Category Archives: Elementary Schools

HISD students develop STEM, literacy skills at Camp Adventure

It was no ordinary birthday for rising fifth-grader Cameron, who celebrated turning eleven years old with a birthday song serenade from a group of teachers, students and Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan during Camp Adventure at HISD’s Atherton Elementary School.  

Cameron, along with hundreds of other students from around the district, is spending his summer break immersed in a flurry of STEAM activities at the camp, which is sponsored by The Children’s Museum of Houston and the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation.  

“I love Camp Adventure because we get to do a lot of fun science activities,” Cameron said. “We’ve already made a balloon rocket, a glider and guacamole.”  

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More than 30 HISD schools earn spot on 2018-2019 Texas Honor Roll

Thirty-three Houston Independent School District campuses have been named to the 2018-2019 Educational Results Partnership (ERP) Texas Honor Roll for their high achievement and student success rates. 

“We applaud our hard-working teachers, staff, and students,” said HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan. “We are especially proud of our schools that despite the high-poverty levels, they still have high-achieving results.”

Schools can earn a spot on the ERP Honor Roll in three categories: Star – high-achieving, high-poverty campuses; Scholar – high-achieving, low-poverty campuses; or STEM – top 10 percent of high-poverty, high-achieving campuses in math and science.

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Second-graders to receive backpacks filled with books for summer reading

It doesn’t take long for students to lose some of the academic progress they have made during the school year by sitting idle over the summer, so HISD is challenging second-graders to use the power of reading to combat the dreaded “summer slide.” 

HISD is providing all second-grade students with a summer backpack filled with six books, a reading journal, graphic organizers, at-home family activities, reading log, colored pencils and a postcard. Experts agree that children who read during the summer months keep their reading skills sharp and are better prepared for the challenges of the next grade level. 

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Arabic Immersion Magnet School relocating to former Kinder HSPVA campus

The Houston Independent School District’s Arabic Immersion Magnet School will relocate this summer to the former campus of Kinder High School for Performing and Visual Arts — a move designed to accommodate the school’s growing student population and transformation to a PK-8 campus.  

The new location, located at 4001 Stanford St., is just seven miles south of the original AIMS campus on West 28th Street in the Heights. The campus will provide a more central, neighborhood location while still maintaining proximity to the original campus. Additionally, the new building has space for the school to expand, including areas for fine arts, physical education, and a growing pre-kindergarten program. 

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Parents encouraged to register for 2019-2020 pre-K programs

All HISD campuses serving pre-kindergarten students are participating in a common registration window during the week of April 29 through May 3 for families to register children for pre-K classes for the 2019-2020 school year.

Offering a common week for registration allows the district and campuses to communicate and advertise to all school communities. However, parents do not have to wait for this window as schools are ready to register students right now.

HISD provides full-day pre-K programs focused on the development of literacy, math, and social skills that serve as the foundation for children’s success in their educational careers.

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Spring STAAR testing begins April 8

HISD students in grades 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10 will be taking portions of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) beginning Monday, April 8. 

Students in grades 4 and 7 will be taking the writing portions, while students in grades 5 and 8 will be taking the math and reading portions. High-school students who are currently enrolled in or have completed English I and II will be taking the end-of-course (EOC) exam associated with that subject. 

The first spring test administration concludes on Thursday, April 18. Additional testing will take place in May and June. 

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C. Martinez ES teachers to read bedtime stories via Facebook Live

The Houston Independent School District’s C. Martinez Elementary School is starting a weekly Facebook livestream event to focus on literacy. 

Every Tuesday evening, students can login to Facebook (CMES Readers Den) for “A Night in the Wolves Den” and listen to a special guest read a bedtime story.  The intent is to help build literacy at home by engaging with CMES teachers and staff in a way that is current and fun. 

To join in, add CMES Readers Den as a friend on Facebook and turn in on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. to hear a bedtime story read by a teacher. 

Special Olympics Field Days rescheduled for March; volunteers needed

Editor’s note: Due to the threat of inclement weather, the Special Olympics Field Days rescheduled for March have been postponed. When new dates are established, they will be communicated.

The sixth annual Special Olympics Field Days, which was postponed in November because of inclement weather, are now scheduled for March, and HISD needs volunteers for the upcoming event.

Field Days give students with intellectual and developmental disabilities a chance to showcase their athletic skills by taking part in fun athletic contests. The friendly competition includes basketball, tennis, soccer, and track and field for all ages, as well as flag football for high-schoolers.

Middle-school students will have their events on March 6, while high school students will participate on March 7. Then elementary students get their Special Olympics Field Day on March 5.

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Askew ES celebrates new facility with student-led ceremony

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Askew Elementary School’s bold primary colors and collage of stars on the gymnasium walls set the stage Thursday as students, known as Askew All-Stars, led a building dedication ceremony.

The new $27.8 million west area campus opened for the start of the 2018-2019 school year and recently completed construction of a playground and parking lot to finish out the project. Continue reading →

Transportation Services to host Coffee & Conversations, add new stops

Transportation Services will host its third round of Coffee & Conversations on Wednesday — an opportunity for the department to share important updates and progress, as well as gather feedback to better identify ongoing challenges.

The bi-monthly meetings are normally held in the morning and evening at rotating locations. This time, the group will gather at Transportation Services’ Northwest Terminal and Eastwood Academy.

In the morning session, Interim General Manager John Wilcots IV will guide attendees on a tour of an HISD school bus to demonstrate the features of Zonar, a fleet management and tracking system implemented earlier this school year. Continue reading →