The Office of Communications has organized a photography workshop to be held in the HISD-TV studio at the Hatttie Mae White Educational Support Center.
Whether you use a point-and-shoot, a digital SLR or a Smartphone to take photos, technique is everything. In this two-hour session, a professional news photographer will teach you how to take great photos in any environment. In the first hour, you’ll learn basic photography tips and how to handle challenging situations, such as low-lighting or group photos. In the second hour, bring your camera for some hands-on practice and more customized instruction.
- Wednesday, November 28, 2012, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
- Thursday, November 29, 2012, 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Please RSVP by emailing communicationsofc@houstonisd.org.
Controller Ken Huewitt has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer, replacing Melinda Garrett, who announced she is retiring at the end of the year.
“The district is in good hands with Ken Huewitt at the helm of Finance. His 10 years of experience with the district combined with his audit background have prepared him well for this new endeavor,” Garrett said.”I am thankful I had the opportunity to work with Ken over the past decade, and I am appreciative of all of his efforts in taking this district forward.”
Huewitt has more than 20 years of experience in the audit and finance industries. He began his career as an auditor with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General. He has held a variety of roles during his career, including Senior Audit Specialist for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Senior Associate for Coopers & Lybrand, and Regional Director of Finance for The ServiceMaster Corporation. As Controller for the Houston Independent School District, his duties ranged from developing sound accounting policies and procedures for effectively administering the various funds and accounts to overseeing the strategic operations and accounting for the $1.5 billion annual general operating budget.
Other Accolades:
Robert Crowe and Sarah Greer-Osborne of the Multimedia Services Department won a Lone Star EMMY for two videos highlighting HISD alumni. The “I am HISD” videos featured WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg and astronaut Shannon Walker. The Lone Star EMMY “represents the most experienced and talented television professionals from all disciplines of the industry and from all of Texas’ 19 television markets.”
Following are links to the winning videos:
HISD students from Westside high school perform at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center. Click image above to view video.
For the next seven months, employees and visitors who come to the HMWESC cafeteria for lunch can stay for a side order of entertainment.
Fine Arts Fridays, which showcase the creative talents of students in the district’s performing arts programs, have been scheduled at the district’s headquarters through the end of May between the hours of noon and 12:30 p.m. (one group) or 11:45–12:15 and 12:45–1:15 (two groups).
Westside School kicked off the return of Fine Arts Fridays on Oct. 26 with a performance from the award-winning dance troupe Inertia. Upcoming performances before the winter break will feature:
- Nov. 16—Furr HS
- Dec. 7—Harvard ES
- Dec. 14—Johnston MS
- Dec. 21—Poe ES
To see a complete schedule, click here (.pdf). While you’re here, be sure to take a few minutes to look at the artwork on display throughout the building. Pieces are exhibited along the hallways of every floor.
The results were clear.
Almost 40 percent of those who answered last week’s Friday eNews survey question, “What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food?” said that while turkey may get all the publicity, dressing is the real star of the show.
Another 20 percent proclaimed their love for the bird that almost became America’s national mascot (the bald eagle won, despite Benjamin Franklin’s wishes), while green bean casserole and pumpkin pie shared third-place honors, with almost eight percent of the vote each.
Almost a fifth of the respondents named dishes we had overlooked as their favorites, including several who pointed out classics such as mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, or pecan and apple pies. Still, a few cited more modern offerings, such as pumpkin cheesecake or broccoli and cheese casserole, while others suggested regional favorites like Cajun cornbread stuffing and tamales.
And, in what will come as a surprise only to die-hard fans of the tart little fruit, only four percent said they just couldn’t live without cranberry sauce.
Was it turkey, dressing, pumpkin pie, or something else entirely? Last week, we asked employees to tell us their favorite dish associated with this holiday. To find out which one got the most votes, read this article.
Holiday hours for HISD Health and Wellness Clinics
In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, both HISD Health & Wellness Clinics will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 22, and Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. The Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center clinic will also be closed on Saturday, Nov. 24.
Info Sessions for aspiring principals scheduled for Nov. 27, Dec. 5
Come learn more about the new partnership between HISD and the University of Houston, which was created to offer aspiring leaders the opportunity to obtain a master’s degree in education with a focus on turnaround leadership. Graduates of this one-year program will have the business, education, and management skills needed for leading successful urban schools—as well as for obtaining principal certification in the State of Texas. For complete details, go here.
