Author Archives: HISD Communications

Broad Prize ceremony is underway in New York

Update 10:57

Miami-Dade County Public Schools named winner of the 2012 Broad Prize

Update 10:51

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will present the 2012 Broad Prize. He recognizes the four finalists, including Houston ISD. Duncan highlights HISD’s efforts to dramatically increase Advanced Placement course offerings, the Apollo 20 school turnaround initiative, and the focus on data to drive instruction.

Update 10:45

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is at the podium delivering welcoming remarks. He says,
“The work of giving our kids a better future is never done, but the Broad Foundation is helping to raise the bar.” Bloomberg believes the finalists for the Broad Prize are proving that “progress is… possible.”

Update: 10:35

Admiral Mike Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is the keynote speaker at today’s Broad Prize ceremony. He says the future of our country is closely tied to the nation’s K-12 education system. “I would like to say to the winners, congratulations. It is terrific to see so many who have worked so hard. It is the best investment we can make in America.”

Update: 10:14

The wait is nearly over for the Houston Independent School District and the three other national finalists for the 2012 Broad Prize for Urban Education.

The award ceremony is underway at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Here in Houston, members of Team HISD are watching the celebration live on the web: http://hisdtv.org/live-coverage/

At the HISD Watch party.

The Broad Prize for Urban Education is the largest education prize in the nation. The winning district will receive $550,000 in college scholarships for the Class of 2013.

The other finalists this year are: Corona-Norco Unified School District in Riverside County, Calif., Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and The School District of Palm Beach County, Fla.

“Mind the Gap” Panel Discussion

Update: 10 a.m.

Superintendents, principals, and teachers from the four districts named as finalists for the Broad Prize for Urban Education participated in the “Mind the Gap” panel discussion to share ideas about strategies being used to close the achievement gap. HISD Superintendent Terry Grier, Fondren Middle School Principal Charles Foust, and Berry Elementary Teacher Gaby Oliveros represented HISD.  They discussed the importance of data-driven instruction, teamwork, and use of technology in the classroom.  

Dr. Grier and Mr. Foust also shared information about HISD’s bold school turnaround effort, Apollo 20. Foust said Fondren MS, an Apollo 20 campus, uses Title I funds to pay tutors to help reinforce the material that students are learning in the classroom.

Oliveros, HISD’s Teacher of the Year in 2010, told the panel about HISD’s teacher support specialists. She said their observations help her and her colleagues become better teachers.

Winner of the Broad Prize for Urban Education to be announced this morning

HISD is one of four finalists for the largest education award in the nation

The winner of the Broad Prize for Urban Education—the most prestigious prize in public education— will be announced this morning at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. HISD is one of four finalists for the award, which recognizes the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among poor and minority students from 2008.

HISD Superintendent Terry Grier, Board of Education President Mike Lunceford, Trustees Anna Eastman, Rhonda Skillern-Jones, Paula Harris, and Harvin Moore, and Houston Federation of Teachers President President Gayle Fallon are in New York for the announcement.

Other finalists for the Broad Prize include Corona-Norco Unified School District in Riverside County, California, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and The School District of Palm Beach County, Florida. Dr. Grier joined the leaders of those school districts for a panel discussion about strategies being used to help close the achievement gap between minority students and their white counterparts.

Live coverage of the discussion and the Broad Prize announcement is available at http://hisdtv.org/live-coverage/

HISD Police Department Partners with ARAMARK Education to Promote “Kids with Character” Mentoring Program

The HISD Police Department introduced a new partnership today with ARAMARK Education to promote positive character building in HISD schools.  The Kids with Character mentoring program will recognize elementary students who have displayed outstanding citizenship in their classes.

Twice a month, HISD officers will eat lunch with students who have shown strong character.  During the lunch the officers will also serve as role models by showing students how to be good leaders. Continue reading →

Early voting begins today: Houstonians cast their votes

[slideshow]

Don’t miss your chance to vote on the 2012 Houston Schools Bond Proposition – it’s at the very end of the ballot.
 
• See polling locations, hours and more

Early voting for the November 6 General Election is underway in Houston and across Texas. As of mid-day, 17,372 people had cast their ballot in Harris County, which is on pace with turnout reported during the same period of the 2008 presidential election.  

