Author Archives: HISD Communications

HISD breaks own attendance record at UIL districtwide meet

These students from Condit ES were two of the more than 1,000 that attended HISD's Winter UIL Meet.

These students from Condit ES were two of the more than 1,000 that attended HISD’s Winter UIL Meet.

HISD has been offering students the chance to compete in University Interscholastic League (UIL) activities for years, but the district recently hit an attendance milestone, when more than 1,000 elementary school students participated in a single UIL competition.

The UIL A+ Academics Winter District Meet, which took place at Davis High School, had students from more than 40 schools competing, making it the most-attended UIL A+ Academics Meet in district history.

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HISD Board of Education separates from superintendent search firm, hires replacement

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education voted unanimously on Wednesday to end its contract with Ray & Associates, the search firm hired to find a replacement for outgoing Superintendent Terry Grier.

Board President Manuel Rodriguez said the decision to separate was mutual and determined to be in the best interest of both the district and the search firm.

The board followed the decision with a vote to begin talks with HYA & Associates, a national consulting firm based in Illinois. HYA & Associates was one of four companies interviewed by the board in November after responding to a request for proposals the previous month.

Once hired, that firm will be tasked with helping trustees conduct a survey and hold community meetings to gather input on the superintendent candidate profile. The firm will then use that profile to recruit candidates.

Dr. Grier is currently in his seventh year as HISD superintendent. He plans to step down at the end of February.

For more information on the superintendent search process, visit www.houstonisd.org/supesearch.

HISD Board of Education names Deputy Superintendent/CFO Ken Huewitt as interim leader of state’s largest district

Kenneth HuewittThe Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016, unanimously voted to name Deputy Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer Ken Huewitt as interim superintendent of the state’s largest school district.

Huewitt was tapped to serve as the interim leader of HISD while trustees search for a permanent replacement for outgoing Superintendent Terry Grier, who is stepping down at the end of this month after almost seven years with the district. Continue reading →

New multiservice center to provide HISD students quality access to food, healthcare

Kashmere High School will celebrate the opening of a campus-based multiservice center that provides health, education, counseling, and workforce development services to students and their families.

The Kashmere Success Center was launched in January by ProUnitas, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering communities by connecting social service organizations and resources to students and families with unmet needs. Continue reading →

Noelia Longoria selected as new assistant superintendent for School Choice

Noelia Longoria

Noelia Longoria

Noelia Longoria recently was named the new assistant superintendent for the Office of School Choice.

Longoria has 25 years of experience in urban education, which includes time spent as a teacher, counselor, assistant principal, dean principal, and school support officer.

During her most recent positions as lead principal and school support officer, all three of her improvement-required middle and high schools met state accountability standards.

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Girl Scout project brings Lamar HS senior state, national attention

Kianna Hawkins

Kianna Hawkins

A project taken on as one Girl Scout’s quest for the Gold Award has earned her additional recognition at the state and national levels.

Last year, 17-year-old Kianna Hawkins led an initiative called “EyeCare4TeenVision” to provide basic eye-care services and corrective lenses to needy young people. As a part of her project, she joined forces with various local organizations to coordinate a vision screening event for teens and collected more than 300 pairs of gently used eyeglasses. Those efforts led to Kianna earning the Gold Award, which is the highest honor a Girl Scout can receive (see related local newspaper story here).

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Need $2,500 for College? Apply for Ruby Sue Clifton Scholarship by March 27

A local credit union is offering students a chance to win one of six $2,500 scholarships for college.

The Ruby Sue Clifton Scholarship was created to honor an HISD administrator who retired after more than 30 years of service to the district. The middle school named after her opened in 1979.

To be eligible, students must be graduating seniors during the 2015–2016 school year and have at least one parent who has been a member of SMART Financial Credit Union (formerly First Educators) for more than six months.

The deadline to apply for the scholarship is Sunday, March 27, 2016. For details, including an online application, visit the SMART Financial Credit Union website.

New partnership seeks to recognize outstanding HISD teachers

Chick-fil-A and Telemundo are seeking the public’s help in recognizing outstanding HISD teachers by nominating educators for “Teacher of the Month” from February through May.

Winners will receive free Chick-fil-A for a year, a catered breakfast at their school, and recognition on Telemundo’s platforms.

Anyone can submit a nomination, but to be eligible, nominees must be active HISD teachers. For complete details, please see this nomination form (.pdf).

College Readiness recommends tool that can help students master School Day SAT

HISD’s College Readiness department wants every 11th-grade student to know that practicing and doing well on the School Day SAT could pay off in extra incentives, including scholarships and materials for college.

The department launched the School Day Incentive program for the Class of 2017 on Wednesday, kicking off the countdown to the School Day SAT on April 12. The purpose of the program is to increase student participation and scores for the School Day SAT, thereby increasing student access to higher education and money for college.

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Four more campuses recognized as ‘model’ Family Friendly Schools

DeAnda ES parents (pictured) were able to purchase books at discounted prices from local retailers after obtaining library cards from the Houston Public Library, thanks to a special arrangement made by Principal Erwin Garcia Velazquez.

DeAnda ES parents (pictured) were able to purchase books at discounted prices from local retailers after obtaining library cards from the Houston Public Library, thanks to a special arrangement made by Principal Erwin Garcia Velazquez.

Last month, HISD began honoring district campuses for their successful implementation of the Family Friendly Schools program.

Now, four more campuses have been recognized by the Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Department for their efforts to make parents feel welcome and valued at their children’s schools.

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