Author Archives: HISD Communications

March Teacher of the Month is Fleming MS science educator

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What started off as an ordinary day for Fleming Middle School teacher Sha’rell Webb on Tuesday morning turned into a surprise of a lifetime, when Area Superintendent Julia Dimmitt interrupted class to announce Webb as the Sterling McCall VIP Services Teacher of the Month for March.

“Mrs. Webb is more than deserving of this recognition,” Dimmitt said. “She not only puts her students’ educational needs first, but those of the entire campus, which shows in their academic achievements.”  Continue reading →

Kolter school community bids farewell to Harvey-damaged campus

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Sugary donuts and hot coffee lined blue tables at the front entrance of Kolter Elementary School as students, faculty, and parents covered their hands with bright-colored paint and marked the building’s exterior with vibrant handprints.

The festivities were part of a “Donuts before Demo” event designed to allow hundreds of community members the chance to say goodbye to their beloved building, which is being demolished and rebuilt due to damages sustained from Hurricane Harvey.

“It’s exciting,” Kolter Principal Julie Dickinson said, smiling. “Although initial circumstances weren’t ideal, we’re getting a new building. It’s worth the wait.”

Continue reading →

20 schools across HISD celebrate National School Breakfast Week 

After the morning bell rang at Alcott Elementary School, students put away their backpacks and pulled their workbooks to the tops of the desks. But a knock on the door signaled it was time for something even more important— breakfast. Continue reading →

HISD Board joined by mayor, lawmakers with message of unity for Houston’s children 

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HISD Board of Education President Rhonda Skillern-Jones said Tuesday that the departure of Superintendent Richard Carranza does not change the vision and mission of the district, which remains committed to delivering a quality education to all children “in a unified way.”

“We are one vision, and that is to ensure IR (Improvement Required) schools come off IR, that we don’t have any additional schools go into IR, and that we can use our use limited dollars in a way that does the least harm to impact our classrooms,” Skillern-Jones said.

Superintendent Carranza accepts new role in NYC

She delivered the message standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow trustees, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, state Rep. Alma Allen, and U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. All emphasized that the city, state, and federal government have a role to play in ensuring the success of the district, and that the district is more than one person.  Continue reading →

One new school, three new additions to open this month

One new school building and three school additions will open to students when they return from spring break on March 19. The campuses are part of HISD’s voter-approved 2012 Bond Program to rebuild or replace 40 schools across the district. Continue reading →

HISD’s 2018 Principals of the Year are from Braeburn ES, Jones Futures Academy 

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It was a day full of surprises on Thursday as Superintendent Richard Carranza, Chief Academic Officer Grenita Lathan and school board members, made their rounds to name the district’s 2018 Principals of the Year at Braeburn Elementary School and Jones Futures Academy.

Braeburn Elementary School Principal Santos Reyes was crowned as HISD’s Elementary Principal of the year, while Jones Futures Academy Principal Geovanny Ponce was named HISD’s Secondary Principal of the Year.    Continue reading →

HISD Police, Risk Management join Florida think tank following school shooting

As students and teachers make their way back to classes this week in Parkland, Fla., the community is seeking normalcy and continuity through vigils, community focus groups, and a think tank made up of members from some of the nation’s largest police agencies.

As part of that think tank, the HISD Police Department and Risk Management Team joined with law enforcement officers and safety practitioners from across the country on Monday to discuss school safety issues.

The session was held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on March 5, and it was hosted by the Miami-Dade Public Schools Police Department. Continue reading →

Superintendent updates collaborative on HISD wraparound services efforts

The trauma of Hurricane Harvey continues to affect students in HISD and across the Houston area, HISD Superintendent Richard Carranza told a behavioral health collaborative on Friday.

Representatives from more than 20 school districts gathered at the Center for School Behavioral Health collaborative luncheon at the United Way for an update on what HISD is doing to meet the mental health needs of students and teachers in the wake of the hurricane.

HISD Superintendent Carranza spoke about how critically important social and emotional services are to ensure that students are ready to learn. Continue reading →

Project aDOORe artwork exhibit to visit Hermann Park 

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A traveling fine arts exhibit of doors known as Project aDOORe will stop at Hermann Park’s Lake Plaza on Saturday, March 3 at noon as part of Hermann Park’s 8th annual Student Performance Series.

Project aDOORe Houston aims to strengthen school communities that were most impacted by Hurricane Harvey by providing students with a means to heal through the creation of art. Students from 26 HISD campuses turned doors from storm-damaged homes into works of art that have been showcased throughout the city.   Continue reading →

Wilson Montessori prepares to welcome students to new building addition

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Construction on the three-story addition to Wilson Montessori is wrapping up, with the school preparing to open a portion of the facility next week and complete the remainder of their move-in over spring break.

Workers are finishing interior touches, and plan to do a final cleaning before crews start setting up furniture. Exterior site work, including sidewalk installation, will be complete in the coming weeks.

The Montrose-area prekindergarten through eighth-grade school is receiving a $24.7 million makeover as part of HISD’s voter-approved 2012 Bond program. The project includes construction of the addition, as well as renovations to the historic main building, which was built in 1924. Continue reading →