Back to School Fest, set for Saturday, August 11, looks to be a full morning of family fun. The festival, held at Reliant Center, will offer games for children, health screenings, free immunizations, school uniforms, and school supplies.
See photos of volunteers getting ready for this annual event:
The first day of school in HISD is still more than a month away, but it’s not too late for students to participate in the Millionaire Club, the district’s annual summer reading initiative. Just finish five books by the time school starts and you could be eligible for incentives, recognition, and other prizes!
Be sure to share your favorite selections with us in the comment section below, so that other students can enjoy them, too! Happy reading!
Booker T. Washington High School student Darryl Prevost has embarked on a deep-sea expedition aboard Titanic discoverer Dr. Robert Ballard’s ship of exploration. The Exploration Vessel Nautilus is currently exploring the waters of the Black, Aegean, and Mediterranean seas off the coasts of Turkey and Cyprus.
Darryl Prevost
Prevost, 17, who was selected as a JASON Project National Argonaut, is among a group of students, educators, and scientists from around the world participating in the weeklong expedition.
Since 1990, the JASON National Argonaut program has provided hands-on, scientific field work to more than 450 students and educators worldwide, many of whom have gone on to pursue degrees and careers in science. National Argonauts also participate in scientific research with peers and scientists and return to their communities as mentors and role models.
Prevost, the only HISD student participating in the expedition, says he is thankful for the opportunity and is excited about being chosen for the project.
“I was in shock at first when I heard my name being called out as one of the Argonaut winners,” Prevost said. “I hope to learn and explore a lot while I am aboard the Nautilus.”
The JASON Project, managed by Sea Research Foundation and National Geographic Society, was founded by Ballard and is an internationally acclaimed, exploration-based program that links students—inside the classroom and out—to real science and scientists through technology intensive, inquiry-based curricular experiences.
For two weeks in June at Gregory-Lincoln Education Center, teachers and administrators gathered for a team building and planning event, “The 48 Hour Summer Teaching Institute.” For 6 hours a day over an 8 day period, the group participated in team building, planning, literature review, and shared vision exercises. One of the highlights of the institute was when former 8th grade students discussed their experiences with the teachers. During the student panels, administrators were able to ask the students specific questions to help gain insight about their teaching methods from a student’s point of view.
The goal of the institute was for teachers and administrators to come together to develop a better education plan for the upcoming school year. Principal Pamela Farinas hopes events like this will help teachers and faculty recognize common goals and bonds as educators. She also hopes the teaching institute will become an annual event.
For the second consecutive year, the Houston Independent School District made the list of the top 100 fleets in the nation for 2012, according to Government Fleet, a leading transportation industry magazine. HISD moved up five spots to number 52 on the list and once again is the only school district in the country to earn a spot on the list.
“Ranking among the best in the nation is a clear reflection of the hard work of our transportation team, from our bus drivers to our mechanics and our entire staff,” HISD’s Chief Operating Officer Leo Bobadilla said. “HISD’s Transportation Department is truly dedicated to safely transporting our students to and from school every day.”
HISD currently has hundreds of openings for motivated teachers who are invested in making an impact on student achievement. Candidates who submit an application by August 13 will be eligible to start teaching in the fall.
While vacancies caused by voluntary resignations and retirements exist in all areas, the highest need for teachers exists in critical shortage areas, including bilingual (Spanish), Spanish, secondary math, secondary science, and special education areas such as Autism, Life skills, Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities, DeafEd, and Behavior Support.
Teachers in HISD are committed to holding themselves to high expectations, and they believe without a doubt that every child can learn. These sentiments are shared by HISD 2011-12 Teacher of the Year honoree Ashley Monteil. “HISD is a district willing to implement innovative programs to affect student outcomes in a positive way,” said Monteil, who teaches second-grade and fourth-grade students at Lyons Elementary school. We set high expectations at HISD and we’re concerned with the success of every single student. It’s an exciting time for education right now, in Houston and nationally. If you are passionate about opening doors to kids, I couldn’t think of a greater opportunity.”
The annual teacher salary at HISD begins at $44,987, and salary offers depend on educational credentials and prior work experience. HISD offers a comprehensive benefits package to teachers, including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, flexible spending account options, and vacation time.
