Author Archives: HISD Communications

Team HISD is still hiring for the 2012 – 2013 school year

HISD still has openings for the 2012-2013 school year.  We are looking for motivated teachers who are invested in making an impact on student achievement.

 $5000 incentives are currently available for teachers in critical shortage areas including:

Bilingual (Spanish), Spanish, secondary math, secondary science, and special education areas such as Autism, Life skills, Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities, DeafEd, and Behavior Support. 

The annual teacher salary at HISD begins at $45,887, and salary offers depend on educational credentials and prior work experience.  HISD offers a comprehensive benefits package to teachers, including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; flexible spending account options; and vacation time.

 Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree, hold valid Texas teaching certification (or reciprocal out-of-state certification), and pass a background check. We are committed to diversity in our hiring and employment practices and encourage all qualified candidates to apply.  

We are offering a $75 referral award for critical shortage teachers hired for this year’s vacancies!

Please help us spread the word that there’s never been a better time to teach in HISD.  If you know someone who shares our vision, please let our recruitment team know by completing a brief online form.  If your referral is hired, you will be eligible to receive a $75 award per referral for assisting us in our vision.

 We believe that an effective teacher in every HISD classroom is critical to ensuring a bright future for our city.  To apply to teach with our district, please visit HISD’s Teacher Recruitment page by clicking here.

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.

Schools get creative in getting out the vote

Schools across the district are getting into the voting spirit with campus-based campaigns  to raise awareness about Election Day and the opportunity to vote early, from Oct. 22 through Nov. 2.

Voters will not only be choosing a new president this election but will decide whether to approve HISD’s $1.89 billion bond proposition that would focus on rebuilding and modernizing the city’s high schools, as well as provide safety and technology upgrades across the district.

At Hobby Elementary School, parents and students decorated the campus in red, white and blue colors to promote voting.  Principal Stephen Gittens says the goal was to build awareness about the importance of casting a ballot.

“We’ve sent home fliers, we’ve done call-outs, we’ve shared information with our PTOs,” said Gittens, whose school enrolls  834 elementary students in southwest Houston.

Continue reading →

HISD Receives Award for Green Building Efforts

The Texas Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council presented HISD with its Green Pioneer Award on Thursday in recognition of the district’s “unwavering dedication to building sustainable schools for generations.”

The award was accepted at an evening ceremony by Board of Education Trustees Paula Harris and Harvin Moore.

  Continue reading →

HISD Property Tax Rate to Remain Lowest in Harris County

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education today unanimously approved maintaining the lowest school property tax rate among the 26 school systems in Harris County.

Superintendent Terry Grier recommended keeping the HISD property tax rate of $1.1567 per $100 taxable value despite the loss of $125.1 million in state funding over the past two years.  Since 2002:

  • Districtwide general fund spending is down $170 million, when adjusted for inflation.
  • HISD building utility costs have climbed $18.6 million, a 40 percent increase.
  • Spending on central administration has declined from 6.5 percent of the budget a decade ago to a projected 4 percent for the current 2012-2013 school year.

Harris County school districts with higher tax rates in 2011 than HISD include: Aldine, Alief, Channelview, Clear Creek, Crosby, Cypress-Fairbanks, Dayton, Deer Park, Galena Park, Goose Creek, Huffman, Humble, Katy, Klein, La Porte, New Caney, North Forest, Pasadena, Pearland, Sheldon, Spring, Spring Branch, Stafford, Tomball, and Waller.

HISD’s property tax rate is a full 20 cents below the county average of $1.3576 per $100 taxable value.  This means the owner of a home with a taxable value of $200,000 in HISD pays about $400 less per year than the owner of a $200,000 home in another Harris County school district.  The savings are even greater in many cases, because HISD is among just eight Harris County school districts that grant homeowners an additional 20 percent homestead exemption.

HISD’s property tax rate would remain the lowest in Harris County, even if voters approve the proposed school construction bond referendum on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.

HISD Announces Partnership with Trees for Houston

The Houston Independent School District and Trees for Houston have announced a partnership to plant trees at several HISD campuses.   The Board of Education approved the partnership earlier this year.  The joint effort will support HISD’s ongoing commitment to promote green schools and eco-friendly academic environments.  On some campuses the trees will be watered by irrigation systems that use rainwater collected from school rooftops.

Trees for Houston will deliver a variety of drought tolerant trees to the schools at no cost to HISD.  Volunteers with the organization will also plant the trees on some campuses.

