Monthly Archives: July 2013

New Teachers Get on the ‘Great All Over’ Bus

As Houston Independent School District representatives welcomed the newest members of Team HISD at this week’s New Teacher Academy, they were introduced to the district’s focus on “becoming great all over.”

“Great all over means having great teachers in every classroom at every school,” Assistant Superintendent of Support and Professional Development Lance Menster told the group of nearly 1,200 teachers.

During the four days of training at the Kingdom Builders’ Center, the new instructors were asked what they could do to help their students “become great all over.” Instead of writing their thoughts down on a piece of paper, however, they were asked to grab a paint pen and “tag” an HISD school bus.

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HISD Seeks Construction Manager at Risk Services for 2012 Bond Program Projects

The Houston Independent School District is requesting qualifications from general contracting companies interested in providing Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) services for 22 school and athletic facility projects within the 2012 bond program.

The CMAR contracts that will be awarded represent more than $1 billion in school construction work and are likely to draw national interest. Only one CMAR will be selected per project, but a company may submit qualifications for more than one project.

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EMERGE Helps Students Realize College Dreams

Students in the EMERGE program listen to a lecture at Rice University

Abel Diaz never imagined himself walking the centuries-old paths of Yale University in New Haven, Conn. Growing up in Houston and coming from a low-income background, Yale seemed like another world. But Diaz has studied hard and excelled at Eastwood Academy High School, and Yale is exactly where he found himself earlier this summer, traveling with a group of 80 HISD students. The trip was coordinated through the district’s EMERGE program that aims to help high-performing, low-income students into Ivy League and Tier I colleges.

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Business Assistance Team Honored as ‘Supplier Diversity Champion’

Keith Davis, president of d-mars.com (left) and d-mars.com Senior Vice President Kevin Davis (right) present HISD’s Team Lead for Supplier Diversity Bernard Willingham with the 2013 Top 25 Supplier Diversity Champions award.

Houston’s monthly African-American Business Journal, d-mars.com, recognized HISD’s Business Assistance team Tuesday with the “2013 Top 25 Supplier Diversity Champions” award at the HESS Club in the Galleria area.

“HISD’s supplier diversity team is making a difference,” said d-mars.com President Keith “D-MARS” Davis. “As a minority business owner, I wanted to let them know they are important to our community.”

Bernard Willingham, HISD’s team lead for Supplier Diversity, said the Business Assistance team has worked diligently to help minority and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) improve their businesses with educational and networking events. The goal is to ensure the district’s suppliers and vendors reflect the diversity of the Houston community.

“It’s good to be recognized for the hard work that we’ve done; it’s certainly a team effort,” Willingham said.

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Bond Oversight Committee Updated on Developing Modern Learning Spaces

HISD’s Bond Oversight Committee got a detailed look Tuesday at progress being made under the 2012 bond program to develop innovative 21st century learning environments.

“We fully intend to push the envelope much further than it’s been pushed,” said HISD’s General Manager of Facilities Planning Sue Robertson.  She told the nine-member committee that the hallmarks of 21st century schools include flexible spaces that encourage collaboration and hands-on learning.

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Architects Help Craft Sustainability Goals for New HISD Schools

As the architects working under the district 2012 bond program start designing new schools, their goal will be to create 21st century, sustainable schools.

What that means precisely was the focus of discussion Monday at a half-day ‘Sustaining Momentum’ workshop, which laid out the goals and expectations of the district as it moves forward with the $1.89 billion bond program, which will  build or replace 40 schools across the city.

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Health Sciences Track Now Available for Westside Students in New Futures Academy

Westside High School students will now have an opportunity to jump start their careers in the health sciences arena and get a head start on their college course-load with the new Futures Academy of Heath Science Careers. This program, in partnership with the Houston Community College and the University of Texas MD Anderson School of Health Professions, will provide Westside students career training in high-demand, technical fields and the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree the summer after receiving their diploma.

“It’s an amazing opportunity! This will help me finish my medical degree a lot faster once I graduate from high school,” said Raquel Sapon, a sophomore at Westside, who aspires to be a doctor. “Plus, the fact that I can work towards an associate’s degree will save my parents a lot of money.”

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Helms Elementary and Camp Innovation Host Heights Science Extravaganza

On Saturday, July 27, Helms Elementary and Camp Innovation teamed up to host the Greater Heights Science Extravaganza. Under the leadership of Dr. Reynaldo Guerra, a Houston engineer and community advocate, more than 60 children enjoyed a day of fun free activities aimed at generating student excitement about working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

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Teachers Experiment with Science Instruction at Summer Institute

A teacher performs an experiment at the BCM summer institute

As a team of presenters from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) explained the agency’s presence on the International Space Station and described potential future trips to Mars, it quickly became clear that their talk wasn’t solely about reaching past the Earth’s atmosphere and beyond, but was also about setting the foundation here at home to continue their work.

Approximately 250 teachers listened to a speech given by NASA’s Crew and Thermal Systems Division as part of their studies this month at the Baylor College of Medicine Summer Science Institute (SSI). The group is comprised of HISD science teachers in grades 1 through 8.

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