Author Archives: HISD Communications

School gets facelift, library makeover thanks to military veterans

‘Mission Continues’ joins forces with Bush Literacy Foundation to freshen up Kelso ES

Dozens of U.S. military veterans from the Houston area reported for duty at Kelso Elementary School on the morning of Jan. 24. Their mission? To makeover the library, spruce up exterior surfaces, and create a campus garden.

The former Army and Marine servicemen and women came to the school as a part of the Mission Continues organization, which works in partnership with the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation to create more-pleasant and welcoming learning environments for children.

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HISD school board to consider plan to reduce classroom overcrowding

The Houston Independent School District is working to readjust attendance boundaries at almost two dozen schools in an effort to reduce classroom overcrowding.

The move is in response to a directive from the Texas Education Agency, which requires kindergarten through fourth-grade classes to have no more than 22 students per classroom. Classes that exceed that number must request a state waiver.

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HISD principals accepted to REEP Business Fellowship for School Leaders Program

The Rice University Education Entrepreneurship Program (REEP) would like to congratulate the following Houston ISD principals on their acceptance to the REEP Business Fellowship for School Leaders Program: John Baker, ChaoLin Chang, Mary Ellen Fernandez, Steven Gourrier, Melissa Jacobs, Eden Hines-Jones, Armando Lujan, Jyoti Malhan, Lindsey Pollock, Steven Shetzer, and Abigail Taylor. This acceptance recognizes their academic and professional achievements, along with their potential for outstanding personal and career development. We are thrilled to welcome them to the Rice/REEP community as members of the seventh Cohort.

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Phase-two PowerUp schools preparing for 1:1 laptop deployment

14 high schools to distribute more than 18,000 laptops in January

More than 18,000 students at 14 schools will be receiving laptops in January as part of the district’s one-to-one plan to give all high school students a digital device to use for learning at school and at home. The one-to-one laptop program is a key component of HISD’s PowerUp initiative, which aims to digitally transform teaching and learning throughout the district.

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Carnegie Vanguard HS Interact Club, HISD PD partner for holiday toy drive

A group of students from Carnegie Vanguard High School’s Interact Club teamed up with the Houston Independent School District Police Department for its annual holiday Toy Drive on Thursday.

Members of HISD PD and Carnegie Vanguard High School's Interact Club

Members of HISD PD and Carnegie Vanguard High School’s Interact Club.

For the second year in a row, the club collected boxes and gave from their own personal pockets to create about 30 gift boxes filled with items such as T-shirts, shorts, soap, pencils and other items for boys and girls.

In a written memo to the Interact Club, HISD Chief of Police Robert Mock thanked the student organization for their kindness.

“You have certainly set a fine example of defining your mission through your thoughts and actions,” Mock said. “Not only did your organization donate gifts for less fortunate children, but you went the extra mile of wrapping the presents and labeling the boxes for easy distribution.”

The mission of the Interact Club aims to show students how to overcome obstacles, such as distance and cultural barriers, while learning to embrace other kids like themselves around the world.

Principals get personalized dose of holiday cheer at monthly meeting

Students and staff at each campus create gift baskets for campus leaders in thanks

When HISD principals walked into their monthly meeting at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center on Dec. 3, they discovered a wonderland of gift baskets, glittering bows, and even original works of art.

The colorful and festive treats were assembled on the sly by students and staff members from each school as a gesture of thanks for all their campus leaders do, and the prevailing reaction among the principals was speechlessness.

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Latino Police Officers Association shares bounty with needy children

NLPOA_440x230Thanksgiving came a little earlier than usual for a dozen needy HISD students this year, but they were still delighted to receive free turkey dinners with all the trimmings from local members of the National Latino Peace Officers Association (NLPOA).

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