Weekly Teacher Download for August 26
A Message from Dr. Lathan: We have officially reached the end of the summer break and the start of the 2019-2020 school year! I cannot express how excited I am about what’s to come for our students as we work to build equity across the district for Houston’s children. Read more
ALL TEACHERS
What Great Teachers Do Differently: Teachers and principals are invited to attend the “What Great Teacher Do Differently” workshop led by Dr. Todd Whitaker on September 4 from 1-2:30 p.m. or 3-4:30 p.m. at the Harris County Department of Education (6300 Irvington, 77022). Teachers will gain skills to add to their toolboxes, while leadership will learn how to support a rich learning environment. The first 100 participants in each session will receive a copy of Dr. Whitaker’s book, “What Great Teachers Do Differently.” To register for the 1-2:30 p.m. workshop, click here. For the 3-4:30 p.m. workshop, click here. For more information on the workshop, click here.
Health Clinic Options for Employees: All employees and their eligible enrolled dependents covered under an HISD medical plan may use any of the 14 Houston-area Next Level Urgent Care centers. HISD employees and their eligible dependents enrolled in the Select Plan may use these clinics at no charge. All other employees and their eligible dependents enrolled in an HISD medical plan must pay a $20 visit fee. Employees not enrolled in a HISD medical plan will not be able to use the Next Level Urgent Care Centers under the new program. For more information on the new partnership with Next Level Urgent Care, click here.
Back-to-School Technology Tips: To ensure you have a smooth transition into the 2019-2020 school year, Information Technology would like teachers and principals to take a few moments to review the Technology Tips listed here.
Campus Safety: In today’s school safety climate where preparation is everything, it’s important that everyone at HISD work collaboratively to ensure each of our campuses are well prepared for any type of major event. Campus administrators should coordinate with Risk Management to begin scheduling their school safety trainings. Throughout the school year, the department offers a mandatory school safety training for each campus, as well as numerous courses on OneSource for teachers, administrators, school and office personnel. For more information on how to schedule a training, click here.
New Transportation Services: Transportation Services is launching two new tools designed to better facilitate communication with parents and allow them to track their students’ buses in real time. The first tool is Let’s Talk!, an easy-to-use, online program that will streamline communication by giving parents and school staff a central location where they can submit questions and concerns, track their inquiries, get quick answers, and rate our service. The second tool is SafeStop, a school bus tracking app that will allow parents to track their students’ buses. For detailed information on Let’s Talk, click here. For detailed information on SafeStop, click here.
Free Meals for HISD Students: Due to the district providing free breakfast and lunch to students for the 2019-2020 school year, parents will need to fill out the blue socioeconomic form available by Friday, October 25. While parents will not need to complete and return a free and reduced-price meal application, they will need to complete the form that is available at all campuses and returned to each school where they have a child enrolled to ensure Title I funding for HISD schools. Forms are not required for pre-K students. Click here for more information.
Free Flu Shots for Students: HISD is partnering once again with Healthy Schools to offer free flu vaccines to students during the 2019-2020 school year. A team of nurses and other staff from Healthy Schools will rotate to each campus for half-day clinics beginning in October through December. Parents will be able to consent electronically or through a print copy available at their child’s campus. All parent consent forms and translations will be provided to campuses, and parents can either complete the form and submit to the campus prior to clinics or have their child bring the completed form on the day of clinic.
SECONDARY
Free Internet Hotspots for Students: The Sprint Foundation will once again donate free internet access to high school students who do not have high-speed internet at home. A partnership with the Sprint 1 Million Project, the program aims to provide internet hotspots to eligible high school students enrolled in a PowerUp Campus. Eligible students will keep the mobile hotspot throughout their high school career (four years) at no cost to the families. To identify those students in need during laptop distribution process, they will be prompted to complete an eligibility survey from August 27-September 27.
Make your campus’ safety a priority this school year
Campus administrators should begin scheduling their school safety trainings
In today’s school safety climate where preparation is everything, it’s important that everyone at HISD work collaboratively to ensure each of our campuses are well prepared for any type of major event.
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Throughout the school year, the Risk Management Department offers a mandatory school safety training for each campus, as well as numerous courses on OneSource for teachers, administrators, school and office personnel.
Here’s an overview of what you can expect to learn at each of the trainings:
- Intruderology: How to safely handle an intruder threat to the campus
- Fire safety: This training covers fire drills and the proper use of fire extinguishers.
- School emergency preparedness: A class required by state law, Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, participants will receive training and guidance regarding emergency management planning which includes: school drill requirements, safety related documentation, and specific needs at the campus level.
- Accident prevention: Participants will learn why accidents happen and how to implement controls and training for school campus and non-campus staff.
To schedule mandatory Risk Management school safety training contact Risk Management at riskmanagement@houstonisd.org or call 713-556-9225.
