Does your school need a gym or playground? If so, apply for a PLAY 60 grant and you could win up to $10,000 to create a new playground or refurbish an old one.
Just describe in 500 words or less how you would use the money and how many children would benefit from it and submit your application no later than Fri., Oct. 11.
For complete details, click here.
PLAY 60 is the National Football League’s campaign to encourage kids to be active for 60 minutes a day in order to help reverse the trend of childhood obesity.
Nominate Someone for an H-E-B Excellence in Education Award
All public school districts and state-certified, full-time public school teachers and principals currently within the H-E-B service area are eligible for nomination. Check out this page for details on award categories available, and this page to nominate someone.
Deadline is midnight on Jan. 10, 2014.
Houston Rockets hosting three HISD Nights in November
HISD’s longtime community partner, the Houston Rockets, will be hosting HISD Nights for district employees on Fri., Nov. 1, and Sat., Nov. 9, and Sat., Nov. 23, 2013.
Employees can get tickets to all three of these games at a discount, and everyone who purchases tickets through this special offer will get to shoot a free throw on the Rockets’ home court immediately after the game.
For details, please see this flyer (pdf).
If you still haven’t gotten your free flu shot, it’s not too late. The Texas Vaccine Institute will be providing them to all interested district employees through the end of October.
The shots are available at both campus and non-campus-based locations across the district. Check this schedule (.pdf) to find an upcoming date at a facility convenient to you.
The schedule is updated weekly, so be sure to check back if your campus or work location is not yet listed.
Please note that the free vaccines are available to employees only, who must present a district ID badge at the time the shot is administered.
The 2013 vaccine contains both the seasonal and the H1N1 antibodies.
In response to teachers’ request to “see” what exemplary planning looks like, Professional Support and Development has launched 15 new videos on the PSD website (www.houstonisdpsd.org) that align and support the understanding of PL-1, PL-2, and PL-3 of the Instructional Practice Rubric.
These videos are in addition to existing Video Exemplars showcasing effective teaching in HISD elementary and secondary classrooms.
The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is partnering with HISD to promote Earth Science Week Houston Oct. 13–19, 2013. As a special gift to district educators, AGI has donated 300 copies of the Earth Science Week 2013 Toolkit for use in classrooms. HISD science curriculum managers Teresa Phillips and Hortense Campbell are will be distributing these materials to district science teachers, but Houston educators are also invited to make use of the hundreds of additional resources available for free on the Earth Science Week Houston website.
Here are some other dates you might want to mark on your calendar:
- Oct. 1-31: National Principals Month
- Oct. 7-25: Combined Charities Campaign
- Oct. 12 & 13: Bayou City Art Festival
- Oct. 13-19: Teen Read Week
- Oct. 14-18: National School Lunch Week
- Oct. 19: Energy Day
- Oct. 23(.pdf): Payday
- Oct. 26: Marathon Kids Houston Kickoff
- Nov. 2: School Choice Fair
- Nov. 4-8: Magnet Awareness Week
- Nov. 5: Election Day
- Nov. 5: New employee orientation
- Nov. 6(.pdf): Payday
- Nov. 14: ADL’s Houston in Concert Against Hate
- Nov. 18-22: SPARK Parks Week
- Nov. 23 & 24: Vio Colori Street Festival
- Nov. 27-29: Thanksgiving holiday (.pdf)
- Dec. 3: New employee orientation
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Debbie Goudy-Hudson
This week’s Shout Out goes to senior student information representative Debbie Goudy-Hudson for her contribution to a district accomplishment.
On Sept. 18, 2013, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) recognized HISD for meeting the Personal Identification Database (PID) error rate standard of 10 or fewer student records with PID errors or a PID error rate on student records of 1.0% or lower on its 2012–2013 Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) Summer/Submission 3 report.
The PID system includes records for students and teachers and its purpose is to ensure that each time data is collected for the same individual, certain pieces of basic identifying information match. The PID system is used by the TEA to manage and store data on individuals, which is reported through PEIMS.
“I am extremely proud of the work that Debbie does as part of the Federal and State Compliance Department team,” said School Services Officer Lupita Hinojosa. “Her dedication and commitment to her work has earned HISD a great distinction—and most importantly, has assured that HISD meets all data-quality requirements for PEIMS reporting.”
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. |
In this week’s I am HISD, which features district students, graduates, employees, and other team members, Texas Supreme Court Justice (and Austin HS alumna) Eva Guzman talks about being appointed to the court by Governor Rick Perry on Oct. 8, 2009, the importance of mentors, and her passion for improving the lives of children.
You attended HISD’s Lantrip Elementary and Jackson Middle schools before graduating from Austin High School in 1979. How did your experiences in HISD contribute to your success?
