Author Archives: HISD Communications

HISD Board of Education to consider $212.4 million in additional bond funding

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday will consider a funding proposal that would add up to $212.4 million to the bond program to cover significant increases in inflation and construction costs.

If approved, the additional money would help the district ensure all bond projects are completed as described to voters in the 2012 election. Voters overwhelmingly approved a $1.89 billion bond calling for the reconstruction or renovation of 40 schools across the district, including 29 high schools. Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education to vote on search firm tasked with finding new superintendent

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education is scheduled to vote Thursday on a plan to hire a search firm to help find a replacement for outgoing Superintendent Terry Grier.

Trustees are recommending the hire of Ray and Associates, an Iowa-based firm that specializes in searches for educational executives and leaders. The firm was among four companies that responded to a request for proposals issued in October. All four were interviewed by the board last month. Continue reading →

Last school choice open house on Saturday and first magnet deadline approaching

One of the great things about HISD is that parents have a wide variety of choices regarding where to send their students to school, but time is running out to be in the first round of consideration. Parents who still aren’t sure which school they want their child to attend should go to the final school-choice open house this weekend from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, at Northwest Mall. Representatives from HISD magnet schools will be there, and attendees can even get help submitting their application.

The deadline to apply is Dec. 18 for guaranteed consideration in the first round. Any applications received after the Dec.18 deadline will be considered only for schools where there is still space available.

Completed applications can be submitted in the following three ways:

* Submit it online at hisdchoice.com (online applications provide more options for tracking and staying up-to-date)

* Hand-deliver or send by U.S. mail to the Office of School Choice at 4400 West 18th Street, Houston, TX 77092

* Scan the paper application and e-mail it to magnet@houstonisd.org, along with the required documents

The big day is March 24, 2016. That’s when parents will learn the status of their application – results will be available online and also sent by mail. If a child has been offered a seat in a program, the parents have two weeks to provide proof of residence and sign an entrance agreement.

If their student is placed on a waiting list, parents can monitor changes in application status throughout the summer, at which time they may be able to submit additional applications to programs with available seats.

For more information on the magnet application process, please contact HISD’s Office of School Choice at 713-556-6947.

Three HISD schools receive Play 60 Grants

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Four local schools scored big on Nov. 29 after the Houston Texans and Texas Children’s Hospital awarded $40,000 in PLAY 60 grants to help purchase equipment and get kids moving, active, and healthy while at school day and in after-school programs.  The schools received the check in a ceremony on the field before the Texans game at NRG Stadium. Houston Texans President Jamey Rootes and Texas Children’s Hospital Executive Vice President John Nickens presented each of the following schools with $10,000:
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HISD’s alternative certification program now accepting applications 

Effective Teacher Fellowship offers paid training, hands-on support for new teachers 

Interested in starting a challenging and rewarding career as a teacher at HISD? The Effective Teacher Fellowship (ETF) is now accepting applications for 2016 and is looking for highly qualified and passionate new educators to help the district produce Global Graduates.  Continue reading →

Design of new Madison HS receives positive reviews at community meeting

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The new Madison High School being built under the bond program will face West Orem with a defined entrance that will integrate the new facility into the community.

“The function of the school is on display for everyone,” Bill Truitt of Morris Architects told a crowd of about 30 people, who turned out for the meeting to learn more about the $82.7 million project.

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Worthing HS students give back this season through service project

Worthing High School’s Linked Learning students gave back this holiday season in both a meaningful and educational way during their annual Serving Sunnyside community project event — a two-day event that includes collecting food items, a hot meal food drive, and educational resources aimed to create a healthier and safe neighborhood.

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For the first part of the community project, students and staff partnered up with the Houston Food Bank and Urban League to host a food drive on Nov. 20. The following day, food and monetary donations collected were used to make hot meals to serve to residents living throughout the Sunnyside neighborhood.

Worthing students also conducted research and were able to identify problems within the community. As a result, students chose topics on improving health and safety within the Sunnyside community and provided information to over 300 attendees at the event.

In addition, the project also served as the Linked Learning semester project and used a service learning rubric, which is a method that combines academic instruction, meaningful service, and critical reflective thinking to enhance student learning and civic responsibility. Linked Learning students are taught through work activities and choose a career subject of study based on their interests and abilities. Also referred to as a pathway, the career subject will guide future work-based learning opportunities.

CFS team recognizes Employees of the Year at annual holiday luncheon

Managers from HISD Construction and Facilities Services showed their appreciation for the hard work of each team member on Friday and named the department’s 2015 Employees of the Year during the department’s annual appreciation luncheon and professional development day.

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Students get toy surprise from BBVA Compass Foundation, Rockets player James Harden

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More than 400 Crespo Elementary School students got an early start to the holiday season on Dec. 3 thanks to BBVA Compass Foundation’s Project Blue Elf initiative, which distributes toys to children in low- and moderate-income communities.

BBVA Compass brand ambassador James Harden and basketball legend Robert Horry helped the foundation surprise the students in kindergarten through second grade with toys. The foundation also led the students in a financial literacy activity focused on the importance of saving money.

The toy distribution at Crespo serves as the kick-off for the third year of the Project Blue Elf initiative, which is expected to reach nearly 5,000 students across the Houston-area.

HISD students, teachers attend Pumps & Pipes 9 STEM symposium

HISD STEM coordinators, teachers and students will attend the Pumps & Pipes 9 Symposium on Dec. 7 to hear presentations from medical doctors, astrophysicists, research engineers and other Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professionals, while thousands of students will watch via webcast from their classrooms.

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