Author Archives: HISD Communications

Carnegie HS sophomore has a blazing performance to win UIL 5A girls 300-meter hurdles

Carnegie Vanguard High School sophomore Laila Payne gave a stellar performance in the 2023 UIL 5A girls 300-meter hurdles championship to place first.

Payne, who will be team captain of Carnegie’s girls track and field team next year according to Head Coach Jaime Ford, also runs the 100-meter hurdles, 200-meter dash, and 400-meter dash.

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HISD freshman wins state tennis tournament

For the first time in 33 years, an HISD student is the UIL 6A state champion in girls tennis. Bellaire High School freshman Catherine Shen earned the title after winning district, regionals, and three state matches to advance and win the final round of the tournament.

Shen is only the second freshman to win the 6A state tournament and the first HISD freshman in history.

HISD Strategic Communications Specialist Travion Harmon met with Shen to discuss her athletic achievement and her plans for the future. 

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HISD Athletics Department kicks off free summer camp; registration still open

HISD Athletics summer camps are in full swing, but registration is still open for students in grades 6-11.

The department will continue to host a variety of summer camps each week throughout the month of June at different HISD athletic facilities to enhance students’ athletic skills while learning about committing to cooperative goals, perseverance, and physical well-being.

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Library Services keeps students engaged with reading all summer long

Now that the 2022-2023 school year has come to an end and students are enjoying the freedom from early mornings and classroom schedules, they might be looking for something to do with their excess time.

HISD’s Library Services Department is providing access to Comic Plus and MackinVIA, ebook platforms that keep library books and comics available to students over the summer months and motivate them to read wherever they are. HISD is also encouraging students to take advantage of the Houston Public Library’s John P. McGovern Summer Reading Program.

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HISD schools and offices closed Monday in observance of Juneteenth

Originating in Galveston and recognized nationwide as a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth commemorates the 1865 liberation of the last community of enslaved Black people in Texas.

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, is widely considered the longest-running African-American holiday and America’s second Independence Day. It is often celebrated with community festivals and the sharing of familial traditions.

Some descendants of enslaved people even participate in pilgrimage to Galveston, where Union Major General Gordon Granger at last informed their ancestors of their emancipation two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.

In observance of Juneteenth, HISD schools and offices will be closed on Monday, June 19. The district will reopen on Tuesday, June 20.

HISD ramps up recruitment for New Education System schools

Houston Independent School District is hiring exceptional educators at the 28 schools selected for the New Education System.

The new plan comes with higher salaries, more support for teachers, and an innovative staffing model that puts the focus on classroom instruction and improved student outcomes.

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