Each year, The Rose offers on-site screening mammograms to female HISD employees who meet certain criteria.
Seven dates have been added for this fall, starting on Sept. 9 at Lee High School and extending through Oct. 30 at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center.
Interested women are encouraged to act quickly, as only a limited number of mammograms can be performed each day.
Please see the attached flyer (.pdf) for complete details.
Discount offer to Aug. 31 Texas Kickoff Classic
The Houston Texans, HISD’s longtime community partner, is offering district employees a savings of about 15 percent off of the regular price of tickets for a new fall tradition.
The inaugural Texas Kickoff Classic is coming to Reliant Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013, and district employees can get a family value pack of four tickets, four hot dogs, and four soft drinks for prices starting at $120.
Come launch the college football season by watching the Mississippi State Bulldogs take on Oklahoma State Cowboys for less.
To take advantage of this special offer, please contact Warren Caguioa at 832-667-2319 or warren.caguioa@houstontexans.com. A downloadable flyer (.pdf) is available for reference.
All processing charges, taxes, and fees will be waived.
More than a third of the employees who responded to last week’s eNews survey said they wanted to see the district offer more professional development opportunities in the area of technology.
Most of those requested courses exploring how to integrate technology into regular classroom instruction, but others said they just wanted to see full-day offerings instead of half-day, with separate courses for beginners and more experienced users.
Other courses requested included: cultural diversity training, changes to the math TEKS, photography, and 504 issues (dyslexia/ADHD).
One respondent noted that since high-quality training can also be provided by other organizations, s/he would like HISD to provide funds for “employees to attend local, state, and national conferences that can benefit not only the employee, but (the) organization as a whole.”
Teachers and administrators who want to take advantage of training on iStations or job-alike professional development courses need to act fast.
The Office of Special Education Services is offering two training sessions on these topics in August, but the deadlines are quickly approaching.
- Special Education Job-Alike Courses (Teachers)—Sessions available on Aug.15 and Aug. 22, 2013. The deadline to register via eTRAIN is Fri., Aug. 9. Complete details available in this related Academic Services memo.
- Istation Training (Teachers and Administrators)—Sessions available in August and September will provide basic information on Istation usage. The deadline to register via eTRAIN is Fri., Aug. 16. Complete details available in this related Academic Services memo.
HISD’s Risk Management department has released the summer edition of its Support Services Safety Link newsletter for 2013, and highlights of this issue include:
- a feature on heat-related injuries;
- checklists related to thunderstorms and tornadoes;
- details on drinking water and why staying properly hydrated is so important.
There is also a section on indoor air quality.
The full newsletter (.pdf) is available on the private side of the Risk Management website (login required), under the “Newsletters” portlet in the “Forms and Documents” subchannel.
HISD has been training employees in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, Automated External Defibrillator, and First Aid (CPR/AED/FA) since late June, but there’s still time to sign up for one of the last few sessions being offered Aug. 5–8.
The State of Texas requires campus-based members of Team HISD who participate, sponsor, and/or coach any UIL-sanctioned or co-curricular activities to be certified in the administration of CPR/AED/FA.
Stipend payments are dependent upon certification, so if you need the training, please sign up now to ensure that the district is in compliance with this legal requirement.
For complete details, please see this related Academic Services Memo.
HISD employees who are interested in a night out of family-style entertainment are in for a treat!
The UniverSoul Circus will be in town Aug. 13–18, and it is offering district employees discounted tickets to the 7:30 p.m. performances only on Wed., Aug. 13, and Thurs., Aug. 14, 2013.
The shows will take place in the parking lot of Butler Stadium (13755 South Main, 77035).
For details, including the special code required to receive the discounted tickets, please visit this related posting on the employee portal (login required).
Zonthia Curl
When Zonthia Curl first joined Team HISD as a secretary in Construction & Facility Services’ Hazardous Materials department back in 1988, Ronald Reagan was still president, Die Hard had just hit the theaters, and gasoline cost less than a dollar a gallon.
Today, many of those things have changed, but Curl is still enthusiastically serving HISD students. Now a clerk in Transportation Services’ Central Motor Pool, Curl attributes her longevity with the district to her affection for her coworkers, who surprise her with parties on her birthday and make her feel appreciated in other ways.
“I just like working with people and I like the job I do,” she said. “I love the people I work with.”
