Category Archives: Achievement/Recognition

HISD students raise SAT/PSAT scores by hundreds of points using free test prep from Khan Academy

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Two Booker T. Washington students have become national ambassadors for successful SAT/PSAT prep by  increasing their scores a combined 670 points, thanks to free practice tools available to every HISD student through Khan Academy.

In mid-October, the CollegeBoard flew Valencia Grayson and Matthew Blue to the Council of the Great City Schools fall conference in Miami, where they were honored for their success with the Khan SAT prep. HISD Superintendent Richard Carranza also attended the conference, where HISD was recognized for actively promoting the Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy.

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HISD board president honored for dedication to education

Houston ISD District 3 Trustee Manuel Rodríguez Jr.

Houston ISD District 3 Trustee Manuel Rodríguez Jr.

Houston Independent School District Board of Education President Manuel Rodríguez Jr. will be recognized as the 2016 Pearl Award Honoree by the Hispanic Family Initiative on Friday, Oct. 14 during the Hispanic Family and Fatherhood Conference.

The Hispanic Family Initiative named Rodríguez as the 2016 Pearl Award recipient for his community service efforts and dedication to helping HISD families and students. The Hispanic Family Initiative is an organization that focuses on addressing issues facing Hispanic families in Houston and across the country. The organization’s annual Hispanic Family Conference brings together local professionals to Houston Community College for an opportunity to discuss the importance of fathers being engaged in their children’s education.

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HISD schools win NFL Play 60 grants from Houston Texans, Texas Children’s Hospital

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Four HISD schools earned a big victory from the Houston Texans and the Texas Children’s Hospital by winning an NFL PLAY 60 grant that will fund new equipment for P.E., sports, and after-school programs to help get kids moving.

Mitchell Elementary School, Attucks Middle School, and Westbury High School each won a $10,000 grant while Blackshear Elementary School received a $5,000 grant. Representatives from the schools were recognized during the halftime presentation of the Houston Texans game Oct. 2 at NRG Stadium.

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HISD names new chief academic officer

Houston ISD Superintendent Richard Carranza has selected Chief School Officer Grenita Lathan as the district’s new chief academic officer.

lathan“HISD is very fortunate to have Dr. Lathan on our team,” Carranza said. “She is a strong leader with a reputation for improving outcomes for students and engaging our families and school communities. She has a deep understanding of effective classroom teaching, student-focused instruction, and school leadership that will help our students and educators succeed. I am confident that her depth of knowledge will continue to move HISD into a consistently high-performing public school district.” Continue reading

Hispanic Heritage Month continues with six more HISD school namesakes

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The Houston Independent School District is observing Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through Oct. 15, by honoring the Hispanics for whom many of the district’s schools are named.

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month by recognizing the contributions made to this country by people of Hispanic descent, including those whose ancestors immigrated from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

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HISD schools win National Blue Ribbon Award

U.S. Department of Education recognizes Lovett, Oak Forest elementaries

Lovett and Oak Forest elementary schools in the Houston Independent School District received a 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award on Wednesday from the U.S Department of Education. The schools are among just 329 schools nationwide and 26 public schools in Texas to receive the honor.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Award honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students either achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap, especially among disadvantaged and minority students. The award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. Continue reading

Twenty-eight HISD schools recognized by state for top performance in 2015-2016

HISD schools were twice as likely as other Texas schools to earn the maximum number of distinction designations from the Texas Education Agency for their strong performance during the 2015-2016 school year, according to a report released this week.

Eleven percent of the district’s 255 eligible campuses earned every distinction designation for which they were eligible. Statewide, only 5.5 percent of eligible schools can make that claim. HISD’s awarded campuses include 15 elementary schools, six middle schools, and seven high schools. Continue reading

Furr High School awarded $10 million grant

HISD’s Furr High School has won a $10 million Super School Project grant, beating out thousands of other schools who applied from across the nation.

The five-year grant, awarded by the XQ Institute, began with a call for innovative ideas for redesigning traditional American high schools to prepare students for college and the workforce. Only 10 schools were awarded grants. Continue reading

52 HISD students named National Merit semifinalists

Fifty-two seniors from six Houston Independent School District high schools qualified as semifinalists this week in the 62nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

The HISD students are among 16,000 from across the country to earn the semifinalist designation, allowing them the opportunity to continue in the academic competition and vie for nearly $33 million in scholarships that will be awarded next year.

The students attend Bellaire, Booker T. Washington, Carnegie Vanguard, and Lamar high schools, DeBakey High School for Health Professions, and the High School for the Performing & Visual Arts. Continue reading

Telemundo, Chick-fil-A want to recognize outstanding HISD teachers

Know an outstanding teacher who deserves kudos and free Chick-fil-A? Then nominate them for Telemundo/Chick-fil-A’s Teacher of the Month program.

The partnership seeks to recognize HISD educators who inspire their students, are involved in the community, and routinely go above and beyond in the classroom.  Continue reading