[slideshow]
Yearly Archives: 2012
HISD Honors Exceptional Volunteers for 2011-2012 School Year
The Houston Independent School District held its Volunteers in Public Schools breakfast and awards ceremony at the Kingdom Builders’ Center on May 30. The annual event honors exceptional volunteer contributions by individuals and organizations and was sponsored by the HISD Foundation and Randalls.
The Jean Davis Myers award, which is the highest honor, was presented to Urban Harvest and Pilar Hernandez, an Urban Harvest parent volunteer at Kolter Elementary. The organization was recognized for its volunteer work in improving the quality of education in greater Houston. The organization’s district-wide outdoor learning environment initiative helps teachers create curriculum for outdoor classrooms. The program also provides students hands-on learning in science, math, history, and other subjects.
A Special Lifetime Achievement award was presented to George W. Black for his service to HISD’s Volunteers in Public Schools for more than 25 years. Mr. Black, a retired Marine, oversees the student safety patrol and is a member of the Safety and Security Committee at Barrick Elementary.
Here is a list of the other honorees.
Parent Partner of the Year
– Samuel Pratt Jr.: Thompson Elementary School
– Martha Jenkinson: Bellaire High School
– Wharton PTO: Wharton Language Academy
– Parents on Patrol: Sam Houston, Math, Science, and Tech Center
Community Partnership of the Year
– Neighbors in Action: Port Houston Elementary School
– St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church: Black Middle School
– BBVA Compass Bank: Milby High School
– Westbury Baptist Church: McNamara Elementary School
– Grace Presbyterian Church: Paul Revere Middle School
– NASA Hunch Program: Barbara Jordan High School for Careers
Community Volunteer of the Year
– Janet McMasters: Poe Elementary School
– Joe Guzman: McReynolds Middle School
-Victor Marte: Sam Houston Math, Science, and Tech Center
– Dimitri Ferrier, Jr.: Hope Academy Charter
Youth Volunteer of the Year
–Bellaire MENS Club: Gabriela Mistral Early Childhood Center
– Steven Lara: Pilgrim Academy
– Girl Scout Troop: Grady Middle school
– Aaliyah Mason: Barbara Jordan High School for Careers
Charles Harding VIPS Senior of the Year
-Wilbert Brown: Foerster Elementary School
– Magaret Cobb: Revere Middle School
– Diana Vasquez: Sam Houston Math, Science, and Tech. Center
-Monroe Meinen, Jr.: Oates Elementary School
School Volunteer Coordinator of the Year
-Magine Fernandez: Southmayd Elementary School
-Brenda Oliveria: T.H. Rogers Middle School
-Hermelinda Carzares: Sam Houston Math, Science, and Tech Center
-Katherine Arbiter: Poe Elementary School
Board Trustee Anna Eastman and Superintendent Terry Grier presented the awards. Dr. Grier said he would challenge anyone to find a more dedicated group of individuals than the honorees and thanked them for their service to the children and schools. “You represent the best of the best: those who contribute their time and energy to Houston’s children every day, without any thought of recompense,” said Grier.
Members of HISD’s VIPS program serve as tutors, mentors, teacher partners, speakers, security patrols, chaperones, interpreters, and cafeteria monitors and help in libraries, media centers, clinics, and offices. For more information about how you can become a volunteer, contact Tina Thompson at 713-556-7206 or visit www.houstonisd.org
HISD Superintendent Terry Grier Thanks Teachers for their Contributions in the Classroom
Houston Independent School District Superintendent Terry Grier personally called some of HISD’s most effective educators on Friday to thank them for their hard work this school year.
The teachers were all identified as highly effective educators under HISD’s new teacher appraisal and development system. HISD recently launched the Effective Teacher Initiative to transform the way the district recruits, trains, evaluates, and recognizes teachers. Through the program, educators are now receiving valuable feedback that will help them improve their instruction in the classroom.
