HISD wins 28 national honors for print and digital communications

The Houston Independent School District has been selected as the winner of 28 National School Public Relations Association’s (NSPRA) awards, including six Golden Achievement Awards for 2019.

The awards were won by the HISD Communications and HISD Business Operations Strategic Engagement & Outreach teams. The HISD’s districtwide Communications team took home 18 awards, while Business Operations Strategic Engagement & Outreach earned 10.

HISD’s Communications team, under the direction of Chief Communications Officer Rebecca Suarez, has worked diligently to keep employees, families, and the public informed of all district news at every level.  

“Our creative team is instrumental in ensuring that our students, parents, employees, and community are empowered through our communication initiatives,” Suarez said. “I look forward to the positive impact our team will have in the coming school year.”

Golden Achievement Awards recognize exemplary work in all aspects of school public relations, communication, marketing, and engagement. 

HISD’s Communications team won a total of four Golden Achievement Awards for the following work: 

  • #FixSchoolFinance Toolkit, which was created to equip public education supporters with the necessary information to effectively advocate for school finance reform.
  • HISD Marketing, which offer parents a detailed look at what their child should be learning throughout the school year.
  • Educators of the Year, which honored the district’s exceptional teachers and principals.
  • Public Education Matters, which was a major district wide and community wide event that supports the HISD Foundation to support strategic student-centered initiatives.

The Business Operations Strategic Engagement & Outreach team, overseen by Chief Operating Officer Brian Busby, won two Golden Achievement awards for the following work:

  • Yates High School Grand Opening and Library Re-Dedication Ceremony, a community wide grand opening celebration designed to promote the successful progress of the 2012 Bond Program and showcase a modern, state-of-the-art learning environment.
  • HISD Transportation Services Improvement Plan, a massive effort to engage stakeholders and change perception about the district’s Transportation Services department, as it worked to improve efficiency, provide better service, and develop a method for consistent, transparent, two-way parent communication to hold the department accountable, address the issues at hand, reassure parents, and encourage their engagement and feedback.

“Strategic Engagement & Outreach has done a fantastic job highlighting the work that we do in Business Operations every day to lay the foundation for student success,” said Busby. “I’m so proud of this talented team, and I can’t wait to see what they do next year.”

HISD also received 22 other awards for print and digital communications, including work done by the HISD Communications and Business Operations Strategic Engagement & Outreach teams.

HISD Communications Awards

“Excellence” awards:

 “Merit” awards:

  • Op-Ed: “Lathan: For HISD, School Starts With New Possibilities, Bold Vision”
  • Marketing Publication: Stand With HISD
  • Social Media: Principal’s Month E-card
  • Special Purpose Publication: Houston ISD Legislative Agenda
  • Special Purpose Publication: HISD Cares Scholarship Poster

 “Honorable Mention” awards:

Business Operations Strategic Engagement & Outreach Awards

Merit Awards

Honorable Mentions

  • Writing: Yates Grand Opening Superintendent Speech
  • Video: Energy Institute HS Preview
  • Video: Welcome to Worthing HS
  • Marketing Publications: National School Breakfast Week Poster
  • Marketing Publications: HISD PD Recruitment Banner
  • Marketing Publications: Nutrition Services Flier