Several students from two Houston ISD schools were recently recognized for completing the Youth Business Institute, an 11-week professional development program.
Students from Bellaire and Westbury high schools were mentored by TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Home Goods associates to learn job and life skills, including budgeting, resume building, interview preparation and attire, merchandising, goal setting and career exploration through job shadow days.
Representatives from more than 70 HISD schools will be on-site
April 25, 2013 – When it comes to selecting a school, parents and students at the Houston Independent School District have a multitude of options from magnet programs to preschool programs to career and technical education academies and early college high schools. Houston families will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from more than 70 HISD schools at the upcoming HISD School Choice Fair on Saturday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Hattie Mae White Education Support Center (4400 West 18th Street).
“In HISD, we are committed to providing equity in access to quality educational programs for all students,” said Assistant Superintendent of School Choice Dave Wheat. “We want to help families choose an ideal school for their children based on the students’ interests, talents, and needs.”
The schools at the fair are those that still have space for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year. The representatives from these schools will be available to answer questions, provide detailed information about their campuses and help parents fill out the application on site.
Information will be provided about HISD’s magnet schools, early colleges, vanguard programs for gifted and talented students, preschool programs, multilingual programs and other specialty programs, including the district’s newest additions to its portfolio, the Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan and The Energy Institute High School. Parents and students have until May 16 to apply for these two new magnet schools that will feature a highly rigorous curriculum emphasizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
For more information about the School Choice Fair, please contact the Office of School Choice at 713-556-6947.
HISD administrators and principals, teachers, staff from 24 campuses will join discussion
What: Learn about the latest strategies in connecting career and technical education into traditional core classes during this half-day symposium titled, “Pathways to the Future.” Moderating the discussion will be ConnectEd, a project of the California Center for College and Career that promotes expanding pathways to college and career success.
NASCAR Driver Donnie Neuenberger will drive the car in the competition
What: For the past six weeks, a group of students from Chavez High School have been engineering a race car that will be driven by NASCAR driver Donnie Neuenberger in The Texas Mile competition in Goliad County on March 22 – 24. Chavez Motor Sports Engineering is unlike any other pro team in racing in that the crew chief, car chief, and team specialists are all students. The team is lead by science and engineering teacher and professional racer Greg Ditch. The students have been working in the school’s engineering lab after school and on Saturdays to transform a stock 2006 Pontiac GTO into a 700 horsepower land speed race car. Through the process of engineering an actual competitive car, the students in the program have learned how math and science apply to the world of high performance motor sports.
Event includes hands-on projects, competitions and workshops related to local career fields
In observance of National Career and Technology Education month in February, HISD’s College and Career Readiness Department is hosting the When I Grow Up Expo on Saturday, February 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hattie Mae White Educational Center (4400 W. 18th Street).
Dr. Nghia Le, an engineering teacher at Booker T. Washington High School, and his students were featured on Engines of Our Ingenuity, a regular segment from the University of Houston College of Engineering. Click here to listen to the episode, which aired today on KUHF.
Students at Sterling High School and Carnegie Vanguard High School will soon be the beneficiaries of a new partnership with the Houston Airport System.
Mayor Annise Parker, along with Sterling HS students Jesse Soto, Javonte Woodson, and Abril De La Cruz, announced the new initiative, dubbed the Aviation Club, during a press conference held Oct. 25 at City Hall.
The club will allow teenagers from both campuses with an interest in aviation or aerospace to explore those subjects through a series of monthly meetings held during the school year. It is designed to increase the number of young people pursuing careers in those fields.
To participate, students must attend either Carnegie or Sterling, maintain a GPA of at least 2.5, and meet various other criteria.
To learn more, please visit the Houston Airport System’s website.
Chef Sonnenscmidt demonstrates how to make “reis fleisch,” a traditional Serbian dish containing rice and meat.
Students in the culinary arts program at HISD’s Westside High School got served a big bowl of excitement recently when two retired master chefs came to the campus to give demonstrations as part of the Culinary Institute of America’s Ambassadors program.
Paul Prosperi, a master of the baking and pastry arts who has worked in Paris, London, and New York City, and Fritz Sonnenschmidt, a certified master chef who retired as dean of the CIA in 2002, showed students how to make three different types of meringue, and a Serbian rice-and-meat dish called “reis fleisch.”
“Chef Sonnenschmidt talked about the historical significance of food, how rice was used a lot in Spain and so many spices come from India,” said Chef Reginald Martin, who teaches culinary arts classes at Westside. “Chef Prosperi demonstrated the different techniques of making meringue: French, Swiss, and Italian.”
Chef Prosperi shows off a chocolate mousse dessert made with various types of meringue, presented in a martini glass.
Chef Martin, who began coordinating the master chefs’ visit last spring, said that the newest branch of the CIA (one of only three in the nation) opened in Texas just a few years ago, so Westside seemed like a natural partner.
“One student said it was the best day she’s ever had in culinary arts,” he said. “She was blown away by the opportunity to work with such high-level experts in the industry.”
About 50 Westside students attended the 2 1/2-hour demonstration, which was streamed live on the internet so that any other interested parties could watch as well. A recording of the broadcast is here.
About 200,000 Houston Independent School District students are expected to return to school for the first day of classes on Monday, Aug. 27. Students from five middle schools and four high schools in the district’s Apollo 20 school turnaround program will get a one-week head start on Aug. 20 when their school year begins.
The 2012-2013 school year brings many exciting improvements to Houston schools as HISD continues its work to offer a consistently rigorous education in a safe learning environment at all 279 campuses.
New Schools
Four new school buildings funded by the 2007 voter-approved bond program will open on the first day of school.
New Programs
Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School – (6300 Avenue B, Bellaire) This is HISD’s first Mandarin Chinese language immersion school. The school will initially serve students in kindergarten through second grade, with additional grades to be added in subsequent years. Core subjects including language arts, math, science, and social studies will be taught primarily in Mandarin Chinese with a certain amount of English language development instruction incorporated each day.
Houston Innovative Learning Zone program- Students at six HISD campuses (Furr, Kashmere, Scarborough, Sterling, and Booker T. Washington high schools and Long middle school) will have the chance to earn associate’s degrees and career training in high-demand technical fields. The HILZ program was created in partnership with Houston Community College. In addition to taking the standard core credits required of all high school students, HILZ students will take courses taught by college professors using a blend of face-to-face and online instruction. In addition, credits earned by HILZ graduates will transfer to any public Texas university.
More Tools for Principals and Teachers
Curriculum Changes- HISD has a new and improved curriculum designed with the input of thousands of teachers. The new curriculum is aligned with state and national standards and will prepare students for the rigor of STAAR and other standardized tests. The new curriculum also places an emphasis on every child reading at or above grade level.
Bond Election Proposal in November
Houston voters will decide in November whether to approve a proposition to build modern high schools in neighborhoods across Houston, and improve safety and technology district-wide. The $1.89 billion plan would address facility needs in 38 schools. For a complete overview of the proposal and the schools that would be rebuilt or renovated, click here.
A group of students from Eastwood Academy won “Best of Show” at the annual Skills USA Competition in Corpus Christi. The students had the highest score in their category, Computer Maintenance Modification.
Skills USA is a national student organization that supports career and technical education by serving as a bridge between public education and private business. The nonprofit serves 15,500 student and professional members enrolled in trade, technical, industrial, and health occupational programs.
On Eastwood’s winning team: Carlos Valdez, Odaly Palacios, Jesus Castillo, Estefany Perales, Richard Rebollar, and Emilio Martinez.