Dr. Grier says the new system is helping identify the strongest teachers and puts HISD closer to achieving its goal of having an effective teacher in each classroom. “These teachers are the backbone of HISD,” said Dr. Grier. “They believe in their students, hold them to high expectations, and are relentless in their drive to make sure each student is learning. Teaching is extremely tough work and we appreciate the dedication that these teachers show on a regular basis.”
Last May, the Board of Education approved the new appraisal and development system, which appraises teachers on several measures in three performance areas: instructional practice, professional expectations, and student performance.
Dr. Grier has asked the Board of Education to consider approving pay raises ranging from 1.75 percent to 2.25 percent for all staff and teachers next school year.
Davis High School celebrates a campus milestone
[slideshow]
It was a sea of purple at Davis High School on May 29, as the class of 2012 celebrated its first ever College Decision Day. One hundred percent of the senior class has applied to a two- or four-year college, and 100 percent has been accepted. It’s a major milestone for the campus that was once labeled as a dropout factory.
“It really is something to be proud of, not only for Davis but for the whole neighborhood surrounding the school,” said senior David Paredes, who is headed to Iowa State in the fall. The Davis Class of 2012 has also set a new scholarship record for the school with more than $2.1 million being offered to students.
Joining in the celebration were U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and fellow U.S. Rep. and Davis alumnus Gene Green. “There is a great history at this school and you young folks are going to make new history,” Green told the excited crowd.
Jackson Lee and Green presented a proclamation to the students, encouraging them to graduate from college no matter how difficult things get. The students also signed individual pledges.
“It’s something that they can treasure and keep,” said Davis College Access Coordinator Laura Jeffery. “If they ever get to a point where they are thinking college is not for them, they can always look back to that certificate.”
Future Davis students from nearby Marshall Middle School were also invited to take part in the Decision Day celebration to get a glimpse of their future. The students were given purple shirts and flags to wave at the event and were welcomed by Principal Jaime Castaneda.
“This was cool,” said eighth-grader Jose Ticas as he headed back to Marshall Middle. “It gave me a good idea of what high school is really like and how I need to start thinking about my future and what college I want to attend.”
Students at East Early College HS offer touching tribute
Seniors at East Early College High School on Wednesday got a chance to thank individuals who influenced their success in school—whether that person was a parent, grandparent, teacher or fellow student. Each senior took the stage to present a rose.
Thomas Cebeda expressed his appreciation for his mother, Beatriz:
“I want to thank my mom. Mom, I love you.” Continue reading
Graduating Seniors Receive Record-Breaking Scholarship Offers
More than 9,000 seniors will graduate from HISD high schools in the coming days. So far, HISD seniors have been offered more than $172 million in college scholarships, a record-breaking amount that surpasses last year’s total by more than $40 million and the total for the Class of 2012 is still growing.
Almost 90 percent of HISD’s graduates have been accepted into college and half of these students were accepted into a 4-year university. In fact at Davis High School, for the first time in the school’s history, the entire graduating class applied and got accepted into a two or four year college or university. Plus, the district currently boasts the highest graduation rate and the lowest dropout rate ever.
These are all results of the district’s efforts to ensure every student is prepared for college and one of the reasons HISD’s high schools continue to be among the nation’s best.
Twenty-one HISD high schools recently earned recognition in the Washington Post High School Challenge, a list of 1,800 schools representing the top 9 percent in the nation when it comes to preparing graduates for college. Only 125 Texas high schools made the list, and HISD campuses – Carnegie Vanguard, Eastwood Academy, and DeBakey High School for Health Professions – represent three of the national top 100.
In addition, HISD high schools also occupy 9 out of 1,000 positions on Newsweek’s list of America’s Best High Schools. Only 86 Texas high schools made the Newsweek list.
These national rankings are a result of the district’s Advanced Placement initiative that began in 2009 to ensure all HISD students have access to at least 15 college-level AP courses in every high school.
