Author Archives: HISD Communications

‘Camp Lit’ celebration at Minute Maid Park kicks off HISD summer school  

Music, fun and laughter filled Minute Maid Park On Thursday as HISD kicked off summer school for thousands of students, ushering in the district’s second year of “Camp Lit” for literacy.  

“We have 5,000 students here today that are representing over 70 HISD schools,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “Not only will our students leave here with books for their own personal library, but we have a number of students here that have never been to Minute Maid Park, so it’s a wonderful learning opportunity for them.” 

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HISD welcomes summer interns for six-week job program

The Houston Independent School District recently welcomed interns to participate in the 2019 Summer Student Leadership Program, a six-week paid summer internship and leadership development program for HISD high school students and alumni currently enrolled in college.  

In just the first week, the interns have been fully submerged in their respective departments for a true hands-on experience, and, over the next five weeks, interns will gain valuable employment experience and can test-drive numerous career pathways before choosing a college major or entering the workforce.  

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HISD Business Operations launches new brand focused on students

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With more than 7,000 employees, Business Operations is the largest division in HISD. But what exactly do we do?

Before students can ever file into their classrooms, bus drivers and crossing guards must get them safely to school. Cafeteria workers must make them a nutritious breakfast. Custodians, police officers, and construction crews must make sure they have new, clean, safe spaces in which to learn.

The breadth of our work touches all facets of the district, and support is at the heart of everything we do. We help lay the foundation for student success — most of the time behind the scenes.

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HISD airs first-ever livestream of graduation, providing virtual access to Kinder HSPVA ceremony

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The Office of Communications aired the district’s first-ever graduation livestream on Facebook and HISD TV (Comcast Ch. 18 and U-verse Ch. 99) for Kinder HSPVA at Jones Hall on Wednesday, May 29. 

The office announced a districtwide video contest prior to the last day of the 2018-2019 school year to increase community and campus engagement surrounding the district’s upcoming graduation schedule.  

“Our goal was to provide a fun way for our schools to celebrate one of the biggest accomplishments yet for our students,” said HISD Chief Communications Officer Rebecca Suarez. “Our students and campus leaders work hard all year long, and this was a chance to get everyone even more excited about graduation season. It was an innovative way to provide a viewing opportunity for family and friends to watch the students walk across the stage from wherever they were around the world.” 

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DeBakey HS for Health Professions again tops Children at Risk’s list of top public schools

For the 11th consecutive year, DeBakey High School for Health Professions topped the 2019 Children at Risk list of best public schools in the Houston area.  

HISD’s Eastwood Academy ranked third in the Houston area, Carnegie Vanguard High School came in fourth, East Early College was sixth among local public high schools, and Challenge Early College ranked eighth regionally.   

“We thank Children at Risk for recognizing the work done by HISD and our neighboring districts to ensure academic equity for all students,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “Our city helps drive the nation’s economy and our public schools are the engine.” 

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Legislature passes major school finance bill, reducing recapture by $3.6 billion statewide

The Texas Legislature approved House Bill 3 on Saturday, May 25, receiving unanimous support for the school finance bill in both the House and Senate before legislators concluded the 2019 Texas Legislative Session on Monday, May 27.

The bill is expected to reduce HISD’s 2019-20 and 2020-21 recapture payments significantly. Many of the district’s recommendations were included in the final version of HB 3, including funds for full-day pre-K, high needs students, and transportation. 

School finance reform, teacher compensation and property tax relief were top priorities for Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Speaker Dennis Bonnen, and lawmakers across the state. HISD’s Government Relations team worked hard to accomplish the district’s legislative priorities, with school finance reform and lowering recapture payments as the number one issues. 

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Transportation Services to host job fairs throughout summer

Transportation Services is continuing its recruiting efforts as the school year comes to an end, with the department hosting four job fairs this summer to hire new bus drivers.  

The district has been working this past year to address a bus driver shortage by adding more drivers to its roster. The job fairs will continue through June and July. 

“We want people who are reliable and hardworking,” Transportation Services General Manager John Wilcots IV said. “My goal is to have one bus driver for every route as we head into next year.”  

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Walnut Bend ES team earns first place at Odyssey of the Mind World Finals

For the first time in school history, a team of students from Walnut Bend Elementary School was crowned champions at the Odyssey of the Mind 2019 World Finals for its outstanding performance and problem-solving skills.  

The team, along with six other HISD schools, traveled to East Lansing, Mich., for the 40th annual World Finals held May 22-25. 

Teamwork and creativity helped the Walnut Bend team earn first-place honors in the “Structure Toss” category, in which students were required to “design, build, and test a structure, made only of balsa wood with the option of using glue to connect the parts, and to test it by placing weights onto it.” The Walnut Bend’s structure held an impressive 780 pounds. 

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Two HISD students named winners of Congressional District Art Competition

Two HISD students have been announced as winners of the 2019 U.S. Congressional Art Competition.  

Keren Reyes, a freshman from Sharpstown High School, was chosen as the 9th Congressional District’s winner. Her winning piece, ” La Creola,” is a pencil drawing of one of her closest friends who still lives in her home country of El Salvador. According to Sharpstown art teacher Guadalupe Hernandez, when asked why she decided to create the piece, Reyes said that she did not want to forget where she came from and the people she left behind to come to the United States.  

Julio Bautista, a sophomore from Mickey Leland Prepatory Academy, was selected as the 18th Congressional District’s winner. His original art work, “Mayan Mindbender,” pays homage to his Hispanic background and the beauty of the Mayan culture.  

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Elementary Teacher of the Year Finalist named Teacher of the Month for May

Dogan Elementary got to celebrate twice this month when their fourth-grade ELAR teacher Brittani Rideaux, who was crowned as an Elementary Teacher of the Year finalist was also named the Sterling McCall VIP Services Teacher of the Month for May. 

To help close out the school year, Sterling McCall VIP Services surprised Rideaux on Wednesday to celebrate her accomplishments in the classroom that have landed her multiple recognitions across the district.  

“Ms. Rideaux has a strong commitment and passion to Dogan students’ academic achievement,” Principal Sandra Menxueiro said. “Her growth mindset and grit are a motivation to her students and staff, which has resulted in classroom success.” 

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