Author Archives: HISD Communications

Maria Dolores Perejón-Lasheras named new principal of Clifton Middle School

Maria Dolores “Lola” Perejón-Lasheras

Maria Dolores “Lola” Perejón-Lasheras has been selected as the new principal of Clifton Middle School.  Perejón-Lasheras has served as a teacher, instructional specialist, curriculum specialist in the HISD Curriculum Department, magnet coordinator, assistant principal, and for the last five years as Principal of Helms Elementary. At Helms, she was instrumental in that school’s rise from an “improvement required” status to meet the standard with a “B” rating.   In October 2019, she was awarded the Excellence in Leadership Award and was named 2021 HISD Elementary Principal of the Year. 

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HISD Athletics hosts roundtable of coaches and teachers

Nearly two dozen current and former Houston Independent School District coaches and one former NFL player shared their experiences on the field and in the classroom as part of a roundtable discussion last week.

The purpose of the roundtable was to mentor coaches and teachers throughout the district, and foster relationships between staff. The event was held on Thursday, June 17, at 10 a.m. at Delmar Field House.

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HISD Board of Education names Millard House II as permanent superintendent

The Houston ISD Board of Education voted unanimously to name Millard House II as permanent superintendent of the largest public school district in Texas.

Mr. House most recently served as superintendent of the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) in Tennessee. He is a 26-year educator who started as a physical education teacher then went on to hold positions as chief operating officer and superintendent.

The Board of Education named House as superintendent after an extensive process of gathering stakeholder input, a nationwide search that included a diverse pool of applicants, and a comprehensive interview process of the top candidates.  Trustees named Mr. House as their lone finalist on May 21, but state law requires a 21-day waiting period before signing a contract. 

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Bellaire HS celebrates record-breaking nine valedictorians at graduation

As the sun set over Delmar Stadium, 10 graduating seniors clad in bright red caps and gowns took the stage to introduce a special video making its debut at Bellaire High School’s graduation.

The seven-minute video introduced the school’s record-breaking nine valedictorians and salutatorian to the hundreds gathered for the ceremony and recapped key moments over the past four years.

“I think we can all agree it’s been one hell of a year,” said Valedictorian Wenson Tang, who opened the video from a table at The Teahouse Tapioca and Tea near the cardinal campus. “From COVID-19 and online school to snow and the Texas freeze, from political drama to social reform, 2021 is not a year to forget.”

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Student success bolstered by dedicated parents

As East Early College High School seniors clad in black caps and gowns paraded into Dyer Stadium, they were met with applause and shouts of praise from families and friends.

The seniors were gathered for their commencement ceremony and proud mom Josefina Zuniga wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

“A parent wants the best for their child,” she said, cheering as her daughter, Ashley Quintero, stepped onto the field and made her way to her seat.

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Sky is the limit for first Black female pilot at Sterling HS in 16 years

The engine is the heart of the plane, but the pilot is its soul.

This rings true for Sterling Aviation Early College High School graduate Tryniti Ernest, the first Black female to graduate from the school with a pilot’s license in 16 years.

Ranked fifth in her class and serving as student body vice president, Ernest soars high above the rest walking away with not only her diploma and pilot’s license, but also the $2,500 Superintendent’s Scholars Award.

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HISD Police Department’s K-9 Bjorn has received donation of body armor

Houston ISD Police Department’s K-9 Bjorn has received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.  K-9 Bjorn’s vest was embroidered with “In honor of Haley’s 21st Birthday.”

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Wisdom HS senior offers a peek into graduation day

Producing a yearbook is never an easy task.

But for Leslee Cruz—a senior at Wisdom High School and editor of that school’s yearbook—the 2020-2021 school yearbook was harder than ever. Chronicling a school year with masked smiles, six feet of distance, virtual learning, and all the other interruptions the school year had was a unique—and difficult—task to undertake.

“With the yearbook, it was a lot of taking control because I was the leader and having to tell everyone how to move forward. It was definitely a bit suffocating at times when all I had was my computer and my room,” she said. “But it was good to have that because it kept me focused on school.”

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HISD celebrates seniors with 45 graduation ceremonies

Seniors from North Forest High School waited anxiously as they held their tassels in their hands for the moment they could switch them to the left side of their graduation caps. Overhead, the sun was bright above Delmar Field on Saturday afternoon.

It was a similar scene at a trio of sites across the district—Delmar Field, Butler Field, and Barnett Stadium—as Houston Independent School District held its graduation ceremonies for seniors throughout the weekend, 45 of them in all.

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Yamel Melchor named new principal of Whittier Elementary School

Yamel Melchor

Yamel Melchor has been selected as the new principal for Whittier ES, where she was previously served as assistant principal. She began her educational journey in 2006 as a bilingual early childhood and fourth grade teacher at Cage Elementary. After 7 years as a teacher, she stepped into the role of teacher specialist at Whittier ES. Melchor has been recognized with several awards, including First Year Assistant Principal of the Year and Tier II Excellence in Leadership Award.

Melchor earned her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Houston and her master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of Texas-Austin.