![](http://www.houstonisd.org/cms/lib2/TX01001591/Centricity/Domain/4/IAH_EvaGuzman_200.jpg)
Photo courtesy Judge Eva Guzman
I owe a debt of gratitude to the many wonderful teachers and counselors who provided guidance and mentorship to me during my years at HISD. The education I received was the first step on an educational path that would take me to places I did not even imagine as a kid. There are HISD teachers I fondly remember to this day, as they taught me not only academics but important life lessons.
Can you talk a little bit about mentors, whom I know you consider of vital importance?
I have seen firsthand the difference that a dedicated mentor can make in the lives of young people. Mentors provide guidance and counsel and often see potential the mentee cannot see. I owe much of my success to the invaluable advice I have received from many close friends and mentors. I had been practicing law for 10 years when several of my own mentors encouraged me to apply to be a judge on the Harris County Family District Court. There were about 20 applicants, and 11 days after my interview, I found out that I got the job! It was so exciting to go to Austin and be sworn in by then-Governor George W. Bush.
You are the first Hispanic female justice on the Texas Supreme Court. How did that come about, and how did you get started in the legal field?
While a business major at the University of Houston, I developed an interest in law, partly from an experience my parents had with an attorney and partly because of the popularity of TV shows like “LA Law,” which showed women on equal footing with men in the legal profession. I was appointed to the court by Governor Rick Perry in Oct. 2009 to fill a vacant seat and then won my seat in the November 2010 election. Previously, I was the first Hispanic woman to serve on Harris County’s 14th Court of Appeals and a trial court judge on the Harris County Family District Court.
How does it feel to know that you are a role model to other women?
I hope that my service on the court in some manner inspires young people, especially young women, to pursue their dreams. But beyond that, I hope that my service serves to empower other women to achieve their highest potential.
What advice would you give to other girls or women who dream of a career in law?
The best advice I can give is that young women interested in law doggedly pursue that interest and seek out mentors to help them navigate the LSAT and application process. And, given the dearth of participation at the highest level of courts by Latinas and the relatively low number of Latina lawyers in the U.S. – only about 1.3% of U.S. lawyers are Latina or slightly over 13,000 out of over 1,000,000 U.S. lawyers – I hope my own journey encourages more Latinas to enter the legal profession.
You’ve been involved with a number of organizations that help children. When did that start? And why is it important for children to perform community service?
My interest in community service was born out of the need I observed in my own community. In college, I was a member of a co-ed service organization that focused exclusively on community service. As a young lawyer, I also participated in organizations dedicated to community service. As a judge, I have served on the boards of many nonprofits.
Children should be engaged in their communities, because it teaches them important lessons and principles that will help shape their own paths. President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” I think that is great advice for students. I believe that we are all capable of making a difference, no matter our own resources.
You have received many awards. Which ones are you most proud of?
When I was 15, I obtained a summer job through SER Jobs for Progress. This year, I received SER’s Community Leader Award. Walking through the doors of SER decades later and being honored by the organization was very meaningful. The award for me epitomizes the power of education and the impact of community.
What would you like your legacy to be?
I hope that I will be remembered as someone who made a difference in my community and improved the lives of others, especially children.
If you know a graduate, student, employee, or other member of Team HISD who should be featured here, please email us at info@houstonisd.org. |
![](http://houstonisd.org/cms/lib2/TX01001591/Centricity/domain/4/101113enews/Accolades_Oct11_DelPilar_100.jpeg)
Diana Del Pilar
Helms Elementary School Principal Diana Del Pilar and teacher Lupe Mendez were recently honored by MANA, a national Latina organization.
They were nominated by other educators and recognized for their efforts to educate Hispanic children at MANA’s annual leadership institute and reception Sept. 27.
![](http://www.houstonisd.org/cms/lib2/TX01001591/Centricity/domain/4/101113enews/Accolades_Oct11_Mendez_100.jpeg)
Lupe Mendez
“For MANA, it was important to highlight individuals who normally might not get singled out for the work they do day in and day out,” explained MANA Executive Director Amy Hinojosa. “As a values-based organization, it was more important for us to find educational professionals who have impacted students and families in a way that would be worthy of recognition. We were given a sampling of awardees who made an impact in a way that may not have been measured by traditional benchmarks.”
Congratulations also go out this week to:
- Ashford ES kindergarten teacher Ricky West, who was nominated by a parent for being a “Star in the Classroom.” West received a visit from Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing, a signed jersey, a sideline pass, and two tickets to a Houston Texans game. The school received $500. The contest was sponsored by the Houston Texans and First Community Credit Union.
If you know someone who should be featured in Accolades, please email us at info@houstonisd.org and tell us why. |
![](http://www.houstonisd.org/cms/lib2/TX01001591/Centricity/domain/4/101113enews/BT_YatesHS_Coins_300.jpg)
Dr. Ralph Ross and some of his students
Students at HISD’s Yates High School are developing their math skills through the study of numismatics, or coin collecting.
Dr. Ralph Ross, a veteran educator who serves as the school’s Mathematics Department chair, created a coin club on campus and introduced the “Education Through Numismatics” curriculum as a result of the interest it generated.
