Yearly Archives: 2012

HISD Board of Education to Review Facilities Assessment

The HISD Board of Education will receive a report Thursday that updates the district’s long-term facilities plan and recommends several school construction and renovation projects that could be funded through a bond program.

   Thursday’s meeting, scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Board auditorium of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 West 18th Street), is for discussion purposes.  No action is expected to be taken on a possible bond election until July or August.  The next possible date for a bond election is Nov. 6, 2012.

School construction and renovation work approved by Houston Independent School District voters in 2007 is nearing completion on budget. So far, HISD has opened 16 new or replacement schools under that bond program, 6 more new schools are under construction, and 2 more are in the planning stage.  More than 100 HISD campuses have undergone renovations so far.  Click here for more detailed information about the work completed under the 2007 bond program.

Thursday’s report will be presented by representatives from Parsons, an engineering, construction, technical, and management services firm hired by the district in March to update the comprehensive facilities assessment that was conducted in 2007.

The board workshop will be carried live on HISD’s website and on the HISD Channel, which can be found on Comcast Channel 18 or AT&T Channel 99.

Young Men’s College Preparatory Academy Awarded $31,000 Grant for School Uniforms

The Moody Foundation has awarded HISD’s Young Men’s College Preparatory Academy a $31,000 grant to purchase school uniforms for the 2012-2013 school year.  Nearly 80 percent of YMCPA students are from low-income families, and many students and parents cannot afford the uniforms which consist of blazers, slacks, and ties. Since state and federal guidelines prevent the academy from paying for uniforms, the school relies primarily on partner organizations for financial support.    

The HISD Board of Education is expected to accept the grant during the board’s regular meeting on Thursday, June 14. 

Principal Dameion J. Crook says the school uniform project has helped inspire student confidence and has helped nurture both the intellectual and social development necessary for his students to graduate college and become successful leaders. 

Continue reading →

HISD Awards Top Custodians and Plant Operators of the Year

The Houston Independent School District presented the Custodian and Plant Operator of the Year awards, and recognized the strong work ethic, dedication and commitment of the entire operations staff on June 7.

“We want to take the time to say – we see what you’re doing, we know what you’re doing, and most importantly, we appreciate what you’re doing,” Superintendent Terry Grier said.  “The work of these employees is vital for all our schools and facilities to be able to operate smoothly on a daily basis.”     

The Secondary Custodian of the Year award was given to Hortencia Garcia from Waltrip High School and the Elementary Custodian of the Year award was given to Maria Fuentes from De Zavala Elementary School.

Honorable mentions were also given to Vickie Newton from TH Rogers Middle School and Vilma Villatoro from Red Elementary School for excellence and innovation in service to their campuses.

“We are truly proud of these custodians, who exceed expectations in every area of plant operations, and who go to work every day with their most important customers in mind – the children of HISD,” said Leo Bobadilla, Chief Operating Officer.  “These awards serve as tangible recognition of their efforts, and our appreciation.”

Marili Vaquiz from Burrus Elementary School was awarded Elementary Plant Operator of the Year, and Gary Vaughn from Welch Middle School was awarded Secondary Plant Operator of the Year. 

Honorable mentions for excellence in plant operations were also given to Maria Cerda from JP Henderson Elementary School, Jerry Johnson from Waltrip High School, and Connie Broussard from McNamara Elementary School.           

HISD’s custodians and plant operators are tasked with ensuring all of the district’s schools and facilities are clean, safe and operating adequately.

HISD Seeks Exceptional Teachers to Help Struggling Students Over the Summer

[slideshow]

225 prospective teachers came out to the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center on Tuesday for HISD’s Summer School Job Fair. 25 secondary schools interviewed teachers to provide support for 9th and 12th grade students who will be required to re-take the STAAR End of Course exams or the Exit Level TAKS. Students must pass these exams to get their diplomas.

HISD Wins National School Public Relations Association ‘Gold Medallion’ Award

The Houston Independent School District has been selected as the winner of the 2012 National School Public Relations Association ‘Gold Medallion’ Award for its exemplary communication plan to create awareness on the new state-mandated STAAR exams implemented during the 2011-2012 academic year.