VIPS Coordinator/Back-Up and VIPS Volunteers Information
All principals were asked to designate a VIPS Coordinator/Back-up for their campus by August 9. Once you have selected a VIPS Coordinator/Back-up they are required to attend a training in order to gain access tot he RAPTOR Volunteer Management Database.
VIPS Coordinator/Back-up can register in OneSource for the CE_VIPS/RAPTOR Volunteer Management System Training on the following dates:
August 12 | 9-11 a.m. or 2-4 p.m. | Teledyne (FH275), Lab 2
August 14 | 9-11 a.m. or 2-4 p.m. | Teledyne (FH275), Lab 3
2019-2020 VIPS Volunteers Information
All VIPS volunteers must register online in the Raptor Volunteer Management system and agree to the Annual Background Check for the 2019-2020 school year.
Please note that volunteers that were approved at any time prior to July 31 (including those recently cleared), will still need to follow the above-referenced process and agree to the annual background check before volunteering for the 2019- 2020 school year.
Once a volunteer has registered in VIPS and approved they will receive an email from Raptorware.com notifying them of their acceptance. Any volunteer that does not receive an email may contact their schools VIPS Coordinator/Back Up to obtain a status update.
Strategic Engagement and Outreach employee receives June Customer Service Impact Award
Executive Administrative Assistant Cytinya Bowers said she was surprised when she was called into a conference room recently.
Expecting to walk into a meeting, Bowers instead walked into a sea of her favorite color — purple balloons, flowers, and cupcakes sitting next to purple plates and napkins. The purple-themed celebration was held to honor Bowers as the Customer Service Impact Award winner for the month of June.
Bowers’ knack for going above and beyond in her position earned her the award, which recognizes HISD Business Operations employees who display exemplary performance, deliver fantastic customer service, and regularly go above and beyond to add value to their division and positively influence co-workers.
“This woman is the glue that holds us together,” Strategic Engagement and Outreach Officer Holly Huffman said. “She keeps us on the straight and narrow and makes sure we’re always moving forward.”
Bowers said she’s only doing what she loves to do, which is to support her team.
“What I love about my team is that there’s a lot of respect and admiration for one another,” Bowers said. “It feels like a working family.”
Bowers, who graduated from Madison High School and whose two children are also products of HISD, said she wants to give back to the district that gave her so much.
“One of my favorite things about working for HISD is the relationships, from the bottom to the top, and the ability to learn so much from different areas of the district,” Bowers said. “I look forward to spending more years as part of Team HISD, because in the end, it’s about the team. That’s why I do it.”
Plant Operator receives May Customer Service Impact Award
Plant Operator Martha Flores arrives at De Chaumes Elementary School at 5:30 a.m. every morning, a half-hour before her scheduled start time.
After checking to make sure the air conditioning system is working properly, she begins her day by opening doors in the car rider lane and greeting the exiting students by name.
“No one has asked her to do this,” De Chaumes Principal Elizabeth Garcia said. “She has taken it upon herself. We are blessed to have Ms. Flores as a colleague and a model for all of us.”
For this and more, Garcia nominated Flores for the Customer Service Impact Award for the month of May.
The award recognizes HISD Business Operations employees who display exemplary performance, deliver fantastic customer service, and regularly go above and beyond to add value to their division and positively influence co-workers.
The award was presented to Flores by Facilities Services and Fleet Operations Officer Alishia Jolivette and Business Operations Chief Operating Officer Brian Busby during an appreciation luncheon for other Facilities Services employees who have previously been recognized.
“We have a great group of talent in this room,” Jolivette said. “You’re here today because you’re doing something right. You’re making a difference.”
Busby said it’s important to take the time to recognize employees individually.
“No matter how long you’ve been here, it’s never too late or too soon to tell you we appreciate you,” Busby said. “Everyone here makes our job easier by doing what they do and for that, I thank them.”
Flores said she was pleasantly surprised when Jolivette called her name.
“I’ve always dedicated myself to my job without expecting anyone to notice,” Flores said. “If there’s something I can do to help, I’ll do it, without anyone having to ask. It’s in my nature. It comes from the bottom of my heart.”
HISD’s Inaugural Multilingual Symposium
HISD’s Multilingual Programs invites teachers and administrators to the district’s Inaugural Multilingual Symposium on June 26-27 at Kingdom Builders Center (6011 W. Orem Dr., 77085) from 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
The symposium will feature presenters from Seidlitz Education on both days to provide content-specific strategies using Sheltered Instruction. Participants will also enjoy hands-on activities and reading intervention focus kits delivered by Teacher Created Materials, and have the opportunity to interact with colleagues with focused on bilingual, dual language and ESL education.
Course sessions and numbers can be found here.
