Author Archives: HISD Communications

HISD announces new principal of Secondary DAEP School

The Houston Independent School District appointed Tynette Guinn as the principal of the new Secondary Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) School.

Guinn serves as principal of Lawson Middle School but is currently transitioning into her new role. She also served as principal of High School Ahead Academy and in numerous campus leadership positions within the district. Guinn earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in computer information systems from Prairie View A&M and her master’s degree of educational management from University of Houston-Clear Lake.

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TEA revises STAAR performance labels 

The Texas Education Agency has revised the way it labels how a student has performed on the STAAR tests in grades 3-12, and the new labels will be used for students taking STAAR this spring. (See STAAR testing dates here.)

Students receive a numerical grade on their STAAR tests, and these numerical grades are grouped into categories that are referred to as “labels.” Previously, a student’s performance was labeled as Advanced, Satisfactory, or Unsatisfactory. Now there are four categories instead of three. The new labels are as follows: Continue reading →

Graduating EMERGE seniors to be honored at annual celebration 

There are 252 EMERGE seniors graduating in May and heading off to colleges and universities around the country, and they’re on track to receive more than $36 million in scholarships and grants.

This year, students have been accepted to schools such as Harvard University, Brown University, University of Pennsylvania, Bryn Mawr College, Scripps College, Amherst College, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Vanderbilt University, St. John’s University-New York, and Johns Hopkins University.  Continue reading →

Carnegie Vanguard ranked 8th best high school in nation by U.S. News & World Report

Carnegie Vanguard High School has been ranked as the eighth best high school in the country, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 Best High Schools rankings – up two spots from the 2016 list. It ranked as second best in the state.

Two additional Houston Independent School District schools were ranked in the top 100 nationally — DeBakey High School for Health Professions, which was ranked 18th – up from 29th in 2016 — and Challenge Early College High School, which was ranked 69th. DeBakey ranked fourth-best in Texas, and Challenge ranked eighth-best in the state. Continue reading →

HISD Police Department to host ‘Coffee with a Cop’

(Houston Independent School District)The HISD Police Department will be hosting “Coffee with a Cop” for the community on Tuesday, April 25, from 8 to 9 a.m. at the McDonald’s located on 2515 Fulton St.

During the event, residents will have the opportunity to meet with officers and ask them questions

Created in 2011, Coffee with a Cop was initiated via partnership between the United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, and other law enforcement agencies in response to tensions between the police and community.

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Engineering firm awards $30,000 to improve Benavidez ES library

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Jacobs, an engineering firm, presented Benavidez Elementary School with a check for $30,000 to use to buy books and furniture for the school’s library. Jacobs has been partnering with Benavidez for nearly 25 years in a number of ways, including tutoring students and supporting teachers.

“Thank you so much for your generous donation to help improve our students’ reading,” said Principal Zabeth Parra-Malek. “If they can read, they can do math, science, social studies, technology, anything. Look around—can you imagine what this library will look like with all those books?”  Continue reading →

Finalists selected for 2016-2017 Teachers of the Year

The Houston Independent School District has announced the finalists for the district’s Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year, as well as the recipients of the Beginning Teacher of the Year honors for elementary, middle school, and high school.

Fourteen finalists were named for the Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the year. The two winners, who will go on to represent the district in Region 4, will be announced during the Educators of the Year banquet on Friday, May 19. The 14 finalists were selected from all 287 campuses based on performance data and other criteria.

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Celebrate the Week of the Young Child on April 24-28 

The week of April 24-28 is the Week of the Young Child, an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children to put a public spotlight on the needs of young children and address those needs through early childhood programs and services.

Studies have shown children who receive high-quality early education learn fundamental literacy and mathematical skills that transfer to later grades, earn higher test scores, and are more likely to attend a four-year college.  Continue reading →

HISD names new chief communications officer

Houston ISD Superintendent Richard Carranza has named Rebecca Suárez as the district’s new chief communications officer.

Suárez, a 13-time Lone Star Emmy Award winner, is currently an anchor and reporter at Univision (KXLN 45) and has more than 15 years of experience in media and communications. She is also a former HISD staff member, having served as the district’s primary spokesperson for Spanish-language media, senior media relations specialist, and community affairs television host. She has also worked as an anchor and reporter for NBC Telemundo (KTMD 47).

“We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Suárez back to Team HISD,” Carranza said. “She is a familiar face who brings with her an extensive knowledge of the district and will offer new ways to engage with and inform our community.” Continue reading →

HISD supports House Bill 21 to increase funding for all schools and lower Recapture payments statewide

Bill would reduce HISD’s 2018-19 biennium recapture payment

The Houston Independent School District supports House Bill 21, which passed the Texas House of Representatives April 20 and would lower HISD’s Recapture obligation providing approximately $40 million in additional resources for the 2018-19 biennium.

Houston voters go to the polls on May 6 to decide how to pay this year’s Recapture obligation of $77.5 million. Proposition 1 asks voters whether they want to “purchase attendance credits.” A vote for means HISD will write a check to the state, while a vote against would result in the state’s detachment and reassignment of the district’s most valuable commercial property. Early voting begins April 24, 2017, and ends May 2, 2017. Continue reading →