Category Archives: Business Operations

Transportation’s Coffee & Conversations aims to foster communication with parents   

HISD parents and campus administers gathered with Transportation Services staff on Wednesday to discuss their most pressing transportation concerns during the second round of Coffee & Conversations.

The bimonthly meetings — held this month at Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center and Carnegie Vanguard High School — allow Transportation Services the opportunity to share important updates and progress, identify ongoing challenges and gather feedback.

“We know we have a lot of work to do,” Wilcots said. “But know that we are making changes and working every day to better our systems.”  Continue reading →

HISD celebrates Thanksgiving with special lunch at schools

Thanksgiving is approaching quickly, and parents of Walnut Bend Elementary School students visited the school on Thursday to enjoy a hearty Thanksgiving lunch with their children.

The special celebration, occurring during normal lunch hours, is an HISD tradition that has attracted thousands of families to school cafeterias for more than 50 years. The event gives parents a chance to celebrate the holiday a week early by sharing a meal with their children.

The students and their families filled their plates with roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and sweet potato cake. Families sat down to enjoy their meals at reserved tables with fall-themed tablecloths and centerpieces. Continue reading →

Sterling Aviation HS preparing students for promising automotive careers

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Sterling Aviation High School is preparing its students for success beyond high school through a unique program that couples classroom instruction and real-world automotive work experience.

In partnership with HISD’s Facilities Services and Fleet Operations, students from Sterling’s Automotive Technology program spend a full school year working alongside HISD employees, gaining valuable industry experience and becoming equipped to successfully enter the workforce upon graduation.

Continue reading →

Construction on new Madison HS nears completion

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Construction on Madison High School’s new building is nearly complete, with final preparations currently underway and an opening day set for January 2019.

Installation of carpet and vinyl flooring is wrapping up, and crews have begun installation of ceiling tile. The installation of the seating and wood flooring in the auditorium and gymnasium is also underway.

Continue reading →

Nutrition Services to host annual Thanksgiving lunch for students

HISD Nutrition Services is gearing up to host its annual Thanksgiving lunch for students across the district on Thursday, Nov. 15.

The special celebration, occurring during normal lunch hours, is an HISD tradition that has attracted thousands of families to school cafeterias for more than 50 years. The event gives parents a chance to celebrate the holiday a week early by sharing a meal with their children.

Continue reading →

HISD Transportation Services continues to update routes, reinstate bus stops

Almost 80 bus routes impacting more than 3,750 students across the district have been updated this week and six major bus stops in west, south, and southwest Houston are being reinstated.

The changes are part of Transportation Services continued efforts to review and streamline operations, improve services, increase efficiency, and ensure all students arrive at school each day safely and on time.

“The changes we’re making might seem incremental, but they’re all important,” HISD Transportation Services Interim General Manager John Wilcots IV said. “Each update we make increases our operational efficiency, but more importantly, it helps us provide better service to our students.”

Continue reading →

HISD Police Department honors recipients at 21st Annual Awards Luncheon

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The Houston Independent School District Police Department gathered Tuesday to celebrate the outstanding customer service and achievements of officers and personnel during their 21st Annual Awards Luncheon.

Continue reading →

Students dance, play games at Nutrition Services Fall Tailgates

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A large group of energetic Holland Middle School students danced alongside their teachers in the school cafeteria last week, while others played Connect 4 and cornhole.

Other students streamed through the lunch line — decorated with white and blue balloons — as cafeteria staff handed out bright green water bottles to students.

The event was a part of a Fall Tailgate series hosted by HISD’s Nutrition Services department. In its second year, the Fall Tailgates are designed to get students excited about school lunch and encourage them to select healthier meal options.

Continue reading →

HISD Transportation reinstating four bus stops in southwest Houston

HISD’s Transportation Services has reinstated four major southwest Houston school bus stops serving roughly 600 students and is recruiting more than 90 safety monitors to oversee magnet hubs across the district.

The changes are part of a continued effort by the department to improve its services and ensure students arrive at school safely and on time each day.

“Our goal is to ensure all students arrive at school by 7:15 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. — 15 minutes ahead of the standardized start times,” Transportation Services Interim General Manager John Wilcots IV said. “Our employees see the value in meeting this goal.”

The reinstated stops are located at the intersections of Allday and Sands Point drives, Memorial and Plainwood drives, and Player Street and Tidewater Drive, as well as one stop along Tiger Lilly Way. Students assigned to these stops have already been notified. Continue reading →

New Wharton Dual Language Academy building nears completion

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Construction on the new Wharton Dual Language Academy is now 95 percent complete with the project team, school principal, and teachers making plans to welcome students to the new facility in January.

Crews are currently wrapping up work on interior finishes and have begun waxing floors and sodding outdoor areas. All mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are operational, data cable installation is complete, and final inspections are underway.

“Four years ago, we began planning. As we approach our move-in, it is exciting to see the final touches be put in place and to see our vision come to life,” Wharton Principal Jennifer Day said. “It is a beautiful facility, and we’re looking forward to our opening day with students in January.” Continue reading →