Yearly Archives: 2012

Seven HISD Schools Receive Generous Donation of 10,000 Books

Seven schools in the Houston Independent School District will receive 10,000 books because of a generous donation from Neuhaus Education Center.  The announcement was made today at the 3 Men Movers Warehouse on the Southwest Freeway.  Neuhaus Education Center received the books as part of the H-E-B Read 3 campaign. 

This afternoon, 3 Men Movers will deliver the books to Bonham Elementary, Garcia Elementary, Whidby Elementary, Gregory-Lincoln Elementary, Kashmere Gardens Elementary, High School Ahead Academy, and Worthing High School.

Several campuses plan to use the books to enhance their library collections, while others will use the books to supplement classroom libraries.  One school will also give some of the books to students to encourage summer reading.

“This generous donation of books will enhance the literacy of hundreds of HISD students”, said Dr. Alicia Thomas, HISD Deputy Chief Academic Officer. “One of the greatest gifts you can give a child is to teach them at an early age the importance of reading every day.”

Since 1980, Neuhaus Education Center (NEC) has been dedicated to the prevention of reading failure and provides teachers professional development in research-based methods of literacy instruction. Nearly 7,000 HISD teachers have received training at NEC on literacy intervention strategies.  Principals and teacher development specialists have also attended the professional development sessions.

The H-E-B Read 3 campaign was the brainchild of H-E-B CEO and Chairman, Charles Butt, a strong advocate for public education.  H-E-B launched the Read 3 program as part of its continued efforts to strengthen education in Houston and throughout the state.

H-E-B Read 3 is committed to helping parents shape a child’s mind by encouraging them to read to their children three times a week.  H-E-B’s goal is to collect 1 million books for children in need.

News around the district

Seniors from Houston Academy for International Studies met former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

Every month, schools across the district hold special events and celebrations, or honor employees, students and alumni.  Here’s a snapshot of what happened at HISD during the months of April-May:

  • Sherman Elementary honored their Gifted and Talented students at the 3rd Annual GT Expo on May 3. More than ninety gifted and Talented students worked individually or in groups to prepare projects for viewing by parents and community members.
  • Seniors from the Houston Academy for International Studies attended the World Affairs Council luncheon with former Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice.  Two students, Benjamin Brooks and Juana Martinez, were specially chosen for a round table discussion with former Secretary Rice where they were allowed to ask questions ranging from her view on U.S. relations with Pakistan to recounting her own days as a high school student.  Ms. Rice signed a copy of her recent book, No Higher Honor, as a gift to the school.
  • Dallas Cowboys football player Lawrence Vickers (#47) visited Whidby Elementary to promote the importance of education through athletics. Mr. Vickers spoke about his own experiences, including the teacherw who helped him succeed and why staying in school is important.

HISD Board President TV Show Takes an “Up Close” Look at Oral Language Lab at Gabriela Mistral ECC

Who: The May 2012 edition of HISD Up Close hosted by HISD Board President Michael Lunceford gives viewers a tour of the Oral Language and Literacy Lab at the Gabriela Mistral Early Childhood Center. The lab, which is a partnership with Rice University’s School Literacy and Culture Project, is having success at teaching English to non-native speakers. The show also features an interview with fellow Board Trustee Anna Eastman who brings along two principals from her district to talk about some of the exciting things happening at District I schools. Assistant Superintendent of School Support, Martha Salazar-Zamora, also joins the board president to talk about some of the many services HISD offers to students and parents.

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

When: Throughout the month of May 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 will regularly feature a tour of an HISD school or project, an interview with one of his colleagues on the HISD Board of Education, and a segment showcasing the academic accomplishments of HISD students and the dedication of HISD staff.

Comerica Banks Makes Significant Office Furniture and School Supply Donation to HISD

In the center, Downey Bridgwater, Comerica’s Houston market president, and Vanessa Reed, Comerica’s South Texas Community Reinvestment manager, load one of dozens of chairs into a moving van. They are flanked by Veronica Ruiz (left), manager of HISD’s Warehouse Furniture Operations, and Nicole Ware Smith (right), senior manager of HISD’s Warehouse Operations.

Comerica Bank today announced a donation valued at approximately $40,000 of work stations, chairs, file cabinets and other office equipment and supplies to the Houston Independent School District (HISD) to be dispersed to classrooms across the city.

The office equipment and supplies, surplus from Comerica’s recent Houston market headquarters relocation to Brookhollow Central, will be stored temporarily at a HISD facility where teachers and school officials then can come and select items to use in their classrooms and school offices.

“Comerica is committed to enhancing the communities we serve, and we hope this donation makes an immediate, positive impact on in-need schools all across Houston,” said Downey Bridgwater, Comerica’s Houston Market President. “We are pleased that HISD can put this surplus office equipment to good use to enhance the learning environment for both students and teachers. It’s especially important for businesses like ours to support our schools with our time and our resources.”

