Author Archives: HISD Communications

Special Education conference focuses on meeting unique needs of every student 


HISD Superintendent Richard Carranza addressed more than 300 teachers and support staff members at the district’s fourth-annual Special Ed Conference on Tuesday at Pin Oak Middle School, encouraging them to create an environment where all children can succeed.

“We are at a critical juncture,” Carranza said later, when asked what he hoped the conference would achieve. “Too often, students with disabilities have been marginalized. We say NO, that is not what we are going to do here in HISD. I want all these educators to leave here on fire, to go back to their schools with great strategies and support so they can create incredible learning environments.”  Continue reading →

New Washington HS taking shape as construction progresses


Construction is more than halfway complete at Washington High School, where crews have completed installation of the building’s west side structural steel, exterior concrete walls, and exterior brick.

Crews are making steady progress. Installation of the exterior glass on the $51.7 million facility is underway, and the west side of the building is ready for both paint and flooring.

“It’s exciting to see what’s taking place,” Washington Principal Carlos Phillips said. “This will be the face of our school.”

Continue reading →

Tips on effective communication presented at Workshop Wednesday

(Hernandez, Mariauna L)Is communication an art or a science? That was the question posed to attendees at this month’s Workshop Wednesday, which focused on the importance of communicating effectively during sales pitches.

Professional Presentation Coach & Workforce Development Expert Ellis Hubbard spoke to an eclectic crowd of attendees during his Listen2WIN workshop about the importance of listening to and noting the body language of the subject of their sales pitch. Those two things can help a salesman identify the type of person with whom they are dealing.

“You have to get to know folks in order to sell,” said Hubbard, who reiterated that listening is the key to communication. “The more you know about someone, the easier it is to sell to them.”

Continue reading →

Apply now for HISD teacher job fair on July 26  

The HISD Human Resources team is hosting a teacher selection event on Wednesday, July 26, for prospective teachers interested in joining Team HISD.

In order to attend the invitation-only event, candidates must be pool-approved. Begin the application process by clicking here. Applicants who meet certification standards will receive an invitation with location and other event details. Applicants must then register for the event.

Applicants should fall into one of the following categories:  Continue reading →

HISD students see gains in state math, science, writing test scores

Seventy-six percent of Houston Independent School District fifth-graders passed the 2017 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness math test — a six-point boost over the previous year and a slightly higher gain than the state average.

Third-graders also saw a four-point bump on the state math test, bringing their average up to 71 percent, which is a four-point boost over last year and also a higher gain than the state.

The math passing rate for all students together in grades three through eight jumped by three percentage points, with almost every grade level seeing a boost. Only sixth grade remained flat. Continue reading →

New principals find support, guidance at New Leaders’ Institute   

A school principal’s job is never done. It’s like being the CEO of a corporation—they are ultimately responsible for everything, from envisioning the school’s strategic direction to making sure there are paper towels in the bathrooms.

New HISD principals are spending the next two weeks immersed in learning what their leadership roles entail at the New Leaders’ Institute being held at Texas Southern University. Nineteen administrators showed up bright and early Monday morning to get to know one another, their mentors, and members of the HISD Leadership Development team.

Chief Academic Officer Grenita Lathan welcomed them with words of advice based on her experience as a principal. “All of you have very challenging jobs, and the first thing you need to do is to build relationships with members of your staff,” she said. “Everyone in this room is here to support you and make sure you have a successful year.”  Continue reading →

What high-schoolers should be doing during summer break  

School has been out for more than a month, so high school students may be looking toward the new school year and how they need to prepare – whether it’s for the next year of high school or the first year of college, university, or a technical program.

Here are some ideas to maximize the summer break:  Continue reading →

Arts Access Initiative grows to include more HISD schools 

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Last year, the number of schools receiving creative learning experiences through the Arts Access Initiative grew to 25 from 11 the previous year. That number has now grown to 44 schools.

AAI representatives from nearly all of the participating schools came together in June for a Meet and Greet, where they learned more about the opportunities available to them through some 40 partner arts organizations. The group was welcomed by AAI Director Deborah Lugo. Remarks were made by HISD’s new fine arts director, Wenden Sanders.  Continue reading →

Teach Forward Houston selects new cohort of fellows

Just as the initial group of Teach Forward Houston fellows successfully finished its first year at University of Houston, the HISD Board of Education approved a second group at its June 8 board meeting.

A new group of graduating HISD seniors are just now being notified of their acceptance into the program. The second cohort is a strong group and includes salutatorians from Liberty and Worthing high schools. They will attend a Summer Bridge program at UH in late July. Their names and high schools are listed below. Continue reading →