The Houston Community College System last week announced that due to nationwide school closures, high school students will have access to dual-credit courses online.
Beginning Monday, March 30, all HCC classes, including dual-credit courses, will resume with all coursework online. All courses will be completed through the college’s learning management system (LMS), Canvas.
Continue readingIn a matter of eight days, the food distribution sites operated by the Houston Independent School District in partnership with the Houston Food Bank assisted nearly 40,000 families.
The 61 food distributions served approximately 1 million pounds of food to families in need before being canceled late Wednesday. Nearly 2,000 staff and volunteers assisted with the efforts and were able to serve 5,000 families per day throughout HISD.
The cancellation of the distribution sites will remain in effect as the district re-evaluates its process for safely delivering this service to students and families.
Continue readingRucker Elementary School Principal Eileen Puente knew that her staff would need to rethink how they would engage with students following Spring Break and the closure of HISD campuses due to COVID-19.
So, on Thursday, Puente and over 20 of her teachers and staff convened at Rucker with their vehicles, formed a parade, and drove through nearby streets and neighborhoods to check in with their students from a safe distance.
Like tens of thousands of other elementary school children across HISD, the 400-plus students, who call the southeast neighborhood school home, will not be returning to campus for several weeks due to intensifying precautions around the spread of COVID-19.
Continue readingThe College Board last week announced that due to nationwide school closures, students will have access to remote-learning activities and the option to take a 45-minute exam online.
According to the College Board, students who are already registered for an exam can choose to cancel at no charge. The College Board will provide two dates for each AP subject exam – the dates will be announced by April 3 through the College Board.
Students will have two dates to choose from if they want to take the exam online. Students can submit an online exam using a computer, tablet or smartphone, as well as providing a photo of handwritten work. All AP exams will only include content covered in class by early March.
Continue readingAs COVID-19 precautions intensify, food distribution sites operated by the Houston Independent School District in partnership with the Houston Food Bank have been canceled for Thursday and Friday.
The cancellation will remain in effect as the district re-evaluates its process for safely delivering this service to students and families.
“This is a difficult decision to make, but the safety of the community, staff, and volunteers is our top priority,” Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “We are proud that in the past two weeks we have provided meals for thousands of Houston families.”
Continue readingHISD’s Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts has received 10 nominations for its production of “The Color Purple” in the annual Tommy Tune Awards competition, which celebrates the educational value and excellence of high school musical theatre in the Greater Houston area.
Continue readingThe Monday after Spring Break, pictures of students proudly showcasing their family heritage flooded Wilson Montessori’s Facebook and Twitter feeds.
With schools closed amid COVID-19 precautions, the Montrose-based campus has found a creative way to support their students and families during this time with a Virtual Spirit Week.
“We must be mindful that this may be a difficult time for children and their families,” said Wilson Principal Shameika Sykes-Salvador. “While we won’t be seeing them in person, it’s still important for children and families not to feel isolated.”
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The Houston Independent School District is launching HISD @ H.O.M.E. (Home-based Online Mobile Education), a distance learning plan to ensure students’ academic and non-academic needs are met as the district remains closed due to COVID-19 precautions.
Students and parents will be able to access the site on their school’s main landing page by clicking on the HISD @ H.O.M.E. icon or visiting the site at: HoustonISD.org/HOME
The HISD @ H.O.M.E. distance learning plan includes curriculum by grade level and subject matter that is designed to maintain productive instruction for students using computers, laptops, tablets, iPads or smartphones.
Continue readingCurbside pickup service will still be available and social distancing required at all locations
Due to the threat of inclement weather, the Houston Independent School District and the Houston Food Bank are rescheduling Friday’s food distribution sites for Monday to ensure the safety of families and volunteers.
Additionally, food distribution sites will extend operations throughout the week of Monday, March 23.
Curbside pickup service will continue to be available at all 39 food distribution sites districtwide next week to help promote personal health and social distancing. Families who do not have transportation and must walk to the site can continue to stand in line but will be required to stand six feet apart from each other. HISD Police and staff volunteers will be on site to enforce these measures and help with crowd control.
Continue readingAs districts around the state and across the country continue to grapple with how to proceed in this unprecedented challenge to public health and education, the Houston Independent School District supports the nation’s need to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, HISD will extend its districtwide closure through Friday, April 10. All schools and offices are scheduled to reopen on Monday, April 13.
District administration will re-evaluate on Monday, April 6, to determine whether a longer closure beyond April 10 will be necessary. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has announced that the state will waive STAAR testing requirements for the 2019-2020 school year. STAAR testing was scheduled to begin in April. The district also will provide more information about online learning and alternative education later this week.
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