Almost 90 percent of readers who took last week’s Friday eNews survey said that they liked the 4-10 summer schedule first implemented two years ago.
Most cited reasons such as spending less money on gas or having more time to spend with their families, but one respondent reported an unexpected side benefit: increasing student achievement.
“The extra time off gives struggling students the down time necessary to process the learning,” wrote one teacher. “They come back on Monday more rejuvenated and ready to learn.”
Almost a third said they also appreciated the chance to enjoy three-day weekends without using up vacation time, with one respondent saying, “we have made it our weekly family date night!”
Only about ten percent said they would rather adhere to a normal five-day schedule.
“After about eight hours, I become less productive,” wrote one survey-taker. “Often, the last two or three hours of the day, I don’t accomplish much.”
The compressed work week was originally designed to save the district money on operating costs. The estimated savings each year is about a million dollars.
Most of the readers who took last week’s Friday eNews survey said that they liked the 4-10 summer schedule because it saved them money and gave them more time to spend with their families. But can you guess what one respondent reported as an unexpected side benefit of the compressed work week (hint: it has to do with students)?
See this related article for the answer.
HISD announces three new additions to leadership team
HISD recently welcomed three new additions to its leadership team: Senior Manager of Multimedia Services Dave Einsel, Chief Special Projects Officer Andrew Houlihan, and Assistant Superintendent for High School Completion Jaime Castañeda.
For details and brief biographies of all three, please see this related article.
Health and Wellness Centers to remain open over Spring Break
Both HISD Health and Wellness Centers will be open during normal business hours over Spring Break, which is March 11–15, 2013.
- HMWESC location hours—M & F: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tues-Thurs: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Attucks MS location hours— M & F: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tues & W: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thurs: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Both clinics are closed from 1 to 2 p.m. daily for lunch.
University of St. Thomas offering new master’s degree in Special Education leadership
Do you want to earn a master’s degree in special education leadership and pursue principal certification?
If so, then you should consider a new degree program being offered by the University of St. Thomas in collaboration with HISD. Classes will start in the fall of 2013, and prime candidates include special education teachers, general education and ancillary teachers, diagnosticians, and speech therapists. Individuals who are already in leadership positions, such as department chairs, and program specialists are also encouraged to apply.
For details, please see this related flyer (.pdf).
Learn more about online degree programs and federal grant opportunities March 6
HISD, in collaboration with Academic Partnerships, is pleased to announce an affiliation with premier state universities that offer convenient and affordable fully online bachelor degrees, master’s degrees, and certifications from nationally ranked and recognized universities.
An informational session is planned for March 6, 2013, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th St., 77092).
Click here for details or to RSVP.
Nominate exceptional teachers for national award by April 1
Winners of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching will receive a citation signed by the President of the United States, a trip for two to Washington, D.C., and a $10,000 prize.
Only ES math and science teachers (K–Grade 6) are eligible this year. For complete details, please visit http://www.paemst.org.
Public Montessori Educators of Texas conference March 1 & 2
Friends of Montessori will sponsor the Public Montessori Educators of Texas (PMET) conference Friday and Saturday, March 1—2, 2013. Keynote speakers and featured guests will be Alfie Kohn, renowned lecturer and author, and Dennis Schapiro, publisher and editor of the Public School Montessorian newspaper. Both will examine traditional and alternative education teaching methods in their programs. Details can be found here: http://alturl.com/r3tqx.
Parents for Public Schools Seeking Guiding Star Nominations by April 12
Do you know someone whose work on behalf of public schools has largely gone unrecognized?
If so, then consider nominating him or her for a 2013 “Guiding Star” award!
For the third consecutive year, Parents for Public Schools-Houston will be honoring parents, community/business partners, volunteers, and school/district staff who go above and beyond the call of duty in their service to Houston’s schoolchildren. For details, please click here.
Deadline for HMNS Excellence in Science award nominations: April 26
Do you know a high-school junior or teacher who demonstrates outstanding performance in the area of science or math?
If so, consider nominating him or her for one of the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s Excellence in Science awards. Winners will receive a $2,000 cash prize.
The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, April 26. For complete details, please visit the HMNS website.
Mobile Mammogram Facility Returning to HISD March 18
The Rose, a non-profit organization dedicated to the reduction of breast-cancer-related deaths, will be offering on-site screening mammograms at three different locations starting March 18 to women who meet certain criteria.
For complete details, please see this related article.
Chris Carnes
Herrera Elementary School Principal Chris Carnes has been named the 2013 Educator of the Year by LULAC Council 402.
“Mr. Carnes continually seeks ways to engage families in the education process of their children,” said Herrera ES Parent Teacher Organization President Lupe Rodriguez. “He also facilitates programs that are of benefit to our community, such as English as a Second Language, computer classes, the parent book club, and monthly family fun days, to name just a few.”
Carnes received a certificate of recognition from Houston City Council member Edward Gonzalez and was formally recognized during a special ceremony held on Feb. 13 at Brady’s Landing.
