Yearly Archives: 2016

Codwell ES students celebrate renovation of Morefield Boys & Girls Club

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The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is committed to making a lasting impact on each Final-Four city, and in Houston, that meant working with Lowe’s to complete a total renovation of the Morefield Boys & Girls Club on Selinsky Road near Codwell Elementary School. Thanks to NCAA Legacy Restorations presented by Lowe’s, Morefield was refurbished with a new basketball court, library, state-of-the-art computer lab, and garden.

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K9 is on the case to keep district facilities safe and secure

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With HISD graduation season a few months away, one super sleuth is sniffing out any trouble behind the scenes – ensuring each stadium or facility is secure for those who will attend the ceremonies. Pretty impressive work for a 3-year-old.

Aries is one of three K9s currently serving with HISD’s patrol unit. He specializes in explosive detection, while his peers, Sasha and Gypsy, focus on narcotics. The canines are all trained to support and protect officers, as well as conduct area searches for drugs, weapons, or other contraband that may be on school grounds or in district facilities.

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Bellaire High School debate team to compete in global public policy forum

School is one of two Texas teams advancing to ‘Elite 8’ round of competition in New York City

 The Bellaire High School debate team will travel to New York City on Friday, April 1 to compete in the 2015-2016 International Public Policy Forum (IPPF), which gives high school students from around the world the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.

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Five HISD students win additional honors through Scholastic Art & Writing

Detail from Andrea Conley’s artwork titled “Fish Out of Water”

Andrea Conley’s “Fish Out of Water”

Students from four different HISD schools have been recognized as national winners in the 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing contests, and a fifth student has received an additional award at the regional level.

Pin Oak MS’s Andrea Conley won a gold medal at the national level in the drawing and illustration category for her piece titled “Fish Out of Water,” while Ashton (Unity) Haq (HS for Performing and Visual Arts) and Aleia Sen (T.H. Rogers) took home silver medals in the poetry and personal essay/memoir categories respectively.

Carnegie Vanguard HS student Jaelynn Walls was named sole national American Voices Medal winner for her personal essay/memoir — one of Scholastic’s most prestigious awards — and Eli Winter (also from CVHS) received one of three regional Trustees’ Exemplary Awards from Harris County Department of Education (HCDE).

To see a complete list of national winners, please visit the HCDE website.

‘Light It Up Blue’ April 1 and 2 in honor of Autism Awareness Month

Light It Up Blue is the annual kick-off event for Autism Awareness Month, and members of the HISD community are encouraged to wear blue on Friday, April 1, and Saturday, April 2 (Autism Awareness Day), to help spread the word.

Members of Team HISD will observe the month in different ways across the district, including adding blue accents to the Special Education Field Office (SFO). Supporters can also participate by lighting up their homes, campuses, or offices with the color blue.

The Office of Special Education will also be hosting an autism parent meeting at that location (4040 W. Fuqua St., Room 204) from 9–11 a.m. on Friday, April 1.

Parents and campuses can find additional autism resources by clicking here or by following @HISDSPED on Twitter.

HISD to announce winning school of NCAA Read to the Final Four literacy challenge

Carillo ES learn they are in the lead

Carrillo Elementary School students learn they are in the lead for the Read to the Final Four challenge in November 2015.

Nearly 10,000 HISD elementary school students will fill NRG Stadium (Reliant Parkway, 77054) on Friday, April 1 for the district’s announcement of the winner of the NCAA Team Works Read to the Final Four Literacy Program at Reese’s Final Four Friday event.

The program begins at 11 a.m., but prior to that, Waltrip HS’s band will play as students arrive, and Atherton ES’s drum line will perform before the announcement of the winning school at 11:40 a.m., which will receive a $5,000 cash prize, Final Four trophy, and campus celebration. The final four elementary schools in the competition are Browning, Carrillo, Dogan, and Janowski. Additionally, the top readers from each of the 68 schools will receive a bike from CYCLE. Attendees are welcome to stay for the remainder of the day and watch special practice games and tributes. The day’s activities are free and open to the public, including parking in the stadium’s Blue Lot beginning at 9 a.m. Anything brought into the stadium during all Final Four events must be in a clear bag, due to security. Some 125,000 clear bags are being given away at Houston hotels and the George R. Brown Convention Center, as well as on METRORail platforms. Find full details here.

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Teachers, students thank basketball star for providing them with #BestSchoolDay ever

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Thanksgiving isn’t for another eight months, but dozens of Houston-area teachers and their students have been expressing their gratitude recently, after Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard came through on a promise to support literacy.

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Students getting energized about STAAR tests

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Students at schools across HISD have been participating in everything from pep rallies to skate parties over the past few weeks to build awareness around the next administration of the STAAR test, which begins on Tuesday, March 29.

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Ten HISD students to compete in Houston Public Media spelling bee April 2

Lovett ES fifth-grader Bryan Moore poses with his mother, Tonyamas Moore, who won the spelling bee at that campus back in 1986.

Lovett ES fifth-grader Bryan Moore poses with his mother, Tonyamas Moore, who won the spelling bee at that campus back in 1986.

Five boys and five girls from 10 different HISD schools will be testing the limits of their vocabulary on Saturday, April 2, when they take part in the finals of the Houston Public Media spelling bee. The top two winners of the Houston-area competition will be eligible to advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, D.C., in May.

This year’s local contest is particularly meaningful for two HISD students: fifth-grader Bryan Moore (Lovett ES) and eighth-grader Christine Bowyer (Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan).

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HISD wins excellence award for financial reporting and accountability

The Houston Independent School District was recognized this week by the Association of School Business Officials International for having met or exceeded the program’s high standards for financial reporting and accountability.

The district received the prestigious Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting Award for its 2014-2015 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. The award is given to school districts that demonstrate superior accounting practices and reporting procedures, and confirms the district’s commitment to financial accountability and transparency.

“It is a tremendous honor for the district to be recognized for its commitment to financial accountability and good stewardship of public resources,” HISD Interim Chief Financial Officer Sherrie Robinson said. “As an entity supported by public dollars, it is our responsibility to provide services effectively and efficiently, and our finance team works extremely hard to ensure we do that every year.”

ASBO International is a professional organization that provides programs and services to promote the highest standards of school business management practices, professional growth, and the effective use of education resources. This year marks the 36th consecutive year the district has received the award.