Author Archives: HISD Communications

Eastwood Academy HS student accepted to 25 universities across nation

Voters in Harris County may want to remember the name Mercedes Sotelo. The Eastwood Academy senior has some serious goals – and clearly likes to have options.

Sotelo, who is a proud lifelong resident of Houston’s East End, has been accepted to 25 colleges across the nation. States with universities with her name on their acceptance lists range from Hawaii to Maine. On top of that, her scholarship offers totaled a whopping $559,000.

The choice wasn’t easy, but Sotelo ultimately chose to stay home, in Texas. In the fall, Sotelo will attend Concordia University in Austin, where she will pursue a degree in Political Science and Government.

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Travis ES kicks off annual One Book, One School event with drive-through parade, book pickup

As a line of cars stretched down the block of Houston’s Woodland Heights neighborhood, Travis Elementary second-grader Kai Teste eagerly waved his hands from the car window at his teachers’ smiling faces.

For the past six years, the HISD school has participated in the One Book, One School event in which the entire campus community reads one book together at the same time.

Because the districtwide closure due to COVID-19 happened before the books could be delivered, the campus created a drive-thru parade so students could pick up the book while simultaneously saying hello to their teachers.

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Facility tour showcases how Nutrition Services is mobilizing to safely feed families

When Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan arrived at the HISD Hexser T. Holliday Food Service Center, she was eager to tour facility operations, but precautions had to be taken first.

Upon entering the facility, her temperature was taken just footsteps inside the door — a safety precaution and clear sign of the times as the world endures the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In the weeks since our district closed, we’ve worked hard to meet the needs of our community,” Lathan said. “This visit is a great opportunity to get an up-close look at how the entire food distribution process begins.”

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HISD Fine Arts explores innovative projects to support distance learning

The Fine Arts Department is working with teachers and students to promote the fine arts curricula, as well as additional projects to inspire students while distance learning is occurring.

Dancers from six HISD high schools worked together virtually to create a dance to inspire students studying at home via distance learning. The students are in the process of editing the video, which is part of a series titled “HISD Dance Alone—Together.” The video is expected to debut on Fine Arts Friday on April 24.

The Fine Arts Department is also receiving world-class guidance for instruction in theater arts. The Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, and the Globe – three world-renowned theater companies in the United Kingdom – have granted HISD permission to use their online materials in the district’s theater curriculum. In addition, eight HISD theater teachers have created or are in the process of creating videos to accompany the HISD @ H.O.M.E. theater curriculum.

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HISD educators use 3D printers to produce face shields for health care workers, first responders

Houston Independent School District STEM educators are joining the effort to help first responders and health care professionals by producing face shields to be used in the fight against COVID-19.

Using HISD’s 3D printers, a team of six district educators are producing at least 100 face shields per week in response to the shortage of personal protective equipment.

The collaborative effort, which began on April 8 and is known as H-Force, is led by Houston Community College (HCC) and includes HISD, San Jacinto College, the University of Houston at Sugar Land, the Fort Bend County Judge’s Office, TX/RX Labs, and Alief ISD.

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HISD Community Partnerships, HISD Police Department play key roles in food distribution

Feeding more than 10,000 families five days a week during a pandemic is no easy task. It’s an effort that requires the collaboration of multiple departments across the district to bring it all together.

In just over a month, HISD — working together with the Houston Food Bank — has distributed 2 million pounds of food to more than 60,000 families. That range spans from March 14 through April 18.

“I appreciate the spotlight we’ve received, but it’s not just us,” HISD Nutrition Services Officer Betti Wiggins said, referencing the child nutrition department she leads. “We couldn’t have accomplished this without the help of Community Partnerships and HISD Police.”

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New food distribution sites identified for week of April 27

The Houston Independent School District will continue operating food distribution sites, with another 25 sites operating throughout the district during the week of April 27.

The food distribution efforts will continue utilizing Nutrition Services staff to pack food bags at the Hexser T. Holliday Food Services Support Facility and deliver the food to the distribution sites. Each site can distribute up to 500 bags — or 15,000 pounds of food — per day.

HISD, Houston Food Bank plan second mass food distribution at NRG on Saturday

As families arrive at sites, nutrition staff will minimize contact by filling out the required Emergency Food Assistance Program forms for families and placing food in their trunks. Participants who walk to the sites also must adhere to social distancing requirements.

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HISD, Houston Food Bank plan second large-scale community food distribution at NRG on Saturday

The Houston Independent School District is partnering with the Houston Food Bank to organize a second mass food distribution site on Saturday, April 25 from 4 to 7 p.m. at NRG Stadium.

Distribution will be held in the NRG yellow lot, and attendees must enter via the yellow lot main entrance off South Main Street. The site is expected to distribute 5,000 food packages — each weighing 80 to 100 pounds — in about three hours. That’s the equivalent of roughly half a million pounds of food.

HISD’s first mass community distribution site was held last Saturday and distributed more than 280,000 pounds of food to 4,256 cars and 450 families on foot.

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Construction on 2012 Bond schools continues despite districtwide closure

With most of the country shut down in an attempt to flatten the COVID-19 curve, HISD’s Construction Services — designated an essential service — is continuing to work on school construction across the district.

HISD Construction General Manager Andreas Peeples said construction is expected to continue as allowable under public health guidelines but noted that required public health measures are affecting normal operations.

“We must comply with requirements that individuals must remain at least six feet from any other person,” Peeples said. “This is important, but it does result in inefficiencies in mobilizing labor and materials and a general reduction in labor forces.”

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HISD recognizes Volunteers in Public Schools Week

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education has issued a proclamation designating April 20 through April 24 as Volunteers in Public Schools Recognition Week in the district.

Every year, thousands of parents, businesses, and community partners support students and teachers in HISD by donating their time, resources, and knowledge through the district’s Volunteers In Public Schools (VIPS) program.

HISD’s VIPS program was started in 1970 by longtime HISD educator Jean Davis Myers, who passed away in 2015. Myers served as executive director of VIPS for 20 years and under her leadership, the program became an award-winning national model.  

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