Change agent network to guide migration from Chancery to HISD connect
Nearly 400 registrars, clerks, deans, and counselors from schools across the district have been selected for the HISD Connect Change Agent Network. As change agents, the group will help guide HISD in the implementation of HISD Connect , a new Student Information System (SIS) that will be replacing Chancery for the 2018-2018 school year.
The group will provide feedback to HISD Connect project leaders and will act as a communications conduit from the district level to individual schools. Each HISD campus has been asked to designate one or more employees to serve on the Change Agent Network (CAN). The network will meet once a month to collaborate with the project team and to receive resources, talking points, and tools that they can take back to their respective schools.
At the November CAN meeting, change agents learned more about Infinite Campus, the vendor selected to power HISD Connect, and received a short demonstration. The new system will provide all functional areas of a 24/7 online SIS including: registration and enrollment, attendance tracking, student progress and grade reporting, master scheduling and student scheduling, behavior and discipline, student health and health-related services, compliance reporting, special populations and special education, summer school, and an academic history for every student during their time at HISD.
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“Infinite Campus is a living solution to your SIS needs and we are working very closely with the HISD Connect project team to ensure that all the processes and day-to-day procedures we establish not only fit with what you do today, but will work with you as you grow and as things change in the future,” Infinite Campus lead David Brace told the group as he went over some of the system’s key features.
Some of the major changes users will see in HISD Connect is that there are no overnight delays because everything will now be done in one system. So when data is inputted, like grades or attendance, it is immediately accessible to all users. In addition, the new SIS organizes students by household, so family members are linked together, which makes updating information easier for schools and for parents. Users will also not have to “switch roles” to access various types of student information, but instead will have access at all times to data and to run various reports based on their role at a campus.
HISD Connect is launching at the start of the 2018-2019 school year, but campus-based employees from throughout the district will begin training on the new SIS in January 2018 and all master scheduling and student scheduling for the 2018-2019 school year will be performed in HISD Connect.
Campus-based change agents will continue to meet monthly and will be provided with information, tools, and resources to keep campuses informed about the status of the project implementation, forthcoming changes, and training schedule.
For the first-time ever, HISD’s Procurement Services team has received the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO) Award of Merit for Purchasing Operations with Recognized status.
“The Award of Merit is a great validation on how our procurement team is achieving the vision of ‘the premier K12 procurement platform in the nation’,” shared HISD Procurement Officer Rick Gay.
This award is provided to school districts and education service centers statewide that are committed to following best practices in the acquisition of goods and services. More importantly, the award also reflects the district’s commitment to financial responsibility.
“This shows that HISD’s Procurement Services is dedicated to working hard every day to improve the organization’s processes and procedures related to purchasing,” added Gay. “Thank you to everyone for their dedication and professionalism that has resulted in our team receiving statewide recognition.”
To determine the recipients of the award, TASBO reviews various procedures and practices including: organization, policies and procedures, contract operations, staff training and certification, use of technology, communication and management of co-operative programs, and applicable p-card systems and warehousing.
The Textbook Operations Department and Furniture Services Department will conduct their annual physical inventories beginning Tuesday, Nov. 28 through Friday, Dec. 1. As a result, the warehouses will be closed during those days and will not be able to process normal orders. Both departments will resume normal business operations on Monday, Dec. 4.
If you need assistance during the inventory process, you may contact your Textbook Specialist at 713-676-9410 or Furniture Services staff at 713-676-9230 for questions or and/or emergency assistance.
Cast your vote in District Advisory Committee Elections
Click here, to cast your vote in the 2018 District Advisory Committee (DAC) elections from Monday, Nov. 27 to Friday, Dec. 15.
Campus-based professional employees have two votes: One vote is for a “Classroom Teacher” and one vote is for an “Other Campus-Level Professional”. School employees are eligible to vote only for a nominee from their particular grade level group.
Central Office Employees, paygrade 25 and above, will be able to vote for one Central Office nominee, under the Central Office group.
Results will be posted after the election.
In compliance with Education Code 11.251, the District Advisory Committee (DAC) shall advise the Board or its designee in establishing and reviewing the District’s educational goals, objectives, and major Districtwide classroom instructional programs identified by the Board or its designee. The committee shall serve exclusively in an advisory role except that the committee shall approve staff development of a Districtwide nature.
The DAC comprises parents, community members, and business representatives who are appointed by the Superintendent or his designee, along with elected campus-based and district-level professionals, at least two-thirds of whom must be classroom teachers.
Questions about the election may be directed to Bernadette Cardenas at 713-556-7285. For technical or access questions, contact the HISD Service Desk at 713-892-7378.
Register now for the Manager Resource Group Meeting on Thursday, Nov. 30 at Hexser T. Holliday Food Services Support Center from 3:30 – 5 p.m. For more info and to RSVP, click here.
ALL TEACHERS
Reading Rock Stars: HISD teachers are invited to participate in a “Reading Rock Stars Afternoon with the Authors” event sponsored by HISD Library Services on Nov. 30. Participants will learn how to inspire young readers with dynamic presentations and hear from nationally recognized authors on how to generate excitement around reading and writing. RSVP by Nov. 27 to sdarcy@houstonisd.org.
15 Days of Code: In celebration of Computer Science Education Week, join Advanced Academics for 15 Days of Code starting Dec. 1. Teachers can find coding activities online throughout December for every grade level that will engage students in a new coding experience each day. To learn more, click here. Send pictures to news@houstonisd.org, or post your coding event using #HISDecoded.
