Author Archives: HISD Communications

Middle school students tour TAMU-Galveston, learn about maritime studies

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It was the trip of the year for Woodson Leadership Academy sixth-graders. Nearly 100 youngsters traveled to Texas A&M University at Galveston (TAMUG) to explore the world of marine and maritime studies.

The students split into small groups, and Texas A&M students took them on walking tours of the campus located on Pelican Island, followed by a hands-on lesson about oysters from Wetlands Center and Field Trip Coordinator William Daily. Daily jumped into the water at the Dr. Sammy and Charlotte Ray Oyster Garden and started fishing around for oysters to show eager students, who passed around them around, marveling at tiny creatures attached to the rough shells. Continue reading →

HISD joins the Hour of Code global initiative

STEM Clifton

Approximately 107 HISD schools have registered to participate in the Hour of Code as part of Computer Science Education Week, Dec. 8–14. The week-long global initiative encourages students of all ages to learn the basics of coding, engineering, computer programming, and gaming.

It is estimated that by 2020, 1.4 million jobs will be created in the computing related fields, but U.S. graduates are only on track to filling 29 percent of them. Continue reading →

Students join in the fight against hunger among children, homeless

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Come out and join Hamilton Middle School and the Rice University Coalition on Hunger and Homelessness this Sunday, Dec. 5 for the school’s second annual Fall Sandwiches for All. The event is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Hamilton, 139 East 20th Street.

Hamilton is the only HISD middle school to partner with the Rice University Coalition on Hunger and Homelessness to develop a program that specifically focuses on ways to feed children in Harris County, where 25.5 percent of youngsters live in food-insecure households. Continue reading →

Luby’s surprises student with $1,000 check for demonstrating great character

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The restaurant chain Luby’s surprised a student with a $1,000 check on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at  Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men as an award for demonstrating outstanding character. Continue reading →

Two children’s authors visit HISD elementary schools this week

Red ES student Brian Mejia poses for a photo with children author Don Tate and the school librarian, Melissa Buron.

Red ES student Brian Mejia poses for a photo with children author Don Tate and the school librarian, Melissa Buron.

Red Elementary School students welcomed two children’s authors to their school this week. On Monday, Dec. 1, the HISD science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) magnet school celebrated the love of fairy tales with author Liesl Shurtliff. Shurtliff is the author of the Bluebonnet Nominated book “RUMP: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin.”  Author and illustrator Don Tate, who’s written more than 50 books for children, also stopped by Red ES. On Wednesday, Dec. 3, Shurtliff made another visit to a HISD school by reading to students at Patterson Elementary School.

Author Liesl Shurtliff and Red Elementary Students

Red ES students pose for a photo with children’s author Liesl Shurtliff on Dec. 3, 2014.

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Patterson ES students get a visit from children’s author Liesl Shurtliff on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2014.

Houston Police Department’s K-9 unit inspires students to ‘be a better you’

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Foerster Elementary School students were treated to a visit from the Houston Police Department’s K-9 Unit on Thursday, Dec. 4 while learning the importance of making positive decisions every day.

Continue reading →

eNews Highlight: College acceptance letter helps quiet student’s fears

Though she’s well on her way to completing no fewer than 16 different applications to various universities, HISD student Olaide Sode was still worried about not getting into college until she received her very first acceptance letter about a month ago.

Read how this milestone experience helped diminish some of the Carnegie Vanguard High School senior’s anxieties in the Dec. 5, 2014, edition of eNews.

Other stories in this week’s edition include:

  • A story on the top toys for the 2014 holiday season, as reported by students from Longfellow ES who conduct a survey every year to help parents avoid gift-giving mistakes
  • A feature on the upcoming Hour of Code, and how HISD students are learning to build web applications and develop other 21st century skills in class
  • A look inside the district’s FUTURES Academies, and why parents should consider these programs before making magnet selections for their children

To have eNews delivered to your inbox automatically every week, just visit www.houstonisd.org/subscribe.

Click here to see the full issue for Dec. 5.

HISD Superintendent and Chief Technology Officer recognized by national education publication

Houston School District CTO Lenny Shad. Photo by Swikar Patel/Education Week

Chief Technology Information Officer Lenny J. Schad (left) and Superintendent Terry B. Grier (right) —Photo by Swikar Patel/Education Week

HISD Superintendent Dr. Terry Grier and Chief Technology Information Officer Lenny Schad are being recognized for their leadership in education technology by Education Week, a leading nonprofit provider of news, information, and analysis in K-12 education. Continue reading →

Cheer on your favorite teams at annual girls’ basketball tournament 

Spectators can catch the hoops action from Thursday, Dec. 4, through Saturday

If you’re in the mood for some exciting full-court action this weekend, check out one (or more!) of the games in HISD’s 31st annual girls’ basketball tournament.

The match-ups will take place at Chávez, North Forest, Reagan, and Westside high schools, as well as the Wilkins Pavilion located on the Forest Brook Middle School campus. Individual game tickets cost $4 each, but a $10 tournament pass will grant admission to all of them.  Continue reading →