Author Archives: HISD Communications

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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South Early College HS students inspire bestselling author during Literacy Day

After a recent visit to HISD’s South Early College High School, author Shaytee Gadson has announced plans for his second book inspired by students he met during his visit.   

Gadson was invited to speak during South Early’s student-created Literacy Day, where he discussed his acclaimed memoir “Hallelujah! in Hollywood: A True Hollywood Story.” During the visit, each student received an autographed copy of the book and spent the day with Gadson discussing the book’s literary elements. 

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HISD students hold Earth-to-space call with NASA astronaut currently aboard ISS

HISD students from Milby High School, Deady Middle School, and Davila Elementary School had an exclusive opportunity on Wednesday to speak with and interview NASA astronaut Col. Tyler “Nick” Hague, who is currently living and working aboard the International Space Station.  

“Our students are getting a once-in-a lifetime chance today,” said Milby Principal Ruth Ruiz. “This is a great opportunity for our feeder pattern because this is our first year as an aerospace STEM academy.” 

During the 20-minute Earth-to-space call, students asked Hague several different questions about his time in space, future missions and experiments conducted aboard the ISS. The first question of the day went to Davila second-grader Leslie Garcia, who asked Col. Hague about his work schedule aboard the ISS.  

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Walnut Bend ES to make seventh Odyssey of the Mind World Finals appearance

Students from seven HISD schools will be competing at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals this week. But for students from Walnut Bend Elementary School, the thrill of advancing past the state level is particularly sweet, as 2019 marks the school’s seventh appearance in eight years.  

A team of seven students won first place in their division at the Odyssey of the Mind Regional tournament with a perfect score. The team then went on to win the Texas Sate Finals in the Structure Toss Category. 

Odyssey of the Mind allows students to engineer and create to solve a problem, all under their own direction and leadership. Michele Dahlquist, Walnut Bend ES principal and Odyssey coach, has been coaching Odyssey teams for more than 30 years and is proud of how far her team has come. 

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HISD to offer no-cost summer meals at more than 250 schools

HISD Nutrition Services will be kicking off its Summer Meals Program June 5 at more than 250 area schools. Children ages 1 to 18 can enjoy a healthy breakfast and lunch at no charge through July 3.  

Children do not need to be enrolled in summer school to participate in the program, and no paperwork, registration, or proof of income is required. Adults can also participate by purchasing breakfast for $2.75 and lunch for $4. 

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How and when to access your child’s STAAR results

Beginning June 12, parents can access their child’s STAAR results and a suite of other resources to support summer learning at home by visiting TexasAssessment.gov. HISD schools will also receive paper copies of the STAAR Report Card to distribute to parents over the summer.  

HISD also maintains a STAAR page on the district website that contains instructions in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Vietnamese on how to access STAAR scores, testing calendars, FAQs, sample test questions, STAAR policies, and much more. There are also STAAR policies regarding testing and tips to prepare your child for STAAR.  

For questions, please contact your child’s principal or counselor.

HISD’s annual Special Education Conference planned for July 16-18

The Houston Independent School District’s Office of Special Education will hold its sixth annual Special Education Conference in July for parents and educators to share supports and strategies that help students with disabilities to be successful – academically, socially, and emotionally. 

The conference will be held from 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, July 16 and Wednesday, July 17 at Kingdom Builders’ Center (6011 W Orem Dr., 77085). On Thursday, July 18, leadership teams will create action plans from 8 a.m. to noon. A job fair will also be held on Thursday afternoon from 1 to 4 p.m.

The conference is designed for parents, guardians, educators, and community members of the Houston Independent School District.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Cultivating a Global Perspective, Tapping into the Potential of Unique Learners.” With presentations from teachers and thought leaders in the special education field, participants can expect to leave transformed and ready to begin the school year armed with new and effective instructional and behavioral strategies.  

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