Category Archives: Business Operations

Kolter ES construction more than 70 percent complete

The new Kolter Elementary School will soon be ready for students, teachers, and staff to move in and the Cougars can hardly wait to be back home. 

The $23 million project is tracking at 72 percent completion and slated to be occupied by this summer. Structural steel, roofing, and fireproofing will wrap up this quarter. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing installation is 81 percent complete. 

“We’re only five months away from being able to move into our new school home and we’re thrilled,” Kolter Principal Julie Dickinson said.  

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Braeburn ES construction 65 percent complete

Construction at the new Braeburn Elementary School is steadily progressing and the building will be ready for the Bobcats to move in this summer. 

The $30 million project is tracking at 65 percent completion with fireproofing complete and structural steel and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing installation to wrap this quarter. Roofing and interior framing are more than 75 percent complete and paving will be completed this month. 

The building is enclosed and interior finishes, such as flooring and ceilings, are expected to begin this quarter. 

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HISD agriculture specialist teaches students how to grow food

Agriculture Specialist Kierra Goosby spends much of her day outside, surveying and preparing school gardens for students to grow vegetables from seed to harvest. 

Goosby’s passion for nutrition education began when she was teaching her family about healthy eating practices. Now, she shares with students what she’s learned over the years. 

“It’s hard to explain in words the level of excitement they feel about planting seeds or watching them sprout,” Goosby said. “They’re excited about each step of the process. It’s very rewarding.” 

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Business Operations donates holiday meals to Henderson ES families

Growing up during the late 1970s and 1980s in Houston’s South Park neighborhood, Chief Operating Officer Brian Busby and his childhood friends could never tell that anyone around them was going without or in need.  

It wasn’t until he was an adult, he said, that he came to understand more about some of the choices that his family had to make — like always cooking at home and never eating out — to stay within their budget. 

“There are a lot of families that go without food during the holidays,” Busby said. “It’s important for us to do what we can do address their needs, especially during the holiday season.” 

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HISD chef uses flavor expertise to develop new recipes

The meals served to HISD students undertake a unique journey before arriving at school cafeterias, and Research and Development Chef Christopher Keegan is an essential part of that process. 

Keegan is responsible for producing tasty creations that are nutritious, cost-effective, easy to prepare at the school level, and have accessible ingredients. 

“I enjoy coming up with dishes that don’t look like school food,” said Keegan, who works for HISD’s Nutrition Services. “I’m constantly looking through magazines and cookbooks. We’re starting to do more international dishes, and we’re also looking at some vegan recipes.” 

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HISD to offer no-cost winter meals at five schools during winter break

School may be out for winter break, but cafeterias will be open at five HISD high schools, where Nutrition Services will offer meals free of charge for all children ages 1 to 18.

Booker T. Washington, Chavez and Madison high schools will serve breakfast and lunch during winter break. Additionally, Yates High School will serve lunch only, and Revere Middle School will serve breakfast only. Children ages 1 to 18 can enjoy a healthy breakfast and lunch at no charge, while adults can purchase breakfast for $2.75 and lunch for $4.

“We know our students can’t learn and thrive without healthy food to fuel them — and that need does not stop just because schools close for the winter break,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “Ensuring student health, safety, and well-being is one of our strategic priorities, and this program takes us one step closer to achieving our goal.”

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Transportation Services to focus on recruiting efforts in new year

The Houston Independent School District’s Transportation Services department will spend the new year focusing on recruitment efforts as it works to hire 30 more drivers by March.  

The department will begin hosting monthly bus driver job fairs in February 2020 as part of continuing efforts to make sure all routes are fully staffed, and additional drivers are available to provide coverage when employees are absent. 

Transportation Services General Manager John Wilcots IV said three job fairs will be held each month — one on a Saturday and two on weekdays. The upcoming job fairs are expected to give the department a head start on staffing for the summer and the 2020-2021 school year.  

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Northside HS celebrates grand opening with spirited event

Following a purple carpeted path, students, staff, and community members walked through an inflatable Panther tunnel, that led to a dining commons area decorated with purple and silver balloons in celebration of the Northside High School grand opening ceremony.  

Festive holiday music filled the space as guests heard student performances from the Northside High School Jazz Band, Dancing Pantherettes, Choir, Ballet Folklórico, and Cheerleaders.  

“This campus not only allows us to clearly express ourselves, but it inspires us to be more creative,” Northside Senior Jacquelin Ricalday said. “It’s great for current students, future students, and our community overall.” 

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Pittsburgh Public Schools visits DeBakey HSHP

Visitors from Pittsburgh Public Schools toured DeBakey High School for Health Professions recently to learn more about the state-of-the-art campus and Nutrition Services. 

Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent’s Chief of Staff Errika Fearbry Jones said their district’s strategic plan includes adding another science-based school and incorporating scratch cooking into its food services.  

“Houston is cutting-edge, so we’re coming here to kill two birds with one stone,” Jones said. “You’ve got to bring people along if you want them to buy in.” 

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Nutrition Services celebrates Thanksgiving with healthier lunch

Parents flooded the Lantrip Elementary School cafeteria Thursday as they joined their children — clad in pilgrim hats, white bonnets, and colorful turkey headbands — for a nutritious Thanksgiving lunch.  

The annual celebration hosted by HISD’s Nutrition Services has attracted thousands of families to school cafeterias for more than 50 years. This year’s menu included roasted turkey with gravy, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, a fresh fruit medley, and ice cream. 

“We get a ton of volunteers, but it takes everyone,” Lantrip Principal Magdalena Strickland said, noting that about half of the school’s 700 families participate in the Thanksgiving lunch each year. “When parents know you care for their kids, they’ll go above and beyond.” 

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