Category Archives: District VIII – Judith Cruz

Teacher scores a bull’s eye by demonstrating physics through archery

Ernie Vita, who just finished the ninth grade at CVHS, nocks his arrow in P.E. class

Ernie Vita, who just finished the ninth grade at CVHS, nocks his arrow in P.E. class

Jamie Scott, a science teacher at Carnegie Vanguard High School (CVHS), has been demonstrating various principles of physics to her students this year using archery sets purchased with a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) grant.

The $11,000 grant from TPWD’s Community Outdoor Outreach Program also allowed Scott to buy camping equipment for the school’s ECO (Environment, Community, and Outdoor) Club, and purchase tools and plants to convert the school’s green roof into a “pocket prairie,” with help from the Katy Prairie Conservancy.

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Former educators support Literacy By 3 with annual book donation

HART member Judy Harwell, dressed up as Mickey Mouse from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” hands out books at Burnet ES.

HART member Judy Harwell, dressed up as Mickey Mouse from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” hands out books at Burnet ES.

Aside from current educators, there is probably no group of people more passionate about the need for developing literacy skills in children than retired teachers. That’s why the Houston Association for Retired Teachers (HART) has been selecting one HISD school per year since 2000 to receive free books.

This year, Burnet Elementary School was the lucky beneficiary, and members of HART dropped by on May 15 to distribute one free book to each student.

“Studies show that when kids read for fun, they have a better chance of becoming strong readers,” said Principal Ana Cantu. “HART has helped our students have that opportunity by giving them brand new books of their own.”

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Teachers: Attend a job fair for North Forest area schools on June 5

$5,000 sign-on/transfer bonus being offered

Teachers interested in making a difference in a child’s life can attend a job fair on Friday, June 5, for HISD schools in the North Forest area.

There are openings at all levels, and a $5,000 sign-on or transfer bonus is being offered to help recruit highly effective teachers to North Forest schools. You must be a pool-approved candidate to attend or a current HISD teacher to attend. Use the link below to apply now.

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Student creates powerful video on post-Memorial Day flood

When classes were cancelled in the Bayou City due to flooding on May 26, senior Jay Mondkar did not waste his day off. Mondkar, a student at Carnegie Vanguard High School, chose to bike to his school and record the aftermath of the flood with his Nikon D800 camera. He then made a video and posted it on YouTube. Within five days, the video accumulated 2,156 views.

The video, titled “Houston Flooded”, shows scenes of the torrential downpour and water-filled highways, as well as firefighters clearing roads and Houstonians navigating the damaged city.

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‘Chicken Soup’ books to feed students’ reading appetite

Students at Poe ES pose with Principal Jeff Amerson and their new books.

Students at Poe ES pose with Principal Jeff Amerson and their new books.

A new partnership between the Boniuk Foundation and Chicken Soup for the Soul is helping students in HISD and across Harris County to develop more cultural awareness while simultaneously building their literacy skills.

The partnership kicked off on May 14 at Poe Elementary School, where a group of students gathered to open boxes of books that were being delivered to the libraries of every school in Harris County.

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Hundreds of seniors receive associate’s degrees alongside diplomas

Members of the HAIS Class of 2015

Members of the HAIS Class of 2015

A high school diploma looks better when it’s next to an associate’s degree.

That’s why several HISD campuses offer students the opportunity to obtain an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science degree from Houston Community College while they’re still in high school. More than 300 HISD seniors met the challenge this year, enabling them to graduate with an associate’s degree as well as a diploma.

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Twenty-two HISD schools get free art supplies from Rodrigue Foundation

FieldES_RodrigueBlueDog_400aStudents at almost two dozen HISD schools are now better able to explore the visual arts, after their campuses won art supply kits valued at $1,000 each from the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts (GRFA). The schools received the kits after submitting grant requests to George’s Art Closest, an initiative of the organization named for the well-known Louisiana-based artist who created “Blue Dog.”

Up to 20 campuses also got free field trips to a temporary exhibit of Rodrigue’s artwork at West Avenue at River Oaks, 2800 Kirby Dr., second floor, and Adrienne Lewis’ third-grade math class at Field Elementary School even received a visit from the artist’s son, Jacques Rodrigue, on May 18. Continue reading →

Three organizations team up to share the joy of reading

Students at Pugh Elementary School celebrated the joy of reading on May 18 with representatives from Books Between Kids, members of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Trailblazers Committee, and the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation.

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Carnegie Vanguard chemistry teacher wins prestigious award

Rajadurai_Christy_150Christy Rajadurai, a chemistry teacher at Carnegie Vanguard High School, has won the 2015 Thomas Aczel Award for Excellence in High School Teaching from the American Chemical Society – Greater Houston Section (ACS-GHS).

Rajadurai will be presented with a $500 check and a plaque at the ACS-GHS Spring Awards Banquet on June 3. As the winner for the Greater Houston Section, Rajadurai is now a candidate for the ACS Southwest Regional Award.

Rajadurai has taught Advanced Placement and pre-Advanced Placement chemistry for five years at Carnegie.

Elves & More rewards students’ literacy achievements with bikes

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Elementary students got to build the bicycles they earned through improved literacy goals last Friday, May 15, at the Houston Zoo. Second- and third-graders worked hard all semester to achieve goals set by their teachers to improve their literacy skills. The “Getting Young Minds in Gear” event was led by Elves & More, a program that uses bicycles as an incentive to encourage literacy in elementary school students.

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