Virginia Croft, 77, has been teaching band at Lovett ES for 35 years. Because of her impact on students over the years, Croft was featured in this week’s Houston Chronicle. One of her first-graders loves band so much that he was disappointed that he had to stay home on Labor Day, while another student, now in his 20s, held on to a note that Croft had sent him in elementary school. To find out what that note said and to learn more about Croft, read her profile in the Houston Chronicle.
Yearly Archives: 2013
MythBusters: HISD Buses
MYTH: Old, unsafe Carpenter school buses are being used to transport HISD students to and from school.
FACT: HISD no longer uses Carpenter school buses.
In 2003, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued an advisory about Carpenter school buses, warning that the roof could cave in should the bus overturn. As a result, HISD removed about 525 Carpenter buses from the fleet at that time.
HISD Introduces New Online Magnet Application Option to Parents
Six parent orientation sessions scheduled to familiarize parents with school choice options and new online system
The Houston Independent School Districts is launching a new online application system for parents and students wanting to attend any of the district’s 115 magnet programs. While paper applications will still be accepted, HISD is hosting a series of orientation sessions to familiarize parents with the new online option and outline the multitude of school choices available. The first session will be on Tuesday, September 17 at 6 p.m. at Burbank Middle School, 315 Berry.
M/WBE Firm Finds Value in Working with Business Assistance at HISD
Editor’s note: This profile is part of an occasional series on minority or women-owned companies that do business with HISD. The district’s minimum M/WBE goal levels are 20 percent for all levels of purchasing and construction, and 25 percent for professional services. In the 2007 bond program, that commitment reached nearly 34 percent. In the 2012 program, the contracts awarded to date reflect a nearly 51 percent M/WBE commitment.
HISD Joins Forces With Harris County Sheriff’s Office to Fight Crime
HISD is joining forces with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office to battle crime using a new app for mobile devices that lets citizens report suspicious activity using their smart phones.
Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia launched the iWatch Harris County campaign two years ago, and users can submit tips in one of four ways:
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by Exploring Campus Namesakes
Hispanic Heritage Month officially starts on Sun., Sept. 15, and this week, we’re taking a look at some of the many HISD campuses that are named for distinguished Hispanic men and women.
Learn Which Reagan HS Teacher is Also a Novelist in this Week’s eNews
Find out why he spent 18 years perfecting a poem about cowboys
Reagan High School teacher Christopher Wise is also an aspiring novelist with several published pieces to his credit. You can read more about him and why he spent 18 years perfecting a poem about cowboys in the Sept. 13 edition of community eNews.
Houston Astro Rewards Moreno ES Students for Summer Reading
School library and students with highest participation in Millionaire Club receive more than 3,000 books
Houston Astros catcher Jason Castro and his wife, Maris, pose with prize winners after handing out books and prizes to students at Moreno ES for their participation in the Millionaire Club summer reading program, September 12, 2013.
Students at Moreno Elementary were treated to a special visit from Houston Astros player Jason Castro on September 11. Nearly 300 students not only got to visit with the major-league ball player but also received a bag of four books to add to their home library. Moreno ES had the district’s highest participation in the Millionaire Club summer-reading program. Castro not only congratulated the students but talked about his love of reading and why he and his wife Maris started Castro’s Kids, which encourages children to embrace literacy.
Magnet Application Process to Include Online Option
HISD parents and students wanting to attend one of HISD’s 115 magnet schools will now have the opportunity to apply online. While paper applications will still be accepted, HISD is holding a series of workshops and meetings over the next several months to familiarize parents with the new online option and outline the many school choices that HISD offers, including magnet programs, specialty schools such as career academies, early college high schools, and charter schools.
Board of Education Approves Motion to Fast-Track New Delmar-Tusa Fieldhouse
Existing facility to be demolished while design for new facility is underway
The HISD Board of Education unanimously approved during Thursday’s monthly meeting the motion to fast-track the construction of a new Delmar-Tusa Fieldhouse by demolishing the existing facility while design for the new facility is underway. The goal is to have the site ready for construction as soon as possible and complete the replacement facility by late 2016.