Congratulations also go out to:
- Berry Elementary School, whose second-graders next year will benefit from a $19,000 donation to Recipe for Success from the Aetna Foundation. The money will be used to pay for instructors, cooking equipment, and a mobile kitchen cart from which visiting chefs can prepare recipes with the students. Berry was chosen for its focus on Environmental Science.
| If you know someone who should be featured in Accolades, please email us at info@houstonisd.org and tell us why. |
HISD will be conducting “drug-free workplace” training sessions on March 21, April 16, and April 30, 2013, for central office administrators, principals, principal designees, and managers. This training teaches personnel how to recognize impaired employees in the work place and how to call for a reasonable suspicion drug/alcohol test.
The session will take place starting at 9 a.m. in the Holden Annex auditorium (812 West 28th St., 77008). The training is two hours in length and is good for four years before having to take the refresher course.
Participants must register through e-TRAIN using course code # BN0005. Registration is limited to 75 participants.
Questions may be directed to Lynette Prater at 713-293-9732.
March is National Nutrition Month, and in a nod to the many different variables that can affect individuals’ food choices, the theme this year is “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day.”
HISD will be particularly focused on the subject of nutrition next week, when district representatives will travel to Washington, D.C. to compete in The Great American School Lunch Challenge. Members of HISD’s Food Services department will be squaring off against their peers from the State of Delaware’s Colonial School District with the help of celebrity Food TV network chefs in this exciting, “Iron Chef”-style competition.
Here are some other dates you may want to mark on your calendar:
Feb. 25–March 17: Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
March 1–31: National Social Work Month
March 2: Eighth annual Parent Conference and Resource Fair
March 3: Rockets’ HISD Appreciation Night
March 4 & 5: 27th annual Child Abuse Prevention Conference
March 7: Board meeting
March 8: Lunch ‘N Learn session (retirement savings accounts)
March 10: Daylight saving time begins
March 11–15: Spring Break
March 15: FAFSA deadline
March 15 & 24: Rockets’ HISD Appreciation Nights
March 21: Reasonable suspicion training
March 25–April 19: Open Transfer Period for Teachers
March 29: Spring Holiday
April 5: Lunch ‘N Learn session (retirement savings accounts)
April 11: Board meeting
April 14–20: Week of the Young Child
April 16 & 30: Reasonable suspicion trainings
May 6–10: Teacher Appreciation Week
May 27: Memorial Day
June 6: Last day of school (students)
Time is running out to join the Matchup, a weight-loss competition that offers cash prizes of up to $10,000.
The next round of the contest starts Friday, March 8, 2013, and both of HISD’s Health and Wellness Centers have set aside the hours between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. that day to accomodate employees wishing to complete their weigh-ins.
Please note that participants must bring the official weigh-in form, which can be downloaded from the Healthy Wage website.
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 Tuesday, April 30, 2013. Applications postmarked by March 31 are eligible for a $100 discount.
HISD’s longtime community partner, the Houston Rockets, will be hosting three HISD Appreciation Nights on Sunday, March 3; Friday, March 15 (during Spring Break); and Sunday, March 24, 2013.
Employees can get tickets to all three games at a discount, ranging from 10 percent to about 50 percent, depending on the date of the game and seat location. For details, please see this flyer (pdf).
This week’s Shout-Out goes to Reba Jelks, the sales and service manager of PS1 (the print shop) in Administrative Services.
“Reba is so calm and easy to work with, you would never guess how many big projects she is constantly monitoring and super-tight deadlines she is working under,” says Multimedia Services writer Cynthia DeMarco. “But that doesn’t stop her from providing outstanding customer service. Recently, I asked for a few extra copies of the 2012 Annual Report/2013 Calendar, and when I told her I might not have time to pick them up for a few days, she took time out of her busy schedule to personally hand deliver them. Now, that’s amazing service!”
Other shout-outs this week go to:
- Fondren ES Principal Michael Walker—Fourth-grader Yahir Gomez praised Walker in an essay he wrote about what makes a good leader. “Last year, Mr. Walker noticed that I did not get a good grade on my benchmark test,” wrote Yahir. “He said, ‘In two months comes the real test, and we have to get you ready for it.’ From that time…my life changed. We started studying all the subjects for the test: reading, math, science, and writing. Then the day of the test came. I was so nervous, it took me four hours to finish. When I got my grades, I had a 80. I went to Mr. Walker’s office and thanked him.”
| 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. |
Fans of the four-day workweek, rejoice!
Superintendent of Schools Terry Grier announced at the quarterly central office staff meeting held on Feb. 19 that the 4-10 summer schedule will make its return to HISD on June 10.
First implemented in 2011, the 4-10 schedule was designed to save the district money on operating expenses during the hot summer months.
HISD offices will be open for business from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and closed on Fridays (through Aug. 2, 2013, this year). Employees must work a 10-hour day M-Th, excluding their lunch period. Work hours are flexible, and can be scheduled within the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with supervisor approval. All employees must participate.
Details of the 4-10 summer schedule will be distributed closer to the end of the regular school year.
