Author Archives: HISD Communications

HISD north area superintendent named interim chief academic officer

Yolanda Rodríguez

Yolanda Rodríguez, HISD’s north area superintendent, has been named interim chief academic officer of the Houston Independent School District.

Rodríguez assumes her new role immediately, reporting to Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan.

“Ms. Rodríguez has 25 years of experience with Team HISD and has a long history of turning around underperforming schools right here in our district,” Lathan said. “I am proud to have her at the helm guiding academics and instruction in HISD, and I know our schools will see continued success under her leadership.”

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Two HISD schools earn prestigious designations as National Blue Ribbon Schools

Field ES and Project Chrysalis MS recognized for closing achievement gaps

Field Elementary School and Project Chrysalis Middle School have been designated 2019 Blue Ribbon campuses by the U.S. Department of Education.

This is the second time Project Chrysalis Middle School has received the prestigious designation, which is awarded to schools that maintain high academic standards among all its students, while demonstrating progress in closing achievement gaps among various subgroups of students.

“I congratulate our National Blue Ribbon Schools, which are outstanding examples of our mission in HISD,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “Our teachers, administrators and parents work diligently to provide academic, social, and emotional supports that allow our students to excel despite challenges they may face.” 

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October is College & Career Readiness Month

The Office of Strategy & Innovation is excited to announce HISD’s second annual College & Career Readiness Month in October. CCR Month is a fun and creative way to engage students and introduce them to a variety of college and career options. This year’s theme is “Take Control: Explore. Design. Launch Your Future!”   

Throughout the month, HISD will be sharing information on a variety of college and career programs and activities for all grades, including the Financial Aid Roadshow, Parent Night at selected HISD high schools (see list here for dates and times), Top-Tier College Night, Parent University, campus college fairs, Project Explore, and more. 

All HISD elementary, middle, and high school campuses will have a chance to compete for prizes (scholarships, college swag, college tours) by completing weekly challenges. Winners will be announced on Nov. 22, 2019. Campuses must complete at least one college and career activity each week, posting pictures and videos on Twitter. Contest details can be found on the College Readiness website at this link. 

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Austin HS construction at 60 percent completion

The new Austin High School soon will have permanent power, marking a significant development for the 2012 Bond project, which is tracking at 60 percent completion. 

The $80.9 million project will feature flexible learning spaces and sound upgrades for the existing auditorium. The new school will also preserve the façade of the original main building, which was constructed in 1937. 

The tilt-wall panels have been raised, the steel structures supporting them have been erected, and the floor slabs have been placed. The first layer of the roofing system has been installed. Transformers and switchgear are set, and wiring has been connected in preparation for permanent power. 

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Three HISD schools recognized among America’s healthiest

Three HISD schools have been recognized as some of the country’s healthiest schools by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.  

Baylor College of Medicine Biotech Academy at Rusk, Piney Point Elementary School, and Rucker Elementary School all were honored with bronze-level designations for the schools’ impact on children’s health.  

The schools are among 355 schools from 23 states selected for the recognition.  

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HISD leaders participate in televised education town hall

Houston Independent School District experts took center stage along with community leaders, social service experts, and child advocates at a nationally televised town hall broadcast Tuesday evening by NBC News Learn, the educational division of NBC News. 

The broadcast event, which was held at the University of Houston-Downtown, included a one-on-one interview with HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan, who discussed the current state of HISD schools, as well as the future of Wheatley High School.  

“Wheatley High School is open and has an outstanding principal, teachers, parents and students that are ready for the challenge,” Lathan said during the broadcast. “Wheatley will exit Improvement Required status by the end of this school year.” 

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Kolter ES community celebrates construction progress

Hundreds of Kolter Elementary School families gathered Saturday at the site where their old school once stood, eager to get a peek at concrete and steel rising up from the ground before them. 

Many were clad in red and blue shirts adorned with a proud and determined message: “Hurricanes are strong. Kolter is stronger.” Others held white paper fans emblazoned with, “Consider me a big fan of the new Kolter Elementary.”  

All were there to celebrate the construction progress on the foreign language magnet school, set to re-open next summer after being destroyed two years prior by Hurricane Harvey. 

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Staff Development Days for 2019-2020 to impact campus schedules

The district has designated five “Staff Development Days” for the 2019-2020 school year to be utilized for professional development at the school level. As a result, schools will release students early on those days throughout the school year. 

On the following dates outlined below, elementary schools will be dismissed at noon, and middle and high schools will be dismissed at 1:10 p.m.  

HISD Transportation Services will be adjusting bus schedules to ensure students are picked up at the early dismissal times, which will result in earlier delivery times to bus stops. 

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HISD launches grade level acceleration program called Level-Up

The Houston Independent School District Office of Special Populations launched the Level-Up Program on Tuesday to support grade level acceleration of overage elementary students.  

In partnership with Imagine Learning, Level-Up works with overaged students in grades 2-4 and 6-7 to provide accelerated learning interventions that will allow them to master state-mandated learning objectives and advance one grade level by the beginning of their second semester.  

“This is definitely a dream come true,” Officer of Special Populations Courtney Busby said. “We’ve been talking about solutions for our overaged students for some time now, and we want to be sure we are meeting the needs of all of our learners.” 

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HISD Board of Trustees adopt a decrease in property tax rate for 2019-2020

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education unanimously adopted a seven-cent decrease to the 2019-2020 property tax rate at its regular monthly September meeting. 

Homeowners residing within the district’s boundaries will see the tax rate reduced from $1.2067 to $1.1367 per $100 of taxable property value.  Individuals’ taxes may still rise if the value of their property increases. 

Trustees and Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan also proclaimed Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, 2019 as Hispanic Heritage Month in HISD. September also was recognized as Literacy Awareness Month and Attendance Awareness Month.  Additionally, Sept. 8-14, 2019 was proclaimed as National Suicide Prevention Week in HISD with the goal of raising suicide awareness to help save children’s lives. 

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