The recently released list of Texas Honor Roll schools selected by the Educational Results Partnership includes 49 Houston Independent School District campuses.
The schools were selected by the Educational Results Partnership (ERP) for 2019-2020 based on students’ academic performance, closing achievement gaps among groups of students, utilizing evidence-based instructional practices, and having a defined system-wide mission of college and career readiness for all students.
Continue readingParents who would like to explore HISD’s portfolio of school choice options for the 2021-2022 school year are invited to the final virtual School Choice Fair from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 13.
Representatives from HISD campuses will be available, and attendees can get help submitting their application. Parents can log into the virtual fair here.
Continue readingA line of cars snaked through the parking lot of Atherton Elementary School, out onto Rawley Street, and stretched toward nearby Boyce-Dorian Park—horns honking as they made their way to the front of the line.
But on this sunny Friday afternoon, the cars were not a part of a student pickup line or another traffic jam. They cheered from their cars with signs and balloons to celebrate Dr. Albert Lemons, who was retiring as principal of Atherton after 55 years with HISD.
Faculty and staff at Atherton organized a drive-through parade to celebrate, with countless community members participating, as well as Mayor Sylvester Turner and Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan.
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Nurse Paul Rademacher was running a little late.
Just before he was set to arrive at a meeting with Bruce Elementary Principal Dr. Shawn Nickerson, a third-grader had an asthma attack and needed immediate attention.
“That’s the epitome of Nurse Paul right there,” Nickerson said. “Always putting the students first.”
A few moments later, Rademacher walked into the meeting, surprised to also find HR —and a group of cheering colleagues— waiting with the principal. To his surprise, he was named the January Elementary School Nurse of the Month.
Continue readingIn the sunny courtyard of Blackshear Elementary, Tanya Fontaine Clark stood speechless for a few moments before elaborating on her passion for her job—and the school she calls home.
“My mother was a teacher. I guess I’m a chip off the old block,” Clark said. “I wanted to give back. I wanted to enrich the lives of the children at Blackshear.”
The third-generation educator had just received the award for January’s Achieve 180 Dedicated Associate Teacher of the Month. It was just one of the stops of the day for Human Resources , as they also surprised the December and January Associate Teachers of the Month and Achieve 180 Dedicated Associate Teachers of the Month.
Continue readingTo assist with ongoing efforts to support public health and safety, the Houston Independent School District is offering COVID-19 BinaxNOW Rapid Tests at all campuses and its central office.
The district has been provided with testing resources to test campus-based staff, district administrators, and a percentage of students (with permission from parents) through a statewide COVID-19 Rapid Testing program implemented in conjunction with the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The tests will be optional, but all staff who work on a campus are encouraged to participate in the program.
The Houston Independent School District will host its next virtual Parent University workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 9. (Please note: this was rescheduled from February due to inclement weather.)
The theme of the fourth session will be “Non-Academic Supports Offered in HISD.” The workshop will begin with a general session followed by virtual breakout sessions that will include information on district programs, parent engagement, and community resources.
Continue readingFourth-grader wins $1,000 prize for original speech inspired by civil rights leader
Crespo Elementary School fourth-grader Vivianna Serna used her own experience with discrimination amongst friends as a guide for her winning speech at the 25th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition.
Serna was awarded first place for her original speech that tackled hate and bigotry between friends, stating that Dr. King’s teachings showed her that she must meet the forces of hate with the power of love.
The event was held Friday at HISD’s Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center. Serna was among 12 HISD students to participate in the final round of the Foley & Lardner LLP-sponsored competition, which marks its 25th anniversary this year.
Continue readingOn a chilly Tuesday morning at Eliot Elementary School, fourth-grade ELA teacher Fernando Lopez was teaching his students how to analyze a story when he was suddenly summoned to the school parking lot for a special surprise.
Cars covered in painted messages and decorations drove by Lopez, cheering him on for being named HISD’s January Teacher of the Month – not only for effectively teaching his students English, but also for helping them develop a love of reading. As a thank-you for his hard work, he will be driving a 2021 Honda CR-V, courtesy Sterling McCall Honda.
An alumnus of Eliot Elementary School, Lopez has dedicated the last 22 years to helping ensure his students grow in their acquisition of a second language and their ability to effectively read and communicate through writing.
Continue readingWith students back in class after winter break, Nutrition Services is re-starting its weekly Neighborhood Supersite community distribution program to ensure HISD students and families have continued access to good food.
The January supersites will kick off on Wednesday, Jan 6, at Barnett Stadium from 2 to 6 p.m. Another three supersites will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 9 at Hattie Mae White and Hexser T. Holliday Food Services support centers and Sugar Grove Academy.
All sites provide seven days’ worth of student meals and family food boxes from the Houston Food Bank.
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