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Students at HISD’s Westbury High School are helping their peers to get —and stay — on the road to higher education, thanks to a new public awareness campaign the campus launched on Jan. 14.
The campaign, called “First One, Reach Higher,” is designed to boost students’ readiness for college, particularly those who are at-risk, first generation students of color.
The Houston Independent School District and University of Houston are joining forces to offer a new teacher preparation program that aims to bring HISD’s brightest students back into the classroom upon their college graduation.
Through the Teach Forward Houston fellowship program, HISD graduates interested in obtaining a degree in education are eligible for free tuition at University of Houston in exchange for teaching four years in HISD after graduation. Continue reading
Richard (Rick) Cruz poses for a photograph, January 6, 2016.
Houston Independent School District Major Projects Officer Rick Cruz has been selected to lead his division, replacing outgoing Chief Don Hare, who is retiring.
Cruz, a former fifth-grade teacher who was tapped to serve in the HISD administration after launching the district’s successful EMERGE program more than five years ago, will officially assume his new role on Jan. 25.
In his new position, he will be tasked with managing the College Readiness and Counseling and Guidance departments, as well as major initiatives designed to transform education in the district, such as the EMERGE and Futures Academy programs, and Linked Learning.
Sixty-four seniors from 15 Houston Independent School District high schools were recognized for their academic excellence as part of the College Board’s 32nd annual National Hispanic Recognition Program.
The HISD seniors are among about 5,000 students from across the country and abroad to be named finalists in the program, which colleges use to identify academically exceptional students of Hispanic or Latin descent to receive scholarships. The district more than doubled the number of honorees this year, up from 26 finalists last year. Continue reading
Thanks to a $30 million federal Race to the Top-District (RTT-D) grant HISD won in 2013, students at 119 campuses are connecting the concepts they learn in the classroom to the real world that awaits them after graduation.
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Angela Lundy Jackson poses for a photograph, September 2, 2015.
North Houston Early College High School Principal Angela Lundy-Jackson is among three finalists for the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP) High School Principal of the Year award.
Committed to excellence in school administration, the TASSP recognizes outstanding principals and assistant principals from across the state each year. Nominations, bestowed by fellow school administrators, are based upon exemplary performance and outstanding leadership in secondary education.
Many members of HISD’s Class of 2016 got a clearer vision of their future at Texas College Night on Oct. 28. More than 1,200 students from about 50 high schools attended the event at the University of Houston.
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“Students were able to go breakout sessions and learn about careers in STEM, public service, business, or education,” said David Johnston, director of HISD’s College Readiness team. Continue reading
High school seniors will be able to meet with representatives of public colleges and universities from across Texas in one place on Oct. 28, an early release day for most HISD high schools.
Texas College Night will be held at the University of Houston’s Cullen Performance Hall (4800 Calhoun Road, 77004). Students and their families will be able to talk with representatives from more than 30 Texas universities and local scholarship providers from 3:45 to 5:55 p.m. A formal program, scheduled for 6:15–7:15 p.m., will feature a panel of HISD graduates, and Texas State Sen. Rodney Ellis as the keynote speaker.
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Thousands of HISD freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will take the first step toward earning a National Merit Scholarship on Oct. 14, when they take the PSAT during the school day at their respective campuses.
The PSAT measures college readiness, and is offered to HISD students free of charge on the district’s PSAT Administration Day. Students will take the exam in the morning for up to three hours. The test includes sections on math, critical reading, and writing.
“It might be tempting to think that the PSAT stands for ‘Practice’ SAT, but it’s actually the preliminary SAT,” said Jharrett Bryantt with the HISD College Readiness Department. “It’s an exam given to HISD students in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades. What’s important about it is it’s the exam that qualifies you for the National Merit Scholarship.” Continue reading
HISD hosted its annual Top-Tier College Night on Oct. 6, and hundreds of students and their families came out to learn more about what Ivy League and other high-profile institutions have to offer, as well as what qualities they are looking for in applicants.
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“Some of our students have amazing grades, and some don’t,” explained Justin Segal, a representative from the University of Pennsylvania. “But comparing yourself to others is not really fair, because grades don’t tell the whole story. We’re more focused on if your application is consistent with your stated interests. Because if you’re applying to business school, but all you’ve done so far is arts and theatre, there’s a bit of a disconnect there.” Continue reading