Category Archives: District VII – Bridget Wade

Summer STEM Institute helps teachers infuse learning with fun

More than five dozen HISD science, technology, engineering, and math teachers took part in a summer institute recently that was designed to help boost students’ math and science scores by incorporating more fun into their lessons.

The educators came from 23 HISD elementary and middle schools that received part of a TIF4 STEM grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant also provides resources such as equipment and technology, and participating teachers will receive additional training opportunities throughout the school year and share what they have learned with other faculty members at their campuses.

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Mandarin Chinese school community gets update on construction progress

On Tuesday, parents and community members met for the third time to discuss updates for the new Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School being built under the district’s 2012 bond program – with a particular focus on the construction portion of the project and upcoming vertical steel.

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STEM fields come to life for ELL, migrant students at Rice

Twenty-eight students in HISD’s English Language Learner and migrant programs spent two weeks of their summer participating in hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities at the STEM Leadership and Design Fabrication Academy at Rice University.

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The students, who attend Austin, Chávez, Davis, Furr, Kashmere, Liberty, Lee, Sam Houston, Sharpstown, and Waltrip high schools, got a taste of what careers in a STEM-related field could be like. Continue reading →

Nutrition Services turning food waste into rich resource

HISD Nutrition Services is piloting a composting program to help local agriculture by recycling food leftovers. Last fall, the department selected the Gregory-Lincoln Education Center, Garden Oaks K-8 Montessori, and Briargrove Elementary to pilot the program, which will help HISD become even greener.

Dietitian Jennifer Lengyel manages the new initiative and is excited about Nutrition Services’ involvement in the program. “Compost soil has super nutrients,” said Lengyel. “Instead of food waste going to the landfill, now it will help grow more food.” Continue reading →

NFL player brings excitement, equipment to his alma mater

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On June 24, the Lamar High School football team received a generous donation and a dose of inspiration from Chevron’s Fuel Your School, a program that seeks to provide educators with useful supplies and materials.

The players received new equipment as well as a surprise visit from 2004 Lamar graduate and NFL player Brian Orakpo. Continue reading →

Educators using grants to expand their classrooms’ horizons

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Once a topic becomes personal, all learning barriers are shattered. Or so Bellaire High School English teacher Matt Olsen and Bradley Quentin of Sinclair Elementary School believe.

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Camp M.I. Way proves educational for both campers and counselors

CECHS student Emerson Greer (holding umbrella) helps a Camp M.I. participant navigate a water activity.

CECHS student Emerson Greer (holding umbrella) helps a Camp M.I. participant navigate a water activity.

Over the past several weeks, middle and high school students from HISD campuses across the district have been volunteering at Camp M.I. Way, a special program designed to give students with multiple impairments a chance to practice and expand their social skills in an atmosphere of fun.

As part of the camp, run by Homerun Hitters International, student counselors guide campers in various activities that are designed to engage the five senses. Emerson Greer, a rising junior at Challenge Early College High School, has served as a camp counselor for two years and describes the experience below:

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Hollingsworth Science Center project to benefit HISD students twice

Students hone their craftsmanship with new tools while updating a valuable district resource

Lee High School students—many of whom worked on the greenhouse project—pose with their trophies from the Texas SkillsUSA State Championships this year. Johnny Brooks’ millwork and cabinetry students routinely advance to the state level of the competition.

Lee High School students—many of whom worked on the greenhouse project—pose with their trophies from the Texas SkillsUSA State Championships this year. Johnny Brooks’ millwork and cabinetry students routinely advance to the state level of the competition.

More than two dozen students taking millwork and cabinetry classes at Lee High School got a chance to show off their newly acquired skills recently, thanks to a donation that came with a special request.

Grant Hollingsworth, the brother of the late Marcile Hollingsworth, for whom the district’s Hollingsworth Science Center was named, donated $5,000 to make renovations to the center’s greenhouse, with the stipulation that the work be performed by district students.

Lee students constructed 10 tall wooden plant beds and one wooden storage unit for use in the greenhouse using brand-new hand tools such as saws and sanders that were purchased with a portion of the money.

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Nutrition Services partners with high-school transition coaches to build students’ job skills

Waltrip High School students work at Garden Oaks Montessori with their transition coach and the Garden Oaks cafeteria team lead.

Waltrip High School students work at Garden Oaks Montessori with their transition coach and the Garden Oaks cafeteria team lead.

Through HISD’s Community Based Vocational Instruction (CBVI) program, high-school students can go into local businesses for a couple hours a day, a few of times a week, to develop their workplace skills through on-the-job training.

For the first time this year, HISD’s Nutrition Services department is one of the partnering organizations, and it is working with two or three students from each of five high schools: Lee, Madison, Scarborough, Sharpstown, and Waltrip. Participating students learn about the food service industry by working in school cafeterias, performing tasks such as washing dishes or serving fruit.

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Grady MS student named myON’s fourth ‘Reader Leader’

Apurba Roy Photo courtesy Muses3, LLC.

Apurba Roy Photo courtesy Muses3, LLC.

Apurba Roy, who just finished the seventh grade at Grady Middle School, has been named the fourth “Reader Leader” by myON for logging the most time spent reading on that website during a particular month.

Roy read for an astonishing 219 hours and 34 minutes in myON in May. As a part of her prize, Roy received a laptop (with computer case) from Muses3, LLC, the representative of myON in southeast Texas. She was formally recognized during a special ceremony held on her campus June 4.

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