Tag Archives: Davis HS

DiscoverU expands the number of educational travel opportunities for HISD students

DiscoverU has increased the number of partnerships it has with HISD schools to seven for the current school year, allowing even more students to expand their horizons through foreign travel, college campus residencies, business internships, and more.

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Davis HS culinary students sharpen their skills at charity event

Davis High School students had the opportunity to help raise money for charity and put their culinary skills to use at the Ronald McDonald House Charities Red Shoe Chef Challenge 2015.

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Dozens of students in the school’s culinary arts program spent hours making about 1,300 hors d’oeuvres on Oct. 8 that would be served to the approximately 350 attendees. More than 20 students were involved in the morning shift, and a second crew of students came in to complete the dishes.

Chef Tim Mehne and his wife, Kim, who supervised the students during the preparation of the hors d’oeuvres, said he has worked in the food industry for more than 40 years and described the students as “rock stars.” Continue reading →

Nine schools to participate in Marching Band Festival Oct. 6

Nine HISD high school bands will be strutting their stuff in the district’s eighth annual Marching Band Festival on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

The festival gives bands the opportunity to receive feedback on their music quality, sections, music effects, visual effects, and visual performance. The critiques will help the bands prepare for future performances and events.

Participating schools include: Continue reading →

Preparing today’s high school graduates for the future

HISD recognizes the need to instill in students the skills they will need to be successful after high school, in college, or the workplace, and to compete in today’s global economy. In this month’s edition of Up Close, HISD Board of Education President Rhonda Skillern-Jones discusses the skills and characteristics of the Global Graduate with HISD Secondary Curriculum and Development Officer Annie Wolfe, Davis High School Principal Julissa Alcantar-Martinez, Chief Elementary Curriculum and Development Officer Lance Menster, and Shadydale Elementary School Principal Tammie Daily.

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“HISD engaged industry leaders, educators, university professors, community leaders, parents, and students to determine what knowledge, skills, and dispositions are critically important to have in place when a child graduates from HISD,” explained Menster. “Interestingly, they all focused on the six characteristics that form HISD’s Global Graduate profile.” Continue reading →

Nutrition Services awarded second Oliver Foundation grant

Dietitian Jennifer Griffin Lengyel advices a parent during a community outreach event at Elrod Elementary School.

Dietitian Jennifer Griffin Lengyel advices a parent during a community outreach event at Elrod Elementary School.

HISD Nutrition Services has been awarded a second grant from the Oliver Foundation, a local organization dedicated to preventing childhood obesity. The award will help the department to promote, educate, and encourage HISD students to adopt healthy eating habits.

Nutrition Services received $3,000 from the Oliver Foundation last October and partnered with Davis High School’s culinary program to teach nutrition education to fellow students. The Oliver Foundation awarded $5,000 this year to Nutrition Services to continue its efforts.

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HISD officials attend ‘Rethink School Discipline’ gathering at White House

White House convening

From left, Shadowbriar ES Principal Mark Samuel, Davis HS Principal Julissa Alcantar-Martinez, and HISD Chief Student Support Officer Mark Smith at the White House.

HISD representatives traveled to the White House on July 22 to participate in “Rethink School Discipline,” a convening on how to improve school discipline policies and practices. HISD Chief Student Support Officer Mark Smith, Davis High School Principal Julissa Alcantar-Martinez, and Shadowbriar Elementary School Principal Mark Samuel attended the conference.

Across the country, there is concern that zero-tolerance policies in schools are resulting in more student suspensions and expulsions, which places students on the streets when they should be learning in school. According to the Civil Rights Data Collection, more than 3 million students across the country are suspended or expelled every year.

“The convening was a great starting place to discuss the need for a change to the zero-tolerance approach to discipline,” Dr. Alcantar-Martinez said. “They prompted us to re-evaluate our code of conduct and to work with students to include their insight into discipline options at all levels. We plan to share with our peers and work toward exploring alternatives that keep kids in school, thus reducing suspensions.”

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STEM fields come to life for ELL, migrant students at Rice

Twenty-eight students in HISD’s English Language Learner and migrant programs spent two weeks of their summer participating in hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities at the STEM Leadership and Design Fabrication Academy at Rice University.

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The students, who attend Austin, Chávez, Davis, Furr, Kashmere, Liberty, Lee, Sam Houston, Sharpstown, and Waltrip high schools, got a taste of what careers in a STEM-related field could be like. Continue reading →

DiscoverU providing HISD students with global education opportunities

Turning out global graduates is the mission of HISD, and Houston-based nonprofit organization DiscoverU is helping the district achieve that goal. Forty-four HISD students completed college and career preparatory programs worldwide during the 2014–2015 school year, and more than 200 more are taking advantage of programs this summer.

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HISD students to learn about finance at Rice Summer Business Institute

Rice University has chosen 21 HISD juniors and seniors to attend the 2015 Rice Summer Business Institute (RSBI). The program is designed to broaden the expectations of students from low and moderate income communities as to possible career paths and to develop business leaders for Houston’s future.

Bryan Davila (Chávez HS); Melissa Guzman (Davis HS); Jacory Bellnamy, Lesbia Espinal, Heili Torres, and Elvis Velazquez (Madison HS); Ernesto Camarillo and Lorena Lara (Reagan HS); Abigail Gonzalez, Ruby Rapalo, and Rosa Tristan (Sam Houston MSTC); Giovanna De Leon, Torrance Hunter, and Estefani Reyes (Sharpstown HS); Dante Perez (Wheatley HS); and D’Arius Jackson, Tiarra Jarmon, Joshua Kirkendoll, Charmaine Nealey, Tanya Owens, and La Tresia Wilson (Yates HS) will gain firsthand experience of the fundamentals of finance and business June 13–27 on the Rice University campus.

RSBI provides students with an insight into the world of business, economics, energy, and finance. Participants learn how the stock market works and how to manage a portfolio. They also learn about branding, inspiring others, making ethical business decisions, and how to start a business.

Peer-created video spurs Davis HS students to use STAAR tutorials

A short public service announcement created by members of Davis High School’s magnet media program has led to a serious bump in the number of students getting ready for the next round of STAAR End of Course (EOC) exams.

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The video, which features senior Esenia Mendoza, began appearing on the large screen in the commons area each morning beginning March 30. It was created to encourage students to take advantage of the STAAR EOC tutorials now available online.  Continue reading →