Spring 2013 professional development opportunities
Employees can view courses aligned to particular skill sets (such as the mastery of Microsoft Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook) or those related to Central Office Appraisal competencies (such as time management, business communication, and effective customer service). Click here to register or for details.
Update your home address now to ensure timely W-2 delivery
HISD will be mailing 2012 W-2 forms to employees’ address of record during the last week of January. To ensure you receive your form promptly, please make sure that HISD has your correct home address. Click here to learn how to change your address or make changes to other contact information on the employee portal.
Volunteers Still Needed for Upcoming TAHPERD Convention
This annual Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (TAHPERD) convention is scheduled for Nov. 28–Dec. 1, 2012, in Galveston. This member-driven organization requires a large number of volunteers to plan, organize, and facilitate convention activities. If you would like to help out, please contact Felicia Ceaser-White or Rose Haggerty at 713-556-6823. For details on registration, please visit the TAHPERD website.
Retirement Seminars Scheduled for Nov. 17 and Dec. 15
The Retirement Storefront at HISD will be hosting retirement seminars from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17, and Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012. All district employees are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about their Teacher Retirement System (TRS) benefits. Employees must register through e-TRAIN to attend, and select course code #BN0200. Questions may be directed to V. Janene English at 713-293-9780 ext. 432.
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. The deadline to submit a name is Jan. 11, 2013.
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.
This week’s Shout-Out goes to Erica Gil (pictured), a teacher at Burnet Elementary School who leapt into action when she saw a motorist attacking a crossing guard at the Ninfa Laurenzo Early Childhood Center. Erica came to the crossing guard’s aid by literally stepping in front of a car to stop the suspect. Erica was recognized for her courageous act on Nov. 8, when she was presented with a Heroism Award during a special ceremony held at the HISD Police Department.
Other Shout-Outs this week go to:
Atherton ES Teacher Reuel Sosa: Mr. Sosa has trained everyone on the Appraisal and Development System regarding how to send and acknowledge the walk-through forms. He guided faculty and staff on the formation of the IPDP forms and he has done an excellent job of being the Effective Teacher Initiative representative for the 2012–2013 school year. At present, he is working with the principal on training the faculty and staff in the formation of goals and grouping of the students for the end-of-the-year setting.
—Albert L. Lemons, Principal
CFS Operations Team Lead John Butler: John has shown exceptional skill and leadership in the areas of site services and heavy equipment. During the height of the growing season, he mobilized his team to cut grass for campus openings, handled all drain removal, and ensured that all special projects, such as the installation of the early voting signs, were completed. John’s leadership is exceptional and shows what a positive attitude is all about.
—CFS Senior Manager of Operations Brian Busby
RTI Manager Lee Pryor: Lee has done a brilliant job of arranging, overseeing, and monitoring the iStation rollout and implementation. He has spent countless hours scheduling training, creating FAQ, solving technical problems, sending out notifications, responding to emails, writing memos, reviewing data reports, and studying the system to answer inquiries, all with a smile.
—Literacy Director Carol Bedard
| 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. |
The Houston Independent School District is hosting a networking event for subcontractors interested in providing services to architecture and engineering companies, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., on Nov. 28 at Carnegie Vanguard High School.
The gathering will give participants the opportunity to discuss their qualifications should they seek to do business with the district as part of its 2012 bond program.
More than 50 primes are being invited to the event, where they’ll have tables set up to meet subs interested in partnering on the A&E portion of the $1.89 billion bond program, which will fund the replacement or repair of 38 schools, including 28 high schools.
In addition, representatives from HISD will be on hand to answer questions about the bond, the RFQ process and opportunities for minority- and woman-owned business enterprises.
The district is seeking Request for Qualifications from firms interested in performing the architectural design and engineering work on the schools. Construction is expected to begin on some projects in 2014.
“HISD recognizes that finding the most qualified architectural and engineering firms is the first step to modernizing and transforming our schools with a quality construction program,” said Chief Operating Officer Leo Bobadilla. “We hope this event will answer questions about the process and give companies the opportunity to network and partner.”
The networking event will be held in the high school’s Cafetorium, and is being sponsored by the district’s Business Assistance and Construction Services Divisions.
