Author Archives: HISD Communications

HISD Transportation Makes ‘100 Best Fleets’ List for Third Consecutive Year

Government Fleet, a leading transportation industry magazine, has announced the top 100 fleets for 2013 and HISD is once again the only school district in the country to earn a spot on the list (not including Honorable Mentions).

2013 will mark the third consecutive year for HISD’s Transportation Services department to be on the list. In 2011, it ranked 57th in the nation among the best fleets in North America, and last year, it moved up five spots to number 52. This year, HISD broke into the top half of the list, with a ranking of number 47.

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HISD Board of Education to consider 2013-2014 budget


• To view the official agenda, click here.

The Houston ISD Board of Education will meet Thursday, June 20, 2013 to consider adopting a $1.62 billion budget that includes $20 million to tutor more students at struggling schools across the city while ensuring that HISD continues to offer the lowest tax rate among the two dozen school districts in Harris County.

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Incentive offered for employees who transfer to campuses in North Forest community

To support the recruitment and staffing of the annexed North Forest ISD schools with the best employees available, an open transfer period is being made available to current HISD teachers, administrators, and other exempt employees who are interested in seeking a 2013–2014 school year position with one of the campuses located in the North Forest community.

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Students stock up on reading materials to combat the ‘summer slide’

School’s out for the summer, and that means no more pencils and no more books. But wait—there are books. For the second year in a row, Half Price Books has donated 5,000 books to students at the Wharton K–8 Academy so they can take part in the district’s Millionaire Club.

The Millionaire Club is a coordinated effort between HISD’s Library Services and Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment departments to keep kids reading over the summer break in order to combat the “summer slide,” or the loss of academic skills many students experience after three months of inactivity. If a student reads and records five books on a log, then they become a member of the club and are eligible for recognition and prizes when they return to school in the fall.

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New magnet school ‘attracts’ dozens of students to inaugural summer camp

Approximately 100 students in the inaugural class of the Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan are spending part of their summer vacation becoming acclimated to their teachers and course load.

The sixth-grade students are taking classes in math, science, art, reading, and more among the summer school students at DeBakey High School, which is housing the Academy students until their facility is ready later this summer.

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Class of 2013 sets new college scholarship record

Scholarship offers for the Class of 2013 continue to pour in. As of this week, HISD’s most recent graduates had been offered $186 million in college scholarships – a new record for the district.

“We expect that number to increase even more over the next few months as students continue to receive word about different scholarships they have applied for,” said Alan Summers, Assistant Superintendent of College and Career Readiness.

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Principals selected, changes proposed for North Forest schools

As the State of Texas moves forward with its order to close North Forest ISD and annex the area into the Houston Independent School District, HISD is making plans to change the purpose of some NFISD buildings and selecting staff for NFISD schools.

In addition, the district plans to recommend attendance zones for the North Forest area to meet the needs of transferred students, and make modest changes to HISD school attendance zones for areas adjoining the North Forest boundary later this summer. Pursuant to the order issued by Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams, these changes will take effect on July 1, 2013.
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Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan decides school colors, mascot

This past Monday, the students, parents and staff of the new Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan decided their school colors and mascot.

But rather than simply tell you about it ourselves, we thought we’d ask the students to tell you themselves. Some of the students were at Space Center Houston on a field trip as part of the school’s inaugural summer camp to help students and teachers get acclimated prior to the start of the school year.