Category Archives: Counseling & Guidance

Parent University helps Wisdom HS mom lead the way for new PTO 

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Armed with a fresh notebook and pens for jotting notes, Wisdom High School parent Erica Alvarado bounced from table to table at Thursday night’s second Parent University session, gathering as much information and resources as she could.

Alvarado’s mission was twofold: Learn as much as possible to help support her children’s education, and pass along resources to fellow parents serving on Wisdom’s newly minted PTO, for which she is president.

Parent University was designed to connect parents and children to resources offered by the district to create successful academic outcomes, as well as safe and healthy environments at home and at school.   Continue reading →

Preliminary HISD STAAR scores show strong gains across multiple grades, subjects, and student groups

Houston Independent School District students showed strong gains that exceeded those made by the state in third- through eighth-grade reading and math, and on end-of-course (EOC) assessments in English I and Algebra I, according to preliminary 2018 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores.

“This year, our students made significant progress on the state-mandated STAAR tests,” Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “We are excited about what these preliminary results mean for our schools labeled by the state as Improvement Required and our district’s accountability ratings. HISD is shifting course and turning schools around. We know that it is critical that we continue our commitment to strengthening the supports in place to further advance our progress in student achievement.”

Overall, the spring administration of the 2018 STAAR grades 3-8 assessment results indicate the district held steady or showed increases in the percentage of students meeting the Approaches Grade Level standard in reading, math, science, and social studies. Continue reading →

Jane Long Academy social worker feels called to make a difference 

Berta Alicia Ontiveros

As the school bell rings and chatter begins to fill the hallways at Jane Long Academy, Berta Alicia Ontiveros holds a squawking radio and smiles broadly as she approaches students who are still lingering after the tardy bell.

“Come on sweetie, you don’t want to be late,” she says softly.

Ontiveros is finishing her third year as a social worker for HISD. She works at Jane Long, a school with a diverse student body. Students speak multiple languages and come from varied backgrounds and cultures, which can sometimes make it difficult for them to adjust.  Continue reading →

Personal stories exemplify how HISD is rebuilding, reimagining education

‘We could be anywhere, and we would still be Robinson’

If anyone could find a silver lining amid the devastation wrought by Hurricane Harvey, it’s Robinson Elementary School Principal Paige Fernandez-Hohos. After being flooded with more than a foot of water, Robinson was relocated and students split between two adjacent campuses. Though not ideal, the situation made Fernandez-Hohos determined to give students a sense of normalcy. Vacant rooms and hallways sprung to life with decorations. Auditorium and gym spaces were transformed into cozy classrooms to accommodate more students. Fernandez-Hohos trekked back and forth between the two campuses. If she started the day welcoming students at one school, she ended it saying goodbye to students at the other. It was important, she said, that every class see her every day. Robinson students returned to their home campus in January, but Fernandez-Hohos said the storm taught her a valuable lesson about the spirit of her school: “When everything else is stripped away, all you’re left with is the bond between teachers and students. We could be anywhere, and we would still be Robinson.”

Continue reading →

National School Counseling Week is Feb. 5-9

Have you thanked your school counselor lately for all that they do? National School Counseling Week, which focuses public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors, runs Feb. 5-9.

This year’s theme is “School Counselors: Helping Students Reach for the Stars.” Sponsored by the American School Counselor Association, the event highlights the work school counselors do to inspire students, help them achieve school success, and plan for a career.

Join HISD in recognizing the unique contribution to the academic success and personal well-being of our students that district counselors make each and every day. Share photos and posts on social media using #NSCW18 and #HISDcounselors.

HISD Board of Education approves changes to 2017-2018 Code of Student Conduct

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education approved a proposal to update the 2017-2018 Code of Student Conduct.

Among the changes is a plan to offer alternatives in some cases to students who have been referred to the district’s Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP). Other changes include reclassifying the level of some non-statutory offenses and aligning the code with the district’s recently adopted policy banning suspensions in second grade and below. Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education to consider changes to 2017-2018 Code of Student Conduct

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education will vote Thursday on a proposal to update the 2017-2018 Code of Student Conduct.

Among the proposed changes is a plan to offer alternatives in some cases to students who have been referred to the district’s Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP). Other proposed changes include reclassifying the level of some non-statutory offenses and aligning the code with the district’s recently adopted policy banning suspensions in second grade and below. Continue reading →

HISD Dyslexia Awareness Family Night set for Feb. 7

Dyslexia in its many forms affects a number of students in HISD. If you would like to know more about dyslexia, understand whether your child might have dyslexia, or find new resources to support your child identified with dyslexia, please join us at our Dyslexia Awareness Family Night on Feb. 7 from 6-8 p.m. at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th Street).

The event will include a keynote address and breakout sessions. We will also offer individual student screenings on a first come, first served basis for families concerned that their child shows dyslexic tendencies. Representatives from various colleges and universities will also be on site to discuss their programs/accommodations available to students with dyslexia.

Continue reading →

HISD to host Dream Summit for students

Event to help students apply for college, financial aid

The Houston Independent School District College Readiness and Multilingual Department will host its second Dream Summit to assist students with the college application and financial aid process on Saturday, Dec. 10.

The event aims to help HISD DREAMers, DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients, visa holders, permanent residents, refugees, and asylum grantees along with their families. Students will have the opportunity to speak with district representatives who will help them learn more about financial aid requirements and guidance with the application process.  Admissions representatives from several community colleges and Texas universities will be on hand to answer questions and will host information sessions on the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA).

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College Readiness wraps up 2015–2016 with resounding success

The HISD College Readiness Dept. works closely with HISD high schools to create and maintain a college-bound culture. The district saw a major increase in college applications and FAFSA completions this past school year, with a 23-percentage-point increase in college applications over last year and a 10-percentage-point increase in financial-aid applications.

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Twenty-eight new College Success Advisers (CSAs) and 15 new College Success Managers (CSM) were definitely a factor in the increases. Last summer, thanks to a Houston Endowment grant of $3 million, the college advisers and managers were hired and trained to assist district seniors with applying for college and scholarships.

Continue reading →