In addition to the race for president, there are a number of local races and measures on the ballot, including the Houston Schools Bond. The $1.89 billion proposition is the very last item on the ballot. It would rebuild or renovate 38 schools in neighborhoods across Houston, upgrade technology across the district, renovate middle school restrooms, fund safety and security improvements, and upgrade regional field houses and athletic facilities.

Graduates from Austin High School were among the first people to vote at the Metropolitan Multi-Services Center on West Gray. Jill Mussman, a parent of an HISD graduate, also voted early at that polling location.

 “I’m here so I don’t have to stand in line on Election Day,” she said.

Early voting runs from today until November 2. To see a list of polling places, visit harrisvotes.com.

After you cast your vote, send a “vote early” photo to hisdphotos@yahoo.com

Do you recognize these early voting zombies?

It’s getting close to Halloween, and there are some ghoulish efforts under way to get out the word on early voting, which starts on Monday (Oct. 22). Just look at these photos snapped at some of the HISD schools that would benefit from the $1.89 billion schools bond. The proposition appears at the very end of the ballot. Use your braaaaaains and vote early!

[slideshow]

Houston ISD Among Four Finalists for Nation’s Most Prestigious Education Award

The wait is nearly over for the Houston Independent School District and the three other national finalists for the 2012 Broad Prize for Urban Education.

On Tuesday, Oct. 23 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will announce the name of the school system that beat out 75 national competitors for the title of best urban district in America.  All four finalists made the cut for the Broad (rhymes with “road”) Prize because they demonstrated the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among poor and minority students from 2008 to 2011.

The other finalists this year are: Corona-Norco Unified School District in Riverside County, Calif., Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and The School District of Palm Beach County, Fla.  Aside from bragging rights, the winning district earns $550,000 in college scholarships for students who graduate at the end of this school year.  The other finalists receive $150,000 in scholarship money from The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.

HISD staff will gather at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center to watch the announcement live, beginning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.  The announcement will also be carried live online at www.houstonisd.org.

“We are honored to have the national education spotlight on the students, teachers, and staff who make Houston schools great,” said HISD Board of Education President Michael Lunceford.  “We have high expectations for every student, and we are proud that more of them are rising to meet the challenge each day.”

Members of the HISD Board of Education and Superintendent Terry Grier will be among those in New York City on Tuesday for the announcement.

“For years, HISD has been led by a visionary Board of Education that is willing to make the tough decisions that consistently put the interests of children first,” Dr. Grier said.  “It is that unwavering focus on high academic standards, and hiring and retaining effective teachers and principals that led directly to the impressive progress that Houston’s children are making in the classroom.”

 Houston won the first ever Broad Prize in 2002, and could be the first two-time winner.  Among the reasons why Houston ISD was chosen as a 2012 Broad Prize finalist:

  • HISD’s African-American graduation rate improved faster than in other urban districts nationally. The graduation rate of Houston’s African-American students, as shown by the average of three nationally recognized graduation rate estimation methods, increased 13 percentage points from 2006 to 2009.
  • HISD increased the percentage of Hispanic and African-American students taking college readiness exams more quickly than other urban districts nationally.
  • Between 2008 and 2011, SAT participation rates for HISD’s Hispanic students increased by 15 percentage points.
  • In this same period, Advanced Placement (AP) exam participation by Hispanic students increased 13 percentage points, an average of about 4 percentage points per year-an improvement rate that ranked in the top 10 percent of all 75 Broad Prize-eligible districts.
  • In 2011 alone, the percentage of HISD’s African-American students taking an AP exam — 23 percent — ranked in the top 10 percent of Broad-Prize-eligible districts.
  • Similarly, the percent of HISD’s Hispanic students taking an AP exam in 2011—29 percent—ranked in the top 20 percent of eligible districts.
  • A greater percentage of Hispanic and low-income students reach advanced academic levels in Houston than in other urban districts in Texas.  In 2011, the percentage of HISD’s Hispanic students that performed at the highest achievement level (Commended) in math and science at all school levels (elementary, middle, high school) ranked in the top 30 percent statewide compared to Hispanic students in other Texas districts. In addition, the percentage of Houston’s low-income students that performed at the highest achievement level in math at all school levels and in elementary and middle school science ranked in the top 30 percent statewide compared to low-income students in other Texas districts.

