Author Archives: HISD Communications

HISD voters approve Proposition 1 to make Recapture payment to state

Unofficial vote totals show 84% of voters approve Proposition 1

HISD leaders will continue to work with the Texas Legislature on a long-term solution to school finance after voters on Saturday authorized the district to pay its Recapture obligation by writing a check to the state using local property tax dollars.

Under state law, HISD is considered property-wealthy, meaning the district exceeds a wealth per student set by the Texas Legislature and is required to send a portion of local property tax dollars to the state – a process called Recapture. It is part of the state’s school finance system commonly known as the “Robin Hood” plan. Continue reading →

Wharton Dual Language Academy breaks ground on new facility

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Nestled in the middle of a dirt construction site, current and former Wharton Dual Language Academy students donning brightly colored dresses, sombreros, and mariachi suits danced in celebration of the school’s groundbreaking.

The students — part of MECA Ballet Folkorico — joined scores of Wharton parents, students and staff, all of whom gathered Friday to celebrate the start of construction on the renovation and addition project for their new school. Continue reading →

Thank a teacher during Teacher Appreciation Week

HISD is celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week May 7-12 and encourages students, parents, and the community to “Thank a Teacher” in person or on social media using #ThankATeacher and #HISD.

This year’s theme is “Teachers Deliver,” reflecting the lessons, inspiration, and encouragement teachers bring into the classroom every day.

While many schools celebrated during the week of May 1-5, the National PTA and the National Education Association honor teachers during the week of May 7-12 and on National Teacher Day, May 9.

Join the celebration by sharing photos, kind words, or a gift with teachers present and past to honor all they do to prepare students for success.

Madison HS wins top honors at OTC Energy Challenge 2017

Madison High School took home top honors Wednesday at the inaugural OTC Energy Challenge 2017, part of this year’s Offshore Technology Conference underway at NRG Park.

The OTC Energy Challenge is a team competition for local high school students to solve a real-world energy challenge, applying the scientific method with the aid of an academic coach and an industry mentor. Each four-member team received a $1,000 stipend to solve the challenge, and their projects were judged by a panel of representatives from the energy industry and academia. Teams were assigned one of five challenges covering areas such as remote offshore power, offshore wind energy, remote monitoring, decommissioning, and facility design. Continue reading →

Local vendors receive tips on creating HISD proposals

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Founder and President of Keystone Resources Julie Irvin taught a crowd of local vendors the tips and tricks to creating a successful proposal for HISD.

Irvin said most businesses are unaware of the great resources available to them via the HISD website or the subscriber emails sent by the HISD Business Assistance department.

“HISD has all of these golden opportunities for small businesses, but they’re not able to meet the goals simply because businesses don’t put in a proposal because they don’t know what to do,” said Irvin.

Continue reading →

New year, new school for Wisdom HS

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Armed with cell phones, six juniors from Wisdom High School teemed with enthusiasm as they wandered through their nearly completed new school, snapping pictures and selfies along the way.

“I feel like I’m getting a makeover,” junior Awah Bodunrin said, giggling as she and her classmates made their way through the new facility.

Bodunrin is a member of Wisdom’s upcoming 2017-2018 Senior Committee, a senior leadership group that got an early look at the new school, which is set to open in time for the start of the 2017-2018 school year.

Continue reading →

Baylor College of Medicine at Ryan receives top national award from Magnet Schools of America

Baylor College of Medicine at Ryan has received the Magnet Schools of America President’s Award, one of the organization’s top national awards, as well as being honored with a Magnet Schools of Excellence Award.

Energy Institute High School and Parker Elementary School also received 2017 National Merit awards from Magnet Schools of America, the national association for magnet and themed-based schools.

The three schools are among 244 public magnet schools and programs from across the nation to receive the awards. They were selected for their commitment to high academic standards, school diversity, specialized curricula and instruction, family engagement, and community partnerships. Continue reading →

Fonwood ECC dedicates new school

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Dressed in tiny ties and sparkly dresses, dozens of four-year-old students from Fonwood Early Childhood Center stood before a crowded cafeteria and sang in celebration of the dedication of their new school.

The students are among the first to attend classes in the new early childhood facility, which opened this school year and was specifically designed to enhance the educational experience of the district’s youngest learners.

Continue reading →

Citgo, Harris County Sheriff’s Office honor 56 HISD students for perfect attendance

CITGO Petroleum Corp., in partnership with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, on Tuesday gave away 56 Kindle Fire tablets to HISD students with perfect attendance this school year – part of “Kindling Young Minds,” a project in its sixth year that is designed to boost attendance.

Six students from each of HISD’s eight regions (two students per grade level) plus eight special education students were selected at random and received their Kindles at a ceremony held at Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center. HISD’s Dropout Prevention and Information Technology departments worked together to develop a random selection tool to ensure equity. Continue reading →