Last year students earned a score of 3 or higher, which is the score most colleges require for course credit, on 6,657 AP exams, which is a 35 percent increase from 2009.
Such strong AP initiative is also one of the reasons HISD is among the four finalists for the Broad Prize for Urban Education, the nation’s most prestigious education award which recognizes the top urban school district in America for its strong academic achievement and narrowing the achievement gap.
In keeping with the district’s mission of creating a college-bound culture in every school, HISD opened the Energized for STEM Academy in 2008 in an effort to help students earn college credits that will prepare them for postsecondary academics as well as technical careers in a variety of fields. On June 2, the inaugural Energized for STEM Academy Class of 2012 will be graduating with college credits and have all been accepted into college or the United States Military and were awarded scholarships totaling nearly $2 million.
HISD Superintendent Terry Grier will attend the following graduation ceremonies.
| Saturday, June 2 | 10:00am | Chavez High School | Hofheinz Pavilion, University of Houston |
| Saturday, June 2 | 4:00 pm | Scarborough High School | George R. Brown Convention Center |
| Sunday, June 3 | 4:00 pm | Sharpstown High School | Delmar Sports Complex |
Click here for the entire list of graduation ceremonies.
Photo gallery: Volunteers honored for service to children, schools
[slideshow]
The Houston Independent School District held its Volunteers in Public Schools breakfast and awards ceremony at the Kingdom Builders’ Center. The annual event honors exceptional volunteer contributions by individuals and organizations and was sponsored by the HISD Foundation and Randalls.
The Jean Davis Myers award, which is the highest honor, was presented to Urban Harvest and Pilar Hernandez, an Urban Harvest parent volunteer at Kolter Elementary. The organization was recognized for its volunteer work in improving the quality of education in greater Houston. The organization’s district-wide outdoor learning environment initiative helps teachers create curriculum for outdoor classrooms. The program also provides students hands-on learning in science, math, history, and other subjects.
A Special Lifetime Achievement award was presented to George W. Black for his service to HISD’s Volunteers in Public Schools for more than 25 years. Mr. Black, a retired Marine, oversees the student safety patrol and is a member of the Safety and Security Committee at Barrick Elementary.
Here is a list of the other honorees:
HISD providing free summer meals to children through July 12
The Houston Independent School District will again provide free breakfast and free lunch to all of Houston’s children between the ages of 1 and 18 at more than 200 schools.
Children can stop by any participating HISD school Monday through Thursday, from June 11 through July 12, between the hours 8 and 9 a.m. for breakfast and 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. for lunch.
Click here (PDF) for a list of participating HISD schools and here (PDF) to see the flier.
For information on where to find free meals on Fridays and after July 12, contact the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department at 713-676-6832 or dial 2-1-1.
There is no paperwork involved and no registration is needed. A child does not have to be enrolled in summer school to receive a free meal. The only requirement for the child is to be between the ages of 1 and 18. Adults may also participate in the program by purchasing breakfast for $2 and lunch for $3.25.
Questions regarding the Summer Food Service Program may be directed to HISD/ARAMARK Food Services at 713-491-5944.
Walnut Bend blogs about journey to Odyssey of the Mind World Finals
Students from Walnut Bend Elementary School earned honors at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals in Ames, Iowa. Walnut Bend, an Apollo 20 campus, competed against 800 teams along with seven other HISD schools: Bellaire High School, Pin Oak Middle School, and Horn, Poe, River Oaks, Roberts, and West University Elementary Schools. The student-driven problem-solving competition emphasizes teamwork and creativity.
From the Walnut Bend blog: Pictured is coach Michelle Dahlquist apprising the fourth-grade team of how they did on their long-term problem.
Along the way, the team chronicled the adventure on the Walnut Bend Odyssey of the Mind team blog.
