Category Archives: District I – Elizabeth Santos

Students investigate juvenile crime scene for geographic information systems presentation

Students at the High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice collected data and created maps during an investigation of juvenile crimes committed in the Houston metropolitan area for a presentation at Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day in the City of Houston.

Students from HSLECJ and Houston Academy for International Studies in addition to Lee, Waltrip, and Wheatley high schools participated in the grassroots effort on Nov. 21 at Texas Southern University to learn about geography and the uses of GIS in society. HSLECJ students were the only group to make a GIS presentation at the event. Continue reading →

High school students lend a helping hand to Literacy by 3

Scheduling conflicts usually prevent high school students from volunteering with younger students during the school day, but two district campuses figured out a clever way to work around that obstacle in order to take part in the district’s Literacy by 3 movement.

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Members of the National Honor Society at Davis High School have been using their early release day every month to spend time reading to students at Pugh Elementary. On Nov. 19, about 20 seniors spent the afternoon at Pugh, mentoring and working close to 30 students. Continue reading →

Education Rainbow Challenge shows students the excitement of science and math

More than 500 students participate in annual event to boost their interest in STEM subjects, careers

Mathematics and science can be fun! Just ask any one of 500-plus students who participated in the Education Rainbow Challenge at Reagan High School on Saturday, Nov. 15. As part of HISD’s efforts to strengthen students’ skills in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), more than 500 students competed in two mathematics challenges and participated in science experiments at the annual event. Continue reading →

Fund for Teachers helps Garden Oaks educator renew her adventurous spirit

Deadline to apply for next year’s Fund for Teacher grants is Thursday, Jan. 29

When Shana Steinhardt applied for a Fund for Teachers grant earlier this year, she did so for a very specific reason.

Garden Oaks Montessori teacher Shana Steinhardt milks a camel (or a yak) while on a trip to Mongolia this summer. The trip was underwritten by a grant from Fund for Teachers.

Garden Oaks Montessori teacher Shana Steinhardt milks a yak while on a trip to Mongolia this summer. The trip was underwritten by a grant from Fund for Teachers.

“After 15 years of teaching, I risked becoming stagnant,” said the Garden Oaks Montessori social studies teacher. So to expand her knowledge of Asian culture, history, and ecology, Steinhardt traveled to the steppes of Mongolia, where she met with six different herding families living a nomadic lifestyle.

Continue reading →

Planning and design for 2012 bond schools in final groups is ahead of schedule

HISD’s project teams are moving forward ahead of schedule with the planning and design of 21st century campuses in the last two groups of schools being renovated or rebuilt under the 2012 bond program.

As part of the process, Project Advisory Teams (PATs) made up of teachers, parents, students, community representatives, architects and staff, have been formed at each school and have begun meeting monthly. This puts Group 3 schools about six months ahead and Group 4 schools about 12 months ahead of schedule.

Continue reading →

Take it outside Nov. 17–21 and observe SPARK Week

HISD will be observing SPARK (School Park) Week Nov. 17–21, 2014, with the opening of brand-new school parks at four different campuses, so come join district and community members as they celebrate the occasion with refreshments, entertainment, and lots of fun!

Below is a schedule of the opening ceremonies: Continue reading →

All-girls engineering class learning to code, solve hacking challenges

Thirty eighth-graders in an all-girls engineering class at Clifton Middle School are learning how to write computer code and solve a series of web security and computer science challenges as part of HISD’s efforts to prepare students for college and career success in science and technology.

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Eighth-grader Nancy Perez says the class has taught her how to encrypt and decrypt code, the difference between a bit versus a byte and how to group bits into bytes for efficiency, so the computer knows to send packets of information together. Continue reading →

Math and science to take center stage at two weekend events

HISD students to compete at STEM Symposium and Education Rainbow Challenge Nov. 15

As part of HISD’s efforts to strengthen students’ skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), more than 1,500 students are expected to explore future career options in those areas at two weekend events — the HISD STEM Symposium and the Education Rainbow Challenge.

Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education approves creation of
Arabic Language Immersion Magnet School

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to approve plans for the district’s first-ever Arabic Language Immersion Magnet School.

The school is set to open its doors in the fall of 2015, with two pre-kindergarten and two kindergarten classes. A new grade level would be added each year as the students progress through the fifth grade.

Continue reading →

CNN Hero helps Harvard ES kick off IB Action Project

Elizabeth Suneby and Razia Jan

Elizabeth Suneby and Razia Jan

Harvard Elementary students learned what some students in Afghanistan deal with on a daily basis, straight from a woman who founded an all-girls school in a rural area of the country.

Razia Jan visited Harvard on Nov. 11, 2014, as part of the school’s IB Action Project. Jan, who was named a Top 10 CNN Hero in 2012, is the founder of Razia’s Ray of Hope Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the lives of women and children in Afghanistan through community-based education. Harvard students will raise money for the foundation through a read-a-thon, selling spirit bracelets, and seeking direct donations. Continue reading →