NSPRA’s Gold Medallion Award is the top national competition recognizing superior education public relations programs, and HISD was selected from a field of 54 public relations programs throughout the United States and Canada.

This award recognizes the district for the multilingual, multimedia, communication plan it implemented to inform parents, students and the community about the new state-mandated STAAR exams and their implications on students. 

This communication plan included various strategies ranging from traditional mail outs, TV and radio interviews and public meetings, to internally produced live TV forums, social media campaigns, phone banks and interactive web events. 

In addition, HISD established partnerships with local media such as Univision to help reach out to the community through various live interviews, weekly educational segments and a live phone bank during prime time. 

The entries submitted were evaluated on the ability to successfully execute the following: research, analysis and planning, communication and implementation, and evaluation.

HISD Takes Action to Help More Students Pass Tougher STAAR Exams

Houston ISD Superintendent Terry Grier is presenting the Board of Education today with a plan to offer intensive summer school programs specifically for students who did not pass the new State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exams on their first try.

The plan entails hiring as many as 228 extra summer school teachers to help students pass the state exams required for graduation.  These exams include the new STAAR end-of-course exams taken by ninth-grade students in the spring, and the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills exit-level exam that is still required for students who entered high school before 2011-2012.

Summer school begins for HISD students on Monday.

 This spring, more than 12,000 HISD high school freshmen were the first to attempt the tough end-of-course exams required under STAAR.  Much more rigorous than the old Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), STAAR is the first state assessment system designed to measure whether students are on track to graduate, prepared for success in college and in the workplace.

 The Texas Legislature required school districts to prepare students for the tougher STAAR exams in the same year that districts lost $5.4 billion in state funding.  HISD campuses operated in 2011-2012 with 835 fewer teachers than in the previous school year and the district has lost about $120 million in state funding.

 Students who did not pass the STAAR end-of-course exams or the TAKS exit-level exam get their next opportunity July 9-12.  Summer school is not mandatory for students who have not passed the STAAR exams, but attendance is highly encouraged, because passing averages are required for graduation.  Texas students now must pass a total of 15 STAAR end-of-course exams by the time they complete high school to receive a diploma.

HISD still had not received complete STAAR exam results from the Texas Education Agency as of Thursday morning, but plans are moving forward to bolster summer school offerings for students in need of help.  Under the plan approved Thursday, the district is offering teachers who are chosen to work with students in need of help on the STAAR and TAKS exams an increased pay rate of $50 an hour and bonuses ranging from $150 to $250 for each student who meets performance goals on the STAAR and TAKS retest in July. The maximum bonus payout per teacher is $10,000.

The money to pay for the program is coming from unspent funds in the district’s pool of money set aside for teacher performance pay.

Preliminary First-Year STAAR End-of-Course Exam Results

 

            Because the STAAR exams are in their first year of use, the Texas Education Agency is not using results from the 2011-2012 administration for accountability purposes.  This means that school ratings will not be based on this year’s scores and results are not being used to determine whether students are promoted to the next grade level.

            Scores on the STAAR End of Course exams taken by ninth-graders, however, will be used to determine their eventual eligibility for graduation.  The majority of HISD freshmen took end-of-course exams this spring in five subjects: English I reading, English I writing, Algebra I, biology, and world geography.  HISD is still awaiting full results for all students from the state, and the preliminary results listed below are still subject to change.  The preliminary results are as follows:

Reading: 59 percent passing

Writing:  47 percent passing

Algebra I: 79 percent passing

Biology: 84 percent passing

World Geography: 73 percent passing

            The number of HISD students who must retake each exam ranges from 6,100 students on the writing exam to 2,100 students in biology.