“We’re pleased HISD is joining with Trees for Houston to not only improve the aesthetics for these campuses but to teach students about the importance of protecting our environment,” said HISD Board of Education President Michael Lunceford.

HISD Trustee Harvin Moore who has been a big supporter of the unique partnership said school campuses serve as learning environments, parks, and natural oases in an urban setting.  “Trees are important to all of us, and as one of Houston’s largest property owners, HISD can make a big difference in keeping Houston green,” Moore said.               

Trees for Houston is a non-profit organization dedicated to planting, protecting, and promoting trees.  Its Trees for Schools program was developed to provide and plant much needed trees on Houston- area school campuses.

The organization’s Executive Director Barry Ward said the partnership is a great example of two organizations working together to accomplish more than either could alone.  “This program provides a vital improvement to the environment as well as the economic viability to the school campus and surrounding community,” said Ward.

Trees for Houston has planted more than 430,000 trees to benefit the Houston community in the past 29 years.

HISD Property Tax Rate to Remain Lowest in Harris County

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education today is scheduled to approve maintaining the lowest school property tax rate among the 26 school systems in Harris County.

Superintendent Terry Grier has recommended keeping the HISD property tax rate of $1.1567 per $100 taxable value despite the loss of $125.1 million in state funding over the past two years.  Since 2002:

 

  • Districtwide general fund spending is down $170 million, when adjusted for inflation. 
  • HISD building utility costs have climbed $18.6 million, a 40 percent increase. 
  • Spending on central administration has declined from 6.5 percent of the budget a decade ago to a projected 4 percent for the current 2012-2013 school year.

 

Harris County school districts with higher tax rates in 2011 than HISD include: Aldine, Alief, Channelview, Clear Creek, Crosby, Cypress-Fairbanks, Dayton, Deer Park, Galena Park, Goose Creek, Huffman, Humble, Katy, Klein, La Porte, New Caney, North Forest, Pasadena, Pearland, Sheldon, Spring, Spring Branch, Stafford, Tomball, and Waller. 

HISD’s property tax rate is a full 20 cents below the county average of $1.3576 per $100 taxable value.  This means the owner of a home with a taxable value of $200,000 in HISD pays about $400 less per year than the owner of a $200,000 home in another Harris County school district.  The savings are even greater in many cases, because HISD is among just eight Harris County school districts that grant homeowners an additional 20 percent homestead exemption.

HISD’s property tax rate would remain the lowest in Harris County, even if voters approve the proposed school construction bond referendum on the Nov. 6 general election ballot. 

The board’s regular monthly meeting begins at 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 11, 2012 in the board auditorium of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 West 18th St., 77092).

The board is scheduled to receive status updates on a number of projects and vote on several programs, contracts, and grants. For a full copy of the Board meeting agenda, click here.  The board meeting will be carried live on HISD’s website and on the HISD Channel, which can be found on Comcast Channel 18 or AT&T Channel 99.

Blue Bell Ice Cream Rewards Project Chrysalis Middle School for Earning National Blue Ribbon Honor

Blue Bell Creameries will honor Project Chrysalis Middle School (4528 Leeland), one of two HISD schools named 2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools, with a school-wide ice cream party on Thursday, Oct. 11.  A Blue Bell truck filled with ice cream will arrive at the school at noon to treat all of the students, teachers, and staff members. 

 The U.S. Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon Schools program has honored more than 7,000 of America’s most successful schools for the past 30 years. This year 269 public and private schools across the country, including HISD’s East Early College High School, received the coveted award.  Blue Bell Creameries rewarded East Early College High School at a previous party.

Blue Ribbon Schools are selected based on two primary criteria.  They must be among the highest-performing schools in their state, or they are schools with at least 40 percent of students from disadvantaged backgrounds that have improved student performance to high levels.

This year’s winning schools will also be honored at an awards ceremony in Washington D.C. on Nov. 12-13, 2012.

Lee High School to Celebrate 50th Anniversary

The Lee High School Alumni Association is hosting a celebration of 50 years in education Oct. 25–27, 2012.

The centerpiece of the 50th “JubiLEE” weekend will be the Hall of Honor dinner at 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26, at the Westin Galleria Ballroom, where alumni such as Billy Gibbons (’65), Gib Walton (’68), the Honorable Bill Yeoman (’69), and Andy Fickman (’82), among others, will be honored.

The dinner will also recognize longtime faculty members Henri Gadbois and Eleanor Grant. The event is open to all former students, faculty, and staff.

For more information, please visit the Lee HS alumni website.