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.

“I wrote that knowing two languages is like having two wings and with two wings you can fly,” said Maria Hernandez, who is joining Dávila Elementary School this year as a bilingual teacher.

Despite the heat, Hernandez and the rest of the new teachers had a great time signing the bus.

“I can’t believe I am doing this,” said Welch Middle School teacher Gabrielle Thompson. “What a great way to be welcomed and what a great way to start the school year.”

The new teachers were also welcomed to the district with a special photo shoot that placed them inside HISD’s logo, literally. Take a look at some of the pictures in the gallery below.

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