Symposium sessions will count towards the 2019-2020 PD hours bilingual teachers need to receive stipends. The department will also offer 50 teachers a chance to win and participate in a private shopping party hosted by Lakeshore, as well as a $100 gift card to spend on instructional resources to get ready for the 2019-2020 school year. Door prizes such as $250 gift certificates, teacher book bags, books, classroom libraries, and much more will be given away at the symposium.
For more information on the symposium, click here.
R3: Reflect, Refocus and Renew Conference
The Secondary Curriculum and Development department invites all secondary teachers and leaders to attend the “R3 (Reflect, Refocus and Renew)” Conference on July 24 at HISD Educational Learning Center (10725 Mesa Dr., 77078) and/or July 31 at Westbury High School (11911 Chimney Rock Rd., 77035).
Both one-day conferences will be held from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Participants can register for one day or both days via OneSource, search “R3 Conference.” Participants will enjoy professional development sessions focused on: ELA, math, social studies, science, literacy, special education, gifted and talented, multilingual, STEM, fine arts, world languages, health/pe, instructional technology, and much more.
A list of the choice sessions can be found here.
Those that attend will receive a $50.00 book voucher to spend at the conference’s on-site, pop-up Barnes & Noble’s bookstore. In addition, participants who complete four sessions at the conference and complete the conference survey will have an opportunity to be entered for door prizes.
Registration now open for 2019 PLS Series
Registration is now open to school teams for HISD’s Professional Learning Series (PLS) taking place Wednesday, June 19 and Thursday, June 20 at Kingdom Builders’ Center (6011 W. Orem Dr., 77085).
Each day’s events will run from 8 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. School teams may include the principal and leadership team members such as assistant principals, deans, special education chair, IAT/RtI chair, counselor, 504 coordinator, wraparound specialist, nurse or other campus leaders whose roles support students.
The Professional Learning Series is the district’s ongoing professional development series designed to develop and strengthen professional competencies of campus leaders and teachers.
This year’s theme “Future Forward Leadership: Overcoming Barriers in Learning” will offer campuses the opportunity to focus on specific root causes within the campus environment, align professional learning opportunities to those specific needs, and walk away preliminary data to guide the creation, implementation, monitoring, and ongoing support to create a successful 2019-2020 improvement model.
School teams can also expect sessions that reinforce the district’s focus on the transformation of teaching and learning through the mastery of HISD Leader Competencies.
To stay up to date on PLS activities and for details on sessions, click here.
Register for PLS Pre-Conference
Leadership Development is also encouraging school teams to register and attend the PLS Pre-Conference on June 17-18 from 8 a.m.-5:45 p.m. at Kingdom Builders’ Center.
Sessions for the conference will focus on authentic instructional rounds, an introduction to “Get Better Faster” strategies in Instructional Impact Institute, professional learning communities, Data Driven: A Look at Continuous Improvement, and an opportunity for campus appraisal teams to attend TADS Re-Certification.
To register, click here.
ALL TEACHERS
End of Year Technology Checklist: While June 3 may officially mark the end of the regular school year for teachers, the Information Technology Department wants all staff members to “clean out their digital closets” before packing up and heading off to vacations, professional development opportunities, or other plans for summer break. Click here for a checklist of items you can complete to ensure you have a smoother transition when returning for the 2019-2020 school year. Also included are some tips on how to access technology from home during the summer.
Mayor’s Back to School Fest: Your help is needed to promote the Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Back to School Fest to elementary school students and their parents. Registration is now open for the annual event that helps elementary students across the city access the free resources they need for a successful school year, such as school supplies, backpacks, and medical services. To attend, all participants must register for an appointment by Friday, July 12. Registration is available via this link. Families may also register by calling 311 or 713-837-0311 to request an appointment.
Google Certifications: The Information Technology Department is offering two Google certification courses with GT certifications in June and July. The Google Certification Level I course will be offered on June 12-13 with 27 seats available. If interested, teachers should register in OneSource, course #1437111. The Google Certification Level II course will be offered on July 17-18 with 31 seats available. If interested, teachers should register in OneSource, course #1437112.
NASA Apollo Celebrations: This summer marks the 50th anniversary of landing humans on the moon and NASA has several events planned to commemorate this historic moon landing. Teachers are encouraged to share the list of events and summer opportunities with their students and parents. For a complete list of events and details, click here.
Region 4 Summer PD Opportunities: The HISD Academics Department will be summer training opportunities through the Region 4 Education Service Center. If you are interested in a training, please register through OneSource by May 24 to reserve a spot using the OneSource course numbers that can be found here. Space and funding are limited and supported through the Region 4 School Support grant. If you have any questions, please contact Tho Mei via email at tmei@houstonisd.org.