HISD’s Nicole Ware Smith, Senior Manager of Warehouse Operations, said, “Our schools are very excited about Comerica’s furniture and equipment donations. We are always looking for opportunities to obtain used furniture that’s in good serviceable condition because some of our schools have special needs. These are schools that are new, schools that have been damaged or ones that have recently undergone construction. This furniture and equipment will go a long way in helping improve conditions for student instruction.

“The donated furniture and equipment will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis. So, I know teachers will be lined up once word gets out that it’s available,” Smith added.

HISD Names Chief Middle School Officer

Michael Cardona, whose leadership of a high school and a middle school in San Antonio led to significant student achievement gains, has been named Houston ISD’s chief middle school officer.

Cardona comes to the Houston Independent School District from North East ISD, where he has served as principal of Robert E. Lee High School since 2009. He previously served as principal of North East’s Driscoll Middle School from 2006 to 2009. Cardona was among just five Texas finalists for this year’s H-E-B Excellence in Education Secondary School Principal Award.

HISD Superintendent Terry Grier said Cardona has the expertise needed to continue the transformation of Houston middle schools.

“The middle school years are a crucial time in the academic journey of every student,” Dr. Grier said. “The schools under Mr. Cardona’s leadership have successfully raised the level of academic rigor for all children, regardless of their background, and prepared them to succeed in college and in the job market.”

The number of college-level Advanced Placement exams taken by students at Robert E. Lee High School more than tripled on Cardona’s watch. The 2,700-student campus, which is home to three magnet programs, was included among the National Center for Educational Achievement’s list of Higher Performing Schools in 2011.

Cardona said he plans to use his experience as a principal on the middle school and high school levels to help students make the transition from eighth grade to ninth grade. Students must leave HISD’s middle schools prepared to tackle the rigor of AP classes in high school, Cardona said. This means exposing students to challenging classes in middle school, because high school is too late, he said.

“We have got to get these students ready when they enter high school,” Cardona said. “All kids are capable of being successful if they’re given the right structures.”

Cardona hold a master of science in educational administration from Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and a bachelor of arts in political science from Texas A&M University. He is currently pursuing his doctoral degree in educational administration from Texas A&M University.

Cardona began his education career in 1992 as a teacher working with students with disabilities. He served as an assistant principal at three North East ISD middle schools and one high school. His wife, Leila Cardona, is an elementary school reading facilitator. They have two sons, ages 7 and 12.

Cardona will report for duty in HISD on July 2. He replaces Dr. S. Dallas Dance, who was recently named superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools in Maryland.

HISD Board of Education Votes for More Class Time

The Houston ISD Board of Education on Thursday gave  preliminary approval to a policy requiring all schools to adopt a minimum 7 hour and 15 minute daily schedule.

The proposal is intended to provide schools more flexibility to meet their students’ academic and developmental needs.  Earlier this spring, the Board of Education approved a resolution encouraging all elementary principals to offer their students daily recess, and this proposal would further enable them to do so.

Currently, the length of school days at HISD campuses ranges from 7 hours to 7 hours and 40 minutes, meaning no school’s day would be lengthened by more than 15 minutes under this proposal. Schools that already exceed the minimum time requirement will be able to continue doing so.

Other items approved at Thursday night’s meeting include:

  • A resolution calling on the Texas Legislature to “reexamine the public school accountability system in Texas and to develop a system that encompasses multiple assessments, reflects greater validity, reduces the number of instructional days affected by state-mandated standardized tests, and uses more cost efficient sampling techniques and other external evaluation arrangements, and more accurately reflects what students know, appreciate and can do in terms of the rigorous standards essential to their success, enhances the role of teachers as designers, guides to instruction and leaders, and nurtures the sense of inquiry and love of learning in all students.”
  • Expanding newcomer programs at Liberty High School and Las Americas Middle School.  These schools are designed to meet the unique needs of students who have recently immigrated to the United States.
  • A new set of performance criteria, the HISD School Leadership Framework, to be used in the appraisal instrument for principals, assistant principals, and deans of instruction. For more than a year, leaders from across the district have been working together to make recommendations about the design of this new appraisal system, including the appraisal process and timelines and the performance criteria used to assess school leader performance. With the right supports and standards, principals will be best positioned to improve the quality of instruction within schools and strengthen parent and community engagement.

HISD Board of Education to Consider More Elementary School Class Time

The Houston ISD Board of Education today will consider giving preliminary approval to a policy requiring all elementary schools to adopt a minimum 7 hour and 15 minute daily schedule.

 The proposal is intended to provide schools more flexibility to meet their students’ academic and developmental needs.  Earlier this spring, the Board of Education approved a resolution encouraging all elementary principals to offer their students daily recess, and this proposal would further enable them to do so.

Currently, the length of school days at HISD elementary campuses ranges from 7 hours to 7 hours and 40 minutes, meaning no school’s day would be lengthened by more than 15 minutes under this proposal. Schools that already exceed the minimum time requirement would be able to continue doing so.

