Author Archives: HISD Communications

HISD middle schools receiving $4.6 million in books for classroom libraries

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Thousands of books are arriving at HISD middle schools daily, and they are being placed in all core-subject classrooms—not just English and reading.

This massive influx of books is a vital key in the new initiative known as Literacy in the Middle, a three-year plan to to increase literacy in middle schools. The program aims to continue the great work accomplished through the Literacy By 3 initiative, which was launched in 2014.

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Texas A&M University tour inspires both students and parents

College tours can have a dramatic effect on current HISD students as they prepare for life after high school. They can encourage students to set goals, take more rigorous classes, improve grades, and participate in extracurricular activities that may increase their chances of being admitted to the college or university of their choice.

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HISD’s Procurement Services receives national recognition

HISD’s Procurement Services has been honored with the 2016 Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award  from the National Procurement Institute. HISD is one of a select group of school districts in the U.S. to receive this award, which recognizes excellence in the field. Achievement of Excellence in Procurement2

Procurement Services is made up of a team of experts who facilitate everything related to the purchasing of materials and supplies for HISD. This prestigious award acknowledges the team’s support of HISD students, faculty, and staff. Procurement Services will be recognized at the 48th Annual NPI Conference, which takes place Oct. 9-12 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

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College Readiness wraps up 2015–2016 with resounding success

The HISD College Readiness Dept. works closely with HISD high schools to create and maintain a college-bound culture. The district saw a major increase in college applications and FAFSA completions this past school year, with a 23-percentage-point increase in college applications over last year and a 10-percentage-point increase in financial-aid applications.

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Twenty-eight new College Success Advisers (CSAs) and 15 new College Success Managers (CSM) were definitely a factor in the increases. Last summer, thanks to a Houston Endowment grant of $3 million, the college advisers and managers were hired and trained to assist district seniors with applying for college and scholarships.

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HISD chefs cook up new school menu items

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While school is out for the summer, HISD nutrition services chefs are busy in the test kitchen creating and sampling new menu items for the coming school year. And what our chefs have learned from the previous year is that our students want bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and culturally diverse food.

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Mayor Sylvester Turner’s 2016 Back to School Fest to take place in mid-August

Mayor’s Sylvester Turner’s Back to School Fest is a great opportunity for Houston families to take advantage of an array of resources provided by the City of Houston and other sponsors.

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As in years past, only registered kindergarten through fifth-grade students will receive a backpack filled with school supplies. In addition, students can take advantage of free eye and ear examinations, vaccinations, and lessons in dental hygiene and health.

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Take a trip around the world at expo of Pre-K students’ work

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In honor of Laurenzo Early Childhood Center becoming a dual-language school this year, the faculty adopted an international theme for their annual expo. Every class chose a different country to study for eight weeks, and their project-based lesson plans included students’ asking questions, engaging in investigations, and making discoveries.

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Roses and Knights on their way to robotics finals in Kentucky

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A robotics team made up of students from HISD’s only all-boys and all-girls schools will be heading to Louisville, Ky., later this month to compete in the 2016 VEX Worlds Robotics championship.

The team is made up of five students from the Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy and four students from the Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men.

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‘Week of the Young Child’ addresses the needs of our littlest learners

 

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The week of April 10-16 is the Week of the Young Child, an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) to put a public spotlight on the needs of young children and address those needs through early childhood programs and services.

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