Innovation Grant Program: Thanks to the generous donations from local community members and business partnerships, the HISD Foundation has launched an Innovation Grant program to provide funds for teachers and schools to purchase equipment, supplies, and other items to innovate teaching and learning in the classroom. The foundation will award $150,000 in Innovation Grants for the 2017-2018 school year and the grant is open to all teachers in grades Pre-K through 12. It’s not too late! Apply now, here.
NEW TEACHERS
Professional Development: With collaboration with the Onboarding and Organization Development and the New Teacher Support teams, new teachers are encouraged to attend the second employee resource group on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at Ryan Professional Development Center from 4:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Workshop topics include:
- Engage and Connect (course #515012)
- What to do (course #515009)
- Reinforcers (course #504008)
- Student Data Tracking (course #515018)
- Transition and Pacing Tools (course #515007)
ELEMENTARY
Parent Guides: The Office of Communications have released the latest parent guides covering the Second Nine Weeks for grades Pre-K through 5 in English and Spanish. The guides provide parents with a detailed look at what their child should be learning in each grade level throughout the school year and empower parents to become more involved in their child’s education. Download and print guides, here.
K-5 STEM Academy: Session three of the K – 5 STEM Academy will be held on Dec. 4 at Southmayd Elementary School from 4 – 5:30 p.m. The focus of this session is STEM Design Challenges. Through this hands-on/minds-on session, participants will explore the engineering design process and learn ways to include STEM challenges with fairy tales, fables, myths, and legends. Teachers will learn how to incorporate STEM activities in their classrooms as part of their ELA or other content instruction. Register on OneSource course #742003.
SECONDARY
College Board AP Readers: The Advanced Academics Department encourages all Advanced Placement teachers to apply as College Board AP Readers. College Board provides onsite AP Readers with an honorarium (last year was $1,639) as well as travel expenses to respective subject-area readings. Apply today, here.
Central office employees who donate can earn a jeans pass
All HISD employees and schools are invited to participate in Toys for Tots, the Marine Corps’ premier community action program. New and unwrapped toys should be dropped off at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center by Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017.
Schools and departments are encouraged to select a coordinator to track collection efforts and to fill out. collection report form. Coordinators should bring this form and all collected toys to the Strategic Partnerships Department, located at Level 1 SE at Hattie Mae White, by Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017.
In addition, all central office employees who donate a toy and drop it off to the Strategic Partnerships office will receive a pass to wear jeans on one of two designated Fridays in January, 2018.
The Houston Children’s Charity is working in conjunction with Toys for Tots for toy distribution to children in the Houston area. Classrooms or campuses with students they would like to be considered to receive toys are required to have parents fill out the application and mail or email the form to the address on the bottom of page. For more information on how to sign up, contact: Houston Children’s Charity (713) 864-2824.
Dear HISD Time Recorders,
Due to Thanksgiving Break, all time must be entered and approved by Friday, Nov. 17, 2017 at 5:00 p.m.
Time can be approved on a daily basis. If time is already approved and the time recorder adds additional time, that added time must be approved.
Once again, the time approval deadline for the pay period ending 11/19/2017 is Friday, Nov. 16, 2017.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Employee Services at 713-556-7300.
Sincerely,
The HISD Payroll Department
Combined Charities fundraising campaign deadline has been extended
The 2018 HISD Combined Charities fundraising campaign has now been extended to Friday, Dec. 1 and members of Team HISD have increased contributions supporting one of 11 charitable organizations to over $80,000.
Check out below to see which campuses and departments are currently leading the race in their category.
Campus based:
- 206 or more employees: Bellaire High School
- 138 to 205 employees: Milby High School
- 69 to 137 employees: The Rice School
- 1 to 68 employees: Atherton Elementary School
Non-campus based:
- 76 or more: Special Ed – Speech & Language
- 40 to 75 employees: Community Services SEC
- 21 to 39 employees: Police Department (Dayshift Patrol)
- 1 to 20 employees: Secondary Curriculum and Development – Literacy
There’s still time to give. To make a donation and to view the entire list of charities, visit www.houstonisd.org/combinedcharities or speak with your department or school Combined Charities Coordinator.
Parent Guides offer detailed look at what children are learning in each grade level
Parents can get a detailed look at what their child is learning in each grade level throughout the school year through the district’s new Parent Guides, which are aimed at empowering parents to become more involved in their child’s education.
The guides give parents important information about what their child should know and be able to do at each grade level and include activities that parents can do at home to further their child’s learning. They cover academics, social and emotional learning, parent empowerment, college and career readiness, important dates, and tools for success. The guides were produced by Communications in collaboration with Curriculum, Career Readiness, College Success, FACE, and Social & Emotional Learning.
For elementary, there will be four guides total for the year – one for each nine-week period: first nine weeks, second nine weeks, third nine weeks, and fourth nine weeks. For middle and high school, there will be two guides total for the year – one for each semester: fall and spring.
The guides are available for download at HoustonISD.org/ParentGuides.
Currently, the first nine weeks, second nine weeks, and fall guides for all grades are posted. The rest of the guides will be posted as they become available throughout the year, and an ASM will be posted when they are.
Schools and departments are encouraged to download, print and distribute these guides to parents or make them available electronically.
- Consider placing in parent packets or weekly folders that go home with students.
- Distribute at school events.
- Encourage teachers to distribute at parent-teacher conferences.
- Interested in having a set printed for all students on your campus? Contact your representative at HISD Printing Services.
