On the heels of last week’s Texas Supreme Court ruling declaring the state’s school finance system flawed, but constitutional, Houston ISD trustees met Thursday to discuss options for complying with the system’s requirement that HISD pay the state $162 million using local tax revenues.
Category Archives: District VIII – Judith Cruz
26 HISD campuses attain Family Friendly Schools certification
As the first year of the Family Friendly Schools certification program draws to a close, the Family and Community Engagement department has certified 26 participating campuses as either gold, silver and/or bronze, and one as an honorable mention.
The FACE department established the certification program to recognize and honor the dedication and commitment of principals, faculty, and staff who are determined to ensure their families and communities work together toward a common goal. The program was founded to assist schools in three vital areas related to family engagement: building relationships with family and community, linking family events to students’ learning, and supporting parents’ advocacy.
Valedictorians and salutatorians represent the Class of 2016’s highest achievers
Each spring, the Houston Independent School District honors the top two scholars at each of its high schools with a formal celebration of their outstanding academic achievements.
This year, the district recognized the valedictorians and salutatorians at the annual Scholars Banquet held on April 12, 2016, at the Westin Oaks Galleria. A valedictorian has earned the highest grade-point average in his or her graduating class; the student with the second-highest grade-point average is designated as the salutatorian.
Click here to see photos and read the biographies of each valedictorian and salutatorian.
Click here to see the 2016 HISD Spring graduation ceremonies schedule.
HISD Police Department celebrates Police Appreciation Week with art contest winners
The Houston Independent School District Police Department has announced the winners of its second annual Police Appreciation Week Art Contest.
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For this year’s contest, students in kindergarten through second grade created art projects using a variety of law enforcement themes. Some highlighted a specific HISD campus officer, while others showcased different types of law enforcement officers or honored relatives in law enforcement.
Sharpstown High School senior wins a car at school’s Academic Signing Day
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Other events held at campuses across HISD to celebrate seniors’ commitment to colleges of their choice
Thanks to Joel Rogers Classic Chevrolet, a lucky senior will be driving to college. Sharpstown High School’s Academic Signing Day Celebration ended with a drawing, and Joshua Baffoe won a Chevrolet Sonic.
As part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s #ReachHigher Initiative, she sponsored #CollegeSigningDay on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Most HISD high schools have been holding Academic Signing Day events since late April, and they are continuing almost until graduation.
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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Local nonprofit to donate thousands of books to elementary school students
Books Between Kids to expand to 12 more HISD schools
The Houston Independent School District will receive 250,000 books that will be donated to more than 35,000 elementary school students to read this summer, thanks to Books Between Kids, a local nonprofit that collects books year-round to distribute in May.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Books Between Kids will distribute free books to HISD students. This year, the organization will expand its efforts from serving 29,000 children at 47 HISD schools to 35,000 children at 59 campuses. Each child will choose up to six books during a book celebration at their school. Continue reading
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.
Austin High School bond project update draws big crowd
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More than 300 students, staff and community members gathered at Austin High School on Tuesday to get an update on plans to rebuild the 80-year-old school and a first glimpse at what the new facility could look like.
Plans for the campus include modern, open spaces allowing for lots of daylight, better traffic flow in and around the campus, clusters of classrooms to allow for a neighborhood learning concept, and a new, defined entry off of Jefferson Street.
“This really is about our students. We’re providing them with a different type of learning environment,” HISD Design General Manager Dan Bankhead told the crowd, explaining that students no longer sit in rows doing worksheets. “What we find now is students work better when they learn from each other, when they’re collaborative.”
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Board of Education to consider new names for seven schools
The Houston ISD Board of Education on Thursday will consider new names for seven schools that were recommended by committees of students, parents, teachers, alumni, civic leaders and principals.
Earlier this year, the Board of Education voted to start the process of choosing new names for schools that will better reflect the district’s values and diversity. If approved, the new names will be in effect beginning with the upcoming 2016-2017 school year. The proposed new campus names are as follows: Continue reading