Curl officially marked her 25th anniversary with the district on Aug. 1, but several other employees are also marking theirs this week (July 28–Aug. 3). See if you know anyone on this list:
20 years
- Sharron Montgomery, teacher, Henry MS
- Jason White, hazardous material inspector, Construction & Facility Services
15 years
- Sylvia Palos, teacher, Love ES
- Kathleen Sanchez, clerk, Police Department
- Borita Williams, dispatcher, Police Department
10 years
- Cynthia Allen, teacher, Almeda ES
- Maida Alvarado, attendant, Food Services
- Rosa Archila, attendant, Food Services
- Humbertina Azanon, attendant, Food Services
- Gricelda Barcenas, attendant, Food Services
- Phosephony Barthen, attendant, Food Services
- Carla Brown, teacher, Wheatley HS
- Gladys Camac, attendant, Food Services
- Jean Carney, associate teacher
- Martha Carrizales, attendant, Food Services
- Betty Castillo, manager, Food Services Café
- Rosa Castro, attendant, Food Services
- Felicia Conner, attendant, Food Services
- Neysa Ewing, student info. representative, Federal and State Compliance
- Lydia Flores, custodian, Fleming MS
- Myre Foster, associate teacher
- Claudia Fuentes, attendant, Food Services
- Bridget Goodwill, attendant, Food Services
- Elena Guerrero, attendant, Food Services
- Janice Hall, attendant, Food Services
- Maria Hernandez, attendant, Food Services
- Lara Hulin, social worker, Westside HS
- Gloria Jaime, attendant, Food Services
- Esther Lagunas, attendant, Food Services
- Cora Liceaga, attendant, Food Services
- Karen Linton, attendant, Food Services
- Ali Makhlouf, teacher development specialist, Professional Development
- Estrella Mandujano, attendant, Food Services
- Eduardo Martinez, teacher, Wainwright ES
- Valentina Matomoros, attendant, Food Services
- Tyrone McDonald, repairer, Construction & Facility Services
- Vincent Moore, teacher, Carnegie Vanguard HS
- Dolores Nash, attendant, Food Services
- Vickie Newton, custodian, T. H. Rogers MS
- Theresa Oliver, associate teacher
- Fidencia Ortiz, attendant, Food Services
- Gloria Palacios, attendant, Food Services
- Candy Penny, attendant, Food Services
- Carmen Perez, attendant, Food Services
- Petra Perez, attendant, Food Services
- Debra Pickard, attendant, Food Services
- Enriqueta Prado, attendant, Food Services
- Delia Presas, attendant, Food Services
- Moises Quintanilla, attendant, Food Services
- Maria Saldana, attendant, Food Services
- Dalila Serrano, attendant, Food Services
- Maria Ulloa, attendant, Food Services
- Latonia Vaughn, attendant, Food Services
- Maria Venegas, attendant, Food Services
- Deepak Verma, teacher, Chávez HS
5 years
- Robin Bissell, teacher, Lamar HS
- Shelley Bodie, teacher, Kolter ES
- Mayela Carillo, custodian, Travis ES
- Daniel Greenberg, principal, Condit ES
- Fedalma Guice, quality control representative, Food Services
- Courtney Jackson, teacher, Waltrip HS
- Joel Leagans, teacher, Bellaire HS
- Karen McMillan, teacher specialist, Durkee ES
- Jared Selby, teacher, Waltrip HS
- Harolyn Stanley, teacher, Garden Villas ES
| 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. |
Dr. Gwen Samples
This week’s Shout Out goes to Dr. Gwendolyn L. Samples, a community liaison in Strategic Partnerships, who is retiring next month after 41 years of service to the district.
“Dr. Samples has been dedicated to working in the district and alongside her colleagues throughout the years, serving as a mentor, a professional, and a friend,” said General Manager of Strategic Partnerships Caleen Allen. “It is with mixed emotions that we say goodbye, but we know that we will see her return to the halls of HISD soon.”
Dr. Samples joined the district in 1972 as a kindergarten teacher at De Zavala Elementary School. Over the years, she has also served as a magnet coordinator, interim VIPS coordinator, and executive director of community affairs.
| 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. |
HISD’s third annual Cool to Be Smart celebration is scheduled for Sun., Aug. 4, at the Bayou City Event Center (9401 Knight Road, 77045), and almost 1,000 members of HISD’s Class of 2013 have been invited to attend for a chance to win a new car, a laptop computer, a college scholarship, and other prizes.
Eligible students are graduating seniors this spring who enrolled in five or more Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses—or a combination of both—and took the corresponding exams during their high school years. More than 1,000 students qualified for the drawing last year.
Recent graduates who qualify for this year’s drawing will be notified and invited to the celebration, but they must be present to win. Former students can also call Evelia Velazco at 713-556-7017 to see if they are eligible.
Here are some other dates you might want to mark on your calendar:
- Aug. 2: Summer Schedule concludes
- Aug. 3: HISD Job Fair @ Barnett Field House
- Aug. 5-9: HMNS Summer Energy Workshop
- Aug. 7: Administrative Inservice
- Aug. 8: Board meeting (regular)
- Aug. 9–11: Texas Sales Tax Holiday
- Aug. 10: Back to School Fest
- Aug. 26: First day of school (students)
- Sept. 2: Labor Day holiday
- Sept. 7: Grads Within Reach walk
The 2012–2013 PTO Executive Board at Black MS are (L–R): Cayce Carlsson, Dawn Butterick, Kara Hagan, Arwen McMillan, Principal Meilin Jao, Janet Orfield, and Tim Weltin.
Each year, PTO Today recognizes the nation’s top Parent Teacher Organization as the “Parent Group of the Year,” and this year, HISD’s own Black Middle School earned Honorable Mention for its impressive efforts to revitalize the campus.
“Up until about three years ago, Black suffered from declining enrollment,” explained Principal Meilin Jao. “But we worked with parents and the community to bring a Vanguard program to the school, and last year, the PTO raised $18,000 to support three areas: academics, fine arts, and athletics.”
The money was used to fund $100 mini-grants for teachers, to purchase band instruments for the music program, to expand the school library, and to pay for the construction of a new baseball field.
“Our PTO has been amazing,” said Jao. “It’s helped us celebrate teachers on a monthly basis with little personal touches that let them know they’re important, and spread the word that Black has changed for the better. We are focused on educating the whole child, and our enrollment has been steadily increasing.”
In 2011, Jao noted, the school only had 480 students, “but last year we had almost double that, and this year, we are projected to have 925.”
For more information about Black Middle School, please visit the school’s website. A complete list of winners is available on the PTO Today website.