Each spring, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) celebrates the Week of the Young Child to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.
This year, that observance takes place April 6–12, and HISD campuses across the district will be celebrating with events scheduled throughout the week.
For more information about The Week of the Young Child, including frequently asked questions, visit the NAEYC Web site.
Here are some other dates you might want to mark on your calendar:
- March 10–April 4: second window for Early Notification Period
- April 1-30: Distracted Driving Awareness Month
- April 9 (.pdf): Payday
- April 10: Regular Board meeting
- April 18: Good Friday (school in session)
- April 22: Earth Day
- April 23 (.pdf): Payday
- April 26: National Take-Back Day
- May 2: Gen TX Day
- May 4: Lemonade Day
- May 8: Regular Board meeting
- May 10: Houston Art Car Parade
- May 17: Empty Bowls
- May 26: Memorial Day (school in session)
- May 29: Last day of school (students)
- May 30-June 8: Graduation ceremonies (.pdf)
Q: I know that HISD now uses the AESOP application to handle its substitute teaching assignments, but where can I find someone to help me if I have a question?
A: Please contact recruiter Luis Carreon at 713-556-7373 or send an email to
associateteacher@houstonisd.org.
| If you have a question for Ask HISD, please send an email to AskHISD@houstonisd.org. |
Lucretia Copeland
Lucretia Copeland didn’t start out wanting to be an art teacher, but a casual suggestion made by her son years ago has resulted in a lengthy career doing just that.
“I was so frustrated at the time, as an environmental engineering student,” said Copeland. “And my son came and put his arm around me and said, ‘You love art and you love kids. Why don’t you be an art teacher?’ At the time, I just laughed at him.”
Copeland has been teaching art since she joined Team HISD in 1984, first at Deady Middle School, later at Cage Elementary, and now at Herrera Elementary, where she’s been for the past 16 years.
“One of the highlights of the year was having one of my fourth-graders, Breanna Kring, win ‘Best of Show’ at the Houston Livestock and Rodeo this year,” said the Oklahoma City native. “I’ve had six or seven students earn that distinction over the years, and it just shows how far these kids have come. It really gives me hope for the future. There’s a lot of support in this community and it really makes a difference.”
Copeland officially marked her 30th anniversary with the district on April 5, but several other employees are also marking theirs this week (March 30–April 5). See if you know anyone on this list:
25 years
- Carmen Rodriguez, manager, Accounts Payable
20 years
- Amparo Arbizu, teacher, Rodriguez ES
- Estella Avalos, teaching assistant, Scarborough ES
- Cenaida Betourne, teacher, Wainwright ES
- Maria Castro, teacher, Rodriguez ES
- Maria Celestinos, teaching assistant, Tijerina ES
- Richard Hall, senior plant operator, Construction & Facility Services
- Cynthia Nemons, student records specialist, Office of Student Support
- Eunice Warfield, clerk, Grissom ES
10 years
- Ramiro Arredondo Jr, painter, Construction & Facility Services
- Susana Gonzalez, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
- Edward Marek, teacher, Hamilton MS
- Robert MacHado, officer, Police Department
- Pontus Murphy-Kimble, teacher, Fondren ES
- Susanne Oliver, teacher, Lovett ES
- Ricardo Sahagun, plant operator, Construction & Facility Services
- Jerry Woodbury, senior telecoms repairer, Construction & Facility Services
5 years
- Todd Berry, teacher specialist, Welch MS
- Carlos Bravo, associate teacher
- Patricia Cook, nurse, Stevens ES
- Esperanza Gil, custodian, Construction & Facility Services
- Thomas Haney, associate teacher
- Nathan Henderson, associate teacher
- Juanoga Kendrick, account representative, Medicaid/Property Mgmt
- Hubbard Lennard, associate teacher
- Erika Longtin, teacher, Bonham ES
- Dalea Lugo, associate teacher
- Melanie Miller, associate teacher
- Marmar Mollazal, associate teacher
- Timoteo Pedraza, mechanic team lead, Transportation Services
- Willie Pharms, crossing guard, Laurenzo ECC
- Kecia Rose, teaching assistant, Hines-Caldwell ES
- Eun Sim, teacher, Martinez ES
- Guadalupe Smith, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Sherilyn Smith, associate teacher
- Donna Watson, crossing guard, Wesley ES
- Kamanonie Wiley, teaching assistant, Daily ES
| Check back next Friday for more April Milestones. Leave a comment below if you’d like to congratulate any of the above employees. |
If you’ve been trying to think of a way to advance in your career, look no further. HISD has a new Toastmasters club that can help you develop the skills you need.
Toastmasters is a nonprofit organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Members learn more about public speaking, how to conduct a meeting, how to listen effectively, and how to provide constructive feedback. HISD’s Toastmasters club currently has 30 members and is accepting applications. It received its official charter on Jan. 9.
To see if Toastmasters is right for you, come sit in on one of the monthly meetings. Meetings take place on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month from 5:05 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th St., 77092), in either the cafeteria or Room 1E02.
All new members will receive a manual and resources about how to become a better speaker and more confident leader.
For more information, please contact Kim Golden or Theresa Campos at 713-696-0600 or kgolden@houstonisd.org and tcampos@houstonisd.org.
Info session about online degree programs April 16
A number of universities now offer fully online degree and certification programs through Academic Partnerships, including five within the State of Texas.
To learn more about each one’s offerings, as well as which programs may qualify for up to $8,000 in TEACH grant funds, please visit the websites noted above.
Lamar University will also be hosting an information session in Room 3C10 of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th St., 77092) on Wednesday, April 16, 2014. Please see details in this related flyer (.pdf).
The info session on the masters programs and certifications will start at 4:30 p.m., while the session on bachelor degrees will begin at 5 p.m.
