Category Archives: District VIII – Judith Cruz

Energy Institute HS nears 90 percent completion

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Construction on the new Energy Institute High School soon will reach 90 percent completion, with the building being furnished and outfitted with technology in the spring and teachers and staff moving in next summer.

Crews are currently working on interior finishes such as painting, ceiling panel installation, and sealing and polishing of concrete floors. Installation of carpet in limited areas and outdoor canopies will wrap up this quarter, as will final mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and safety inspections.

“Our new Energy building has been a labor of love for all of us who have contributed to its innovative design,” said Energy Institute Principal Lori Lambropoulos. “The high-tech facility will positively inspire our inventive students and staff to reach for the stars.” Continue reading →

2012 Bond launches Twitter to provide easy access to latest construction updates

Wish you could get the latest information and updates on construction progress at your child’s school? Now you can. Just follow @Build_HISD on Twitter, and you’ll have all that information at your fingertips.

The new page was launched last month to provide families with quick and easy access to the latest information — photos, videos, project updates, meeting recaps — about 2012 Bond projects across the district.

Follow us. Re-tweet us. Tag us with your questions. Or tweet your own construction photos, and we can retweet you. You can also look for and use our hashtags #BuildHISD, #2012Bond, and #BuiltForLearning. Continue reading →

Austin HS moving to temporary campus in January

Austin High School students and staff will relocate in January to a temporary campus in preparation for the start of construction on their new building.

Construction of the Temporary Learning Center — dubbed by school officials as the “TLC” and made up of temporary buildings — is nearing completion, with plans for students and staff to report to that location on Jan. 8, which is the first day of the spring semester.

The temporary campus was built to ensure student and staff safety during construction. It is located along South Lockwood Drive, directly behind the existing school building.

“It’s becoming a reality. The move is starting to set in,” Austin High School Principal Steve Guerrero said during a recent Project Advisory Team meeting. “It’s still a move, but we’re working to make sure the transition will be as smooth as possible.”

Continue reading →

Bond Oversight Committee tours Milby HS, hears update on third quarter construction progress

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The Houston Independent School District’s Bond Oversight Committee got an inside look at the new Milby High School while touring the campus as part of their regular quarterly meeting on Tuesday.

The eight-member group got to see 21st century learning in action as they made their way through the dining commons, library, gym, and various classroom spaces, including the welding, science, and culinary arts labs.

They also walked through the large central courtyard and got to see the historic main entrance, which now leads to a park-like green space. Continue reading →

Wharton DLA construction project going vertical

Construction of the new Wharton Dual Language Academy is a quarter of the way complete, with interior demolition of the existing building finished and steel framing being erected for the new addition.

Crews are currently pouring concrete on the upper floors of the new three-story addition, as well as installing roofing, plumbing, electrical, and heating and cooling systems within the existing building.

“I’m thrilled to see the new building taking shape,” Wharton Principal Jennifer Day said. “It’s going to be a great new 21st century learning facility for future generations.”

Continue reading →

New Kinder HSPVA on track to welcome students in January 2019

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Construction on the new Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in downtown Houston is making steady progress, with work about 65 percent complete as of this quarter.

The $88 million campus, which is part of the Houston Independent School District’s 2012 Bond Program, is located between Caroline and Austin streets near the city’s renowned arts and theater district. It is scheduled to open in January 2019.

After raising the five-story building to its highest point in May, workers have since installed the roof and exterior waterproofing and plan to have the entire building enclosed in the coming weeks. Connection of permanent power will follow, which will enable the air conditioning, heating, and ventilation systems to be up and running by late November. Continue reading →

New High School for Law and Justice building to open for summer classes

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Construction on the new High School for Law and Justice is making steady progress, with work this quarter expected to bring the project to about 80 percent completion.

The new $40 million campus, which is funded through a combination of bond funds and real estate proceeds, will feature a realistic courtroom, crime-scene investigations lab, emergency communications center, and law library. The building also will include spaces for ROTC, athletics, fine arts, and other traditional high school spaces.

In the last quarter, the roof and exterior walls were installed, serving to enclose the building. Crews also installed the interior climate system, along with permanent power, plumbing, and utilities.

Continue reading →

HISD recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month 

The Houston Independent School District is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs Sept. 15- Oct. 15, to recognize the contributions made by people of Hispanic and Latin American descent and their heritage and culture.

HISD includes 22 schools that recognize the contributions of Hispanic civic and community leaders, who range from educators and civil servants to local restaurateurs, newscasters, Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, and even Nobel Prize-winners.

Hispanic Heritage Month begins on Sept. 15 because that is the anniversary of the independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The month also encompasses the independence days for Mexico (Sept. 16) and Chile (Sept. 18), as well as Columbus Day (Sept. 12), also known as Dia de la Raza.

Hispanic Heritage Month started as a week in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson, but President Ronald Reagan extended it to a month in 1988.

SCHOOLS: We would like to retweet photos of your Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations. Please include @HoustonISD in your Tweets, along with the hashtag #HispanicHeritageMonth. 

HISD Board of Education to vote on extended days for schools with delayed start

Sept. 14 2017 – In its first regular meeting since Hurricane Harvey, the Houston Independent School District Board of Education Trustees will consider a proposal to make up instructional time lost because of the storm.  The Texas Education Agency approved waivers that exempt students from making up the first nine days the storm took away.  However, students at the 12 schools that suffered the most significant damage will have to make up any lost time beyond those days.

Here’s how the proposed plan works:  Students at the four schools scheduled to start on September 18 would be in school for 25 additional minutes every day.  Students at the eight schools scheduled to start on September 25 would go for an extra 55 minutes.  That extended school day would be effective from their first day of school until the end of the first semester in December. Continue reading →

Furr HS begins new school year in new facility

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After the storm, Furr High School students were more than ready to start the new school year, but they were especially excited Monday morning to begin their first day of classes in their new building.

“It feels like High School Musical,” joked junior Jose Padron about the colorful new building. “I really like it. I think people won’t skip school as much.”

The three-story, $56 million facility was designed to enhance the school’s science, technology, engineering, and arts programs. It includes flexible, brightly colored learning areas with moveable furniture and sliding glass doors to make the rooms easily adjustable and accommodate changing needs of students and staff. Continue reading →