Top Sprinter Robert Gregory from HISD’s Wheatley High School achieved remarkable rankings at the Texas State Track and Field Meet held May 10-11.
Gregory placed first in the Boys 4A 200-meter dash. He completed the contest in just over 21 seconds and beat the second-place finisher by nearly half a second. Gregory is currently ranked first in the region, second in the state, and fifth in the nation.
Continue readingHISD Interim Superintendent Lathan recently presented to the Board of Education Trustees during a board workshop and to the district’s principals at their monthly meeting the five Strategic Priorities for the 2019-2020 school year:
Expanding educational opportunities is a high priority for Lathan, who plans to build upon an innovative and dynamic style of curriculum that not only challenges students’ knowledge but also cultivates their creativity.
Continue readingHouston Independent School District seniors who hope to pursue career and technical education opportunities after graduation were honored at the annual Marvy Finger Family Foundation Scholarship Ceremony on Wednesday evening.
At the ceremony, which was held at the Delmar Field House, the 65 scholarship recipients and their families were treated to a dinner and reception attended by members of HISD’s Board of Education, Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan and the Finger family.
Since 2013, the Marvy Finger Family Foundation Scholarship has awarded worthy HISD graduates full scholarships covering their two-year degree or certification program in high-demand careers.
Continue readingHISD Bond Oversight Committee members toured the new Wharton Dual Language Academy during their quarterly meeting Tuesday, getting an inside look at the building that opened its doors to students just four months ago.
Wharton Principal Jennifer Day and HISD Construction Services Senior Manager Meredith Smith led the group around the colorful building, making stops in classrooms, science and computer labs, and art and music rooms, as well as the cafeteria, gym, and library.
The Houston Independent School District will honor its teachers and principals at a western-themed Educators of the Year banquet at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 17 at the Hilton Americas Hotel (1600 Lamar St., Houston, 77010).
During the banquet, the district will announce its 2018-2019 Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year, as well as the recipients of the Beginning Teacher of the Year honors for elementary, middle, and high school. The Fan Favorite Teacher, who was selected by survey, also will be announced. Additionally, the district will recognize the teachers of the year from all HISD campuses.
Both winners of Elementary and Secondary Teacher of the Year each will be surprised with a fully loaded 2019 Lexus luxury vehicle at the end of the program. The teachers will be able to drive the cars for the entire summer, courtesy of Sterling McCall VIP Services.
Two weeks remain in the 2019 Texas Legislative Session, and state lawmakers are working to address pending legislation related to public education.
Most notably, during his February State of the State address, Gov. Greg Abbott called upon lawmakers to reform the state’s outdated school finance system and strengthen school safety and security. Both issues are emergency items and are moving through the Legislature.
HB 3 makes transformative changes to the state’s school finance system. HB 3 received 148 ayes and only one nay from the House of Representatives on April 3. On April 25, the Senate Education Committee took up the bill and made several revisions. After hours of debate on the Senate’s changes to the legislation, HB 3 was ultimately approved by the full Senate with 26 ayes, 2 nays and 3 abstentions on May 6.
Continue readingWith the end of school year around the corner, preparations for the 2019-20 school year are under way for the Achieve 180 program and will continue with principals and administration conducting planning sessions over the summer.
One of the major events that will assist school leaders is the district’s annual Professional Learning Series (PLS), which is scheduled for June 17-19 at Kingdom Builders’ Center. The event is an opportunity for district leadership and principals to begin drafting their school improvement plans, also known as SIPS.
Continue readingCheers echoed down the hall as Bruce Elementary School students and staff gathered Friday in Room 137 to surprise their beloved cafeteria staff with an ice cream bar and certificates of appreciation.
The party was held in honor of School Lunch Hero Day, a nationwide celebration that honors school nutrition professionals for the valuable work they do each day. The annual celebration stems from author Jarrett Krosoczka’s Lunch Lady, a graphic novel series featuring a crime-fighting Lunch Lady whose mission is to serve up justice while serving up lunch.
Continue readingTeacher Appreciation Week is May 6-11, and HISD is asking students, families and the community to “Thank a Teacher” in person or on social media using #ThankAnHISDTeacher.
To celebrate our teachers’ commitment and service, HISD will recognize teaching excellence across our district at the annual Educators of the Year banquet on May 17, at the Hilton Americas Hotel.
Continue readingThe Houston Independent School District’s Ascending to Men Project (ATMP) held its districtwide youth summit to mark the end of its inaugural year on Friday.
The summit, titled Changing the Narrative of Our Story, was held at Kingdom Builders’ Center to celebrate a successful year of the districtwide program, which connects male students with mentors who provide a wide range of support to keep students on track toward success in college, careers and beyond.
“The Ascending to Men Program was just a vision 12 months ago,” Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said to the crowd of students, staff and guest. “We are here today because of your hard work.”
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