Monthly Archives: March 2013

Chavez High School Students Achieve ‘Complete Success’ at Texas Mile

Chavez Motor Sports members Jimmy Garcia, Walter Campos, eric Lopez and Juan Rodriguez work on their car during the Texas Mile held March 22-24, 2013, in Beeville, Texas.

Chavez Motor Sports members Jimmy Garcia, Walter Campos, Eric Lopez and Juan Rodriguez work on their car during the Texas Mile held March 22-24, 2013, in Beeville, Texas.

Last week, we introduced you to the Chavez Motor Sports Engineering team — a group of students from Chavez High School who put their math and science lessons to the test while working on a competitive race car.

The students in the after school program, led by ex-racer turned science and engineering teacher Greg Ditch, were on hand this past weekend in Beeville, Texas, for the Texas Mile competition.  Ditch filled us in today on how the students performed under pressure while trying to get their stock 2006 Pontiac GTO into top speed condition.

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HISD Job Fair Attracts Over 200 Experienced Teachers to Envision ‘Becoming Great All Over’

More than 200 experienced teachers from across the nation lined up Saturday to learn about HISD  job opportunities at an informational session and job fair Saturday at Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center.

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2012 Bond Program Shaping Instruction as Much as Construction

Milby High School students learn printing and graphics technology skills in the school's print shop.

Students at Milby High School are learning about the latest technologies in HVAC repair in a building constructed in 1926, long before air conditioning was even installed.

Over the years, the school has figured out innovative ways to squeeze many sorts of career and technical education into its outdated space, from welding rooms to a print shop. But Principal Roy de la Garza anxiously awaits the construction of a new Milby High under the 2012 bond program.

See more photos from Milby High School

“If the kids have the appropriate technology and have a space that feels good and looks good, they’re only going to do better,” he said.

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Spring Edition of Within our Walls with Terry Grier

Superintendent show highlights district’s focus on “Becoming Great All Over”

The latest edition of HISD’s half-hour television program Within our Walls with Superintendent Terry Grier takes a look at some of the amazing things happening within the walls of HISD’s 276 schools.

The Spring 2013 TV program features some of the district’s efforts toward “Becoming Great all Over” including the progress of HISD’s career academies at six schools, efforts to place an effective principal at every campus and provide a consistent and rigorous education in a safe environment to all students, including those with special needs. 

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NASCAR Driver Partners with Chavez High School

Members of the Chavez Motor Sports Engineering team stand next to their car March 21, 2013, to be driven by NASCAR racer Donnie Neuenberger in the Texas Mile competition held March 22-24, in Beeville, Texas.

Physics students at Chavez High School are revving up their math and science skills and putting them to the test in a real life application that has the potential to hit speeds of over 180 miles per hour.

Chavez science and engineering teacher Greg Ditch helped create Chavez Motorsports Engineering – an after school program in which students learn what it takes to engineer a competitive race car that will be put to the ultimate test run by a real NASCAR driver.

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32 HISD Schools Now Serving Free Dinner to Students

With more students spending most of their day at school, HISD’s Food Services has partnered with the 21st Century Community Learning Center program to serve dinner at various campuses to ensure students have access to healthy meals each day.

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HISD Kicking Off Series of Networking Events for Construction Firms

Houston Independent School District’s Business Assistance office is hosting the first in a series of Construction Networking Events on Wednesday, April 3, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Delmar Fieldhouse.

The event will give attendees the opportunity to network and discuss requirements for the $1.89 billion 2012 bond project that will build or renovate 40 schools across the district, including 29 high schools. 

HISD’s Supplier Diversity Team Leader Bernard Willingham said networking events like this help establish and build relationships between general contractors and subcontractors. The goal is to help facilitate potential partnerships.

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Rice Empower Helping More Minority Students Envision Careers in STEM Fields

Students conduct experiments at the Rice STEM Expo. (Photo courtesy of Rice University)

About 150 students from four HISD campuses, including North Houston Early College, Sharpstown, and Wheatley high schools, got a glimpse into both college life and the careers that may await them after completing it when they took part in Rice University’s Empower STEM Expo earlier this month.

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HISD Bond Schools Include Campus Art that Inspires Students

A mural at Herrera Elementary School, created as part of a SPARK Park project, depicts the heritage of Hispanic culture.

When Principal Christopher Carnes walks down the halls of Herrera Elementary School in north Houston, students line up to give him give him high-fives.

After becoming principal nearly five years ago, Carnes said student enthusiasm has increased partly because of the vibrant green and yellow colors throughout the school and outside.

Click here for more photos of HISD school murals

“When I started upgrading the building, the kids’ pride really changed,” Carnes said. Continue reading →