement gaps among subpopulations.

“I feel extremely proud of everyone who works diligently to make our students succeed,” Field Elementary Principal John Hendrickson said.  “It is a reflection of the daily hard work by our dedicated faculty, staff, parents, and students. We want to thank the district for giving us the resources we need to produce today’s global scholars and tomorrow’s world-class leaders.”

Field Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through fifth in Houston’s Historic Heights. Its academic programs focus on meeting individual needs by implementing early intervention strategies for all students, whether they are in Gifted and Talented or Special Education Programs. In February, Field Elementary will celebrate its 90th anniversary.

“It is an honor to receive this recognition for the second time,” Project Chrysalis Middle School Principal Jose Covarrubia said. “Every student, parent, teacher, and staff member at our school maintains extremely high standards and expectations. We place no limits on what our students can achieve.”

Project Chrysalis was designed as a small school alternative for children in Houston’s East End, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds. The school is housed on the Cage Elementary School campus. Project Chrysalis has been named one of the best public schools in Texas by Texas Monthly magazine. The school is a previous National Blue Ribbon Award winner.

Nominated schools must now complete a rigorous process of submitting achievement data and essays about their instructional methods to the U. S. Department of Education.

National winners will be announced in September.