Yearly Archives: 2012

31 Cafeterias to Roll Out Made-to-Order Food Concepts by Year’s End

Some combination of the four made-to-order food concepts first piloted in nine campus cafeterias last fall will be operating at 31 HISD high schools by the end of this school year.

Students eating lunch on campus will be able to choose from a made-from-scratch soup or a fresh sandwich at the Green Street Deli; a burger at the Custom Brothers Grill Company; a slice of pizza at The Home Zone; or Tex-Mex staples such as crispy tacos or quesadillas at the Tortilla Fresh Mex station.

Each campus will offer two to four of these exciting brands, and all will incorporate the very healthiest options, such as whole-grain breads, low-fat meats and cheeses, and foods that are baked instead of fried. Foods will also be seasoned with herbs and spices and sweetened naturally, with no added salt or sugar.

The grand openings will begin in September and continue through December, when all renovations are scheduled to be complete.

Middle schools will also find a new option this year, as most campuses will offer a variation of The Home Zone menu and a new Tex-Mex serving station with all their Tex-Mex favorites.

Districtwide Tryouts for HISD’s Elementary Honor Choir

Fourth and fifth graders from all across the district are invited to audition for the Houston Independent School District Elementary Honor Choir on Saturday, Sept. 15 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Travis Elementary, 3311 Beauchamp. 

HISD’s Elementary Honor Choir was established in 2008 to provide an additional high-level choral experience for musically talented fourth and fifth graders in the district.  During the 2011-2012 academic year, 19 elementary schools were represented in the choir.

Choir rehearsals are held after school twice a month from October through January.  Music teachers are responsible for teaching the music to students at their home schools, and parents are responsible for transporting their children to and from the rehearsals. 

The HISD Elementary Honor Choir presents a spring concert each year.  Last year the choir was invited to perform at the 13th Annual Invitational School Choral Festival “Hear the Future” presented by the Houston Chamber Choir.  Additionally, the choir has been invited to perform at the upcoming Texas Music Educators Association’s Annual Convention in February 2013.

The audition will consist of a vocalise to determine the singer’s range and a short melody, Jubilate Deo, to be sung alone and in canon with a judge.  Click here to view video samples.  The schools’ music teachers are available to help the students prepare for the auditions. 

To sign up to audition or for more information, contact Katherine Martin at kmartin6@houstonisd.org or call 713-556-6823.

23,000 Backpacks, 2,500 Uniforms: Back to School Fest, By the Numbers

HISD partnered with the City of Houston to host the Back to School Fest on August 11that Reliant Center. Here’s a look at the event and its impact:

  • More than 40,000 students and their families attended the event
  • 40 sponsors and 33 in-kind sponsors
  • An estimated 500 immunizations were administered to children
  • More than 500 individuals volunteered for this event
  • The event showcased 100 exhibitors
  • More than 23,000 backpacks with school supplies were distributed
  • 2,500 uniforms and 725 uniform vouchers were distributed
  • 52,049 pounds of food were distributed by the Houston Food Bank
  • 12 organizations/companies hosted school supply drives to support the Back To School Fest
  • 8,000 socks and underwear for children were distributed

Three HISD Elementary Schools Win $25,000 Grants from Target

Just in time for the new academic year, three elementary schools in the Houston Independent School District have won $25,000 grants from Target to help provide educational resources in the classroom.

“This grant could not have come at a more perfect time for these schools,” HISD Superintendent Terry Grier said. “Amid the recent state budget cuts, teachers and administrators are faced with doing more with less as they continue to provide their students a rigorous education. There is no doubt that this grant will be put to great use at these schools.”

Highland Heights, Atherton and Briscoe elementary schools were among the 100 schools nationwide selected to receive this grant. The grant will be used at these campuses to enrich current programs and incorporate technology in the classrooms.

This includes increasing the educational resources available to the students and purchasing new technology such as iPads to further engage students and promote learning. The grant will also be used to help fund after-school programs that help supplement classroom learning and engage kids safely.

Give With Target is a two-part giving campaign aimed at helping schools across the country by providing $2.5 million in grants to 100 in-need schools, as well as up to $2.5 million in Target GiftCards to local schools that receive votes on Target’s Facebook page.

HISD Introduces New Breakfast and Lunch Initiative with Houston ISD Police Department

Houston Independent School District Superintendent Terry Grier today introduced a new breakfast and lunch initiative with the HISD Police Department. Dr. Grier made the announcement during his visit to Billy Reagan K-8 Educational Center to kick off the first day of classes for the 2012-2013 academic year.

Beginning Tuesday, August 28, HISD police officers will eat breakfast and lunch with students at various elementary and middle school campuses. The officers will participate in the program during their normal patrol hours when time permits. While on campus the HISD police officers will also meet with administrators and will conduct safety and security checks.

