Author Archives: HISD Communications

HISD observes National School Breakfast Week March 7–11

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The Houston Independent School District encourages students to start their day with a healthy breakfast. That’s why HISD’s Nutrition Services Department is observing National School Breakfast Week March 7–11, with the theme of “Blasting off with Breakfast.” The districtwide effort highlights the many benefits of HISD’s free breakfast program.

This year, Nutrition Services invited two local heroes to show students the importance of breakfast at school. On March 8, the Houston Texan’s mascot Toro pumped up students for a day of learning in the breakfast line at Montgomery ES, courtesy of Dairy MAX. And on March 10, NASA Astronaut Mike Fincke will be on a mission at Grissom ES to talk about the importance of healthy eating for space travel.

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HISD athletic activities canceled Tuesday due to pending inclement weather

All Houston Independent School District athletic activities scheduled for today — Tuesday, March 8, 2016 — have been canceled due to pending inclement weather.

The cancellation affects all HISD baseball, softball, and soccer games. Games will be rescheduled for a later date. All other afterschool activities will be left up to individual campus discretion.

HISD officials will continue to monitor weather conditions throughout the night in anticipation of storms and heavy rains that forecasters have said could cause flooding and potentially dangerous driving conditions throughout the city.

The safety of our students and staff – and their families – is always our first consideration when making these decisions. Any additional closures or cancellations will be announced early Wednesday morning, after district officials have had the opportunity to assess weather and road conditions.

For additional updates, please visit www.houstonisd.org, or call the HISD Inclement Weather Hotline at 713-267-1704. You can sign up for HISD text message alerts to receive updates on school weather conditions by texting YES to 68453. You also can follow the district on Twitter and Facebook: twitter.com/houstonisd and facebook.com/houstonisd.

Groundbreaking ceremonies, bond community meetings planned for spring

Two groundbreaking ceremonies, five community meetings and quarterly Bond Oversight Committee meeting scheduled through April

With construction making noticeable progress across HISD, many projects are reaching their next milestone – including including groundbreaking ceremonies at Parker Elementary School and Booker T. Washington High School, and a host of community meetings scheduled for the spring.

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Smithsonian science study promises long-lasting benefits for HISD students

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HISD just completed a five-year study with the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC), and the lessons learned from it will be benefitting HISD students for years to come.

The study evaluated the effectiveness of the SSEC’s Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER) model of science instruction in three states, using an Investing in Innovation (i3) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. In HISD, the study followed approximately 9,500 students at 26 schools whose academic performance was monitored from 2011 through 2016.

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Five HISD schools recognized for their efforts to fight hunger

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Five different HISD schools were recently named “Champions off the Field” by the Souper Bowl of Caring for their efforts to fight hunger.

This annual food drive and fundraiser, which ran from Jan. 20 – Feb. 7, generated more than $9.9 million in donations nationally this year, a portion of which came from the 33 HISD schools that participated.

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HISD to be closed March 14–18 for spring break

SpringBreak800ZinniaAll HISD campuses and offices will be closed for Spring Break from Monday, March 14, through Friday, March 18, 2016.

Schools and offices will reopen for normal business on Monday, March 21, 2016.

Employees should consult the duty schedules posted here.

The HISD Police Department will be patrolling district facilities all during the holiday break. Emergencies may be reported by calling 713-892-7777.

Three HISD schools receive 2016 National Merit awards from Magnet Schools of America

Garden Oaks Montessori, Lovett Elementary School, and the Energy Institute High School were honored Friday with 2016 National Merit awards from Magnet Schools of America, the national association for magnet and themed-based schools.

The three schools are among 258 public magnet schools and programs from across the nation to receive the award. They were selected for their commitment to high academic standards, school diversity, specialized curricula and instruction, family engagement, and community partnerships. Continue reading →

Community partners help Rusk School students develop financial literacy

Houston Rockets power forward Donatas Motiejunas works with Rusk students on the EverFi Vault software to develop financial literacy.

Houston Rockets power forward Donatas Motiejunas works with Rusk students on the EverFi Vault software to develop financial literacy.

On March 3, BBVA Compass delivered some high-tech tools and some high-altitude NBA stars to HISD’s Rusk School to help the East-End STEM-magnet campus prepare its students to compete academically in the 21st century.

BBVA Compass, the official bank of the NBA, teamed up with Houston Rockets power forward Donatas Motiejunas, bank brand ambassador and three-time NBA Champion Bruce Bowen, and other NBA greats such as Robert Horry and John Lucas at the school as part of the BBVA Compass Future Builders Program.

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