Author Archives: HISD Communications

Ascending to Men Project hosts simultaneous roundtable discussions

The Houston Independent School District’s Ascending to Men Project (ATMP) held simultaneous roundtable discussions with students and community leaders to foster dialogue centered around issues impacting today’s male students.  

The roundtables, titled ATM + Community = Solutions, took place at both Furr and Sharpstown high schools, and were attended by students, district educators and community leaders.  

At Furr High School, FOX 26 reporter Maria Salazar served as the evening’s emcee and guided panels that focused on the importance of developing quality mentorships and the impact they can have on a student’s success.  

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Ascending to Men Project, ROSES to host winter ball fundraiser 

HISD’s Ascending to Men Project and ROSES will host their first joint winter ball on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at Minute Maid Park. 

Under the umbrella of HISD’s Equity and Outreach Division, the Ascending to Men Project (ATMP) and Resilient Outstanding Sister Exemplifying Success (ROSES) are both mentorship initiatives that provide positive role models and advocates for students who need guidance and opportunities for educational, social, and professional growth to underserved young men and women in the district.

The public can support both initiatives by donating online or by becoming a mentor for the programs. For more information about ROSES, visit houstonisd.org/roses. To learn more about ATMP, visit houstonisd.org/atmp.

ROSES to hold women’s forum on effects of social media

The Houston Independent School District’s Resilient Outstanding Sisters Exemplifying Success (ROSES) project on Thursday will host its first professional women’s forum to discuss the effects of social media on education and society, especially as it relates to the well-being of young, underserved female students.  

The forum’s discussion panel will be moderated by Telemundo News Anchor Ingrid Barrera. The event, which will begin at 6 p.m. at Sterling Aviation Early College High School (11625 Martindale Road, 77048), will feature panelists who are leaders from various fields, including an attorney, an entrepreneur, a police officer, a social worker, and a human resources professional.  

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Rucker ES embarks on community walk to stress importance of attendance

The dreary skies of the last week cleared out just in time this Saturday for Rucker Elementary School’s principal to lace up her walking shoes and carry out her mission of making sure all her students know they are loved.  

Principal Eileen Puente and group of volunteers and staff from Rucker Elementary School came together for a door-to-door effort to help check in on students who have recently struggled with attendance.   

“We want them to know that we are here for them and we want them in school,” she said.    

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HISD students save butterflies through Monarch Heroes program

As clouds of monarch butterflies migrate south for the winter, many of them pass through Houston, where a special program allows HISD students to provide nectar-rich flowers and milkweed to nourish them. 

Twenty-one HISD schools are participating in the Monarch Heroes program this school year, allowing students to create monarch habitat gardens to reverse the decline of the species.  

The two-year program is part of the National Wildlife Federation Eco-Schools USA Program, the nation’s largest comprehensive green school program. 

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Bond Oversight Committee tours Sam Houston MSTC, looks ahead to future plans

While Sam Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center students made their way to classes Tuesday morning, the HISD Bond Oversight Committee strolled through the hallways to see the new school in action.  

Led by Associate Principal Ryan Hutchings and HISD Construction Services Senior Manager Sizwe Lewis, the group made stops in the school’s dining commons, cosmetology, robotics and math labs, gymnasium, and auditorium.  

The Bond Oversight Committee is an independent citizens’ committee tasked with monitoring the bond program, ensuring revenues are spent appropriately, and evaluating program risks and controls. The group meets quarterly. 

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HISD Communications team continues to reach new heights at the Lone Star Emmys

The Houston Independent School District Communications team was honored with two 2019 Lone Star Emmy awards in Arlington, Texas, during the 17th Annual Lone Star Emmy Awards ceremony.

HISD Communications was recognized for its promotional marketing video campaign, titled HISD Empowers, as well as a feature story about an HISD student, who despite being visually impaired, learned to develop her talents at school by playing the violin and guitar.

Under the leadership of Chief Communications Officer Rebecca Suarez, HISD Communications has become an Emmy-Award winning team, earning a total of six Lone Star Emmys. “I am incredibly grateful for an amazing and innovative team that is passionate about telling the inspiring stories of our students, teachers, families and community – the voices of our district,” Suarez said. “Our mission is to amplify those voices to continue to spread the good news.”

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22 campuses ranked at top of Children at Risk list of best public schools

DeBakey HS for Health Professions, DeAnda ES earn top spots   

The Houston Independent School District has 22 campuses that placed in the top 10 on the annual Children at Risk list of best public schools in the eight-county region, with DeBakey High School for Health Professions continuing its streak as the number one high school. 

DeAnda Elementary School is ranked number one on the regional list of Children at Risk Gold Ribbon campuses, which are schools that have high achievement rates despite high poverty rates. Sanchez Elementary School is ranked second on the list.  

During a news conference today at the Children’s Museum of Houston, HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan joined other local educational leaders for the announcement of the school standings. 

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Achieve 180 administrator finds success with hands-on leadership

As the saying goes, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way,” and that’s just how Area Superintendent Felicia Adams chooses to lead the district’s turnaround program, Achieve 180.  

“My leadership style is a hands-on modeling approach where I lead from the inside rather than the outside,” Adams said. “I am big on modeling and showing administrators what the work looks like to move a campus forward.” 

A 25-plus year educator and former principal with her own accolades, Adams knows firsthand how to support the Achieve 180 campus leaders in gaining distinctions and closing achievement gaps within literacy and mathematics among the district’s most underserved populations.  

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Language competition, love of Mandarin Chinese unlocks a world of opportunity for MIMS student

Dressed in a red floral brocade dress and her blonde hair illuminated in lights, Cambry Gerardi, an eighth-grader from the Mandarin Immersion Magnet School (MIMS), stood alone on a stage in Zhengzhou, China and shared her story of learning Chinese. 

In near perfect Mandarin, the non-native speaker described to the judges of the Chinese Bridge World Language Competition how a simple, albeit significant, chain of events solidified her love of the Chinese language and led her to that moment.   

“My trip to the Chinese Bridge (competition) has helped me improve my Chinese and connect with friends from all over the world,” she told the audience. 

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