This year’s four finalists were selected by a review board of 13 prominent education researchers, policy leaders, practitioners and executives from leading universities, education associations, civil rights advocates, think-tanks and foundations. The review board evaluated publicly available academic achievement data that were compiled and analyzed by MPR Associates, Inc., a leading national education research consulting firm. 

In selecting the finalists, the review board looks for urban school districts that show the greatest overall performance and improvement in urban student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among poor and minority students.  Among the data they consider are SAT, ACT and Advanced Placement participation rates and outcomes, graduation rates, state assessments in reading, math and science, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, student demographics including poverty, state test rigor, per pupil expenditures and district size. 

Over a two-month period last spring, teams of educational researchers and practitioners led by the education consulting company RMC Research Corporation conducted a four-day site visit in each finalist district using a research-based rubric for district quality to gather qualitative information, interview district administrators, conduct focus groups with teachers and principals and observe classrooms. The teams also interviewed parents, community leaders, school board members and union representatives. A selection jury of prominent individuals from business, industry, education and public service then chose the winning school district after reviewing both the student achievement data and the qualitative site visit reports.

The Broad Foundation does not play a role in selecting the finalists or the winner.

Palm Beach County and Corona-Norco are both first-time finalists, and Miami-Dade is a five-time finalist.

For more information about The Broad Prize, please visit www.broadprize.org.

Twain ES Celebrates New Track with ‘Parade of Grades’

Students and staff at Twain Elementary School celebrated the completion of their campus’ new track with a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony held on Oct. 12.

 The new track, which encircles the athletic field and playground, lies just inside the perimeter of the fence surrounding the campus at the corner of Braes and Aberdeen.

 “Today is the day,” said Principal Melissa Patin. “Our children will finally be able to enjoy our new playground and track. This is a sterling example of what we can accomplish when we work together.”

[slideshow]

 The ribbon-cutting ceremony included a performance by members of the strings orchestra and concluded with the entire student body marching around the track for the first time in a ‘Parade of Grades’ led by the tiger mascot.

 “This project has been on our radar for many years,” said Parent Teacher Organization President Sydni Mossman. “It was in the original plans of the new school.”

 Dignitaries in attendance included HISD Board of Education Mike Lunceford, HISD Special Projects Director Willie Burroughs, Isani Consultants Engineering Manager Vincent Jacobs, and many of Twain’s corporate sponsors and community partners.

Don’t forget to finish the ballot: Early voting is Oct. 22 – Nov. 2

Click image above to see school-by-school projects.

Early voting starts Monday, Oct. 22, and ends on Friday, Nov. 2. During early voting, registered voters can head to ANY early voting polling location during the following hours:

* Monday Oct. 22 – Friday Oct. 26: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

* Saturday, Oct. 27: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Click image above for complete list of early voting locations.

* Sunday, Oct. 28: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

* Monday, Oct. 29 – Friday, Nov. 2: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Don’t miss your chance to vote on the 2012 Houston Schools Bond Proposition – it’s at the very end of the ballot. The $1.89 billion proposition would rebuild or renovate 38 schools in neighborhoods across Houston and upgrade technology in all HISD classrooms.

The measure also includes:

  • $44.7 million to replace regional field houses and improve athletic facilities
  • $35 million to renovate middle school restrooms
  • $17.3 million for district-wide safety and security improvements

Please share this post – and don’t forget to vote early and complete your ballot. For more information about polling locations, visit harrisvotes.com.

Photo gallery: A glimpse inside HISD’s oldest and newest campuses

With 38 schools — including 20 high schools — scheduled to either receive new campuses or major renovations, the question of what new schools would look like and what features may get built has been asked countless times.

Below is a slideshow of some of the newest Houston ISD high schools, including Carnegie Vanguard, Chavez and Westside. The latter two were built following the 1999 bond program and Carnegie Vanguard was built as a result of the 2007 bond program. The other schools in the slideshow — Lee, Milby and Davis — would receive major renovations in the 2012 bond program.

Early voting continues through Nov. 2 and Election Day is Nov. 6. Regardless of when you vote, it’s important to remember that the HISD bond program is the final item on your ballot. Make sure you finish filling out your ballot to have your voice heard on the bond election.

See the latest dedication of a building constructed with funds from the 2007 bond program. Sam Houston Math Science & Technology Center recently dedicated a technology and science wing to its building.

[slideshow]