Category Archives: District III – Daniela Hernandez

Meet the Finalists for Teacher of the Year and Beginning Teacher of the Year  

Winners to be announced at May 20 banquet 

Nearly 2,000 HISD teachers, along with district and school leaders, will gather on Friday, May 20, at the Bayou City Event Center for a superheroes-themed Educators of the Year banquet. The sold-out event, sponsored by Cigna, will honor campus-based teachers of the year and beginning teachers of the year. Fifteen finalists are vying for top district honors, which include elementary teacher of the year, secondary teacher of the year, and beginning teacher of the year.

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HISD school lunch staff receive superhero status for dedication to serving students

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HISD Nutrition Services and students across the district honored their school lunch staff for School Lunch Hero Day on May 6, including special recognitions at 48 schools. Nutrition Services food service attendants, or “lunch ladies” as they are affectionately known, received poems and letters from students during various events throughout the week.

School Lunch Hero Day is celebrated nationwide to recognize school nutrition professionals and features The Lunch Lady – a crime-fighting character from the “Lunch Lady” graphic novels whose mission is to serve up justice while serving up lunch.

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Vocabulary victories at Chavez HS, Lanier MS highlight effective literacy strategies

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Chavez High School and Lanier Middle School won the top prizes in Vocabulary.com’s 2015-2016 national Vocabulary Bowl, a competition that is becoming just one example of effective strategies to increase literacy across the HISD’s secondary schools.

Chavez won for the second consecutive year with 344,043 words mastered, and Lanier won with 230,034 words. Chavez celebrated on Monday, May 9, with a trophy presentation, medals and certificates for the top 100 students, and inspirational speeches and congratulations from local media and nationally known figures. Lanier’s celebration was Friday, May 13, in the school gymnasium.

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HISD community celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week in creative ways 

[su_youtube_advanced url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxAxwjkyiWs”]While we always encourage our community to tell teachers how much they’re valued, students, administrators, and staff have rallied around our educators for Teacher Appreciation Week to celebrate their tireless dedication.

Inspirational and emotional messages of thanks and encouragement flooded the district’s social media channels, including tear-jerking moments caught on video as students told their teachers how much they mean to them. Continue reading →

Teach Forward Houston fellows commit to four-year teaching program 

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Some 60 seniors from 31 HISD high schools on Tuesday pledged to become teachers and return to the district to teach in four years as part of the prestigious Teach Forward Houston program.

“I will commit to my studies at the University of Houston in order to enter my classroom with the foundational knowledge, skills, and mindsets necessary to maximize student achievement and character development,” they recited in unison at Teach Forward Houston’s inaugural signing day celebration on May 3 in the Hattie Mae White board auditorium.

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Finalists selected for 2015-2016 Teachers of the Year  

Winners to be announced at May 20 Educators of the Year banquet

HISD has announced the finalists for the district’s Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year. The two winners, which will go on to represent the district in Region 4, will be announced during the Educators of the Year banquet on Friday, May 20. The twelve finalists were selected from all 283 campuses based on performance data and other criteria.

At the elementary level, the six finalists are:

  • Adrienne Glover from Anderson Elementary
  • Maria Godoy from Port Houston Elementary
  • Melissa Martinez from Sherman Elementary
  • Tracy Singleton from Fondren Elementary
  • Hillary Smith from DeAnda Elementary
  • Ciara Sutton-Rivers from Codwell Elementary

At the secondary level, the six finalists are:

  • Christina Carter-Woods from Pershing Middle School
  • Jennifer Chase from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
  • Morgan Dewitt from Long Academy
  • Valarie Moore from Gregory Lincoln Education Center
  • Donald Parker from North Houston Early College High School
  • Keavon Runnels from Austin High School

Be sure to help HISD pick the Fan Favorite among the campus-based Teachers of the Year by taking part in our survey. The first round of voting ends at 5 p.m. on May 6. You can vote once per day.

 

HISD students gaining exposure to global offshore technology industry during OTC

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The Offshore Technology Conference is likely the biggest event in Houston the week of May 2-6, 2016, and about 83 HISD students will be there. The OTC draws experts from around the world to come together to exchange ideas and advance scientific and technical knowledge regarding offshore technology. Last year, more than 94,700 people attended the conference.

Students enrolled in Petroleum Academies at HISD’s Energy Institute and Westside High School are attending the OTC (see details below). The IPAA/PESA Energy Education Center has established these academies at four HISD high schools with the goal of making math and science more meaningful and relevant, as well as address the projected loss of 50 percent of engineering and geosciences professionals due to aging. Milby High School and Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy have Petroleum Academies as well.

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Who is your teacher hero? 

Teacher-Appreciation-Instagram-Banner-800px-800pxShare your photos, videos, and messages on social media 

While they may not wear capes, HISD teachers truly are real-life superheroes. As part of National Teacher Appreciation Week (May 2-6), HISD is asking students, parents, and staff to thank a teacher hero in their lives and share out on social media.

Take a picture with your favorite teacher (past or present) or take a picture of your child with his or her favorite teacher and post on social media using the hashtags #HISDHero and #ThankATeacher. If your favorite teacher is not nearby, take a selfie holding a piece of paper with a simple message thanking that teacher who made a difference in your life.

Or better yet, surprise an HISD teacher using your camera cell phone and tell them why they are your teacher hero. Check out the video below and watch as Westbury High School students give a surprise thank you to their teachers and even their principal.

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HISD will be sharing the posts on its own social media channels, so be sure to follow us on Twitter @HoustonISD and like us at Facebook.com/HoustonISD.

 

 

Lemonade Day gives students the opportunity to envision themselves as entrepreneurs

More than 4,000 Houston Independent School District elementary and middle school students will set up shop this weekend with creative lemonade stands to learn more about how to start, own and operate their own business.

Lemonade Day, officially scheduled for Sunday, is a citywide hands-on learning program sponsored by Prepared 4 Life, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the empowerment of middle-school-age children. The organization aims to teach students how to become successful entrepreneurs with a strategic 14-step process, which encompasses the ideas of spending, saving, and sharing with the community. HISD students will participate in Lemonade Day activities on Friday and Sunday.

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JJ Watt surprises two schools with donations, emphasizes positive life choices  

Student athletes at Deady and Stevenson middle schools learned the value of hard work and lasting relationships thanks to a visit by Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt, who handed out donations to the schools totaling more than $53,000 from the JJ Watt Foundation.

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Speaking to the student athletes gathered at each school, Watt stressed how important the choices students make today are for their future, and how surrounding themselves with friends that will motivate them makes all the difference. After, Watt took selfies with the students.

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