Category Archives: Achieve 180

HISD hosting Parental Involvement Conference 

HISD will be serving as this year’s host for the 2017 Statewide Parental Involvement Conference set for Nov. 30  to Dec. 2  at the Crowne Plaza Hotel near NRG Park (8686 Kirby Drive).

Title I and Achieve 180 schools are encouraged to have staff and parents attend this year’s conference.

Over the course of the three-day conference, parents and educators will learn strategies for empowering all school community stakeholders in an effort to increase student achievement and to meet the required mandates of the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the nation’s national education law and longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students.  Continue reading →

‘Communities of Practice’ visits kick off at Achieve 180 campuses 

Weekly visits by district departments part of centrally provided supports

Leaders from various HISD departments visited Patrick Henry Middle School on Oct. 12 for the first “Communities of Practice” visit under Achieve 180 , the district’s plan to increase student achievement at underperforming schools.

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Achieve 180 is based on six pillars that will guide the transformative work across the district and includes centrally provided resources, support, and staffing for the 44 campuses in the program.

Each week, staff members from various HISD departments will visit a different school to tour the campus, observe classroom instruction, and view staff collaboration and instructional planning. The group then will meet to debrief what they saw and have a frank “think tank” discussion with campus and district leadership on instructional alignment at the school, teacher effectiveness, and specific problems of practice observed during the classroom visits.  Continue reading →

Board receives progress update on Achieve 180 initiative

Kashmere, Wheatley, and Woodson PK-8 leaders present challenges and changes on their campuses

HISD Board of Education trustees received an update at the Oct. 12 board meeting on Achieve 180, a research-based action plan to support, strengthen, and empower underserved and underperforming schools across HISD.

Achieve 180 School Support Officer Felicia Adams made a presentation on the progress that has been made at the 44 campuses included in the program and outlined the amount of time that has been spent on each of its six guiding pillars: leadership excellence, teacher excellence, instructional excellence, school design, social and emotional learning supports, and family and community empowerment. Best practices from previous successful school turnaround initiatives have been incorporated into the pillars. Continue reading →

HISD Trustees approve policy reinforcing commitment to wraparound services

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday approved a policy designed to reinforce the district’s commitment to providing students with wraparound services to better support their social and emotional needs outside the classroom.

The new policy – titled Student Support Services – outlines the Board’s belief that wraparound services are rooted in strong communities and directs the Superintendent to develop the framework for implementing community-based services.

The services are designed to address critical issues such as mental health, physical needs, food insecurity, violence at home, parent incarceration, and legal and crisis support. Continue reading →

Achieve 180 focus of District IX community meetings 

HISD Board of Education President Wanda Adams is hosting a series of District IX community meetings  this month to discuss the district’s Achieve 180 initiative, a research-based action plan to support, strengthen, and empower underserved and underperforming schools. Nine schools located in District IX are included in the initiative.

During the Oct. 9 meeting at Madison High School, which is an Achieve 180 campus, Adams showed a welcome message from Superintendent Carranza, who asked parents and community members to join the Achieve 180 movement.

Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education to consider policy reinforcing wraparound services commitment

Wraparound services are key part of Achieve 180 plan to support and empower struggling schools

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education tonight will consider a policy designed to reinforce the district’s commitment to providing students with wraparound services to better support their social and emotional needs outside the classroom.

The proposed policy – titled Student Welfare: Student Support Services – outlines the board’s belief that wraparound services are rooted in strong communities and directs the superintendent to develop the framework for implementing community-based services.

The services are designed to address critical issues such as mental health, physical needs, food insecurity, violence at home, parent incarceration, and legal and crisis support. Continue reading →

Teacher-turned-rapper breaks down college aid for Achieve 180 students   

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Two students awarded $5,000 college scholarship from Sallie Mae

Students at schools in the district’s Achieve 180 initiative recently got an interactive lesson on college financial aid thanks to a visit from a former middle school teacher turned rap artist.

David Augustine Jr., also known as rapper Dee-1, addressed the crowd of high school seniors on the importance of applying for college and sang his hit single about paying off student loans. The song, Sallie Mae Back, is about how Augustine paid off his college student loans with an advance he received after signing a record deal.

“I was like, how should I spend this,” said Dee-1. “Most rappers buy a new car, they take a vacation, buy jewelry but I wanted to break all the stereotypes – and most importantly, I wanted to get out of debt.”  Continue reading →

Teachers begin extended-day training on Achieve 180

Campuses receiving extra support and training every Wednesday

Teachers from across the district gathered at their campuses on Wednesday afternoon for their first extended-day, professional development session as part of Achieve 180, the district’s initiative to support underserved and academically challenged schools.

Achieve 180 contains six research-based best practices or pillars that provide a framework for the transformational work happening at 44 schools throughout HISD. One pillar of the plan, instructional excellence, includes two-hours of specialized and differentiated professional development for core teachers every Wednesday afternoon. The campus trainings are supported by district Teacher Development Specialists and staff from the Elementary and Secondary Curriculum Departments. Teachers at the Achieve 180 campuses receive extra-duty pay for the weekly professional development.  Continue reading →

Achieve 180 debuts with parade and community event in Sunnyside

Worthing feeder pattern schools join forces for ‘Southside Takeover’

HISD Superintendent Richard Carranza took to the streets of the Sunnyside community on Saturday, Aug. 19, for the first ever “Southside Takeover,” a back-to-school bash to kick-off the start of the 2017-2018 school year and the start of Achieve180.

“Achieve 180 is more than a plan or initiative,” said Carranza. “It’s a movement to better serve our historically underserved and academically challenged schools.”

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The “Southside Takeover” featured Carranza at the helm of a parade with students, staff, and parents from Worthing High School, along with various other campuses in the south area, and a resource fair for families with free immunizations, school supplies, backpacks, uniforms, food, and entertainment. Continue reading →

Achieve 180 kicks off with back-to-school events 

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Back-to-school events aimed at strengthening partnerships with parents and community   

Schools included in HISD’s Achieve 180 initiative are kicking off the 2017-2018 school year for their parents, students, and communities surrounding their campuses with everything from dance parties and parades to free school supplies, immunizations, and dental care.

Thirty-two schools are included in Achieve 180, a new district initiative launching during the 2017-2018 school year to support, strengthen, and empower underserved and underperforming HISD schools. A key component of the research-based initiative is family and community empowerment.   Continue reading →