Weekly Teacher Download for October 21

ALL TEACHERS

HISD Master Training Catalog: Haven’t found a training suited for you? The HISD Master Training Catalog for teachers and leaders is currently available through December 2019. To view a complete list, click here.

Innovation Fund Extension: The HISD Foundation is now accepting applications for its Innovation Fund program until October 22, which provides funds for teachers and schools to develop innovative projects that lead to increased student success. In addition, individual schools can apply for a $10,000 – $20,000 grant to innovate learning in their classrooms, and two or more schools in the same feeder pattern can apply for a School Feeder Grant of $10,000 -$20,000. To apply for the grant, teachers and schools can click here. Teacher and school applications will be awarded based on their alignment to district initiatives and impact on student success. For more information about the fund program, click here.

Sheltered Instruction PD: In collaboration with Seidlitz Education and ELLevation Education, Multilingual Programs will offer Sheltered Instruction and Instructional Strategies Professional Development for teachers who serve English Learners.  The goal is to equip all teachers who serve English Learners, Newcomers, and SIFE studentswith the best research-based practices to serve the needs of multilingual students. Participants will leave equipped with simple and flexible strategies for daily use to engage all students across content areas in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking in every classroom.  For details on the next training, click here.

Project Lead the Way Grant: In partnership with Project Lead the Way (PLTW), Verizon Innovative Learning has committed funds to support 20 grants (10 middle school and 10 high school) for PLTW Computer Science programs in sixth through twelfth grades. The grant is part of Verizon Innovative Learning’s commitment to quality computer science experiences for students at HISD. For this current round of grant funding, schools must choose one of two categories for their application. Schools that receive this grant must implement the program by 2020–2021 school year. An HISD Intent to Apply form must be completed and sent to the Grant Development Department before applying for the grant by Friday, October 25. If you are interested in the grant, please submit an internal application by Friday, November 1. For more information and details of the grant, click here.

Community Meetings: The Houston Independent School District Board of Education will be hosting several districtwide meetings to discuss the district’s board goals in October and November. The focus of these meetings will be to better understand the educational expectations of parents, students, and stakeholders. All community members are invited to attend and share their thoughts on the student outcomes they believe to be most important. For more information and details on locations, click here.

Parent Leadership Conference: HISD’s Office of Special Populations will hold its annual Parent Leadership Conference on Saturday, October 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W 18^th St., 77092). The conference is designed for parents and guardians of HISD students to learn supports and strategies that will help students to be successful – academically, socially, and emotionally. This year’s conference will feature a variety of workshops on how parents can work with their children at home. There is no cost to attend. Parents can register here. Childcare will be provided. For more information, click here.

It’s Back! Chevron Fuel Your School: Chevron’s Fuel Your School program is returning to Harris County this October. HISD teachers can submit their requests now until October 31 at DonorsChoose.org.Eligible project submitters include teachers, librarians, guidance counselors and school nurses that meet DonorsChoose.org eligibility. Approved classroom projects are eligible for Chevron funding if material costs are One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) or less per project (excluding taxes, vendor or order fulfillment fees.)  Field trips and professional development projects are not eligible for funding through this program. Chevron encourages classroom project requests that support STEM education.  For more information, click here.

ELEMENTARY

Lead4ward Elementary PD: HISD and Lead4Ward are collaborating to host district-wide professional development opportunities for third- thru fifth-grade math teachers. Sessions will be scheduled throughout the 2019-2020 school year, with the next one being held on Thursday, October 31 from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at HISD Education Learning Center (10725 Mesa Dr., 77078). Teachers will attend sessions specifically designated for math campus champion, departmentalized, and self-contained math teachers. Instructional coordinators, math content area leads, and math administrators are also encouraged to attend. To attend this session, register in OneSource, course # 1439049.

SECONDARY

Students to Complete the FASFA and TASFA: How much does your students know about the financial aid applications? Completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and TASFA (Texas Application for State Financial Aid) is the first step toward receiving the various types of financial aid for school, and finishing your FAFSA/TASFA early is the best way to maximize college-award packages. To help students pursue their next steps toward a college education, check out this resource as a guide in completing the FAFSA/TASFA.

Upcoming CTE Trainings: The CTE department is hosting three professional development opportunities for the month of October. New CTE teachers are invited to attend a workshop on classroom management. Participants will learn best practices for developing systems and routines in the classroom. Register today in OneSource, course #1439229.  Attention CTE teachers who offer SolidWorks certifications.  You are invited to attend a Solid Works workshop where participants will learn the basic of Solid Works including parts and assemblies, as well as the built-in-tutorials and help features to facilitate working with students in a classroom environment. Focus will be on drawing and 3D printing. Register in One Source, course #1439233 (Solid Works Part 1) and course #1439234 (Solid Works Part 2).