Transportation Services is continuing efforts to recruit new bus drivers, with monthly job fairs scheduled to begin next month.
The district has been working to address a bus driver shortage by adding more drivers to its roster. The job fairs will continue through July.
Continue readingThe new Mitchell Elementary School is more than halfway complete, and the building will be ready for the school’s young leaders to move in this summer.
The $23 million project is tracking at 60 percent completion with site work, paving, underground utilities, structural steel, and fireproofing complete. Exterior and interior wall systems, roofing, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing installation are ongoing.
The building is enclosed and interior finishes, such as flooring and ceilings, are expected to begin this quarter, as well as insulation under the building.
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Special Events Planner Nicole Bean has always been an organizer at heart, and that’s how she approaches scheduling and planning events in HISD’s catering department Houston Eats.
Bean is responsible for planning and overseeing events and creating the orders for them. Her attention to detail and ability to accommodate the needs of Houston Eats’ customers has proven to be an asset in her role.
“If you have 30 schools that want something all at the same time, it’s physically hard to be at all those places,” Bean said. “We only have so many delivery vans, so we have to be really creative in how we schedule. We also offer pickups. We really do try to accommodate everybody.”
Continue readingThe Houston Independent School District Police Department hosted a ceremony Wednesday to recognize the promotions of one new captain, four new sergeants and to swear in four new officers.
The celebration, which was held at the High School for Law and Justice for the officers and their families, honored the new captain, sergeants, and new officers, all who were sworn in at the event. HISD Police Chief Paul Cordova offered some words of wisdom at the start of the pinning ceremony.
“Before stepping foot on the campus, some of our students deal with challenges and issues that we can’t even imagine,” Cordova said. “You may be the first face they see and let it be with a warm smile and a bit of compassion because it may make all the difference in the world.”
Continue readingYates High School, an Achieve 180 campus, has raised the bar even higher for the district’s turnaround program, becoming the district’s newest International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.
“Becoming an IB campus is a huge accomplishment for an Achieve 180 campus,” Achieve 180 Director Brandi Gosnay said. “Yates has shown us that an underperforming and underserved campus has the potential to shift and provide opportunities for students that they deserve.”
As the district’s fifth high school campus to receive official authorization to offer the Diploma Programme, Yates will now offer courses in a broad base of disciplines such as languages, mathematics, sciences, humanities, arts, physical education, and technology.
Continue readingThe new Kolter Elementary School will soon be ready for students, teachers, and staff to move in and the Cougars can hardly wait to be back home.
The $23 million project is tracking at 72 percent completion and slated to be occupied by this summer. Structural steel, roofing, and fireproofing will wrap up this quarter. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing installation is 81 percent complete.
“We’re only five months away from being able to move into our new school home and we’re thrilled,” Kolter Principal Julie Dickinson said.
Continue readingFourth-grader wins $1,000 prize for original speech inspired by civil rights leader
Crespo Elementary School fourth-grader Brandon Curbow tackled the timely topics of school safety and gun control while presenting his winning speech at the 24th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition.
Curbow was awarded first place for his original speech that walked the audience through the feelings a student grapples with during an active shooter drill.
The event was held Friday at the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Christ in downtown Houston. Curbow was among 12 HISD students to participate in the final round of the competition sponsored by Foley & Lardner LLP.
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The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday welcomed four new trustees who joined five current members during the first board meeting of 2020.
The new board members are Patricia K. Allen (District IV), Daniela “Dani” Hernandez (District III), Kathy Blueford-Daniels (District II) and Judith Cruz (District VIII).
As its first order of business, the new board – the first all-female board in district history – elected officers for 2020: Susan Deigaard (District V) was elected President, Wanda Adams (District IX) was elected First Vice President, Judith Cruz (District VIII) was selected as Second Vice President, Patricia K. Allen (District IV) was elected secretary, and Daniela “Dani” Hernandez (District III) was selected as Assistant Secretary.
Continue readingOlympic gold medalist Simone Biles sat down with a group of students on Thursday at HISD’s Nat. Q. Henderson Elementary School for a surprise chat about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
In partnership with nonprofit Girls Inc. and Mattress Firm, Biles, met with a dozen girls, who are all enrolled in Girls Inc.’s afterschool program, to discuss how exercise, diet and sleep have contributed to her success. This includes her focus on the holistic health triangle: physical, nutritional and emotional.
Continue readingConstruction at the new Braeburn Elementary School is steadily progressing and the building will be ready for the Bobcats to move in this summer.
The $30 million project is tracking at 65 percent completion with fireproofing complete and structural steel and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing installation to wrap this quarter. Roofing and interior framing are more than 75 percent complete and paving will be completed this month.
The building is enclosed and interior finishes, such as flooring and ceilings, are expected to begin this quarter.
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