By filling out one application, applicants gain access to a network of nearly 300 diverse schools looking for qualified, experienced teachers. Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree, hold valid Texas teaching certification (or reciprocal out-of-state certification), and pass a background check. We are committed to diversity in our hiring and employment practices and encourage all qualified candidates to apply.
We believe that an effective teacher in every HISD classroom is our city’s best chance for a bright future. To apply to teach with HISD, please visit HISD’s Teacher Recruitment page by clicking here.
District’s graduation and dropout rates reach best levels under the modern accountability system
HISD’s streak of declining dropout rates and increasing graduation rates hit four years for the class of 2011, according to preliminary Class of 2011 figures released by the Texas Education Agency.
HISD’s latest dropout rate of 11.8 percent and four-year graduation rate of 78.5 percent are the best they have been under the accountability system Texas put into place in 2007. And while the district’s overall enrollment has remained steady during that time period, the number of annual graduates has risen strongly from 6,978 graduates in the Class of 2007, to 9,070 graduates in the Class of 2011 – a 30-percent increase of 2,092 diplomas in just four years.
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“Houston students are proving they are willing – and more than able – to achieve academically when we show faith in them and put them in a position to succeed,” said Trustee Michael Lunceford, president of the HISD Board of Education. “We all know the dropout rate remains a critical problem in our city, but we are making strong progress. The students, with help from the school administrators and teachers, have made a concerted effort to stem the tide of dropouts”
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Teachers and students at HISD’s Attucks Middle School will soon be reaping the benefit of a new STEM-based partnership, thanks to the campus’ newly acquired status as a Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (T-STEM) Academy.
The school was designated a T-STEM Academy for the 2012–2013 school year by the Texas Education Agency, which means educators there can now access professional development opportunities, receive technical assistance, and network with other STEM academies to share best practices.
The school has already forged such a partnership with nearby Jones High School, which became a magnet school for STEM studies in the 2011–2012 school year (see related story here). Called the Jones-Attucks Collaborative (JAC-STEM), this arrangement will enable teachers and leaders from Jones to work directly with their peers at Attucks.
Six Houston Independent School District students have been selected among the final group of National Merit Scholarship winners announced for 2012. A total of 26 HISD students were awarded National Merit Scholarships this year for undergraduate studies. Each student will receive a $2,500 award. Here are the recent winners.
Here are the previously announced winners for 2012:
The winners were juniors when they received the highest scores on the 2010 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying test. The students also had to demonstrate an outstanding academic record; had to be actively involved in their school and the community and had to be recommended by a high school official. This year approximately 8,100 students nationwide will receive National Merit Scholarships totaling more than $35 million.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 to conduct the National Merit Scholarship Program. Over the past 57 years, more than 292,000 students have won National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $1 billion.
The majority of awards offered each year are underwritten by approximately 440 independent corporate and college sponsors that support NMSC’s efforts to recognize scholastically talented youth and to encourage the pursuit of academic excellence.
It took them almost four months to do it, but HISD teams have collected two of the top three prizes in a national weight-loss challenge—earning them both lighter frames and heavier wallets.
Both teams were formed at the same district campus: Judson Robinson Elementary School, and one group will take home a $10,000 prize at the national winner of the HealthyWage Matchup, while the other will split a purse of $3,000 as the third-place winner.
Team Bravo 5, which consisted of Robinson ES faculty (and sisters) Susana Perez and Yudith Vazquez; their brother Jorge Vazquez; their cousin, José Ortega; and another Robinson ES teacher, Sonia Cedillo; collected the top prize and national bragging rights after dropping 167 pounds collectively—or 16.59 percent of their body weight.
Team Xtreme, meanwhile, lost 143 pounds, or 15.26 percent of their collective body weight. That team was made up entirely of Robinson staff members: teachers Deordre Adams and Heather LaDay, and Apollo 20 tutors Quynh-Anh Cao, Talia Grundy, and Jennifer Harwell.
HISD had 467 participants in the contest, which lasted from March 20 through July 4. Collectively, they lost a total of 2,968.6 pounds—or an average of 6.36 pounds per person.
You can read more about what the winners did to lose the weight and see before and after photos at the HealthyWage blog.
• See Team Bravo 5’s video. (Quicktime video)