Yearly Archives: 2017

COO and Procurement staff discuss upcoming opportunities to do business with HISD

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HISD’s Chief Operating Officer Brian Busby joined procurement staff on Friday to hold an outreach event for small businesses interested in doing minor maintenance and repair work for the district.

Busby welcomed the group of about 100 and discussed his focus on expanding opportunities for small and minority- and women-owned businesses.

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Crespo ES student wins annual Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition

Fourth-grader wins $1,000 prize for original speech inspired by civil rights leader

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Crespo Elementary School fourth-grader Nhedrick Jabier flexed his muscles, threw a few punches, and neatly fixed his bow tie as he channeled the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali while presenting his winning speech on what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have thought about Ali’s contributions to society. Continue reading →

HISD moves away from high-stakes testing in student grade-level promotion decisions

Board also approves 2017-2018 calendar that gives students and staff a full week off for Thanksgiving

The Houston ISD Board of Education voted Thursday to join with other school districts that only use students’ scores on high-stakes standardized tests for grade-level promotion decisions when doing so is required by Texas law. The decision is effective immediately for the 2016-2017 school year and beyond.

Texas law requires students to pass the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) in math and reading in grades five and eight. The state also mandates that high school students pass STAAR end-of-course exams. Because this is state law, HISD students will still be required to pass these STAAR exams.

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HISD Board of Education elects new officers

District IX Trustee Wanda Adams named 2017 president

The HISD Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to name District IX Trustee Wanda Adams president for 2017.

A Kashmere High School graduate, Adams was first elected to the school board in 2013. She previously served six years on the Houston City Council.

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Two HISD schools nominated for national Blue Ribbon Schools award

Eastwood Academy and Lyons Elementary nominated among exemplary, high-performing schools

Two Houston Independent School District schools have been nominated for the U.S. Department of Education’s prestigious national 2017 Blue Ribbon Schools designation.

The National Blue Ribbon award is given annually to high-performing schools to showcase the hard work of students and educators. Eastwood Academy and Lyons Elementary are among 26 public schools in Texas to be nominated by the Texas Education Agency.

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Two new trustees sworn in to serve on Board of Education

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Two new members of the Houston Independent School District Board of Education were sworn in on Thursday ahead of the board’s regularly scheduled January meeting – District VI Trustee Holly Maria Flynn Vilaseca (Ocampo) and District VII Trustee Anne Sung.

Both are filling unexpired trustee terms that run through the end of 2017. Sung was elected to the board in December and Flynn Vilaseca was unanimously appointed by the board this week to serve the unexpired trustee term for District VI. Sung will fill the unexpired term of outgoing District VII Trustee Harvin Moore, and Flynn Vilaseca will serve the remaining term of the District VI seat formerly held by Greg Meyers.

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

Board also will elect new officers at monthly board meeting

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education will welcome its two newest members on Thursday, swearing in newly appointed District VI Trustee Holly Maria Flynn Vilaseca (Ocampo) and newly elected District VII Trustee Anne Sung.

Both are filling unexpired trustee terms that run through the end of 2017 and will be formally sworn in prior to the first meeting of the year during a special ceremony.

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HISD football coach nominated for NFL High School Coach of the Year Award

Furr High School football coach Matthew Valmore was recently nominated for the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award by the NFL Foundation for his leadership, dedication to the community, and commitment to player health and safety and on-field success.

“I am humbled, honored, and very appreciative to be considered for such a prestigious award,” Valmore said. “It almost feels like a dream.”

Valmore is among 32 high school football coaches from across the country nominated by a NFL team for the national award, which is named for the winningest coach in NFL history. He was nominated by the Houston Texans after the team selected him as a High School Coach of the Week in November. Continue reading →

Information session to provide insight for those interested in teaching at HISD 

UPDATE: The session is now scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 11. Check in begins at 8:30 a.m. and the session will begin at 9 a.m.

The Houston Independent School District will host an information session for the general public and current HISD employees interested in becoming a teacher with the district. 

You must register to attend, and attendees will receive location information once they have signed up.   Continue reading →