Author Archives: HISD Communications

More teachers building connections between industry and classroom

Good teachers know how to inspire students by using the world around them. And that’s just what about 100 HISD educators have been doing this month through Teacher Externship Week, a program sponsored by Linked Learning in order to promote job-based education.

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Various industries agreed to host core curriculum teachers for a week so that the latter could acquire first-hand experience and insights into career paths. After shadowing employers, teachers will bring their newfound wisdom back to the classroom this fall. Externship locations included the Houston Public Library, the Federal Reserve Bank Cybersecurity branch, Memorial Hermann Hospital, and the Houston Fire Department, among others. Continue reading →

Summer reading camps keep students from falling behind

HISD’s Literacy by 3 initiative is getting aid from other Houston sources.

The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation has allied with the Houston Area Urban League to create several summer reading camps at various affordable housing communities in Houston, several of which serve HISD students.

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At those camps, volunteers read with children, discuss the books, and then guide the children in answering questions and writing out reflections. Each child takes home a packet of books to add to their personal libraries. Many of these children come from homes that do not have a surplus of reading material. Continue reading →

HIPPY parent turned home instructor describes experience as ‘great opportunity’

As fall approaches, the Family and Community Engagement Department is busy recruiting 15 part-time home instructors to work with the HIPPY program for the 2015–2016 school year. The program was recently awarded a $6.5 million grant from the Health and Human Services Texas Home Visiting program to expand to schools across the district, serving almost 1,400 families.

Home instructors play a vital role in delivering the program. Over 30 weeks, home instructors visit the parents of preschool-aged children, delivering research-based curriculum in reading, math, and science to ensure students are ready to start kindergarten and succeed in school. We spoke with Veronica Herrera, a former HIPPY parent turned home instructor, to find out more about the job. Continue reading →

Higher-level math program lets students explore possibilities at Rice University

Forty HISD high school students are getting a taste of college life and higher-level mathematics this month by studying the basics of calculus at the Tapia Math Science Scholars (TMSS) program.

The program, now in its second year, was started by the Rice University School Mathematics Project (RUSMP) and the Rice University Richard Tapia Center for Excellence and Equity (TCEE), in collaboration with HISD. Participating students live at Rice for four weeks, where they study, attend lectures given by Rice professors, and work on their own research projects. Continue reading →

Summer horticulture camp unearths career options for students

Students beginning their junior and senior years at schools throughout HISD had an opportunity to get their hands dirty recently at a Horticulture Production Summer Camp.

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The camp, which took place July 6–16 at the Hollingsworth Science Center, offered students the opportunity to broaden their perspective of the STEM terminology beyond science, technology, engineering and math. There are a vast number of subsets to STEM disciplines, and plants, their environments, and the benefits they provide to the human race and the planet are an important field and career choice. Continue reading →

Yolanda Rodriguez named new elementary school support officer

Yolanda Rodriguez has been named a school support officer in the Elementary Transformation Schools office.

A 21-year HISD veteran, Rodriguez most recently served as the principal of Roosevelt Elementary and the lead principal of two other elementary schools. She began her career as a teacher at HISD’s Roosevelt Elementary School, where she remained for 10 years. She later served as an instructional coordinator at Burbank Elementary School, assistant principal at Roosevelt Elementary, principal intern at Scarborough High School, and principal at De Zavala Elementary School.

Rodriguez earned both a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Houston.

Key Middle School hits a home run as new baseball field opens

KeyMS_NewBallefield_400About 50 students, teachers, and community members turned out on July 14 to celebrate the opening of the new Fondren Baseball Field at Key Middle School.

Construction of the field began in October 2014 through a partnership between the Fondren Foundation and the Stacey and Bo Porter SELF Foundation. The new field will provide middle-school athletes with a high-quality space on which to practice their skills and compete. Continue reading →

Carlos Phillips II named new principal of Washington High School

Dr. Carlos R. Phillips II has been selected to serve as the new principal of Washington High School.  During his fifteen years as an educator, he has served as a special education teacher at Grimes Elementary School and a disciplinary alternative education teacher at Young Elementary School. His administrative experience began as an assistant principal at Mitchell Elementary, Carter G. Woodson Middle, and Washington High schools. Most recently, Dr. Phillips served as the principal of Gregory-Lincoln Education Center.

Dr. Phillips earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southern University, a master’s degree in educational administration from Prairie View A&M University and a doctoral degree in education leadership and cultural studies from the University of Houston.

 

 

Service Excellence Employees of the Month recognized for July

Four HISD employees were celebrated as July’s Employee of the month for Service Excellence during a special breakfast with Chief Operating Officer Leo Bobadilla on Tuesday morning.

HISD’s Business Operations department hosts the monthly event, which recognizes employees from the areas of Transportation, Police, Nutrition Services, Construction and Facilities Services, and Business Assistance who provide excellent customer service. Continue reading →