River Oaks Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram President Alan Helfman initially approached HISD Police Chief Jimmy L. Dotson about the idea and is pleased the program is becoming a reality. “I have been passionate about this idea for several years and I’m pleased that it is finally coming to fruition. It’s wonderful that the officers will have another way to serve as role models and mentors for our children,” said Helfman.

Chief Dotson believes the officers’ presence will also boost the sense of security at HISD campuses. “The Houston ISD Police Department is committed to keeping our students safe and this new innovative program will provide a unique opportunity for our officers to continue to protect our campuses while reaching out to the students” said Dotson.

Dr. Grier also invited law enforcement officers from the many agencies operating within HISD to grab lunch or breakfast inside the schools in the neighborhoods they serve. “In HISD we are committed to providing every child with a rigorous education in a safe environment. Children learn best when they have been fed a nutritious meal and when they feel safe,” said Grier.

The Crime Stoppers Safe School program is also lending its support to the new initiative. The program will be funded by the HISD Police Association.

Superintendent Terry Grier and Trustee Anna Eastman Begin First Day of School at HILZ Academy at Scarborough High School

HISD Superintendent Terry Grier and Board of Education Trustees  are visiting schools this morning to welcome students back to class. Dr. Grier and Trustee Anna Eastman are currently visiting Scarborough High School. The school offers Pre-AP and AP classes. It is also home to a new Houston Innovative Learning Zone (HILZ) Academy. The HILZ program provides students with an opportunity to earn a college associate’s degree and valuable career certifications while in high school.  This way, students are equally prepared to thrive at a university or land lucrative jobs in some of the region’s most in-demand professions immediately after graduating. “It doesn’t cost the students anything and that is exciting,” Dr. Grier said. “This is a good opportunity for all of our children.”

Scarborough Principal Jason Catchings greeted students and helped them find their classes. He said this year he made adjustments to the daily class schedule to provide more opportunities for students to receive tutoring during the school day.

HISD Superintendent to Welcome Students on First Day of School

About 200,000 HISD students are expected to return to school for their first day of classes on Monday, August 27.    

HISD Superintendent Terry Grier and members of the HISD Board of Education will visit with students, teachers and principals at two campuses to personally welcome them to back to school on Monday, August 27 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

“We are ready and excited to begin a new school year,” Dr. Grier said.  “We have so much new to offer at HISD, from our new campuses and career and technical education programs, to our expanded dual language centers and our first ever Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School.  We want every parent to know that no matter which school their children attend, they will receive a great education.”

 On Monday, Dr. Grier will begin the day by visiting Scarborough High School, one of HISD’s schools to offer the new Houston Innovative Learning Zone (HILZ) academies.  These new HILZ academies provide students with the opportunity to earn a college associate’s degree and valuable career certifications while in high school.  This way, they are equally prepared to thrive at a university, or land lucrative jobs in some of the region’s most in-demand professions immediately after graduating.  The HILZ academies are also offered at the following schools: Furr, Kashmere, Long, Sterling, and Booker T. Washington.

Dr. Grier will also visit HISD’s new Billy Reagan K-8 Education Center which offers a two-way dual language program to its kindergarten class in an effort to develop full bilingualism and bi-literacy for all students.  The two-way dual language program is both a bilingual program for Spanish-speaking students and a foreign language immersion program for English-speaking students.  Students from both groups are taught together in the two-way classrooms.  HISD currently offers the two-way dual language program at seven elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and one K-8 academy.  Former Superintendent Billy Reagan will be joining Dr. Grier during this school visit.

Below is a schedule for the first day visits by Dr. Grier and HISD trustees:

Stop 1:

8 a.m. – Scarborough High School (4141 Costa Rica, 77092)

 

Stop 2:

9:30 a.m. – Billy Reagan K-8 Education Center (4842 Anderson Road, 77053)

Burbank Elementary staff team up for scavenger hunt

Teachers and staff at Burbank Elementary are gearing up for the first day of school by participating in team building activities. Earlier this week, they participated in a scavenger hunt where teams had to decipher clues at various locations around the city, including Discovery Green and the driving range at Memorial Park.  Burbank ES Teacher Robert Wiseman says the winning team members each received $70 to put toward the purchase of new school supplies.

Students attending Burbank ES and hundreds of other HISD schools begin classes on Monday, August 27. Earlier today, we posted links to some of the most frequently sought-after information by HISD parents. These will help make sure your student is ready for Monday and the rest of the 2012-13 school year.

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Top 10 links for HISD parents: Pre-pay lunches, plan for holidays, monitor grades, and more

Here’s a roundup of links that parents may want to reference throughout the year: