Category Archives: Board of Education

Trustees approve extended school day for 12 campuses, eliminate early dismissal days for all schools

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At its first regular Board meeting since Hurricane Harvey forced a delayed start to the school year, the Houston Independent School District Board of Education approved extended school days for 12 campuses to make up instructional time.

The Board also eliminated five early dismissal days scheduled throughout the school year for all campuses.

Download the revised 2017-2018 Academic Calendar

The Texas Education Agency approved waivers that exempt students from making up the first nine days of missed classes. However, students at 12 schools starting after Sept. 11 will have to make up lost time beyond those days.

“There is no perfect solution,” Superintendent Richard Carranza said. “And as we talked about over the course of this weather event, flexibility will be key. But we are also making sure the extra time is not just seat time.” Continue reading →

Leal sworn in as trustee for District III

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At a brief ceremony in the Manuel Rodríguez, Jr. Board Auditorium, José Leal was sworn in as District III trustee by State Sen. Sylvia Garcia. He was surrounded by friends and family during the board ceremony, which was presided over by District II Board Secretary Rhonda Skillern-Jones.

“I am here to serve the students, the parents and the teachers,” Leal said in an interview after the ceremony. “This is not about status, it’s all about the service and people.”

Leal was appointed to the Board of Education in August 2017 by unanimous vote of HISD trustees. He is serving a portion of the unexpired term of District III representative, a position left vacant by the passing of Trustee Rodríguez. Leal’s term will expire in January 2018 after a special election for the office will be held on Nov. 7, 2017.

Leal has worked in HISD schools since 1981, beginning his career in the operations and maintenance departments.   Continue reading →

Hilliard Elementary among schools that suffered ‘extensive’ damage in Hurricane Harvey

Fifty-three campuses have “major” damage, 22 have “extensive” damage; assessment of campuses continues

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The floors of Hilliard Elementary School, where Hurricane Harvey floodwaters at one point reached 4 feet high, were still slick and littered with wet debris on Saturday, with water pooling in the hallways, cafetorium and classrooms. Flooring schoolwide will need to be torn out, walls removed 4 feet from the floor, and surfaces dried with humidifiers and covered in anti-microbial disinfectant.

The extent of devastation at the northeast Houston campus places it in the “top 10” of schools damaged by the storm. Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education approves donations for Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education held a special meeting this afternoon to discuss several items related to Hurricane Harvey. The Board voted unanimously to approve the following items:

  • Authorization for HISD for purchasing during crisis
  • Approval of current and future donations to the HISD Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund
  • Authorization for Superintendent Richard Carranza to accept a $1 million donation for the HISD Foundation from a private donor for the district’s relief effort
  • Approval for hourly workers to be compensated for the time Harvey forced schools to be closed
  • Superintendent Carranza also updated the Board and the public about damage to HISD facilities. Of the nearly 200 schools our crews have been able to get to so far, he says almost all of them have some water intrusion. The district hopes to have all school sites assessed by midnight.

Central office staff and principals will return on Tuesday, Sept. 5. Teachers will return for a work day on Friday, Sept. 8. And students are scheduled to return on Monday, Sept. 11.

“Now it’s time to roll up our sleeves and welcome our babies,” said Board President Trustee Wanda Adams.

Board agenda review canceled; regular board meeting, swearing-in of new trustee to take place Sept. 14

The HISD Board of Education’s Sept. 5 agenda review meeting has been canceled due to the catastrophic weather conditions across the Houston area caused by Hurricane Harvey.

The regular monthly board meeting will take place Sept. 14 as scheduled. The swearing-in of José Leal as District III trustee, which was originally set for Sept. 5, will also take place Sept. 14.

The Board of Education voted unanimously in August to appoint Leal to fill the seat left vacant after the death of longtime District III Trustee Manuel Rodríguez Jr. Leal will take his oath of office in the Manuel Rodríguez Jr. Board Auditorium at 1 p.m., followed by a reception in room 1E02. He will then join fellow board members in closed session at 2 p.m. until the start of the regular monthly board meeting at 5 p.m.

