Yearly Archives: 2012

Halpin Early Childhood Center Distributes Thanksgiving Baskets to Families

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Thanksgiving arrived early for 150 Halpin Early Childhood Center families. Last week, the Houston Community Service Club provided the families with everything they will need to have a fantastic Thanksgiving meal. In fact, the turkey and all the trimmings were even loaded up in each family’s car. Students dressed up in Thanksgiving outfits and sang a song of thanks for the service club members.

Halpin Early Childhood Center principal Jessica Tejada said in today’s economy everyone needs a little help and she is thankful to service organizations like the Houston Community Service Club for lending a helping hand. “Our parents were so appreciative of this wonderful gift, and our community is happy to receive such a thoughtful donation,” Tejada said.  

One of the Service Club members, Harold Goldstein, has a special connection with Halpin Early Childhood Center since it was dedicated to his daughter, Sharon Goldstein Halpin, in 1997 to honor her exceptional dedication as a teacher in HISD.

HISD Names New Chief Information Technology Officer

Lenny Schad, a 25-year veteran of the technology industry who has introduced the latest classroom hardware and software to schools throughout Katy, has been named Chief Information Technology Officer for the Houston Independent School District.

Schad will succeed Arnold Viramontes, who is retiring in January after a distinguished career in Texas public education.  Schad’s job duties in HISD will include overseeing the expenditure of $100 million in classroom technology funds at campuses across the district.  The technology money was included in the $1.89 billion bond proposition approved by 69 percent of HISD voters earlier this month.

“This is a critical time for the future of technology in Houston classrooms, and our students are fortunate to have a proven innovator such as Lenny Schad leading the way,” said HISD Superintendent Terry Grier.

Schad has served as Chief Information Officer in the 64,000-student Katy Independent School District for nine years.  Highlights of his career include managing and leading technology departments for the 1991 Economic Summit of Industrialized Nations, the 1992 Republican National Convention as well as creating and managing technology departments for joint ventures and global organizations.

“HISD is known as a school district that is making great progress toward closing the achievement gap by raising the level of performance for all students,” Schad said.  “I am excited to lead the effort to equip teachers and students with the tools and training they need to build on this progress.”

Through his leadership, Katy ISD is in year four of a mobile learning initiative focusing on Web 2.0 integration, digital citizenship and mobile devices.  For the past four years, fifth graders at 18 elementary schools have been using mobile learning devices in their classes with great success.  For the second year, public Wi-Fi will be available at every K-12 campus in Katy allowing students and teachers to bring their own device.  Schad’s first book, Mobile Learning: It’s Not About the Device, is due to be published next year.

Schad’s professional recognitions include:

  • National School Board Association’s “20 to Watch” educators for 2008
  • The Consortium of School Networking (CoSN) Volunteer Hall of Fame
  • CoSN 2011 National School District Team Award
  • CIO Leadership Forum “2011 Next Level Leadership Award”

HISD Athletic Director Recognized as Region’s 2012 Athletic Director of the Year

HISD’s Athletic Director Marmion Dambrino has been selected as the region’s 2012 Athletic Director of the Year by the Texas High School Athletic Directors Association.

“To be selected from a group of peers who are truly talented, exemplary and committed to their school districts, student athletes, and coaches is truly an honor,” said HISD Athletic Director Marmion Dambrino.  “I am humbled to have the opportunity to represent our region in the upcoming THSADA convention.”

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New Futuro Awards HISD Students with Scholarships, iPad

Thousands of Houston students and their families left the New Futuro college prep fair in October equipped with all the tools and resources necessary to get into college and beyond. But three lucky HISD students left with more, including thousands of dollars in scholarships.

New Futuro’s biggest prizes, a $4,500 and a $2,500 college scholarship, went to Alejandro Reyes from Hartman Middle School and Jennifer Hernandez from Debakey High School. 

“I’m really grateful for this scholarship,” said Hernandez, an aspiring clinical psychologist who plans to attend St. Edward’s University. “College is expensive and any amount is helpful, especially if it helps relieve the burden my parents will face when I attend the university.”  Continue reading →

HISD Honors Parents at Parental Involvement Day Celebration

The Houston Independent School District will honor parents during its Parental Involvement Day Celebration on Friday, November 16.  The celebration will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Delmar-Tusa Athletic complex (2020 Mangum).

The annual event will recognize parents for the role they play in supporting their children’s educational and personal growth.  It will also offer parents innovative strategies they can use to help their children learn.
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KUHF episode features engineering program at Booker T. Washington

Dr. Nghia Le, an engineering teacher at Booker T. Washington High School, and his students were featured on Engines of Our Ingenuity, a regular segment from the University of Houston College of Engineering. Click here to listen to the episode, which aired today on KUHF.

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Bejeweled playgrounds to celebrate SPARK Week

A playground made out of rhinestones and a schoolhouse trimmed with pearls were among the sparkly sights as students at about 40 HISD schools created collages made out of pieces of jewelry for an art show benefiting the SPARK School Park Program.  The nonprofit group helps schools develop their playgrounds into community parks, and has transformed 110 playgrounds at HISD schools alone since 1983.

Click here to view pictures of SPARK Week 2012 artwork and park dedications.

Broken bracelets and tangled necklaces used to create the collages were donated by locally owned accessory chain Charming Charlie. The art was auctioned off at a reception Monday night, and raised a total of $4,000 for the organization to continue developing community parks around the city. SPARK often incorporates art from teachers and local artists celebrating community culture and heritage into park landscaping.

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HISD Elementary Schools Celebrating Thanksgiving with a Special Lunch

HISD elementary schools will get to celebrate Thanksgiving a week early on Thursday, November 15 with a specially prepared lunch.  Food Services is serving up traditional Thanksgiving favorites to students and their families. Students have invited their families to come enjoy the holiday meal with them in their school’s cafeteria.

Reporters are invited to attend and cover the special event beginning at 10:45 a.m. at Peck Elementary School, 5001 Martin Luther King Blvd, 77021.The special lunch will include homemade turkey and dressing w/gravy, seasoned green beans, steamed corn and diced pears.

Each year’s Thanksgiving lunch is such a success with thousands of family members attending, and this year an even larger turnout is expected. Serving Thanksgiving lunch is one of the highlights of the year for Food Services. It is the perfect opportunity for students, their families, their friends, teachers and school staff to experience the fellowship of the season and it provides the perfect setting for kicking off a festive holiday season.

2012 bond program will include phones for classrooms

The Houston Independent School District will roll out telephones for every permanent classroom in the district under the 2012 bond program, which includes $100 million for technology upgrades across all campuses.

The bond, which was approved by voters on Nov. 6, will fund voice-over-internet phones, as well as make improvements to wireless access. Continue reading →