HISD will host its fourth Parent University workshop from 5:15 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at two district locations: Key Middle School and Lamar High School.
The theme for the session will be “Attendance Matters.” The workshop will begin with a dinner and resource fair and will include information on district programs, parent engagement, community resources, and how parents can become active partners in the successful education of their children.
Continue readingGrowing up during the late 1970s and 1980s in Houston’s South Park neighborhood, Chief Operating Officer Brian Busby and his childhood friends could never tell that anyone around them was going without or in need.
It wasn’t until he was an adult, he said, that he came to understand more about some of the choices that his family had to make — like always cooking at home and never eating out — to stay within their budget.
“There are a lot of families that go without food during the holidays,” Busby said. “It’s important for us to do what we can do address their needs, especially during the holiday season.”
Continue readingThe meals served to HISD students undertake a unique journey before arriving at school cafeterias, and Research and Development Chef Christopher Keegan is an essential part of that process.
Keegan is responsible for producing tasty creations that are nutritious, cost-effective, easy to prepare at the school level, and have accessible ingredients.
“I enjoy coming up with dishes that don’t look like school food,” said Keegan, who works for HISD’s Nutrition Services. “I’m constantly looking through magazines and cookbooks. We’re starting to do more international dishes, and we’re also looking at some vegan recipes.”
Continue readingThe Houston Independent School District’s 2019 Winter break begins on Friday, Dec. 20 for all students. Campuses and district offices will be closed for the break starting on Monday, Dec. 23.
Students will be on winter break from school starting on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, through Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Students will return to school on Monday, Jan. 6, 2020.
HISD central and administrative offices will be closed beginning Monday, Dec. 23, 2019, and will reopen for normal business hours on Monday, Jan. 6, 2020.
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Alex Jones, a STEM lab teacher at HISD’s Horn Elementary School, has been named one of only three finalists for Texas Computer Education Association’s (TCEA) Classroom Teacher of the Year.
The award, which will be handed out in February 2020, is presented annually to the educator who best recognizes the importance of technology in school and actively tries to promote its use in his or her classroom. Jones, who was previously nominated in 2015, opened the STEM lab at Horn during the 2017-2018 school year, and since then he has helped secure numerous donations and grants for the use of technology on the campus.
Continue readingTwo special elves carrying a huge holiday delivery on Tuesday stopped by HISD’s Northline Elementary School to the delight of the school’s more than 500 students.
Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale and Houston Astros star third baseman Alex Bregman teamed up to deliver presents to all 550 students, and to pass on words of encouragement and support.
“In order to play baseball, you have to do well in school, pass all of your classes, listen to your teachers and work extremely hard,” Bregman said. “And don’t forget to listen to your parents.”
Continue readingSchool may be out for winter break, but cafeterias will be open at five HISD high schools, where Nutrition Services will offer meals free of charge for all children ages 1 to 18.
Booker T. Washington, Chavez and Madison high schools will serve breakfast and lunch during winter break. Additionally, Yates High School will serve lunch only, and Revere Middle School will serve breakfast only. Children ages 1 to 18 can enjoy a healthy breakfast and lunch at no charge, while adults can purchase breakfast for $2.75 and lunch for $4.
“We know our students can’t learn and thrive without healthy food to fuel them — and that need does not stop just because schools close for the winter break,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “Ensuring student health, safety, and well-being is one of our strategic priorities, and this program takes us one step closer to achieving our goal.”
Continue readingHISD campus is one of two Texas schools to receive the award
The Houston Independent School District’s North Houston Early College High School is one of about 70 campuses nationwide and one of only two in Texas to receive a Distinguished Schools Award from the national organization of program administrators who manage Title I and other federal funds.
The HISD campus was selected from among thousands of schools across the country and is the only one in Texas to earn the distinction due to its significant progress in closing academic achievement gaps between diverse student groups.
Continue readingAchieve 180 teachers didn’t let Wednesday’s cold front stop the festivities as they prepared for their biggest challenge outside of the classroom — determining which campus had the best chili.
The district invited nearly 1,400 teachers from the turnaround program to a first-ever, pep-rally-style Achieve 180 Tailgate as a celebration of the teachers’ efforts to transform some of the district’s most undeserved campuses and critical student populations.
“This is our way of saying thank you for always making our students a priority,” Achieve 180 Area Superintendent Felicia Adams said. “Whether it’s arriving early, staying late, (or) constantly attending professional development opportunities, none of our achievements would have been possible with you.”
Continue readingAs he waited for the night to begin, Tyler Burgmon, a senior at North Forest High School, nervously adjusted a red rose pinned to the lapel of the first suit he’s ever owned.
A new suit can provide confidence and self-assurance, but for Tyler, a student enrolled in HISD’s Ascending to Men Project (ATMP), it stands for so much more.
“This suit is an extension of what ATMP does for you,” he said. “ATMP creates men; it creates a foundation where you can be safe in your community and build powerful bonds between brothers.”
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