Author Archives: HISD Communications

Teachers get support in science instruction from Baylor College of Medicine

Greg Vogt demonstrates Newton's second law of motion by igniting vaporized ethanol to show how thrust is generated for rocket launches.

Greg Vogt demonstrates Newton’s second law of motion by igniting vaporized ethanol to show how thrust is generated for rocket launches.

Students may still be on vacation, but more than 450 teachers from the Houston Independent School District went back to the classroom this summer for an intensive training program organized by Baylor College of Medicine’s Center for Education Outreach.

The Baylor Summer Science Institute is geared toward teachers who may not have a strong science background. The program included presentations by scientists and inquiry-based lessons featuring content specific to teachers’ grade levels, with a focus on the nature of science and physical science. Each participant also received teaching resources to take back to their campuses and earned professional development credit.

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Lamar HS named ‘National Debate School of Honor’

Lamar High School has been recognized as a National Debate School of Honor by the National Speech & Debate Association.

The National Speech & Debate Association is the largest interscholastic speech and debate organization serving middle school, high school, and collegiate students in the United States, and it presented the award to Lamar during its annual tournament held in Dallas over the summer.

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HISD earns “Met Standard” rating from state for the 2014-2015 school year

Almost 80 percent of HISD campuses also receive “Met Standard” designation.

The Houston Independent School District earned an overall “Met Standard” rating, according to 2015 state accountability data released Friday by the Texas Education Agency.

The district received the rating — the highest offered under the state’s current accountability system — despite increasing performance targets on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, test.

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Austin HS stakeholders learn about design plans for new school

Members of the Austin High School community came out this week for the first of three community meetings to hear about plans for the school’s new campus. As part of HISD’s current bond program, Austin will receive a new $68.4 million building that will accommodate 1,800 to 2,000 students.

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Nutrition Services awarded second Oliver Foundation grant

Dietitian Jennifer Griffin Lengyel advices a parent during a community outreach event at Elrod Elementary School.

Dietitian Jennifer Griffin Lengyel advices a parent during a community outreach event at Elrod Elementary School.

HISD Nutrition Services has been awarded a second grant from the Oliver Foundation, a local organization dedicated to preventing childhood obesity. The award will help the department to promote, educate, and encourage HISD students to adopt healthy eating habits.

Nutrition Services received $3,000 from the Oliver Foundation last October and partnered with Davis High School’s culinary program to teach nutrition education to fellow students. The Oliver Foundation awarded $5,000 this year to Nutrition Services to continue its efforts.

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Summer STEM Institute helps teachers infuse learning with fun

More than five dozen HISD science, technology, engineering, and math teachers took part in a summer institute recently that was designed to help boost students’ math and science scores by incorporating more fun into their lessons.

The educators came from 23 HISD elementary and middle schools that received part of a TIF4 STEM grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant also provides resources such as equipment and technology, and participating teachers will receive additional training opportunities throughout the school year and share what they have learned with other faculty members at their campuses.

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New Teacher Academy provides enthusiastic welcome to district

NTA1 Part pep rally, part teacher development, the district’s 2015 edition of the New Teacher Academy kicked off on Aug. 5 with hundreds of enthusiastic educators soaking up HISD culture and information at the Kingdom Builders’ Center.

The annual event is designed to introduce new HISD teachers to the district, connect them with resources they’ll need throughout the year, and provide professional development opportunities geared toward helping them hit the ground running on the first day of school. This year, more than 1,500 teachers registered to attend. Continue reading →

Wharton Dual Language Academy stakeholders get first glimpse of initial design for new building

Wharton Dual Language Academy stakeholders on Wednesday learned more about the site plan and preliminary design for a new addition and renovations to the school’s current facility, which was built in 1929.

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Campus, district leaders share best practices at PLS 2015

Campus and district leaders are getting ready for the start of the new school year by sharing best practices and learning some new ways to help students succeed.

The Professional Learning Series 2015 was held at NRG Park in early August, and Sessions were designed to connect HISD’s leader competencies with Global Graduate competencies, as well as the district’s core initiatives of Global Education/Dual Language, Linked Learning, Literacy By 3, and PowerUp. Continue reading →

Secondary teachers gear up for new school year at Transformation Institute

More than 2,000 teachers attend professional development focused on transforming instruction

Nearly 1,000 middle and high school teachers spent the last week of July gearing up for the start of the school year at the district’s Summer Transformation Institute—one of five professional development sessions held this summer by the Office of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction. The fifth and final Institute at Chávez High School featured sessions on the use of technology for content development and classroom instruction, as well as sessions on project-based learning, classroom management, and reading and writing workshops.

“Teachers are loving the opportunity for choice,” said Chief Secondary Curriculum and Instruction Officer Annie Wolfe. “We designed the Institute so that teachers could start off the morning with their peers in core-content areas, but then have the opportunity to choose late morning and afternoon sessions based on their skill level and needs.” Continue reading →