Leal has more than 20 years of classroom experience. His career with HISD started in 1981, when he worked in operations and maintenance. He has worked as a bilingual teacher at Pugh Elementary School, a counselor and dean of students at Hamilton Middle School, and an assistant principal at Wheatley High School. He has also been a dean of students at Meyerland Middle School, assistant principal at North Forest High School, and a counselor at YES Prep Northbrook. He is currently a special education teacher at Houston Can Academies.

Leal will serve until a special election is held Nov. 7.

Community gathers to honor late Trustee Rodríguez at board auditorium naming ceremony

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The family of late District III Trustee Manuel Rodríguez Jr., along with elected officials, educators, and community members, gathered at Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center on Thursday to dedicate the board auditorium in his name.

Rodríguez, who passed away July 19, was a lifelong public servant and a trustee for 14 years. He was also a product of HISD schools, graduating from Austin High School in 1970 after attending Franklin Elementary and McReynolds Middle schools. His wife and four children also attended HISD schools.

“Today is a day of joy as we leave behind a legacy for the Rodríguez family,” said HISD Board of Education President Wanda Adams. Continue reading →

HISD accepting resumes/letters of interest from qualified candidates for Trustee District III

The HISD Board of Education is saddened by the unexpected death of its longtime District III Trustee Manual Rodriguez two years before his term of office is set to expire in December 2019.  Trustee Rodriguez represented District III since 2003. The Board plans to fill the vacancy by appointment at a duly posted meeting on or before August 17, 2017. Qualified candidates residing within District III should submit resumes/letters of interest by email to the HISD Board Services Office, Attention: Veronica Mabasa, at Vmabasa@houstonisd.org not later than Friday, August 11, 2017 at 5 p.m.  Continue reading →

HISD Trustees to host ceremony naming board auditorium after Trustee Manuel Rodríguez Jr.

The HISD Board of Trustees continues to mourn the loss of longtime Board of Trustees member Manuel Rodríguez Jr. In an effort to celebrate his life and memory, the board voted unanimously during its monthly agenda review session to name the board auditorium at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center the Manuel Rodríguez Jr. Board Auditorium.

Prior to the monthly Board of Trustees meeting Thursday, Aug. 10, the board will host a reception to commemorate the renaming. That celebration is open to the public and will include a proclamation by Trustee Rodríguez’s longtime friend, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, and other presentations.

“Trustee Rodríguez spent 14 years fighting in this auditorium for the students in District III and across the district to have access to the highest quality education HISD could provide for them,” says Board President Wanda Adams.  “We remain saddened by his loss, but it was only fitting that we do this small gesture to remind everyone of the warrior that fought here for so long.”

“The decision the board made to name the auditorium after Trustee Rodríguez shows the level of respect they all have for the work he did throughout his tenure to make HISD a better place for all students,” said Superintendent Richard Carranza. “From now on, every time anyone walks into the board auditorium, they will be reminded of a man who dedicated years to helping our students.”

The ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. in the lobby of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center. There will be a ribbon-cutting around 4:30 p.m., and a brief video presentation inside the newly-named auditorium. The board will proceed with its regularly scheduled meeting immediately following the ceremony.

Please RSVP to ywences@HoustonISD.org by Aug. 8.

 

HISD Board names auditorium after late District III Trustee Manuel Rodríguez Jr.

The HISD Board of Education honored the late District III Trustee Manuel Rodríguez Jr. by naming the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center auditorium The Manuel Rodríguez Jr. Board Auditorium during their monthly agenda review meeting on Monday.

Rodríguez, who passed away this month, served as a board member for 14 years. He was elected to the board in 2003 and held every office, including assistant secretary, second vice president, first vice president, and president of the Board of Education. Continue reading →