Yearly Archives: 2016

It’s a year of victories for North Forest HS, on the field and in the classroom  

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The North Forest High School track team recently won the District 20-5A state championship.

It’s all good news at North Forest High School this year. Most recently, their track team won the District 20-5A championship, and earlier this year, the undefeated football team—the Bulldogs—was district champion. The Bulldogs also were the UIL bi-district champions, with five players receiving all-state honors. Coach Mike Ferrell won District 20-5A coach of the year, and 30 of his players were all-district.

The North Forest boy’s and girls’ basketball teams qualified for the playoffs, and Sonny Cousin was nominated for McDonald’s All-American team, an honor bestowed only on the nation’s best high school basketball players. The volleyball team had the best season in school history, and the inaugural North Forest wrestling team had four students qualify for regionals.

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7 HISD schools named winners of SAT promotional campaigns

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Representative from HISD’s College Readiness department and The College Board spent most of Friday driving across Houston to surprise 11th-grade students at seven high schools who were named winners of the School Day Incentive program.

The purpose of the program is to increase student participation and scores for the School Day SAT on April 12, thereby increasing student access to higher education and money for college. Two contests were introduced through the incentive: the You Khan Do It Scholarship and the Best SAT Campaign Ever. Students were encouraged to participate in taking the SAT for a chance to earn scholarships toward college-bound materials or activities.

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Sanchez ES dance students win big at national folklorico competition

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Sanchez Elementary School dance students captured five awards at the ACADEZ (Academia de la Danza Amalia Hernandez) National Folklorico/Contemporary Dance Competition held April 9 in San Antonio.

Students with the Sanchez Dance Company brought home three first-place trophies in the Large Group, Mascot Solo, and Ensemble Elementary categories, and two second-place awards in Duet and Solo.

“We are extremely proud of our boys and girls,” said Sanchez Elementary Principal Mayra Ramon.

Kashmere High School construction plan approved

The HISD Board of Education unanimously awarded a construction contract that will bring much needed building improvements to Kashmere High School.

Kashmere is joining nearly two dozen schools under construction thanks to the voter-approved 2012 Bond Program. The board awarded Kashmere’s contract to DT Construction for a total cost that will not exceed $14.1 million.

“We are excited to give Kashmere students a campus that reflects the community’s proud history,” said Trustee Rhonda Skillern-Jones, who represents the Kashmere area. “Kashmere is gaining strong momentum academically and this major renovation will further establish the campus as a center of community activity.”

Located on Houston’s northeast side, Kashmere was built in 1969 and last renovated in 2000. Design plans call for the four main campus buildings to be merged into one, and the school’s center courtyard to be enclosed, creating a large indoor flexible space with natural light for year-round use. Plans also include an updated front entrance.

Construction at Kashmere could begin by early summer, with work complete within a year.

The Kashmere community is invited to learn more about the project at a community meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, at Kashmere High School, 6900 Wileyvale Road.

Rusk School redesign approved

Also Thursday, HISD trustees unanimously approved a plan to gradually transition the Rusk School into a middle school campus with a magnet program with a health and medical focus, similar to the Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan. The change is being made in anticipation of the Star of Hope Mission’s impending relocation outside of the current Rusk attendance boundary.

“We are committed to giving Rusk the resources it needs to remain a strong neighborhood school while also providing all HISD students with another great magnet option,” said Trustee Diana Dávila, who represents the Rusk community.

Priority admission will be given to middle school students who live within the current Rusk attendance boundary. Remaining seats will be open to all HISD students using a random lottery.

Under the plan, Rusk will no longer house students in grades Pre-K through 2 after the current school year.  Next school year (2016-2017), Pre-K students living in the current Rusk attendance boundary will be rezoned to the Ninfa Laurenzo Early Childhood Center, and students in grades kindergarten through second will be rezoned to Lantrip and Burnet elementary schools. Grades 3 through 5 will be phased out one grade level at a time over three years, starting with third grade in the 2017-18 school year, with those students also being rezoned to Lantrip and Burnet.

Businesses get customer service tips during Workshop Wednesday

More than three dozen local business owners learned strategies and tips for improving customer service on Wednesday during a monthly workshop hosted by HISD’s Business Assistance Supplier Diversity department.

Customer service expert trainer Mercedes Alfaro spoke to the group, presenting tips for delivering superior customer service and discussing the importance of identifying consumer needs. Alfaro works with companies across the nation, speaking on topics such as management, leadership, communication, diversity sensitivity and customer service.

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HSPVA one of two schools nationwide selected for national jazz tour 

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Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts was one of only two schools nationwide selected by the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz to participate in a national “Peer-to-Peer Education” tour. HSPVA opened in Savannah, Ga., on April 11 and continued on to Charleston, Ga., performing in public schools all week.

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I am HISD: Meet renowned pianist and ‘Selma’ composer who developed a love of music in HISD schools 

Jason Moran works with a dance class at Gregory-Lincoln Education Center where he went to school as well.

Jason Moran works with a dance class at Gregory-Lincoln Education Center.

In this week’s I Am HISD, which features district students, graduates, employees, and other team members, HISD alumnus and renowned pianist, composer, and bandleader Jason Moran talks about giving back to the HISD schools he attended and receiving a McArthur “genius” grant. He attended McGregor Elementary School, Gregory Lincoln Education Center, and High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. During a recent visit to Houston to engage with students at all three schools, he took time out from his busy schedule to talk to HISD. For more background information see these links: African-American alumni give back and HISD alumni bringing Black History month to life. 

You are in year two of a three-year homecoming residency sponsored by Da Camera with the three schools you attended at HISD. What inspired you to give back to students in those schools?

Many of the thought patterns that I continue to use as a mature artist were learned at those schools. Macgregor Elementary is the place where an instrument was first placed in my hands [a violin], and that prompted my parents to buy a piano for all of us boys to practice on. That piano is still in my living room In New York City, and it’s probably the one I play the most. Though they seem fleeting, these ideas that are planted early on in children’s minds are very important. Continue reading →

HISD chefs spotlighted by Texas Department of Agriculture 

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Chef Trainer Brittany Jones teaches students how to make pumpkin spice muffins.

The Texas Department of Agriculture recently highlighted HISD Nutrition Services Chefs David Husbands and Brittany Jones in their spotlight newsletter, Chefs in Texas Schools, for developing nutritious school meals for students.

Husbands, who is the executive chef, creates reimbursable school meals and works closely with dietitians to develop school menus. He enjoys sharing his knowledge with other colleagues and strives to provide better service to HISD students. Continue reading →

HISD Scholars Banquet honors Class of 2016 valedictorians and salutatorians

HISD Scholars Banquet honors Class of 2016 valedictorians and salutatorians HISD paid tribute to 99 high school seniors at the top of their class at the annual Scholars Banquet on April 12 at the Westin Oaks Galleria. In addition to their outstanding academic achievements, these valedictorians and salutatorians have already garnered more than $10 million in scholarships and financial aid offers.

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