Yearly Archives: 2016

Hispanic Heritage Month: A look at six more campuses with Hispanic namesakes 

J111654_LowRes_Hispanic_Heritage_12x18_Poster_FINAL

Click image to enlarge.

The Houston Independent School District is observing Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through Oct. 15, by honoring the Hispanics for whom many of the district’s schools are named.

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month by recognizing the contributions made to this country by people of Hispanic descent, including those whose ancestors immigrated from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

HISD features 22 schools that recognize the contributions of Hispanic civic and community leaders, who range from educators and civil servants to local restaurateurs, newscasters, Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, and even Nobel Prize-winners.

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Bob Lanier Middle School holds renaming ceremony, honors namesake 

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Hundreds of students, staff, and community members on Wednesday celebrated the renaming of Lanier Middle School — an event that featured student performances, special guests, and the unveiling of a new school emblem and song.

Family and friends of the late Mayor Bob Lanier were on hand for the event, along with HISD Board of Education Trustee Jolanda Jones and HISD Superintendent Richard Carranza.

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T. H. Rogers program celebrates Deaf Awareness Week

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At T. H. Rogers School, Principal David Muzyka wants to make sure his students know that hearing loss won’t stop them from achieving their dreams.

More than 900 T. H. Rogers students, staff, and community members packed the school gymnasium on Wednesday for a program celebrating Deaf Awareness Week. Continue reading →

Read Houston Read volunteer opportunities available 

Just one hour a week can make a difference in a child’s life

HISD’s Read Houston Read program is kicking off for the 2016-17 school year, and volunteers are needed once a week to read to a first-grade student — either in person or online.

The goal of Read Houston Read, which is in its third year, is to instill a love of reading in children, while giving Houstonians an opportunity to give back to their community. The program is part of the district’s Literacy by 3 movement, which aims to have all students reading at or above grade level by the end of third grade.

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Bond program construction moves at record pace through fall 

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On the heels of an extremely busy summer that included the opening of six new schools, HISD’s bond construction is expected to continue moving forward at a record pace through the fall semester.

Construction is currently underway at more than 20 campuses across the district — more active construction than at any other time in district history. Contracts for most of the remaining schools in the program are expected to be awarded in the fourth quarter of 2016.

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Kashmere HS drum major the face of new Metro ad campaign

Zackery Johnson, drum major for Kashmere High School, takes METRO to school every day, and his dream is to one day be part of the famed Texas Southern University’s Ocean of Soul Marching Band.

But you may already know all of this if you’ve seen or heard the latest ad for Metro on TV or on the radio. The ad, part of Metro’s “This is My Metro” campaign, features Zack on the bus and performing on the field.

“(Zack) is amazing and can always bring a smile to my face,” said Kashmere High School Principal Nancy Blackwell. “Zack works hard to promote the band, and he has specific plans for his future. I love having him at Kashmere High School.”

According Metro’s website, “We have invited real customers to talk about their experiences riding our system and tell why they do it and how it’s changed their lives.”

 

Twenty-eight HISD schools recognized by state for top performance in 2015-2016

HISD schools were twice as likely as other Texas schools to earn the maximum number of distinction designations from the Texas Education Agency for their strong performance during the 2015-2016 school year, according to a report released this week.

Eleven percent of the district’s 255 eligible campuses earned every distinction designation for which they were eligible. Statewide, only 5.5 percent of eligible schools can make that claim. HISD’s awarded campuses include 15 elementary schools, six middle schools, and seven high schools. Continue reading →

Superintendent, Board of Trustees hosting series of town hall meetings in HISD communities 

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HISD Board of Education trustees are hosting a series of community town hall meetings with newly appointed Superintendent Richard Carranza as a way to introduce the new leader to the community, solicit input from stakeholders about the district’s future, and learn about key issues across HISD.

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September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month 

As part of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, HISD is partnering with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Greater Houston to get the word out on suicide prevention measures and how to talk to teens about suicide without increasing the risk of harm.

Last December, NAMI Greater Houston trained 16 new volunteers to speak at middle and high school campuses about mental health wellness, mental illness, how to be a friend of someone dealing with mental health challenges, and suicide intervention. This past summer, NAMI volunteers began working with HISD to train district administrators, social workers, special education case managers, and other employees.

HISD has its own Crisis Intervention team, which is part of the new Social and Emotional Learning department. There are nine psychologists on staff under the direction of Dr. Lauren Goonan. All are licensed as both psychologists and as specialists in school psychology in the State of Texas.

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Hispanic Heritage Month perfect opportunity to showcase campus namesakes

J111654_LowRes_Hispanic_Heritage_12x18_Poster_FINAL

Click image to enlarge.

The Houston Independent School District is observing Hispanic Heritage Month, which kicks off today and runs through Oct. 15, by honoring the Hispanics for whom many of the district’s schools are named.

Half a dozen schools will be highlighted each week on the HISD website (see below for the first six).

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month by recognizing the contributions made to this country by people of Hispanic descent, including those whose ancestors immigrated from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

Continue reading →