Carnegie Vanguard High School, at 1501 Taft, opened this year after being rebuilt under the district’s 2007 bond program. The school was designed by Houston-based RdlR Achitects.
For more information, please contact the Office of Business Assistance at 713-556-7273.
The Houston Independent School District will roll out telephones for every permanent classroom in the district under the 2012 bond program, which includes $100 million for technology upgrades across all campuses.
The bond, which was approved by voters on Nov. 6, will fund voice-over-internet phones, as well as make improvements to wireless access.
The phones will allow teachers to more readily reach out to administrators, colleagues and parents. Many of the district’s older campuses don’t have phones in the classroom, leaving teachers to use their personal cell phones at their own expense.
A phone in the classroom “would be a critical component to have,” said one elementary school special education teacher.
The funding will also improve wireless access at the district’s 279 campuses. When that infrastructure is in place, principals will have the foundation they need to look at how they use technology to enhance classroom learning, including online textbooks, tablets and other mobile devices.
The district is already moving forward with its technology improvement plan and is seeking proposals for voice-over-internet phones, cabling, internet connectivity, and video services. Interested suppliers are urged to look at the district’s procurement website for more details about the scope of work.
The timeline involves interviewing potential firms in late November and December, and approving a proposal by mid-January.
When Patricia Barnes (pictured) first joined Team HISD back in 1987, Ronald Reagan was president, children were still playing on Atari gaming systems, and The Simpsons was a brand-new television show.
Now, it’s 25 years later, and Barnes, who will mark her anniversary with HISD on Nov. 24, said she was astounded to realize she’s been with the district for a quarter of a century. “It blew me away. That time went by real fast.”
Barnes originally became a bus driver because it was “the best job to have” when raising young children. “But I just liked it and stayed,” she said.
Many HISD employees are also marking milestones next week—see if you know anyone on this list:
25 years
- Wanda Barnes (no relation to Patricia), teaching assistant, Osborne ES
- Ruth Kravetz, teacher, Davis HS
- Debra Mitchell, evaluation specialist, Child Study
- Ana Sosa, clerk, Longfellow ES
20 years
- Saulo Aguilar, teaching assistant, Rodriguez ES
- Johnie Blackwell, teacher, Fonville MS
- Rita Moreno, student information representative, Wesley ES
- Gustavo Ramirez, repairer, Construction & Facilities Services
- Orlando Reyna, painter, Construction & Facilities Services
15 years
- Vernie Dearbonne, assistant principal, Milby HS
- Ram Duvvuri, associate teacher
- Maria Garcia, student information representative, Rucker ES
- Erick Grey, bus driver, Transportation Services
- Damian Ibeh, associate teacher, Transportation Services
- Roderick Jones, teacher, Sharpstown HS
- Martha Sandoval, student information representative, West Briar MS
10 years
- Steven Arocha, repairer, Construction & Facilities Services
- Michael Beard, teacher, Thomas MS
- Yvette Crawford, teacher, Browning ES
- Elton Gonsoulin, crossing guard, Foster ES
- Eldridge Idlebird Jr, custodian, Hartman MS
- Rosetta Reescano bus driver, Transportation Services
- Ronald Richardson, senior HVAC repairer, Construction & Facilities Services
- Stephen Saunders, lecturer, Rusk ES
- Tracy Turpin, teacher, Dodson ES
5 years
- Mardiech Celestine, teacher, Ross ES
- Sonia Cutaia, teacher, Chávez HS
- Sharen Forbes, clerk, Lamar HS
- Maria Kanzig, associate teacher
- Maria Landaverde-Andablo, clerk, Cornelius ES
- Gladys Salinas, clerk, Westside HS
- Tarica Scott, teaching assistant, Milne ES
The Fishman Prize for Superlative Classroom Practice is a $25,000 prize awarded annually to public school teachers who demonstrate exceptionally effective teaching with students from high-poverty communities. Offered by TNTP, a nonprofit organization working to ensure that all students get excellent teachers, the prize is given to up to five teachers each year.
In addition to receiving $25,000, the winners engage in a six-week summer residency program that culminates in the publication of a short paper on the practice of effective teaching.
Nominees who submit their applications by the early deadline of December 3, 2012, will learn whether they have been selected for the next round a month before other applicants.
The final deadline to submit an application is January 14, 2013. Read the 2012 winners’ paper and learn more about how to apply at www.tntp.org/fishmanprize.