Other Preliminary STAAR Exam Results

            Students in grades 3 through 8 took STAAR exams for the first time this spring as well.  The Texas Education Agency has not yet determined the percentage of questions that each student must correctly answer in order to pass those exams.  Therefore, each exam’s results are being reported in terms of the average percent of questions answered correctly by students at each grade level and in each subject.  The average number of questions answered correctly on each exam is as follows.  It is important to note that these percentages DO NOT represent passing rates:

Grade 3 Reading: 63 percent; Math: 63 percent

Grade 3 (Spanish-language test takers) Reading: 60 percent; Math: 63 percent

Grade 4 Reading: 64 percent; Math: 59 percent

Grade 4 (Spanish-language test takers) Reading: 61 percent; Math: 65 percent; Writing: 61 percent

Grade 5 Reading: 65 percent; Math: 66 percent; Science: 73 percent

Grade 5 (Spanish-language test takers) Reading: 48 percent; Math 40 percent; Science: 50 percent

Grade 6 Reading: 65 percent; Math: 58 percent

Grade 7 Reading: 64 percent; Math: 46 percent; Writing: 60 percent;

Grade 8 Reading: 65 percent; Math: 52 percent; Science: 61 percent; Social Studies: 52 percent

TAKS Exam Results

 

            The percentage of HISD 10th-grade students passing each subject – English language arts, math, science, and social studies – increased compared to the 2010-2011 school year.  The percentage of 11th-grade students passing the math and science TAKS exams increased, while the social studies passing rate remained unchanged at 98 percent.  The 11th-grade passing rate in English language arts now stands at 90 percent, a 2-point decline.

HISD Board President Television Show Takes an Up Close Look at Carnegie Vanguard HS Construction

Who: The June 2012 edition of HISD Up Close hosted by HISD Board of Education President Michael Lunceford takes viewers on a hard-hat tour of the new Carnegie Vanguard High School campus. This summer, HISD Construction and Facility crews are finishing up the state-of-the art facility so students and staff can move in for the start of 2012-2013 school year. The show also features interviews with Carnegie Principal Ramos Moss and the HISD 2011-2012 Principals and Teachers of the Year.

What: Monthly HISD UP Close television show hosted by Board President Michael Lunceford.

When: Throughout the month of June at www.houstonisd.org and on HISD-TV (Comcast channel 18 and AT&T U-verse channel 99) on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sunday at 8:30 p.m.

Why: HISD Board President Michael Lunceford is committed to showcasing some of the amazing things happening at HISD schools across the district, in addition to highlighting district initiatives and accomplishments. His monthly show features a tour of an HISD school or project, and segments showcasing the academic accomplishments of HISD students and the dedication of HISD staff.

Rusk School wins $25,000 in State Farm contest

Coming on the heels of a $25,000 grant from Devon Energy, The Rusk School received another hefty check for its science efforts last week.

State Farm presented the school with $25,000 from its “Cause An Effect” program, an online contest that generates votes for local causes through social media. The school was chosen for its geodesic dome solar-powered greenhouse.

State Farm presented a $25,000 check to The Rusk School for its geodesic dome solar-powered greenhouse.

It’s a project that middle school math teacher Brenda Boyer said is rooted in community service. Boyer said the students will use the dome to grow organic food to donate to the Star of Hope homeless shelter and a local food bank.

“This project will allow our students to help others in the community in a positive way. The dome will also be utilized as a science lab for all our Pre-K through eighth-grade students,” Boyer said.

A State Farm student panel chose 100 finalists from a field of 3,000 entries, then voters on State Farm’s Facebook page chose the top 40.

Grad Labs help students earn their diplomas

On Memorial Day weekend, when her family was gathered around the grill, Rebecca Babb was at work on the computer.

The Waltrip High School senior was determined to finish the only course standing between her and graduation.  “I told my mom, ‘I am going to try, I am going to see what I can do,’” Rebecca said.

Rebecca Babb, who graduated from Waltrip High School on Sunday, credits her school’s Grad Lab with helping her to receive her diploma with her class.

Rebecca knew the stakes: Pass the online math class and walk the stage or fail and report to summer school. She had already failed Algebra II twice.

Waltrip Graduation Coach Brett Rusnock, who works in the school’s Grad Lab, identified the online class as an option that would allow her to graduate with her class.

Her hard work and extra effort were rewarded on Sunday night as she walked the stage in her red cap and gown to receive her diploma.

Continue reading →