Event to kick off construction phase for the all-male academy in the Fifth Ward Continue reading
Category Archives: District II – Kathy Blueford-Daniels
Schools in DFW area offer Jordan HS planners a glimpse of 21st century CTE spaces
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HISD educators are looking at the district’s $1.89 billion building program as a unique opportunity to align their buildings with 21st century education – especially career and technical programs.
‘Lifting through Literacy’ pilot to serve as model of community involvement
Ministers Alliance to support HISD’s Literacy By 3 program at Burrus, Kennedy
Almost 20 faith-based organizations in the Independence Heights community have joined forces to lend their support to HISD’s Literacy By 3 initiative at two neighborhood elementary schools.
Members of the Independence Heights Greater Houston Ministers Alliance (IHGHMA) met with HISD Board of Education President Rhonda Skillern-Jones, Curriculum Specialist Carley Colton, and representatives from Scholastic, Inc., and the Bush Houston Literacy Foundation on April 9 to discuss plans for “Lifting Through Literacy,” a summer reading challenge that will benefit students at both Burrus and Kennedy elementary schools—and possibly serve as a model for other struggling communities.
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“Illiteracy gives birth to dropouts, joblessness, crime, and teen pregnancy,” explained Reverend Ray Mackey, who serves as chairperson for the IHGHMA. “I envision this pilot as a program that will show how faith-based organizations can get involved to make an impact. And if it’ll work in Independence Heights, then it’ll work in Acres Homes or Hiram Clarke or Sunnyside or Kashmere Gardens.”
HISD elementary school receives $50,000 grant for smart boards, books
Bruce Elementary School was selected this week to receive a $50,000 grant from the Leonore Annenberg School Fund for Children, an organization that provides educational resources to underfunded schools in urban and rural communities.
Bruce Elementary was one of nine schools from across the country to receive the grant, which will be used to purchase interactive whiteboards and nonfiction books for existing classroom libraries to boost literacy through student engagement and teacher effectiveness.
Student Congress using literacy to cultivate readers, leaders
Students from North Houston Early College High School read to second-graders at Roosevelt Elementary School.
Literacy is so important to HISD’s newly formed Student Congress that the organization has already created its own mentoring program.
“Bring a Book” got its start last September, when Congress members began brainstorming ideas for possible service projects. After agreeing to focus on literacy, the group decided to pair high-school students with second-graders to develop the younger children’s reading comprehension skills.
Scholars Banquet recognizes 90-plus high school seniors at top of their class
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The Houston Independent School District paid tribute to the top students from each high school’s graduating class during the annual Scholars Banquet on April 7.
In addition to their outstanding academic achievements, these 96 valedictorians and salutatorians have garnered more than $2 million year-to-date in scholarship and financial aid offers.
Interactive bus to help students learn more about health, science, tech careers
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HISD’s completely revamped career bus is hitting the road.
The district’s Career Readiness Department unveiled the newly remodeled vehicle—known as the Career Ready Wagon—on March 26, when it made its inaugural visit to Atherton Elementary School.
The bus is designed to allow elementary school students in third, fourth, and fifth grades the chance to explore possible career interests before advancing to middle school. It features a robotics station, a flight simulator, and a welding simulator, as well as an electric station that allows students to build their own electrical circuits. Also inside are four touchscreen monitors where students can test their career knowledge with a short quiz and watch a career-related video.
The bus will visit another 10 elementary schools — Anderson, Dávila, Emerson, Field, Garcia, Helms, Jefferson, Mading, Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School, and T.H. Rogers — throughout April and May.
The bus is sponsored by HISD and CenterPoint Energy.
Also see this related story on HISD’s one and only Career Cowboy, Jake Breier, who was the subject of an “I Am HISD” profile last October.
‘Roses and Knights’ take first place in robotics tournament
Students from Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy and Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy won the National Society of Black Engineers’ inaugural National VEX Robotics Championship this past weekend in Anaheim, California.
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Teacher-produced STAAR videos motivate students for testing
Gallegos Elementary School and Wheatley High School teachers and staff created videos to get their students focused on doing their best work on this week’s STAAR tests.
Fourth- and fifth-grade Gallegos ES students saw the videos at a STAAR Pep Rally on Friday, March 27.
Student Congress members share their concerns with state legislators
Nine HISD students travel to Austin over spring break to make their voices heard
Nine students from various HISD high schools got a chance to influence Texas law last week when they traveled to Austin on March 17 for a visit to the state capitol.
The trip offered high-schoolers a behind-the-scenes look at the law-making process and a chance to express their concerns about various issues to state legislators.
Carnegie Vanguard High School seniors Raquel Douglas and David Valerio spoke with the staff of almost 20 representatives, focusing particular attention on members of the Public Education Committee.