See how the district is planning and designing 21st century learning spaces that prepare students for college and careers. It’s an effort that involves parents, students and community leaders.
Author Archives: HISD Communications
Craft and Transportation Job Fair on Sat., Aug. 3
The Houston Independent School District will be hosting a craft and transportation job fair on Sat., Aug. 3, 2013.
The fair will take place at the Barnett Field House (6800 Fairway, 77087) from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
New Teacher Academy Reveals Foundation of Support for Instructors
Hundreds of teachers—some brand-new and some just new to the Houston Independent School District (HISD)—gathered at the Kingdom Builders’ Center on July 29 for the start of the district’s four-day New Teacher Academy.
The event is designed to provide HISD’s newest instructors with an overview of the district, its expectations for their performance, and the many tools available to assist them, both in the classroom and out of it.
HISD Invites 85 Firms to Review Architect-Selection Process
Elvis Eaglin, senior manager in Procurement, oversees the transfer of RFQs in January.
HISD’s 2012 bond program garnered unprecedented attention from architectural and engineering firms when the district asked for qualifications last December to design 40 schools slated for renovation or construction.
A total of 85 firms responded by the Jan. 15, 2013 deadline, giving the district a diverse pool of choices as it began selecting firms for the first 24 schools, plus renovations for middle school restrooms and athletic facilities.
Longtime HISD teacher Jean Hines Caldwell Dies
Jean Hines Caldwell
Jean Hines Caldwell, a longtime Houston ISD teacher and counselor, passed away Sunday at the age of 83.
Caldwell began her career at HISD as an audiologist and spent 38 years as a teacher and guidance counselor at Wheatley High School. In 2005, HISD named an elementary school in her honor. Jean Hines Elementary School is located at 5015 W. Orem Dr. in southwest Houston.
District Workshop Prepares Business Owners for Surety Bonding Process
Small business owners will get a chance to learn about the surety bonding process and applying for a bond from 3 to 5 p.m. on Aug. 7 at HISD’s Workshop Wednesday.
Millionaire Club Spotlight: What Are You Reading This Summer?
Jack Yates HS librarian Velda Hunter
HISD’s Millionaire Club is a literacy initiative designed to encourage students to read for pleasure during the summer months. Each week, we’ll catch up with one HISD librarian to find out what’s on his or her reading list. This week, we spoke with Velda Hunter, a librarian at Jack Yates High School.
What are you reading right now? What attracted you to those selections?
I never read just one or two books at a time. I am reading a variety of good reads, including high school Name That Book selections. Mystery is my favorite genre, so the mystery-thriller Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is one of the first I chose from the new Name That Book list.
Early Adopter Teachers Help Lead Laptop Initiative
HISD is calling upon some of the district’s most tech savvy teachers to help launch PowerUp, HISD’s groundbreaking initiative that will eventually give every high school student a laptop computer.
“Students learn differently than we did as children so you have to engage and empower them with technology,” said Bellaire High School teacher Seth Mintz during a training session involving select teachers from the 11 schools involved in phase 1 of PowerUp. Mintz and the other teachers were hand-picked by their principals because of their proven willingness to embrace technology in the classroom. This group of early adopters have been tasked with helping their campus colleagues embrace the initiative and its potential.
HISD Announces New Health Science Futures Academy at Westside High School
Provides students chance to earn an associate’s degree and technical training
The Houston Independent School District, in partnership with the Houston Community College and the University of Texas MD Anderson School of Health Professions, announces a new Futures Academy of Heath Science Careers at Westside High School. Press conference will be on Tuesday, July 30 at 10 a.m. at Westside, 14201 Briar Forest Drive.
Trip to Israel Gives Principal Better Understanding of Refugees’ Struggles
Las Americas Principal Marie Moreno
Las Americas Principal Marie Moreno and Stevenson MS teacher Patricia Cooksey recently spent 10 days on a study tour to Israel and the West Bank in hopes of learning more about the region and gaining a better understanding of the struggles refugee students face.
“One-hundred percent of my students come from war-torn countries or have suffered some type of trauma in their home country,” Moreno said. “In order for me to understand exactly what they’ve gone through, I wanted to physically see it for myself. My kids are truly the lucky ones who escaped such horrible conditions.”