Walnut Bend Principal Susan Shenker watched a live video stream of the awards ceremony on Saturday, May 26. “I am so very proud of our amazing, hard-working students and their incomparable coach, Michele Dahlquist,” Shenker said. “Competitions such as this are a reminder that real learning is about creating and problem-solving and that these types of experiences should be available to all learners.”
Walnut Bend earned third-place honors in the “You Make the Call” category, in which students were required to “design and build a structure made of only balsa wood and glue that will support as much weight as possible.” The school also ranked fourth in the “Ooh-Motional Vehicles” category, which required students to “design, build, and drive a vehicle that will travel a course where it will encounter three different situations. The vehicle will display a different human emotion for each encounter and one will cause it to travel in reverse.”
HISD Honors Two Teachers of the Year for 2011-2012
Teachers of the Year Brian Gaston from Hogg Middle School and Ashley Monteil from Lyons Elementary School. Click here to see more photos from the event.
The 2011-2012 Houston Independent School District teachers of the year were announced tonight during the Team HISD Celebration of Excellence ceremony at the Hiltons Americas Hotel. Lyons Elementary school teacher Ashley Monteil and Hogg Middle school teacher Brian Gaston were selected among 11,000 HISD teachers.
Monteil teaches second- and fourth-grade students at Lyons Elementary school. She was also nominated for Houston Area Association of Bilingual Education English as a Second Language Teacher of the Year. Monteil is a member of the gifted and talented committee which helps selects students for the gifted and talented program and she is also an active board member for Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts. Monteil’s colleagues say she is committed to educating the whole child with a focus on their growth, achievement, and character.
Gaston teaches social studies and U.S. History at Hogg Middle school and was recently named asa finalist for the Sue Lehman Award for Excellence. Gaston serves as the History Department content chairperson and is a member of the school’s Shared Decision Making Committee. He also serves as an advisor for Student Council and coaches the school’s speech and debate team. Gaston says he enjoys helping youth become effective communicators while helping them build their self-esteem and confidence.
The winners received $5,000, a plaque, and a custom made ring. The HISD Foundation and the Herff Jones Graduation Center were sponsors for this year’s ceremony.
President of the HISD Board of Education Michael Lunceford and Superintendent Terry Grier recognized the honorees at tonight’s ceremony.
“These teachers are just a glimpse of all of the talent that we have in our schools,” Lunceford said.
Dr. Grier said the teachers honored Thursday exemplify HISD’s efforts to place an effective teacher in every classroom. “The teachers that we’re honoring truly represent what this event is all about,” Dr. Grier said. “This celebration is one of the ways HISD strives every day to have an effective teacher in every classroom.”
Here are the other nominees for the 2011-2012 Elementary Teacher of the Year :
• Ana Lentz –Pilgrim Academy
• Nanette Musters – Mark Twain Elementary School
• Selene Rogers – Windsor Village Elementary School
• Maria Godoy – Port Houston Elementary School
• Lindsey MacLeod – Oak Forest Elementary School
• Benjamin Glover – Gallegos Elementary School
• Susan (Kim) O’Reilly – Roberts Elementary School
• Alaster Gaines – Crawford-Sherman Elementary School
• Cecily Stevens – The School at St. George Place
• Martha Garcia – Herrera Elementary School
• Ernie Bainbridge – Walnut Bend Elementary School
The Secondary Teacher of the Year Nominees for 2011-2012
• Timothy Daponte – Reagan High School
• Qian Zhang – DeBakey High School
• Tarhonda Greer – Jones High School
• Modesto Mendoza – Devry/CLC
• Mildred Williams – Hope Academy
• Margarita Castro – Madison High School
• Darryl Tricksey – Fondren Middle School
• Neda Khan – Black Middle School
• Camula Stanfield – Pershing Middle School
Each nominee submitted seven essays highlighting their professional history, philosophy of teaching, trends in education, personal teaching style, community involvement, and professional development. Various committees reviewed the entries and selected elementary and secondary teachers as finalists.