The four elementary schools being rebuilt as a result of Hurricane Harvey are now scheduled to open in August 2020 — a three-month delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kolter, Braeburn, Mitchell, and Scarborough elementary schools were originally scheduled to open in June 2020.
HISD Construction Services Officer Derrick Sanders said the new timeline is a result of manpower shortages caused by mandated social distancing requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continue readingTwo HISD students earned study abroad scholarships after delivering inspiring speeches during the district’s inaugural virtual HISD Global Issues Summit and speech competition.
Ritika Gupta, an eighth-grader at Lanier Middle School gave a passionate speech about gender equality, and Nusaibah Arif, a junior at Sharpstown International High School, showcased Houston’s diversity by delivering her speech in Bengali about the Bengali Language Movement. These two students will receive a full scholarship to study abroad – when global travel safely resumes – from HISD Abroad partners, The Puranik Foundation and Amigos de las Américas.
The two HISD students had their voices amplified by UNICEF USA, who announced the winners and included their speeches in an article published on the UNICEF USA website.
Continue readingIn March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, was signed into law. The bill dedicated $13.2 billion for K-12 schools through the Elementary and Secondary School Education Relief Fund (ESSERF). HISD is eligible to apply for ESSERF grant funds under the CARES Act.
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has released the entitlements for HISD under the CARES Act, ESSERF. These are not additional funds to HISD, they are being used to offset the loss of average daily attendance (ADA) through the Foundation School Program (FSP) under Texas school finance.
Continue readingConstruction at Bellaire High School is now more than 50 percent complete, with the new school expected to be ready for students this time next year.
Crews have installed the roof structure for the new building, which includes wings for academics, fine arts, and physical education. The academic wing is now closed in and air-conditioned, with construction crews currently working on the finishing touches, including tiling and flooring.
Crews also are working on overhead construction in the auditorium high ceilings, digging out the pool and diving well, and construction of the interior walls in the athletics area. Air conditioning is expected to be flowing through the entire building by the end of July.
Continue readingAlthough the Houston Independent School District is closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, construction work has continued on several 2012 Bond realignment projects across the district.
Realignment projects are new, board-approved projects that were not part of the original scope of work but are funded by surplus bond funds. The projects include natatoriums at Milby, Washington, and Yates high schools, Westbury High School’s fine arts wing, and Sharpstown International School’s dining canopy.
Milby’s natatorium is 98 percent complete. Construction Services is coordinating with HISD Technology and HISD Security Maintenance for remaining minor work. The pool will be ready for the 2020-2021 school year.
Continue readingFollowing a statewide call on Tuesday between school district superintendents and Commissioner of Education Mike Morath, I wanted to provide an update on plans for the 2020-2021 school year – which remain to be finalized.
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the situation remains fluid as we try to determine next steps on what the school year will look like. During his presentation, the commissioner emphasized that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is working with Gov. Greg Abbott’s medical advisors to establish public health guidance for school districts. While preliminary information has been provided by TEA, final guidance will not be available until mid-July.
Continue readingRegistration is now open for “Virtual Camp Adventure,” a free summer camp filled with exciting STEAM activities that can be done from the comfort of home.
Sponsored by The Children’s Museum of Houston and the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, Camp Adventure offers an exciting and unique STEAM experience. The exhilarating virtual experience takes place July 20 to July 24.
Continue readingCurbside summer meals sites at several schools and all Fresh Bus produce delivery stops are closed today due to inclement weather moving through the region.
The curbside summer meals sites at Sam Houston Math, Science, Technology Center, Revere Middle School, and Kashmere, and Milby high schools are closed. Service also may be interrupted at other sites, as the district will close any site that experiences lightning as the storm moves through the city.
Continue readingThe curbside summer meals site at Chavez High School is temporarily closed for cleaning and sanitization due to a possible case of the COVID-19 virus.
The new site had been scheduled to begin serving curbside summer meals for students and boxed produce for families on Monday. It is now closed until further notice.
Continue readingThe Houston Independent School District is streamlining its summer food distribution programs and launching a new partnership with the Houston Food Bank to better serve families with the most need.
Nutrition Services is revamping its Curbside Summer Meals and Fresh Bus programs, consolidating distribution sites to redirect resources to the communities with the highest demand.
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