Schlumberger Coding / Robotics Club Grant: The district is calling all Science teachers to apply for the Schlumberger Coding / Robotics Club Grant for a chance to receive $3,000 for their coding and/or robotics club. Schlumberger aims to increase student awareness and education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields by inspiring the future coders and innovators of tomorrow. The grant will be given to 20 HISD school coding clubs for the 2019-2020 school year. For guidelines and to apply, click here. All applications must be submitted by May 31 to Tarah Davis at tarah.davis@houstonisd.org.
Region 4 STEAM Conference: Instructional Technology is inviting teachers, who wish to attend the Region 4 STEAM Conference on June 17 to register in OneSource, using course #1435042. Teachers that register in OneSource will have the conference registration fee covered by Instructional Technology. However, please note space is limited and paid registration seats will be awarded on a first come basis. Participants will explore the power of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics) as it applies to real-world connections, creativity through collaboration, and innovation through art and engineering. This one-day conference incorporates workshop-style sessions organized by grade bands and identified by STEAM strands, allowing you to personalize your conference experience. For more information, click here.
ELEMENTARY
Summer Math Academy Trainings: The Elementary Mathematics Curriculum & Development Department is excited to announce that HISD will host the Texas Education Agency (TEA) math academies during summer 2019 for kindergarten through third-grade teachers. The achievement academies will address effective and systematic instructional practices in mathematics, including problem solving, the place value system, whole number operations, and fractions. To participate, teachers must have an account with Region IV and register here. Please remember that registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. There is also a $350 stipend for eligible teachers. For complete details on the academy trainings, click here.
SECONDARY
Summer 2019 Training Opportunities: The Secondary Curriculum and Development Department is inviting all secondary teachers to review the summer learning catalog for professional development opportunities that will be held throughout the summer. The main summer learning event—“R3: Reflect, Refocus, Renew” is currently scheduled for July 24 and July 31 from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., at HISD Educational Learning Center (10725 Mesa Dr., 77078) and Westbury High School (11911 Chimney Rock Rd., 77035). For the save the date, click here.
Congratulations on another successful school year. While June 3 may officially mark the end of the regular school year for teachers, the Information Technology Department wants all staff members to “clean out their digital closets” before packing up and heading off to vacations, professional development opportunities, or other plans for summer break.
Below is a checklist of items you can complete to ensure you have a smoother transition when returning for the 2019-2020 school year. Also included are some tips on how to access technology from home during the summer.
Before you leave for the Summer Break
- Register to change your password in HISD Access. This allows you to reset your password from anywhere over the break.
- Learn how to check your email from home.
- Create an “Out of Office” message for your district email account. Learn how here.
- Delete unwanted files from OneDrive and Campus Cloud Sites (If it has not been used in 6 months, is it needed?) and back up your files and folders from your computer to OneDrive.
- Do you want to back up your internet favorites?
- Remove all USBs, CDs, and external hard drives from computers.
- Secure all classroom electronic equipment in accordance with your campus administration.
- DO NOT unplug, turn off or move the Ricoh copiers.
Summer IT Training Opportunities
A variety of technology training opportunities are available all summer. Please log into OneSource to view course dates and register for sessions. Additional sessions will be available soon!
| Customizing Word with Themes and Styles – Course #1437339 | Office 365 Forms Course #872002 | Presenting with Adobe Spark Course #1437335 |
| Excel Functions and Formulas Course #377001 | OneDrive – Where’s My Stuff? Course #873002 | SharePoint Department Course #71002 |
| Intro Microsoft Publisher-Certificate Making – Course #1437340 | Office 365 Overview Course #215004 | SharePoint Member Course #69004 |
| Mail Merge with Word Course #215007 | Office 365 Planner Course #1436013 | SharePoint Owner 1 Course #69005 |
| Make Your Automations Flow with Flow – Course #1436071 | Organizing Your Day with Outlook Course #1436070 | SharePoint Owner 2 Course #69006 |
| Excel – Pivot Tables, Pivot Charts & Sparklines – Course #1437341 | PowerPoint Advanced Course #1437343 | Collaborate in Office 365 – Course #1437344 |
| Microsoft Excel Tips and Tricks Course #72001 | PowerPoint-Back to Basics Course #145006 | Time Entry and Purchase Processing – Course #OS0201 |
| Microsoft Word-Reference Tools and Styles – Course #1437342 | Sway-A New Way to Present Course #1437345 |
Summer Educational Technology Learning Opportunities
The Educational Technology group are offering a variety of technology training opportunities are available all summer long.
- New Teacher Technology Pathways
- Technology Pathways for Administrators
- Late Night with Ed Tech
- Upcoming Professional Development Calendar
To attend, please register in OneSourceMe.
Summer Assistance
Need additional assistance or information? Visit the Solution Center or call the IT Service Desk at 713-892-7378
Remember during the summer, the HISD IT Service Desk is open from Monday to Thursday from 7 a.m. – 6 p.m
