Project Advisory Team (PAT) members for Askew Elementary, Wharton Dual Language Academy, and Young Women’s College Prep Academy (YWCPA) spent two days this week in an intensive workshop to put together preliminary design plans for their new facilities.
Yearly Archives: 2015
Help determine the ‘Fan Favorite’ at HISD’s Celebration of Excellence
HISD will be hosting its annual Celebration of Excellence on Friday, May 15, and one of the announcements to be made that day is the district’s Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year.
Those honorees are determined at the district level using performance data and other criteria, but you can help select the 2015 Fan Favorite by choosing one of this year’s Teacher of the Year nominees—and using your social media know-how to build a network of supporters.
All campus-based Teachers of the Year are eligible for this award, which will be determined by who has the largest number of fans. Anyone can vote—including colleagues, parents, students, and former students.
Visit this link to make your selection during the first round of voting through Friday, May 8, and be sure to share your favorite on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media channels to get the word out. A second round of voting will take place through May 15 to determine the winner from among the finalists.
The Fan Favorite will be announced live and on social media during the Celebration of Excellence on May 15.
Thank an educator during Teacher Appreciation Week May 4–8
If you can balance your checkbook, make a grocery list, or even read this sentence, you have a teacher to thank.
Educators help prepare young people for the world of adulthood—and for more than 170 days each year, HISD teachers carry out that mission—by teaching them not only the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also how to approach difficult problems, how to think things through logically, and even how to persist in the face of adversity.
[su_youtube_advanced url=”https://youtu.be/NYCyHl3tSAA”] Continue reading
Steady encouragement, support lead to success for HISD students with autism
This week marks the end of Autism Awareness Month, so we asked some of our parents of students with autism about their families’ experiences with HISD, to find out what they felt contributed the most to their students’ successes.
Noah poses with a trophy he won in a robotics competition.
Kristi Anders, the parent of a 12-year-old who is finishing up his last year in elementary school, says her son has flourished at two different campuses due to the inclusive environments created there by caring staff members.
“Noah’s teachers and principal at Garden Oaks Montessori were so accepting and supportive of him,” she said. “He has had to learn his limits and figure out what works for him and what doesn’t, but we bought him noise-reducing headphones and he learned to tell people when they were in his personal space. His teacher would also send him on errands or to get a drink of water when she could see he was getting frustrated. In the third grade, Noah’s friends voted him class president.”
J.J. Watt Foundation giving HISD after-school athletic programs a boost
Coach Wilson (L) with J.J. Watt and members of the Fondren MS football team
Eight members of the Fondren Middle School football team received a big surprise on April 18.
They got to meet one of their idols that day—legendary Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt—at a special celebration held in Houston by the charity he created. As previous beneficiaries of a grant from the Justin J. Watt Foundation, the students were invited to help accept a large donation from Papa John’s Pizza, one of its biggest supporters, at the event. They also got to visit with Watt personally and ask him a few questions.
HISD elementary school chief named ‘Administrator of the Year’ by national Latino educators association
The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents has selected HISD Chief Elementary Schools Officer Dr. Samuel Sarabia as the inaugural 2015 Leaders in Education Hispanic-Serving School District Administrator of the Year.
The 2015 ALAS Leaders in Education Awards are presented to school district superintendents and administrators from across the country who exemplify best practices in public education Continue reading
HISD recognizes 99 seniors headed to nation’s top-tier colleges and universities
EMERGE Class of 2015 awarded more than $20 million in scholarships, collectively
HISD paid tribute to 99 graduating scholars from 24 high schools during the second annual EMERGE Senior Awards Ceremony on April 28.
Through EMERGE, these scholars have earned the distinction of being accepted into colleges and universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard, Princeton, Rice, Smith, Stanford, Tufts, and Yale. As a whole, the group has been awarded more than $20 million in scholarships and financial aid, with the majority of students receiving individual financial packages totaling upwards of $40,000 per year.
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Meet HISD one of HISD’s four dedicated dietitians, Jennifer Lengyel
HISD dieticians Jennifer Lengyel (L) and Nan Cramer
As one of the four dietitians in HISD’s Nutrition Services department, Jennifer (Griffin) Lengyel estimates she has educated more than 40,000 HISD students and community members on the subject of healthy eating.
“I love being in the field and interacting with the kids,” said Lengyel. “My teaching philosophy is fun first, learning second. When students enjoy the experience, they absorb and retain information at an incredible rate.”
Bond Oversight Committee reviews first quarter progress
HISD’s Bond Oversight Committee held its quarterly meeting on Tuesday, in which the panel received an update on bond projects from the first quarter.
Among the topics discussed were a review on how the district calculates capacity for schools, as well as information on M/WBE participation levels and financial reports. HISD staff said they were excited about the work that is underway, including foundation work and vertical construction, and said there is more to come.
Next round of STAAR EOC exams May 4–8
HISD high school students will be taking portions of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) beginning Monday, May 4.
High-school students who are either currently enrolled in or have completed algebra I, biology, and U.S. history will be taking the end-of-course (EOC) exams associated with those subjects.
Make-up test opportunities will also take place during that period (May 4-8). This is the final test administration of the spring season. Re-testing opportunities for EOC exams have been scheduled for early July.
Questions? Visit HISD’s newly updated STAAR website, which has a new FAQ (.pdf), a complete schedule of testing dates, and helpful tips on how to combat test anxiety. Students may also consult with their school counselors with any questions or concerns not addressed on the STAAR website.