Category Archives: Board of Education

More than 2,500 elementary students to step into the holidays with new kicks in East End

Students in Houston’s East End will get brand-new shoes in time for the holidays, thanks to the Navigation Area Business Association’s annual Shoes for Kids donation.

The event will take place Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 at 6  p.m. inside the gym and cafeteria at Austin High School (1700 Dumble, Houston 77023).

For the 30th year, NABA will donate more than 2,500 pairs of shoes to students from 10 HISD elementary schools: Burnet, Carillo, DeZavala, Franklin, Gallegos, J.R. Harris, J.P. Henderson, Lantrip, Page, and Tijerina. Continue reading →

HISD recruiting teachers at hiring events in Florida

A team from the Houston Independent School District will travel to Florida this month to recruit and interview teachers for positions in critical shortage areas.

The district is looking for elementary bilingual education teachers who are fluent in both English and Spanish, as well as secondary math, science, and English/Language Arts teachers. Also needed are special education teachers with experience in autism education and deaf education at all levels.

Interviews/Job Fairs will be held in both Orlando and Miami. Candidates must pre-register and bring their teaching certificates, college transcripts, and/or a copy of their bachelor’s degree. Continue reading →

Board of Education’s updated Mission, Vision, Beliefs, Constraints, and Goals focus on equity, improving student outcomes

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education recently adopted changes to the District’s Vision and Beliefs, and approved the addition of a Mission, Constraints, and Goal Progress Measures, to serve as the district’s roadmap to success.

“Together, the Mission, Vision, Beliefs, Constraints, and Goals represent a sharper focus on the very specific steps we as a district must take to improve student outcomes. The trustees on the Board of Education are united in our commitment to ensure that HISD delivers the best possible education equitably to all students in our district,” said HISD Board of Education President Wanda Adams.

The Mission, Vision, Beliefs, Constraints, and Goals reinforce HISD’s commitment to equity, closing the achievement gap, meeting the needs of the whole child, personalizing learning for each individual child, creating safe, joyful learning spaces, retaining qualified and effective personnel, operating with transparency across all departments, and engaging meaningfully with the community in all major decision-making.

The Board’s Mission, Vision, Beliefs, Constraints, and Goals are on permanent display in a series of posters outside the Manuel Rodriguez Jr. Board Auditorium.

Read more about HISD’s Mission, Vision, Beliefs, Constraints, and Goals here.

Academic calendar for 2018-19 school year available online now 

The academic calendar for the 2018-2019 school year, which was approved by the Board of Education this month, is now available online.

The calendar was drafted with input from a committee made up of principals, union representatives, and departments across the district, as well as the District Advisory Committee.

The first day of school for students will be Aug. 27, and the final day of classes for students will be May 31.

The academic calendar gives students and staff a full week off during Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, the Fall Holiday is set for Monday, Sept. 10, a date that coincides with the first day of the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashana.

View the calendar in English and Spanish here.

HISD Board of Education approves inclusive practices for special education students

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday approved a resolution to strengthen current services provided to HISD students with special needs to succeed in the general education classroom.

This resolution lays out a set of best practices for increasing the time that special education students spend in the general education classroom, while providing additional services and the support needed.  The district recognizes the need to raise expectations for students with disabilities and educate them in the least restrictive environment.

“As the district focuses on equity in every classroom, we understand our special needs students deserve every resource we can offer to ensure they succeed,” Superintendent Richard Carranza said.  “This resolution is a necessary next step to delivering the services they need.” Continue reading →

Three HISD incumbents prevail on election night, one open seat filled, and two open seats head to runoffs

Houston Independent School District Board President Wanda Adams and Trustee Anne Sung were re-elected to the Board of Education Tuesday, while Trustee Holly Maria Flynn Vilaseca won a seat she was previously appointed to, and Sue Deigaard won the open District V seat.  The District I and District III seats will be decided in a runoff election.

Adams, a graduate of Kashmere High School and Texas Southern University, won a second term as the trustee for District IX. President Adams defeated Gerry Monroe and Karla Brown.

Sung, a Bellaire High School and Harvard University graduate, won her first full term as the trustee of District VII. She was elected in December of 2016 to fill the unexpired term of Harvin Moore. Trustee Sung defeated John Luman. 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 →

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 →

District IX community meetings planned

Board president to address various topics, including Achieve 180

HISD Board President Wanda Adams is hosting community meetings for families and staff in District IX.

At the meetings, Trustee Adams will discuss various topics including the status of HISD and schools post-Hurricane Harvey and the launch of Achieve 180, the district’s initiative to support historically underserved and academically underperforming schools.

The community meetings are scheduled as follows. All start at 6 p.m.  Continue reading →