Author Archives: HISD Communications

Summer readers can boost knowledge, win rewards  

It doesn’t take long for students to lose some of the academic progress they have made during the school year by sitting idle over the summer, so HISD is challenging students to use the power of reading to combat the dreaded “summer slide.”

Below are a number of ways to access thousands of books absolutely free through the district’s Summer Reading Program.

”It’s been proven through research, experience, and time that students lose at least three months of learning during the summer if they don’t engage in reading over the summer break,” said HISD’s Library Media Services Manager Janice Newsum.  Continue reading →

‘Feast of Art’ to showcase effort to boost fine arts in District III 

Schools in the Chavez High School feeder pattern will host the first fine arts showcase, “A Feast of Art,” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 20 at Chavez High School (8501 Howard, Houston, 77017) as part of a larger effort to increase arts access in the area.

The fine arts showcase will feature visual artwork created by students from the following schools: Bellfort Early Childhood Center; Bonner, Lewis, Patterson, Park Place, and Rucker elementary schools; Ortiz and Stevenson middle schools; and Chavez High School.   Continue reading →

HISD announces school winners of ‘We Khan Do It’ Challenge  

To boost college readiness across the district, HISD in mid-January challenged the district’s schools to compete for the most students using Khan Academy before the SAT test – and the results are in.

The three high schools with the most usage will receive financial support to enhance their college centers and/or support for college visits. Because college readiness starts early, elementary and middle schools were also part of the challenge. As part of a photo competition challenge, elementary and middle schools also arranged college visits for students and then tweeted pictures of those events.  Continue reading →

HISD board approves partnership with City of Houston to help at-risk, non-traditional students

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education approved a partnership with the City of Houston that would allow HISD to use community-based multiservice centers to help reach non-traditional, at-risk students.

The partnership between HISD, the City of Houston Health Department, and the Mayor’s Office of Education would allow the district to offer its program through seven designated multiservice centers.

Continue reading →

New Energy Institute HS construction 40 percent complete

Construction on the new Energy Institute High School is almost halfway complete, with one building completely enclosed and the other two soon to follow.

Located at the rear of the new campus, the enclosed building — known as Building C — has a roof, walls and windows, as well as brick going up on the exterior, project officials said. All overhead mechanical, electrical, and plumbing infrastructure has been installed, and the building soon will have permanent power access via a CenterPoint Energy transformer.

Continue reading →

Ketelsen ES educator named 2016-17 Bilingual Teacher of the Year  

Janet Rodarte

“If I can do it, you can, too!” That’s what Janet Rodarte tells her fifth-grade students at Ketelsen Elementary when one of them is on the verge of giving up.

She tells them her story, about being the daughter of two immigrants from Acuna, Coahuila, and stepping into the classroom speaking only Spanish, to let them know she understands.

“As the daughter of two immigrants who came to the United States for a better life, I know that if you have the mentality to succeed, you will,” Rodarte says.  Continue reading →

HISD board to discuss partnership with City of Houston to help at-risk, non-traditional students

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday will consider a partnership with the City of Houston that would allow HISD to use community-based multiservice centers to help reach non-traditional, at-risk students.

If approved, the partnership between HISD, the City of Houston Health Department, and the Mayor’s Office of Education would allow the district to offer its program through seven designated multiservice centers. Continue reading →

HSPVA senior named 2017 U.S. Presidential Scholar

Student one of 161 across the nation to receive prestigious honor

Elle Cox

A senior who attends the High School for the Performing & Visual Arts in the Houston Independent School District has been named as a 2017 U.S. Presidential Scholar, one of the highest honors for high school students.

Elle Cox is one of 161 outstanding American high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship, service, and contribution to school and community. The U.S. Presidential Scholars will be honored for their accomplishments in Washington D.C., on June 18-20. Continue reading →

Barbara Jordan HS breaks ground on new regional career hub

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Neither gray skies nor threat of rain kept enthusiastic community members away from Barbara Jordan High School for Careers’ groundbreaking celebration on Tuesday, as more than 100 stakeholders turned out to mark the start of construction on a new $36.6 million facility.

“We’re celebrating an important milestone today,” said Jordan Principal Ross McAlpine. “We’ve spent a couple of years in planning, and now it’s great to see construction getting underway.”

The school is in the process of transitioning from a career magnet school to a regional career hub, which is open to students from nine area high schools. The new facility is expected to be complete in the third quarter of 2018. Continue reading →

HISD’s 2015-16 annual financial report earns top honors from two business organizations 

HISD has earned top recognition for its 2015-2016 annual financial report from two organizations – the Government Finance Officers Association and the Association of Schools Business Officials International.

The Chicago-based Government Finance Officers Association awarded the district the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for having met or exceeded the program’s high standards for financial reporting and accountability. That certificate “represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management,” said the letter to the district announcing the award.   Continue reading →