Other items on the agenda for tonight’s meeting include:

  • Adoption of a resolution calling on the Texas Legislature to “reexamine the public school accountability system in Texas and to develop a system that encompasses multiple assessments, reflects greater validity, reduces the number of instructional days affected by state-mandated standardized tests, and uses more cost efficient sampling techniques and other external evaluation arrangements, and more accurately reflects what students know, appreciate and can do in terms of the rigorous standards essential to their success, enhances the role of teachers as designers, guides to instruction and leaders, and nurtures the sense of inquiry and love of learning in all students.”
  • Expanding newcomer programs at Liberty High School and Las Americas Middle School.  These schools are designed to meet the unique needs of students who have recently immigrated to the United States.
  • Approval of a new set of performance criteria, the HISD School Leadership Framework, to be used in the appraisal instrument for principals, assistant principals, and deans of instruction. For more than a year, leaders from across the district have been working together to make recommendations about the design of this new appraisal system, including the appraisal process and timelines and the performance criteria used to assess school leader performance. With the right supports and standards, principals will be best positioned to improve the quality of instruction within schools and strengthen parent and community engagement.

The board’s regular monthly meeting begins at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, 2012 in the board auditorium of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 West 18th St., 77092).

The board is scheduled to receive status updates on a number of projects and vote on several programs, contracts, and grants. For a full copy of the Board meeting agenda, click here.  The board meeting 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.

HISD Withdraws Breach of Contract Claim and Enlists Assistance of Don Lee Farms as Part of Settlement

HISD has withdrawn its allegation that Don Lee Farms breached its contract regarding lean finely textured beef (LFTB) and Don Lee Farms has agreed to redistribute the Charbroiled 100% Beef Patties to other customers requesting the product.

This agreement resolves any and all outstanding issues regarding LFTB and the product currently in HISD’s possession.

HISD and Don Lee Farms have agreed to continue working together to support student achievement through proper nutrition.

Thank an Educator During Teacher Appreciation Week May 7–11

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 7–11 and HISD would like to extend its thanks to the more than 10,000 teachers who serve our students.  And what better way to say “thank you” than to share some inspiring stories about favorite teachers from students across the district:

Carolyn Wiley
Bonner ES, Grade 4

Submitted by Annette M. Comacho, parent

She is a very generous person. She does a lot for her students. She gives them advice when they need it. She encourages them to do their best in school as well as in life. My son was in her class last year, and that year was by far the best year for him. He read a lot of books and was an honor roll student in part because of her. She didn’t let him give up when he thought it was too hard. She encouraged him to do his best because she knew he could do it. To this day, she is still helping and encouraging him to do his best. You know how sometimes, there is just one teacher that you have? You don’t forget them because they were a big influence in your life. Well, Ms. Wiley is one of the teachers that I am sure my son and I will never forget. I am very grateful that she came into my son’s life, as well as mine. She has also given me good advice when I needed it. The world needs more teachers like her.

 

Read more stories about great teachers on the HISD website.

High Marks for HISD in U.S. News’ Best High Schools Rankings

Eight Houston ISD high schools are among Texas’ top 100 in U.S. News’ Best High Schools Rankings issued today, and six HISD schools are listed among the nation’s top 400.

The magazine produced the rankings based on an analysis of data from nearly 22,000 U.S. high schools.  The rankings’ methodology gives considerable weight to the percentage of graduates who are considered college-ready based on students’ performance on college-level Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams. Using the magazine’s standard, 27 of HISD’s 33 rated high schools – 82 percent — meet or exceed the state average when it comes to college readiness.

The rankings are based on data from the 2009-2010 school year, when the Board of Education and Superintendent Terry Grier launched an aggressive expansion of the district’s AP program in all high schools.  Since then, the number of AP exams scored 3 or higher (the generally accepted passing score) has increased 35 percent.

“This is great news as we celebrate National Teacher Day,” Dr. Grier said. “Teachers across HISD are proving that the AP program is not just for the academically elite students. AP is for prepared students.”

The news also comes on the heels of the latest Children at Risk rankings of Texas high schools that included eight HISD campuses among the top 50.

In addition, the strong all-around performance of HISD students has placed the district among four national finalists for the coveted Broad Prize for Urban Education, which recognizes the top urban school district in America. As a finalist, HISD is guaranteed a minimum of $150,000 in college scholarships for students graduating in 2013. The scholarship total will climb to $550,000 if HISD wins the award.

 The nine HISD schools that earned spots in the magazine’s national rankings were:

 Carnegie Vanguard (U.S. rank: 33; Texas rank: 3)

DeBakey High School for Health Professions (U.S.: 36; Texas: 4)

Eastwood Academy (U.S.: 121; Texas: 14)

Bellaire (U.S.: 349; Texas: 29)

Lamar (U.S.: 376; Texas: 32)

The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (U.S.: 377; Texas: 33)

High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (U.S.: 950: Texas: 81)

Challenge Early High School (U.S.: 1,069; Texas: 90)

Empowerment College Prep (U.S.: 1,947; Texas 159)