Category Archives: Business Operations

New food distribution sites identified for week of April 13

The Houston Independent School District will continue food distribution efforts at 25 sites throughout the district during the week of Monday, April 13.

Nutrition Services staff are packing food bags at the Hexser T. Holliday Food Services Support Facility, which serves as the central hub for the initiative. Staff will then deliver the food to the distribution sites. Each site can distribute up to 500 bags — or 15,000 pounds of food — per day.

As families arrive at sites, nutrition staff will minimize contact by filling out the required Emergency Food Assistance Program forms for families and placing food in their trunks. Participants who walk to the sites also must adhere to social distancing requirements.

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Nutrition Services employees helping families fight hunger during pandemic

Dozens of cars were already lined up at McReynolds Middle School on Tuesday when Nutrition Assistant Shondrica Crenshaw arrived for her shift.

Clad in a face mask and gloves, she quickly joined her co-workers, assuming a spot six feet from them as she began placing bags of food in the trunk of each car that drove up.

“I’m more than excited to be out here,” Crenshaw said. “We’re all going through a lot right now. It’s a blessing to be able to give back.”

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HISD to relaunch food distribution efforts on April 6 with centralized packing hub

The Houston Independent School District will relaunch food distribution efforts throughout the district beginning Monday, April 6, with a streamlined process that will implement increased safety measures.

HISD Nutrition Services will continue to work with the Houston Food Bank for the initiative and use the Hexser T. Holliday Food Services Support Facility as the central hub for this initiative. Staff will pack food boxes at the facility, which then will be delivered to the distribution sites Monday through Friday. Each site will distribute 500 boxes per day.

As a safety measure, HISD will also employ the Standard Distribution Method developed by the I Love You Guys Foundation, which will streamline efforts and include social distancing for both staff and families.

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HISD expands number of food distribution sites to 36

In response to high demand on Saturday, March 14 at Chavez High School, HISD, in partnership with the Houston Food Bank School Market program, will offer daily food distribution at 31 additional campuses beginning Wednesday, March 18 and continuing through Friday, March 20.

The five campuses previously scheduled to serve as food distribution locations will remain unchanged on Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17.

“After witnessing first-hand, the enormous need in the community at our first distribution site, it was clear that we needed to increase our efforts to help more families in partnership with the Houston Food Bank,” said HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan. “Our top priority right now is doing our part to ensure that our children are being fed during these unprecedented times, and I am thankful to all who are stepping up to serve families.”

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HISD to operate daily food distribution sites during districtwide closure

HISD, in partnership with the Houston Food Bank School Market program, will offer daily food distribution at five area high schools, beginning Saturday, March 16 to Friday, March 20.

A sixth high school will host a one-time food distribution site on Saturday, March 14.

The measure is being implementing to ensure all HISD families, many of whom have students who depend upon school meals, have access to healthy food while the district is closed.

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HISD strengthening school, bus sanitization efforts

The Houston Independent School District is augmenting its cleaning and sanitization efforts as a precautionary measure as officials continue to monitor the potential impact of COVID-19. 

HISD has no confirmed cases of COVID-19. However, acting out of an abundance of caution, the district issued a 14-day self-quarantine for several individuals, all of whom recently returned from a country on the CDC travel warning list or are closely related to someone who did.  

Impacted schools are being deep cleaned and sanitized as a precautionary measure. This includes fogging all rooms with CDC-recommended disinfectant and cleaning all air ducts, a common practice for potential cases of airborne viruses.  

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HISD takes home 26 TSPRA awards for communications, community engagement efforts

The Houston Independent School District’s Communications department earned top honors for its work in communications and community engagement during the 2020 Texas School Public Relations Association Annual Conference in Austin.  

The accolades covered nearly all facets of communications, including writing, videography, graphic design, marketing, branding, and special events.  

“As the storytellers of HISD, we are passionate about sharing the inspiring stories of our resilient students, hard-working teachers, and empowering leaders,” said Chief Communications Officer Rebecca Suarez.  “I am extremely proud of our Communications Team for their creative lens and clear focus on promoting the district’s strategic priorities to help student succeed.”   

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Wiggins selected as one of Education Week’s 2020 Leaders to Learn From

HISD Nutrition Services Officer Betti Wiggins has been selected as a 2020 Leaders to Learn From by Education Week, a weekly publication highlighting issues in education across the nation. 

Wiggins is one of 12 honorees for 2020. She was selected for the distinction based on her leadership in food services and equity.   

“I’m so proud of the work we’ve done in HISD Nutrition Services surrounding food equity. Food literacy and inclusion ensures students have more than a consumer relationship with food,” Wiggins said.  

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Washington HS pool construction nears halfway mark

Washington High School students soon will be able to practice their favorite swimming strokes in their new four-lane pool and natatorium, which is set to open in April. 

Tracking at 45 percent completion, the natatorium features large garage-style overhead coiling doors that open to allow fresh air inside and fencing at each opening to maintain a secure perimeter.  

The pool’s concrete foundation was poured last month, and pool walls are being constructed. After the pool is formed, the concrete deck and locker rooms will be finished.  

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Bond Oversight Committee meets for fourth quarter update

Upbeat music blared through the speakers of the Northside High School dance studio as the Dancing Pantherettes showcased their new studio space for Bond Oversight Committee members.

Led by Northside Principal Cecilia Gonzales, Associate Principal Victor Okoli, and Construction Services Senior Manager Sizwe Lewis, the tour of the new Northside also featured the new fine arts wing, black box theater, TV production room, and culinary kitchen. 

After the tour, Northside culinary arts students served a buffet-style, made-from-scratch breakfast — including biscuits, scones, eggs, bacon, sausage, and fruit — to showcase their magnet for culinary arts, hotel management, and media. 

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