Category Archives: District II – Kathy Blueford-Daniels

Free immunizations to be provided to Houston-area students

Texas Children’s Hospital, along with Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and HISD Trustee Rhonda Skillern-Jones, will host Houston’s First School Immunization Sunday from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 14 at Forest Brook Middle School (7525 Tidwell Road).

Free immunizations will be provided to Houston-area students.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, which recognizes the success of vaccines and the challenges presented by vaccine-preventable diseases.

STEM students from Washington HS travel to missile range to test rockets 

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The biggest lessons sometimes come from the smallest mistakes.

Booker T. Washington engineering students on the Golden Eagle Rocket teams worked on their supersonic rockets all year long and then traveled to White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico in June to launch them. When both failed to launch, it was heartbreaking, but the students learned some valuable lessons.

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Leland College Prep Academy construction nears halfway point

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Construction on the new Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men, located in Houston’s historic Fifth Ward, has been progressing well over the last quarter, and is now about 50 percent complete.

Part of HISD’s current bond program, the new 139,000 square-foot-facility, located at 1701 Gregg St., will accommodate 900 to 1,000 students once completed in the second quarter of 2017. Continue reading

Board of Education to consider superintendent candidates

Trustees could vote to name finalist or finalists

The Houston ISD Board of Education will meet Wednesday morning to discuss superintendent candidates, and possibly announce a finalist or finalists for the position. Continue reading

Students from private school in China welcomed at two HISD elementary schools 

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Fifth- and sixth-graders from the Dalian Mingxing School in China were welcomed to two HISD schools on Monday, where students interacted in classrooms and shared their educational experiences.

At Dogan and Elmore elementary schools, students participated in various activities together, including yoga, dance, and computer exercises.

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Students receive scholarships, iPads, Target shopping spree  

Foundation led by ex-NFL player, Madison HS grad Moran Norris continues commitment to HISD students for 11th year

Thanks to the Moran Norris Foundation’s “Shopping for Good Character” program, 150 HISD middle-school students won a $100 shopping spree at Target in May. The students were selected by their teachers for great character, as well as excellent attendance. Of those students, six received iPads for their essays on good character. Another six students won athletics scholarships for college.

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The foundation handed out the awards at its 10th-anniversary fundraising gala, “Follow Me to the Stars,” in late June. In addition, HISD representatives presented Moran and Tamara Norris with a Certificate of Recognition for their outstanding support of HISD students over the years with scholarships, charitable initiatives, and the “Shopping for Good Character” program.

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Mickey Leland robotics clubs end year on top, winning national championships 

Mickey Leland Preparatory Academy's middle-school and high-school teams at the SECME VEX nationals with SECME staffer Anthony Bowser. Students (left to right) are Evert Guzman, Brandon Chuor, Danny Medina, Anthony Bowser, Marcellus Jordan, Luis Torres, and Jarmel Brown.

Mickey Leland Preparatory Academy’s middle school and high school teams display their awards at the SECME VEX nationals with SECME staffer Anthony Bowser (center). Students (left to right) are Evert Guzman, Brandon Chuor, Danny Medina, Marcellus Jordan, Luis Torres, and Jarmel Brown.

Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy’s high-school robotics club won first place at the 40th annual SECME Summer Institute’s VEX nationals in June at Tennessee State University in Nashville, and the middle-school team took second place.

This summer event brings together STEM educators and students for learning, collaboration, and dialog.

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Board interviewing candidates for superintendent position 

Applicant pool consists of candidates who match leadership profile developed with public input 

The HISD Board of Education is interviewing candidates for the position of superintendent of schools to replace former Superintendent Terry Grier, who stepped down on Feb. 29.

The Board, working with the search firm of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, narrowed down an initial list of 35 applicants to a select pool of candidates for a first round of interviews, which is underway. Continue reading

Schools’ Office Organizational and Staffing Changes

As HISD prepares for the 2016-2017 school year, the district is taking the necessary steps to align the central office team in a way that best supports teaching and learning. Also, as a result of the $165 million recapture payment HISD must make to the state, the district is making changes to the organization and staffing structure at the cabinet level and throughout central office departments. Continue reading

Student Spotlight: Short digital safety videos from HISD students win national recognition

HISD students have been busy this spring making short videos to teach their fellow students about digital safety.

The district’s Educational Technology department received 39 multimedia submissions from 61 HISD students (four high schools, two middle schools, and five elementary schools) regarding online safety, digital citizenship, and privacy security.

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