Yearly Archives: 2017

Fifth Ward community celebrates opening of new Mickey Leland College Prep campus

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Deep blue skies, crisp cool air, and the smooth sounds of the Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men Jazz Band set the stage Tuesday for the grand opening celebration for the school’s new $44 million facility.

More than 100 community members joined students and staff in the school courtyard, where they heard the Leland Men’s Choir kick off the event by singing “I’m Building Me a Home.”

“We just built a home here in the Fifth Ward,” Principal Dameion Crook said after the performance. “It’s a special place in a very special neighborhood, and it was well worth the wait.” Continue reading →

Special Olympics Field Days kick off; volunteers still needed 

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HISD kicked off its fifth annual Special Olympics Field Days on Tuesday at Joe Kelly Butler Fieldhouse, held in partnership with Special Olympics Texas.

The three-day event gives students with intellectual and developmental disabilities a chance to showcase their athletic skills by taking part in fun athletic contests. The friendly competition includes basketball, tennis, soccer, and track and field for all ages, as well as flag football for high-schoolers.

Elementary students got their Special Olympics Field Day on Tuesday. Middle-school students will have their events on Wednesday, while high school students will participate on Thursday. Opening ceremonies begin daily at 9 a.m. with the Parade of Athletes, Torch Pass, and the Declaration of Games Open.

Volunteers are still needed over the next two days to help with setup and breakdown, athletic events, escorting students around the facility, serving lunches, and other tasks. Volunteers will be provided with on-site instruction and modeling for their specific assignment so they are prepared to work with the students, who range from elementary to high school age.

To register to volunteer for the one or more of the events, click here.

Academic calendar for 2018-19 school year available online now 

The academic calendar for the 2018-2019 school year, which was approved by the Board of Education this month, is now available online.

The calendar was drafted with input from a committee made up of principals, union representatives, and departments across the district, as well as the District Advisory Committee.

The first day of school for students will be Aug. 27, and the final day of classes for students will be May 31.

The academic calendar gives students and staff a full week off during Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, the Fall Holiday is set for Monday, Sept. 10, a date that coincides with the first day of the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashana.

View the calendar in English and Spanish here.

Lisa McManus named new principal of Roosevelt Elementary

Lisa McManus has been selected as the new principal of Roosevelt Elementary School. McManus is returning to HISD after spending a year abroad with her family. She began her career in education as an elementary bilingual teacher serving students in Austin ISD and then in HISD. During her 11-year tenure in HISD, she also served as a middle school math teacher, teacher specialist, dean of instruction, and most recently as principal of Herod Elementary School. McManus earned her bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Notre Dame and her master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

15 Days of Code offers opportunity for daily interactive coding experiences 

HISD Advanced Academics is providing a fun way to participate in Computer Science Education Week in December with the 15 Days of Code, made up of interactive calendars that allow students to engage in a new coding experience every day.

The activities on these three calendars  for elementary, middle, and high school include lessons such as designing a web pages with HTML, creating a virtual pet, developing interactive art, and even teaching a robot to make crepes.

HISD’s 15 Days of Code coincides with Computer Science Education Week, which is Dec. 4-10. During this week, students and the greater HISD community are encouraged to join the worldwide movement and try one hour of coding as an introduction to computer science. Through this “Hour of Code,” students are challenged to think critically and solve problems as they learn the basics of computer programming.  Continue reading →

Parent Guides offer detailed look at what children are learning in each grade level

Parents can now get a detailed look at what their child is learning in each grade level throughout the school year through the district’s new Parent Guides, which are aimed at empowering parents to become more involved in their child’s education.

The guides give parents important information about what their child should know and be able to do at each grade level and include activities that parents can do at home to further their child’s learning. They cover academics, social and emotional learning, parent empowerment, college and career readiness, important dates, and tools for success.

For elementary, there will be four guides total for the year – one for each nine-week period: first nine weeks, second nine weeks, third nine weeks, and fourth nine weeks. For middle and high school, there will be 2 guides total for the year – one for each semester: fall and spring. The guides are available for download at HoustonISD.org/ParentGuides.

Achieve 180 schools using new resource for student interventions

Universal screener allows teachers to identify struggling students and provide targeted plan of action

All HISD schools are using a new resource to ensure students who need interventions in reading and/or math receive the support they need.

The resource, called a universal screener, allows teachers to measure the current skillset of a student using a brief assessment that is conducted three times per school year. The data gathered from those assessments allows teachers to identify students who need interventions, plan a course of action to target their academic needs, and monitor their progress throughout the school year.

“By using the universal screener and the immediate data it provided, we were able to start interventions week one, we didn’t have to wait,” said Lysette Cooper, principal of Cook Elementary. Cook is one of 45 schools that is part of Achieve 180, a research-based action plan to support the district’s most historically underserved and academically challenged schools. Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education approves inclusive practices for special education students

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday approved a resolution to strengthen current services provided to HISD students with special needs to succeed in the general education classroom.

This resolution lays out a set of best practices for increasing the time that special education students spend in the general education classroom, while providing additional services and the support needed.  The district recognizes the need to raise expectations for students with disabilities and educate them in the least restrictive environment.

“As the district focuses on equity in every classroom, we understand our special needs students deserve every resource we can offer to ensure they succeed,” Superintendent Richard Carranza said.  “This resolution is a necessary next step to delivering the services they need.” Continue reading →

Pilgrim Academy construction nears halfway mark 

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Construction at Pilgrim Academy went vertical last month, as workers erected steel columns and framing to support the new building addition.

Work on the $8.9 million project is expected to reach the halfway mark by year’s end.

“It’s wonderful to see the project has progressed to this point,” Pilgrim Principal Diana Castillo said. “The expansion is much-needed, so there’s a lot of anticipation, and we’re eager to move in next spring.”

As part of the Houston Independent School District’s 2012 Bond Program, the kindergarten through eighth grade school is receiving renovations and a new addition that includes a new science lab, a gymnasium, flexible learning areas, teacher work spaces and additional classrooms. Continue reading →