Yearly Archives: 2016

Students with food sensitivities get careful treatment from HISD’s Nutrition Services

Only about 700 — or less than one percent — of HISD students have special dietary needs that require restricted diets, but providing those children with healthy, nourishing food is all in a day’s work for HISD’s Nutrition Services department.

Dietitian Lindsay Smith works closely with nurses and kitchen staff to monitor students who need allergen-free meals, and HISD as a district eliminated all peanut and tree-nut products from its recipes two years ago as a precaution, to prevent accidental allergic reactions.

Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education to swear in two new trustees before Thursday meeting

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education will welcome its two newest members on Thursday, swearing in newly elected District VIII Trustee Diana Dávila and District IV Trustee Jolanda Jones.

The two trustees were elected to the board in November. They will be formally sworn in prior to the first meeting of the year during a special ceremony at 11 a.m. in the board auditorium of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center. Continue reading →

Flexible furniture complements modern learning environments across HISD

Construction at Grady Middle School, January 8, 2016.

Interior work is underway in the new wing at Grady Middle School.

With construction well underway on schools throughout HISD, a few are beginning to put the finishing touches on their buildings—including installation of furniture that will bring 21st century learning to life.

Under the bond program, a total of 40 schools are currently being built or renovated with flexible and innovative learning spaces. Inside of each building, flexible furniture will be included in the learning spaces to move beyond the traditional classroom of four walls, white board, and fixed desks and chairs.

Continue reading →

Two HISD elementary schools nominated for prestigious national Blue Ribbon School award

Two Houston Independent School District elementary schools have been nominated for the U.S. Department of Education’s prestigious national 2016 Blue Ribbon School designation.

National Blue Ribbons are awarded annually to high-performing schools to validate the hard work of students and educators. Lovett and Oak Forest elementary schools are among 26 public schools in Texas to be nominated for the recognition. Continue reading →

Superintendent honored by Houston’s new mayor

[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000C6_AemRI5U0″ g_name=”20160112-Grier” width=”600″ f_fullscreen=”t” bgtrans=”t” pho_credit=”iptc” twoup=”f” f_bbar=”t” f_bbarbig=”f” fsvis=”f” f_show_caption=”t” crop=”f” f_enable_embed_btn=”t” f_htmllinks=”t” f_l=”t” f_send_to_friend_btn=”f” f_show_slidenum=”t” f_topbar=”f” f_show_watermark=”t” img_title=”casc” linkdest=”c” trans=”xfade” target=”_self” tbs=”5000″ f_link=”t” f_smooth=”f” f_mtrx=”t” f_ap=”t” f_up=”f” height=”400″ btype=”old” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” ]

Mayor Sylvester Turner, who assumed leadership of the Bayou City earlier this month, recognized HISD Superintendent of Schools Terry Grier with a proclamation on Jan. 12 for his dedicated service to Houston’s children.

“Dr. Terry Grier is widely recognized for his leadership in turning around failing schools,” read the proclamation, “and the City of Houston commends Dr. Terry Grier for his commitment to the academic advancement of Houston youth and extends best wishes for continued success.”

Challenging childhood prompts probation officer to give back

In this week’s “I Am HISD,” which features district students, graduates, employees, volunteers, and other team members, probation officer Juan Sorto talks about what prompted him to become a member of HISD’s Volunteers in Public Schools, why he is so passionate about working with students in the North Forest area, and who inspired him to reach for greatness as a child.IAH_JuanSorto_200

You approached HISD several years ago with a very specific request: to volunteer in schools that used to be part of North Forest ISD. Why was serving students in that part of town so important to you?

I moved to the North Forest area in 2001, and I still live there today. It has a lot of students who are in the same situation I was as a kid. They are growing up in the same condition—poverty. I was raised by a single mother who didn’t know any English and barely finished the second grade, and I was the first person in my family to graduate from high school and go to college. When I finally reached a level where I was stable in life and had a disposable income, I wanted to get more involved with kids who were struggling themselves but maybe didn’t know how to succeed.

Continue reading →

Thank a trustee during National School Board Recognition Month

The 2016 Board of Education

The 2016 Board of Education are (L-R): Anna Eastman, Michael Lunceford, Second Vice President Diana Davila, First Vice President Wanda Adams, Assistant Secretary Rhonda Skillern-Jones, Secretary Jolanda Jones, President Manuel Rodriguez Jr., Harvin Moore, and Greg Meyers.

January is National School Board Recognition Month, honoring the men and women who serve on the nation’s thousands of Boards of Education. These dedicated public servants become school board trustees because they are committed to improving public education and their communities.

Our board members devote many hours to making sure Houston’s schools are safe and have the resources and instructional programs needed to educate children to their fullest potential.

“The students in HISD are very fortunate to have dedicated board members who work day in and day out to shape policies that support a high-quality education for all of our students,” said HISD Superintendent Dr. Terry Grier. “If you haven’t reached out, please thank your school board trustee for caring about our children, and let them know that they truly are appreciated for what they do.”

Continue reading →

Students prepare for annual Martin Luther King Oratory Competition

Each year, students across the district show off their oratory skills in the annual Martin Luther King Oratory Competition at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Christ (500 Clay Street, 77002). This year’s theme, “What would Dr. King say in his campaign speech if he were running for president this year?” will be tackled by fourth- and fifth-graders from several HISD schools on Friday, Jan. 15, 2016, from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Now in its 20th year in Houston, the MLK Oratory competition, sponsored by Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, encourages elementary school students to spread the work and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through self-written speeches that envision King’s message in today’s world. Students are judged based on delivery, stage presence and decorum, content interpretation, and memorization.

Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education to consider resolution beginning process of renaming certain schools

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday is expected to consider a resolution that would begin the process of renaming schools in order to represent the values and diversity of the school district, in accordance with the district’s non-discrimination policies.

The resolution was brought forward by Board President Rhonda Skillern-Jones. It would affect eight schools: Henry Grady, Richard Dowling, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, Albert Sidney Johnston, and Sidney Lanier middle schools, and Jefferson Davis, John Reagan, and Lee high schools. Continue reading →