To RSVP to this session, please send an email to Rhonda.Jordan@apdegrees.com. Visit this site for additional information or to apply online.
Apply to Fallingwater residency by April 30
Educators who long to explore the world of legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright can do so this summer at his masterwork in Mill Run, Pennsylvania through a residency at Fallingwater.
The deadline to apply to this program is Wednesday, April 30, 2014. For complete details, click here.
Get LinkedIn! Join the HISD employee group for discussion, updates
The Houston ISD LinkedIn group is a virtual meeting place where district employees can connect, collaborate, and share information and ideas. If you have a LinkedIn profile, please take a moment to join the group—just select “group” in the drop-down search menu and enter “Houston ISD,” then click “join group.” If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, go to www.linkedin.com and create one. Please be sure to list your employer as Houston ISD.
Tiffany Williams
Tiffany Williams, a fifth-grade teacher at HISD’s Bonham Elementary School, has been named the 2014 Elementary Teacher of the Year by the Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators (HAABSE).
Williams was selected from a field of 91 distinguished educators, who were nominated from Alief, Aldine, Houston, Humble, Spring, and Stafford ISDs. She was formally recognized at the organization’s annual awards ceremony on Feb. 13.
Runners up for Teacher of the Year honors from HISD schools were: Ladell Bessard (Kashmere Gardens ES), Julia Andrews (Brookline ES), and Leon Pitts II (North Houston Early College HS).
HAABSE also awarded five scholarships to graduating seniors who plan to become educators, including two from HISD: Shonterrick Johnson and Steven Ntanyosha, both North Forest High School students who plan to attend Texas A&M University this fall.
Congratulations also go out this week to:
- Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy Principal Delesa O’Dell-Thomas, who has been invited to participate in the Dean’s Roundtable by the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University on May 2. She is one of 19 educators to be so honored.
- Park Place ES, Rodriguez ES, and Sanchez ES, which were all named 2014 Bronze Award winners by the National Center for Urban School Transformation. Read the full story here.
| If you know someone who should be featured in Accolades, please email us at info@houstonisd.org and tell us why. |
Martha Sandoval
This week’s Shout Out goes to Martha Sandoval, a SIMS clerk at West Briar Middle School, for her great attitude and sunny disposition.
“I’ve known Martha for seven years, and she remains friendly and positive to work with at all times,” said secretary Shanta Young. “She’s extremely reliable and always willing to help in any way. She even volunteers at her church, feeding the homeless. She is an exceptional mother, employee, and friend, and a great asset to West Briar Middle School.”
| Know someone who deserves a shout out? Send an email to info@houstonisd.org with the subject line “Shout Out for eNews!” and tell us why. |
Fallingwater, the Frank Lloyd Wright masterwork in Mill Run, Pennsylvania, is now accepting applications from teachers of any subject at any grade level to participate in its summer residency program.
Each program offers 12 people intimate access to an architectural masterpiece, featuring on-site design studios with practicing architects, thoughtful discussions led by Wright scholars, and other unique study opportunities.
Participants can examine Fallingwater from above and below, inside and out, in a detailed exploration of this world-famous architectural landmark.
For a deeper understanding of the building, residents will also examine the ecology of Western Pennsylvania’s unique landscape, explore the value of sustainable building and contextually derived building methods, and pursue the poetry of light and sound, which is a part of Wright’s work.
Teachers will use the process of discovery as a fresh model for stimulating student-directed learning.
For more information and applications, visit the Fallingwater website or contact Fallingwater Education Assistant Jennifer Hiebert at jhiebert@paconserve.org or by phone at 724-329-1441, ext. 1204.
The deadline to apply for this residency is Wednesday, April 30, 2014. Applications postmarked by March 31 are eligible for a $100 discount.
The wait is almost over. Parents who are anxious to find out which magnet school their child will be attending next year will be notified on March 28 by mail or email, depending on how they filed their application. If they applied online, they will be notified by email on March 28. If they applied with a paper application, letters reporting the status of their child’s application will be mailed on March 28.
For complete details, please see this related article.
Here are some other dates you might want to mark on your calendar:
- March 10–April 4: second window for Early Notification Period
- March 29: Whole Kids Farmers’ Market
- March 29: Houston PBS Spelling Bee
- April 1: New employee orientation
- April 2: Light It Up Blue (autism awareness)
- April 6–12: Week of the Young Child
- April 9 (.pdf): Payday
- April 10: Regular Board meeting
- April 18: Good Friday (school in session)
- April 22: Earth Day
- April 23 (.pdf): Payday
- April 26: National Take-Back Day
- May 4: Lemonade Day
- May 8: Regular Board meeting
- May 10: Houston Art Car Parade
- May 17: Empty Bowls
- May 26: Memorial Day (school in session)
- May 29: Last day of school (students)
- May 30-June 8: Graduation ceremonies (.pdf)
HISD’s annual inventory is taking on fresh twist this year, with an outside firm handling the review, and new software being used to track assets.
Prime Systems has been selected by the HISD Board of Education to conduct the annual inventory of all assets at every school and district facility. The Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center will be inventoried from Monday, March 31, through Friday, April 4, between 10 a.m.-7 p.m. each day, and inventory is expected to be completed districtwide by July 31.
This is the first time an outside firm will be conducting the inventory, which in the past has been done by individual departments. Critical to this process is the new TIPWeb-IT software being used by the district to track assets. Someone from each department or campus attended TIPWeb-IT training to help streamline the district’s tracking process. A representative from HISD Property Management will be with the Prime Systems workers as they review each department.
If you have any questions, please contact the Property Management Department at 713-556-6506, or send an email to propertymanagement@houstonisd.org.
