Category Archives: District V – Sue Deigaard

Sampling of America’s artistic past now on permanent display at HISD elementary school

Students and staff at Cunningham ES pose in front of an Art Everywhere billboard featuring Three Flags, by artists Jasper Johns.

A bit of America’s cultural history is now on permanent exhibit at Cunningham Elementary School. Donated by the Art Everywhere US program, the five giant (6’ by 12’) replicas of American masterpieces are part of a nationwide presentation celebrating the country’s artistic heritage. Students, faculty, staff, and community members were on hand for the ceremonial unveiling of the art reproductions on Jan. 23, 2015. Continue reading →

Bond Oversight Committee gets update on bond construction

The Bond Oversight Committee held its first meeting of 2015 on Tuesday, hearing an update on the bond program and the impact that soaring construction costs are having on HISD’s plan to build or renovate 40 schools.

Since 2012, when Houston voters approved the district’s $1.89 billion bond program, the district has seen an average 44 percent increase in building costs, from about $146 per square foot in 2012 to about $210 per square foot today.

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Spiking construction costs create challenges for bond program

Bond Delmar

HISD trustees got a detailed look on Jan. 22 at the impact of escalating construction costs on the district’s bond program at a workshop that also considered possible strategies to address potential budget gaps.

Since 2012, when Houston voters approved the district’s $1.89 billion bond program to renovate or replace 40 schools, the district has seen an unprecedented jump in building costs, a trend that is posing challenges for school districts across the region and nation.

In Houston, construction costs have jumped an average of 44 percent from about $146 per square foot in 2012 to about $210 per square foot today.

Much of that spike is attributed to the oil and building boom over the last several years, which spurred Houston and much of the state on to a robust economy – even when others were experiencing a downturn. The growth in the energy sector brought an influx of commercial construction projects to the area, along with a huge demand for workers and materials, such as steel and concrete.

The district has already taken some steps to deal with potential gaps, including moving inflation and some reserve dollars to each school’s construction budget. On Thursday, the Board of Education also gave the district the green light to consider other strategies, including waiting to bid a project or re-bidding portions of a project to try to get a better price.

Trustees noted that the recent drop in oil prices may help push construction costs down as energy companies delay building projects and more workers and materials become available.

“I think we owe the taxpayers better than to move forward as if there’s been no change in the economy,” said Trustee Harvin Moore. “As oil prices decline, I’m confident that construction costs will follow, so putting some of our projects on hold is a very logical way to handle this.”

In the coming weeks and months, HISD officials will analyze the various options for each project to determine the best path forward.

Carnegie Vanguard HS students mastering art, music, fencing

Ariel Simmons

Three students from Carnegie Vanguard High School are making news this week for being at the top of their respective games.

Cole Bennette, a junior, recently entered and won an art contest titled “Houston in 2025,” in which he had to envision what the Bayou City would look like in another 10 years. Cole’s artwork now adorns a billboard on I-45 at Smith Street, whose space was donated by Clear Channel Communications. The contest was sponsored by the Center for Houston’s Future.
Ariel Simmons, a senior, won gold medals at two prestigious fencing competitions: He won the U.S. title for 20 and under in Salt Lake City, Utah, earlier this month and the U.S. title for adults last month in Dallas. His sport is epee check.
Junior Kerrigan Quenemoen and her partner, Kenneth Yu (a senior at Bellaire High School), have once again advanced to the national finals of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Senior Piano Duet Competition in March. They also shared this honor back in 2013.

Congratulations to these talented students!

Longfellow students collect nearly 2 tons of food, supplies for the needy

Longfellow Elementary students recently worked with the community and conducted a holiday food and supplies drive. The hugely successful, month-long campaign was held from mid-November to mid-December and was designed to raise students’ awareness of hunger and poverty in our country. Continue reading →

Board of Education elects new officers for 2015

Board of Education meetings usually begin with commendations and recognitions. However, the first meeting of every year starts with the election of new officers.

On Jan. 15, 2015, the trustees chose Rhonda Skillern-Jones to serve as president, Manuel Rodriguez Jr. as first vice president, Wanda Adams as second vice president, Paula Harris as secretary, and Juliet Stipeche as assistant secretary.

Serving as an HISD school-board member requires a lot of hard work and dedication, and the nine trustees on HISD’s board selflessly devote many hours to studying issues, deliberating proposed actions and policy changes, and representing HISD in the community, all without pay. These men and women are essential to the success of this school district and deserve the district’s and the community’s deepest thanks.

2015 HISD Board of Education

Rhonda Skillern-Jones, President
Manuel Rodriguez, First Vice President
Wanda Adams, Second Vice President
Paula Harris, Secretary
Juliet Stipeche, Assistant Secretary
Anna Eastman
Michael Lunceford
Greg Meyers
Harvin Moore

For more information, including biographical information for each trustee, visit the Board of Education website.

Futures Academy pharmacy students receive white coats, scrubs

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Nearly 200 HISD students in the Futures Academy of Pharmacy Technology at Jane Long Academy received white coats and scrubs during the program’s third-annual White Coat Ceremony Wednesday. Continue reading →

Reagan students excited to receive laptops for school and home use

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All 2,234 students at Reagan High School received laptops on Monday, Jan. 12, as part of the district’s one-to-one plan to give all high school students a digital device to use for learning at school and at home. The one-to-one laptop program is a key component of HISD’s PowerUp initiative, which aims to digitally transform teaching and learning throughout the district.

Reagan is one of 14 HISD high schools distributing laptops to students during the month of January and early February. Others high schools include Davis, Lamar, Milby, Scarborough, South Early College, Waltrip, Westbury, Westside, Wheatley and Yates, as well as the Futures Academies at Jones, Jane Long Academy, and the High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice. Continue reading →

Class of 2014 IB diploma candidates receive their degrees

More than 100 members of HISD’s Class of 2014 took home their International Baccalaureate (IB) diplomas recently. Ninety-six graduates from Lamar High School (some of whom are pictured here) and 10 from Bellaire High School accepted their degrees during special ceremonies held on Jan. 5 and Dec. 17, respectively.

Since IB diplomas are not conferred until late summer, students are generally presented with them while at home, on break from university.

Lamar and Bellaire were the first two HISD high schools to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, which is composed of academically challenging and advanced curriculum. Lamar’s IB Diploma program is the largest in Texas and one of the top 10 IB Diploma programs in the United States. Reagan High School received its IB authorization for the Middle Years Programme in the fall of 2013. It is currently in the process of obtaining authorization to offer the IB Degree Program. The first students eligible to graduate from that campus with IB diplomas will be the Class of 2018.

Health program to help students focus, stay calm expands to 26 schools

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Breathing exercises and yoga poses are just a few of the things HISD students learn in the Sonima Health and Wellness program. Fourteen additional HISD schools now offer the curriculum, which is offered by the Sonima Foundation and teaches students multiple skills for a healthier lifestyle.