Monthly Archives: May 2016

Board of Education to consider new names for seven schools

The Houston ISD Board of Education on Thursday will consider new names for seven schools that were recommended by committees of students, parents, teachers, alumni, civic leaders and principals.

Earlier this year, the Board of Education voted to start the process of choosing new names for schools that will better reflect the district’s values and diversity. If approved, the new names will be in effect beginning with the upcoming 2016-2017 school year. The proposed new campus names are as follows: Continue reading →

HISD to host college summit for historically black colleges, universities

Hundreds of HISD middle and high school students will have the opportunity to meet admissions representatives from regional historically black colleges and universities from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10 at the HISD College Summit for HBCUs at Texas Southern University.

Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) located in Texas and Louisiana will be represented, and general information will be provided on the more than 100 HBCUs across the country. Students in grades 6-12 along with their parents are invited to attend. The free event will include a college fair and breakout sessions focused on financial aid and college admissions.

“Attending an HBCU changed my life,” said HISD EMERGE academic program manager Steven Chambers, who will be a featured speaker at the event. He is a graduate of Hampton University. “The HBCU college summit will expose students to the diversity of school offerings as well as highlight the impact HBCUs have on the character and confidence of students enrolled.”

Representatives will be in attendance from the following colleges and universities: Huston-Tillotson University, Jarvis Christian College, Prairie View A&M University, Southwestern Christian College, Texas College, Texas Southern University, and Wiley College.

The event is organized by the HISD College Readiness Department. Transportation will be provided from some campuses. This year, the district strengthened its college readiness efforts by deploying 28 new college success advisors and 10 college success managers to campuses across the district.

 

Dr. Steven Shetzer named new principal of Pershing Middle School

Steven Shetzer poses for a photograph, January 13, 2016. (Dave Einsel/Houston ISD)Dr. Steven Shetzer has been selected as the new principal of Pershing Middle School. Dr. Shetzer is currently serving as the principal of Kolter Elementary. Prior to this, he served as the AP/magnet coordinator at Roberts Elementary School. Dr. Shetzer began his educational career in HISD 12 years ago as a social studies teacher at Westbury High School, teaching everything from world geography to AP U.S. government. Dr. Shetzer holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from California Baptist University. He earned his master’s degree in secondary education and doctorate in teaching from the University of Houston.

HISD community celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week in creative ways 

[su_youtube_advanced url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxAxwjkyiWs”]While we always encourage our community to tell teachers how much they’re valued, students, administrators, and staff have rallied around our educators for Teacher Appreciation Week to celebrate their tireless dedication.

Inspirational and emotional messages of thanks and encouragement flooded the district’s social media channels, including tear-jerking moments caught on video as students told their teachers how much they mean to them. Continue reading →

Workshop Wednesday features tips for achieving desired results

About 40 business representatives participated in this month’s Workshop Wednesday, hosted by HISD’s Business Assistance Supplier Diversity department, which featured a high-energy interactive presentation by author and artist Amy Malkan entitled Achieving Your Desired Results.

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Malkan led the group through activities and examples demonstrating that most people are conditioned to view situations from a certain point of view. She said that changing your perspective is often effective in improving your outcomes.

“We are conditioned with our own belief system and our perceptions of how we see the world,” Malkan said. “Every one of us have blind spots, but if you can put yourself in the other person’s shoes, whether it’s your customer, your boss, or your spouse, you will be more likely to get a positive result.” Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education adopts school funding formula

The HISD Board of Education on Thursday unanimously approved a school funding proposal that aims to minimize the impact of looming budget cuts on classrooms.

HISD must send a projected $165 million in local property tax dollars to the state because the Texas school finance systems considers the district wealthy. Nearly 80 percent of HISD students come from low-income households. The projected deficit was previously $107 million, but rising property values have reduced that amount to $95 million.

Continue reading →

Teach Forward Houston fellows commit to four-year teaching program 

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Some 60 seniors from 31 HISD high schools on Tuesday pledged to become teachers and return to the district to teach in four years as part of the prestigious Teach Forward Houston program.

“I will commit to my studies at the University of Houston in order to enter my classroom with the foundational knowledge, skills, and mindsets necessary to maximize student achievement and character development,” they recited in unison at Teach Forward Houston’s inaugural signing day celebration on May 3 in the Hattie Mae White board auditorium.

Continue reading →

Five HISD students win coveted Gates Millennium Scholarship

Five Houston Independent School District students are among more than 1,000 high school seniors from across the country to be selected this week to the final class of the Gates Millennium Scholars program.

The students — Nofisat Babajide and Esther Brown from Bellaire High School, Janeth Rodriguez from Carnegie Vanguard High School, Leslie Benavides from Eastwood Academy, and Sheighlah McManus from Jane Long Academy— will be awarded a scholarship that can be used to pursue a degree at accredited colleges or universities of their choosing. Continue reading →