Yearly Archives: 2014

Construction networking event builds connections on 2012 bond

More than 200 subcontractors and minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) had the opportunity on Monday to build relationships with the 14 firms HISD has selected to provide construction manager at risk (CMAR) services on school building projects.

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Kolter ES student gets (digital) face-time with former first lady

Kolter ES fifth-graders participate in the “Reading Discovery with First Lady Barbara Bush” teleconference on Jan. 14. At far right (wearing headphones) is Matthew Kalmans, who got to ask Mrs. Bush a question.

It’s not often that fifth-graders have a chance to ask questions of a former first lady, but that’s exactly what Kolter Elementary School’s Matthew Kalmans got to do recently, when the George Bush Presidential Library held a teleconference with Barbara Bush to promote literacy.

Only 18 schools from across the nation were chosen to participate in the “Reading Discovery with First Lady Barbara Bush” event on Jan. 14, and Kolter was one of them.

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Scroggins ES educator named national Bilingual Teacher of the Year

Maria Elena Galán teaches fractions to her third grade class at Scroggins Elementary School, January 14, 2014.

Maria Elena Galán, a third-grade teacher at HISD’s Scroggins Elementary School, has been named the 2014 Bilingual Teacher of the Year by the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE).

“This award acknowledges your work as an exceptionally skilled and dedicated teacher in a bilingual program,” read the notification letter from NABE. “Your application contained outstanding testimonials and descriptions of your professional role as a bilingual teacher.”

Galán was selected for her ability to inspire students in two languages and her dedicated service to the school and its surrounding community.

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Videos highlight progress in designing new HSPVA, Washington High School

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/83708052/ w=320&h=205]

HISD released two videos Thursday that showcase the progress in the planning and design of Booker T. Washington High School and The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Both schools are being rebuilt under the district’s 2012 $1.89 billion bond program.

The videos highlight community feedback on the projects and the work being done by the schools’ architects and Project Advisory Teams, which include students, faculty and parents.

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More students headed to college this fall as members of 2014 ‘Posse’

Last year, almost two dozen HISD students became members of the city’s inaugural group of “Posse Scholars,” after a national non-profit called The Posse Foundation expanded its programming to Houston.

That organization will be sending its second group of students off to higher education this fall—and the majority (70 percent)—come from HISD.

The Houston branch of the Posse Foundation announced the 61 members of its Class of 2014 at a special celebration held on Jan. 6, and 43 of those students will be graduating from 18 HISD high schools this spring.

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Need new dinner ideas? Check out HISD Food Services’ Chef’s Corner!

HISD’S Food Services department has unveiled a new page on its website that features fantastically yummy and healthy recipes from district Chef Ryan Ng for families to try at home.

Working alongside Nutrition Education Dietitian Jennifer Griffin Lengyel, Ng spent about four weeks developing an initial database of ten recipes and collecting them on a page dubbed the Chef’s Corner.

“I wanted to give families some healthy items they could cook at home, together,” said Ng. “These will not be the same old boring recipes. They will use different flavors and textures to create a unique and healthy experience.”

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CMAR firms to network with subcontractors at ‘Meet the Generals’ event

Fourteen firms that HISD selected to provide construction manager at risk (CMAR) services on school building projects will discuss the facilities they plan to build with more than 150 potential subcontractors and minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBES) at a networking event Monday.

The “Meet the Generals” event, organized by the district’s business assistance department, will give subcontractors the opportunity to form relationships with prime contractors for construction projects funded by the district’s 2012 bond program.

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HISD’s Terry Grier named finalist for AASA National Superintendent of the Year

HISD Superintendent Terry B. Grier has been selected as one of four finalists for the American Association of School Administrators’ (AASA) National Superintendent of the Year.

Under Grier’s leadership, HISD was awarded the prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education, an award that recognizes gains in student achievement and comes with $550,000 in college scholarships for high school seniors. Houston is the only district in the country to receive the award twice, winning the inaugural Broad Prize in 2002 and again in 2013. The district was one of four national finalists in 2012.

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January is National School Board Recognition Month

Every January, Texas celebrates National School Board Recognition Month to honor the men and women who serve on the nation’s thousands of Boards of Education. These dedicated public servants become school board trustees because they are committed to improving public education and their communities. They devote many hours of their time to making sure the nation’s children receive a high-quality education that will make them lifelong learners and prepare them for successful, rewarding lives and careers. They make sure America’s school districts provide students with schools that are safe and have the resources and instructional programs they need to educate children to their fullest potential.

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