Located in South America, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is home to many beautiful and natural wonders, thanks to its extremely high biodiversity. It covers the Andes Mountains, Amazon rainforest, extensive plains, and Caribbean coast. Venezuela is one of the most urbanized countries in Latin America, with about 93 percent of its population living in urban areas in the northern part of the country. According to a DNA study conducted in 2008, the average Venezuelan is 60.6 percent European, 23 percent Amerindian, and 16.3 percent of African descent. This is a reflection of the cultural melting pot the country is.
Monthly Archives: October 2015
Woodson K–8 awarded $100,000 Fitness Center by national foundation
Students at Woodson K–8 are exercising their bodies as well as their brains thanks to a brand-new, state-of-the-art fitness center awarded to them by the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils (NFGFC) and funded in part by Coca-Cola and Nike. The Live Positively fitness center was awarded to approximately three schools in each state for showing innovation in their fitness and nutrition programs.
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“I was a fat kid with a stutter growing up, and my dad bought me a set of weights.” said Jake ‘Body By Jake’ Steinfeld, chairman and spokesperson for the program. “Not only did weights build my body, but they built my confidence and self-esteem.”
Studies have shown that physical activity improves academic achievement and reduces discipline problems and absenteeism. The NFGFC hopes to build a nation of the fittest, healthiest kids in the world. Continue reading
PSAT Administration Day sets stage for National Merit Scholarships
Thousands of HISD freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will take the first step toward earning a National Merit Scholarship on Oct. 14, when they take the PSAT during the school day at their respective campuses.
The PSAT measures college readiness, and is offered to HISD students free of charge on the district’s PSAT Administration Day. Students will take the exam in the morning for up to three hours. The test includes sections on math, critical reading, and writing.
“It might be tempting to think that the PSAT stands for ‘Practice’ SAT, but it’s actually the preliminary SAT,” said Jharrett Bryantt with the HISD College Readiness Department. “It’s an exam given to HISD students in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades. What’s important about it is it’s the exam that qualifies you for the National Merit Scholarship.” Continue reading
Uruguay: Natural beauty, music, and high-tech farming
Uruguay, one of the smallest nations in South America, has a population of about 3.4 million people, and more than half of them live in the metro area of the capital city, Montevideo. The country is situated on the northern shore of the Río de la Plata, with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Uruguay River — from which the nation gets its name — to the west. As a result, the country boasts hundreds of miles of sandy beaches and waterfront resort areas, from laidback and remote to world-class destinations, which provide the basis for a thriving tourism industry.
HISD recommending no increase in property tax rates for 2015-2016
Homeowners in the Houston Independent School District won’t see an increase in property tax rates for the 2015-2016 school year under a proposal being submitted Thursday to the Board of Education.
District administrators are asking trustees to maintain the current tax rate of $1.1967 per $100 taxable value. That rate includes two parts: $1.0267 dedicated to funding general maintenance and operations and 17 cents earmarked for debt service. Continue reading
Google Expeditions takes McGowen students on virtual world tour
What if your child could take a guided tour of Machu Picchu, look out over the streets of Barcelona, or dive deep into the ocean to explore a coral reef, and then head home after school all on the same day?
That’s the idea behind the Google Expeditions Pioneer Program, which was presented to educators and second-graders at McGowen Elementary School on Thursday, Oct. 8, by representatives from the technology megacompany.
HISD proposal calls for ban on suspensions, expulsions for youngest students
Houston Independent School District students in second grade and below will no longer be sent home for disciplinary issues, according to a proposed policy update going before the Board of Education on Thursday.
Under the proposal, campus administrators would not be allowed to suspend or expel pre-kindergarten through second-grade students in response to behavioral or disciplinary issues — except as required by state law. The policy revision further explains that students in third through fifth grades should only be removed from the school setting as a last resort. Continue reading
Dominican Republic: Where it all started!
Today, October 12, as we celebrate Columbus Day (also known in other countries as Día de la Raza, Día de las Américas, or Día de la Hispanidad) to commemorate the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the “New World,” the Americas, it is fitting to highlight the country where it all started: the Dominican Republic. It is said that when Columbus first landed in America, he did so in what we know today as The Bahamas, yet the first European settlement was established in the Dominican Republic.
HISD observes National School Lunch Week with local produce, demonstrations
To recognize the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the more than 215,000 students it serves each day, HISD Nutrition Services will be celebrating National School Lunch Week (NSLW) Oct. 12–16.
NSLW was created by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 as an annual celebration of the National School Lunch Program. Nutrition Services’ theme this year is “Discover the Great Plate of Texas with a Healthy Lunch,” and the department will highlight its fresh fruit and vegetable program by offering two Texas grown items. Continue reading
Westbury HS offering additional assignments to select students to ensure content mastery
Students enrolled last year in Reading 1B are eligible for the program
To ensure content mastery, additional assignments will be offered to Westbury High School students who were enrolled last year in a reading course that was the subject of grade integrity concerns.
The option for additional coursework was recommended by the Houston Independent School District’s Federal and State Compliance department as a way to ensure all students have the opportunity to prove content mastery and raise their grade.