Category Archives: Elementary Schools

Kolter school community bids farewell to Harvey-damaged campus

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Sugary donuts and hot coffee lined blue tables at the front entrance of Kolter Elementary School as students, faculty, and parents covered their hands with bright-colored paint and marked the building’s exterior with vibrant handprints.

The festivities were part of a “Donuts before Demo” event designed to allow hundreds of community members the chance to say goodbye to their beloved building, which is being demolished and rebuilt due to damages sustained from Hurricane Harvey.

“It’s exciting,” Kolter Principal Julie Dickinson said, smiling. “Although initial circumstances weren’t ideal, we’re getting a new building. It’s worth the wait.”

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Codwell ES celebrates 40th anniversary at grand opening ceremony

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Eleven Codwell Elementary School violinists decked out in Michael Jackson’s signature black fedoras assembled Wednesday on the steps of their new stage as they performed the classic hit “Billie Jean.”

The musical selection performed by the Codwell Violin Ensemble served to formally kick off the school’s Grand Opening and 40th Anniversary Celebration.

The day held special significance for community members, students, and faculty — not just because it marked the anniversary of the school’s inception, but also because it marked the completion of a major renovation and repurposing of the Tavenor Lane campus.

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Parker ES to open new building after Spring Break

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With construction nearing completion, Parker Elementary School staff are making plans to move into their new building over Spring Break and open their doors to students on March 19.

The project is more than 80 percent complete. Interior painting and flooring are underway, and crews will finish pouring exterior driveways and walkways later this week.

“We’re really excited to get moved into our new school,” Parker Principal Lori Frodine said, praising the unique architecture of the new building. “It’s such a cool building with a lot of great space.”

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HISD to hold subcontractor outreach session for rebuilding of Harvey-damaged schools

The HISD Business Assistance Supplier Diversity team is holding an outreach session on Friday for minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBE) interested in working as subcontractors on the projects to rebuild four schools damaged by Hurricane Harvey.

Last week, the HISD Board of Education selected Satterfield & Pontikes Construction as the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) tasked with overseeing the demolition and construction of the four elementary schools – Kolter, Mitchell, Braeburn, and Scarborough. Continue reading →

HISD announces winners of Elementary College Week 

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Over the past week, elementary schools throughout HISD were challenged to showcase their campus’ college knowledge.

In partnership with Counseling & Student Support, HISD’s Office of College & Career Readiness hosted the district’s first Elementary College Week! More than 70 schools actively competed for the chance to win a trip to UT-Austin, as well as classroom pizza and ice cream parties.

Each day, students answered essential college questions, such as “What is college?” or “Who can go to college?” As part of the competition, teachers and other school personnel were encouraged to post pictures and videos of Elementary College Week Activities on Twitter and Facebook, using #HISDElem2College.  Continue reading →

Wharton DLA construction project nears halfway mark

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Construction on the new Wharton Dual Language Academy is almost halfway complete, with structural steel erected for the building addition and exterior and interior wall framing underway.

Roof installation and interior wall framing of the existing building also are nearly complete, and the parking and driveway areas have been poured.

“We’re looking forward to having a modern, 21st-century building,” Wharton Principal Jennifer Day said, noting that she and her staff were already looking forward to moving into the facility. “I love how the design incorporates the historical building with the new.”

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HISD Board of Education approves turnaround plans for schools in year two Improvement Required status

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday approved turnaround plans for the campuses designated Year Two Improvement Required by the Texas Education Agency.

Schools with this designation have not met state standards for two years. These four campuses – Bonham Elementary School, Gregory-Lincoln Education Center (prekindergarten through grade 8), Madison High School, and Washington High School – are required to develop and submit a two-year plan to improve student outcomes. Continue reading →

Henderson ES site of first elementary school salad bar  

When students at J.P. Henderson Elementary returned from the holiday break, they were met with a healthy new option in the cafeteria: a salad bar filled with crisp lettuce, fresh cheese, and cool cucumbers.

Henderson Elementary is the first elementary school in the district to have a salad bar included in its meal options. Nutrition Services plans on adding salad bars to another 22 elementary schools before spring break.  Continue reading →

HISD to standardize school start times for the 2018-19 school year

HISD will implement standardized school start times for the 2018-19 school year to better deliver efficient, reliable, and affordable transportation to our students.

Currently, HISD manages 67 different school start times – the highest in the state – as it transports nearly 36,000 students on almost 1,200 different routes each day. Beginning next fall, the district will operate with two standardized start/dismissal times:

  • 7:30 a.m.-2:50 p.m. for elementary schools and K-8 campuses
  • 8:30 a.m.-3:50 p.m. for all secondary campuses (middle school, high school, and grade 6-12 campuses)

(Some specialty campuses may have alternate start/dismissal times that will be communicated directly from the campus.)

HISD gathered parent and principal input on the new start times through surveys conducted in October, and the results support the new start times, which were listed as Option 4 in the surveys. Of the 154 respondents to a survey of principals, 78, or 51%, chose Option 4. Of 17,138 respondents to a survey of parents, 7,932, or 46%, chose Option 4.

 

Standardizing school start times will bring efficiencies to the district’s bus routes and ensure that students arrive to campus and depart on time, resulting in fewer interruptions to teaching, learning, and family schedules. The new start times will also extend the life of the district’s bus fleet and reduce maintenance and fuel costs.

Robinson ES students return for ‘fresh start’ at home campus after post-Harvey renovations

Children and their parents lined up at the doors of Robinson Elementary School on Monday morning, eager to see inside their newly renovated and repaired school, which sustained significant damage from Hurricane Harvey in August.

As one student stood bewildered looking up and down the hallways, Principal Paige Fernandez-Hohos stepped in. “Who is your teacher? What grade are you looking for?” she asked. After getting the information, Fernandez escorted the little girl down the correct hallway toward the third-grade classrooms.

“It definitely feels like the first day of school in August, just because of the new building and kids aren’t always 100 percent sure of where they are going, and teachers have a new schedule,” Fernandez-Hohos said, noting the help the campus has received in getting ready for the first day back. Continue reading →