Category Archives: Business Operations

HISD Police Department active shooter training prepares officers, schools

At least three times a month, officers with the Houston Independent School District Police Department can be found at the northeast substation, training for emergency events they hope never happen.

The department’s Emergency Response Team trains diligently to prepare for high-pressure situations, such as hostile traffic stops, agitated individuals, barricaded subjects, and active shooters.

HISD Police Chief Paul Cordova said the need for the training is greater than ever before in light of recent school shootings across the country.

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HISD Business Operations launches new brand focused on students

With more than 7,000 employees, Business Operations is the largest division in HISD. But what exactly do we do?

Before students can ever file into their classrooms, bus drivers and crossing guards must get them safely to school. Cafeteria workers must make them a nutritious breakfast. Custodians, police officers, and construction crews must make sure they have new, clean, safe spaces in which to learn.

The breadth of our work touches all facets of the district, and support is at the heart of everything we do. We help lay the foundation for student success — most of the time behind the scenes.

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Transportation Services to host job fairs throughout summer

Transportation Services is continuing its recruiting efforts as the school year comes to an end, with the department hosting four job fairs this summer to hire new bus drivers.  

The district has been working this past year to address a bus driver shortage by adding more drivers to its roster. The job fairs will continue through June and July. 

“We want people who are reliable and hardworking,” Transportation Services General Manager John Wilcots IV said. “My goal is to have one bus driver for every route as we head into next year.”  

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Ministers and school, community leaders partner for safe start to summer

Local religious, school, and community leaders joined together Friday to kick off the 29th year of Project Safe Start to ensure students are safe as they transition to summer vacation.

Together, the group will ensure additional patrol officers are placed in the immediate vicinity of schools and throughout neighborhoods surrounding school campuses to help monitor and decrease any illegal activity during the last few days of the school year.

“We acknowledge that it takes all of us to make this possible,” Houston Ministers Against Crime Pastor F. N. Williams II said. “It takes all of us working together to bring this to pass.”

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HISD Police Department’s K-9 unit continues to expand

Most people don’t know that some of the most active members of the HISD Police Department are younger than 6 years old, furry, and do their part to keep the district safe.

The K-9 unit is a vital part of HISD’s Police Department, with all police dogs trained to support and protect officers. The K-9s also conduct area searches for drugs, weapons, or other contraband that may be on school grounds or in district facilities.

“The K-9 unit has been around since the ‘90s,” HISD Police Sergeant Tridung Tran said. “We started with two and now we’ve expanded to five K-9s. They allow us to provide a better service to the district.”

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Barbara Jordan Career Center celebrates grand opening with unique ribbon-cutting experience

Barbara Jordan Career Center rolled out the red carpet for guests on Wednesday to celebrate the grand opening of its new building.

The event was held in the school’s state-of-the-art welding center where students awed guests by welding through a brightly colored metal strip, which took the place of a traditional ceremonial ribbon.

“Moving to this new facility has energized adults and students alike,” Principal Ross McAlpine told guests. “Each day I witness teachers transforming their classrooms and labs into wonderful learning environments. And every day students approach me to let me know how much they enjoy the opportunities that Barbara Jordan offers them.”

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HISD Police to celebrate Police Appreciation Week

This week, law enforcement officers in HISD and across the country will be celebrated for their service and sacrifice as part of Law Enforcement Appreciation Week.

The annual observance was created in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week in which the date falls as Law Enforcement Appreciation Week.

“Every year we use this time to reflect on the value of peace officers to our society and the immense sacrifices they make on a daily basis to protect the community,” HISD Police Chief Paul Cordova said. “During this week we want to honor both the living and the dead who have dedicated their lives to serve others.”

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Arabic Immersion Magnet School relocating to former Kinder HSPVA campus

The Houston Independent School District’s Arabic Immersion Magnet School will relocate this summer to the former campus of Kinder High School for Performing and Visual Arts — a move designed to accommodate the school’s growing student population and transformation to a PK-8 campus.  

The new location, located at 4001 Stanford St., is just seven miles south of the original AIMS campus on West 28th Street in the Heights. The campus will provide a more central, neighborhood location while still maintaining proximity to the original campus. Additionally, the new building has space for the school to expand, including areas for fine arts, physical education, and a growing pre-kindergarten program. 

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Bond Oversight Committee tours Wharton Dual Language Academy, receives program update

HISD Bond Oversight Committee members toured the new Wharton Dual Language Academy during their quarterly meeting Tuesday, getting an inside look at the building that opened its doors to students just four months ago.

Wharton Principal Jennifer Day and HISD Construction Services Senior Manager Meredith Smith led the group around the colorful building, making stops in classrooms, science and computer labs, and art and music rooms, as well as the cafeteria, gym, and library.

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Wharton Dual Language Academy celebrates new school with grand opening

Hundreds of Wharton Dual Language Academy students, staff, parents, and community members gathered Thursday in their new gymnasium to celebrate the school’s grand opening. 

Red and yellow balloons created a colorful backdrop for guests as they were entertained by several student musical performances, as well as traditional folkloric dance routines performed by students clad in colorful, folkloric attire.  

“Today we celebrate the realization of the vision that we had for our new school,” Wharton Dual Language Academy Principal Jennifer Day said. “And it is a school that is built especially for our unique program,”  

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