During its regularly scheduled monthly meeting, the HISD Board of Education approved several agenda items including an agreement with the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) to support wraparound specialists.

The agreement will provide HISD the assistance of students participating in the UHD Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning Work Study Program. The students are interns paid through federal work-study funding, and they would support the work of campus-based HISD wraparound specialists. The interns would work under the guidance of HISD Wraparound Specialists to help connect HISD students to non-academic resources that help to promote their overall well-being and academic outcomes.  Students participating in these positions will gain hands-on experience with the role of an HISD wraparound specialist, helping to create a pipeline for future talent that could serve in this role.

The Board of Education also approved several donations made to HISD schools, including a $5,000 donation from the Sports Authority Foundation to James Madison High School. The funds will be used to support the band program and to purchase band equipment.

Arts Connect Houston has made an in-kind donation valued at nearly $240,000 to HISD Community Partnerships to expand access to arts education from local arts and cultural organizations. The donations will help multiple schools in HISD arts-ecosystem through the Arts Action Fund.

Trustees also approved a $10,000 grant from the Dow Promise Program to benefit the Nutrition Services Department’s Get Growing Houston Food and Agriculture Education Program. The grant funds will be used to purchase hydroponic garden systems for Bastian, Young, and Woodson elementary schools as well as Attucks Middle School.  Activities will include training for teachers in understanding horticulture and plant science, food tastings, recipe development and understanding the nutritional benefits of eating fresh produce.

The full agenda for the Dec. 9 board meeting can be viewed here.