“The study of money is a natural vehicle for multi-disciplinary instruction into art, culture, history, religion, politics, economics, and other disciplines,” said Dr. Ross, who has been collecting coins himself since the age of four. “The study of coins, currency, barter, medals, and tokens helps students understand the origins of our current world system.”
To motivate his classes, Dr. Ross began giving out Kennedy half dollars and Eisenhower dollars from his personal collection to students who made A’s on exams, and students who earn “commended” status on the mathematics section of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) received one-ounce silver-eagle coins from one of three Texas coin dealers who collaborate annually with the school.
“Most students have never seen these coins before, so we discuss the historical significance of these iconic figures,” said Dr. Ross. “This hands-on learning is fun and motivates students to broaden their knowledge in an unexpected methodology. Students who have continuously failed and had little success in school have become more engaged as a result.”
The increase in student engagement has been reflected in Yates’ performance data. At the end of the 2012–2013 school year, 96 percent of Dr. Ross’ students had passed the TAKS test. The school has also met the federal government’s Annual Yearly Progress requirements for two consecutive years, and for the first time ever, it received a rating of “distinction” in mathematics from the Texas Education Agency.
Had a breakthrough in your classroom? Tell us about it! Just send an email to info@houstonisd.org briefly describing your situation, and we could feature it here. |
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In this week’s I am HISD, which features district students, graduates, employees, and volunteers, Hartman Middle School Principal Geovanny Ponce talks about how an engineering degree led him to public education, the most important lesson he took away from Rice University’s entrepreneurship program, and the secret to his success as a campus leader.
You earned your first college degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Honduras, yet you’ve been in education for 18 years now. How did an interest in how things are put together lead you to where you are now? And did you ever actually work as an engineer?
![](http://houstonisd.org/cms/lib2/TX01001591/Centricity/Domain/4//100413enews/IAH_GeovannyPonce_200.jpg)
Geovanny Ponce
Yes, I did. Back in Honduras, they have three different shifts of learning: morning, afternoon, and evening. So I was teaching at night while working as an engineer. My passion was always to teach others, to teach children. More than being a manager, I was also a teacher. I would be telling my team of engineers, “Okay, we need to move in this way,” or, “Okay, we need to fix the machines in this way.”
You graduated from Rice (University’s) Education Entrepreneurship Program in 2012. What was the most important thing you took away from that experience?
It’s a great program. It changed my life and the way I saw myself as a leader. At REEP, you have inspirational speakers who come and talk with you to prepare you for the reality of urban education and how to be effective leader. I still email them about once a month at least, and I work with other leaders around me to transfer that to them.
I’ve heard that a few of the standards you live by are that “school culture impacts school achievement” and you “inspect what I expect.” Can you expand on those a little bit?
Something that I tell my teachers and APs all the time is to welcome the children, to show that we care about them. We have about 1,436 students at any time, and my goal is to know every single child by name, so when I see them walking, I can call them by their own name. I know it’s hard, but we need to learn about our students because we don’t know what they’re going through, and our teachers have to, to effectively plan for their lessons.
I spend my whole day outside working the school, visiting classrooms. And every morning, I do a walk-though of the whole school, to make sure that doors are open, classrooms are clean, and teachers are ready for them. Every single day. I have very high standards. I expect my teachers to be on time and to be prepared. I review lesson plans with my administrative team and even model an effective lesson for teachers when needed.
You were named HISD’s Assistant Principal of the Year in 2012 and its New Secondary Principal of the Year in 2013. To what do you attribute your success?
I believe that I am child-centered. In the first place is children, in the second place is children, and in the third place is children. And if I have another place, it’s children. I interact with the children at Hartman the same way I do with my own. I also believe in education. And I believe an effective teacher can change a life. I truly believe that. And I think that’s why we have succeeded, even though we have a high number—about 380—overage students, 800 at-risk students, 25 percent LEP students, and 15 percent in Special Education.
In August, you were featured in an article on the George W. Bush Institute’s website about how you have transformed Hartman. What was it like to be recognized by someone other than HISD?
To be honest, it still hasn’t really clicked in my mind yet, because I’m so busy. I don’t like that many compliments. I just want to help my children. They don’t have anybody but us. In this community, there is lots of poverty. The only clean place they have is here. The only good food they have is here. The only solution is education, and I have that. So that’s my goal, to provide a high quality education to every single child who comes through that door. Every one.
Why is it so important to keep learning?
I come from a very poor country—a Third World country—and I was very poor. But education changed my life and now it’s my turn to pay it back. This is my mission. Not only to educate children to pass a test but to be ready for life. In fact, I just got into the Region IV Aspiring Superintendent and Education Leadership Academy. Not because I want to be one, but because it reaches a community, and the more people you can reach, the better. If it’s for the children, I will do it. Whatever it takes.
If you know a graduate, student, employee, or other member of Team HISD who should be featured here, please email us at info@houstonisd.org. |