Category Archives: Elementary Schools

HISD Bond Oversight Committee tours new Condit ES, gets update on 2012 Bond Program

Condit Elementary School Principal Dan Greenberg shared his vision for 21st century learning on Tuesday as he led HISD Bond Oversight Committee members on a tour of his new school, which opens for students next  month.

Placing an emphasis on modern learning styles, the two-story school features bright colors, open spaces, large windows that let in copious amounts of light, and curved walls that create lots of seating nooks.

White boards are found throughout the hallways, creating pockets where students can gather and learn throughout the building.

Continue reading →

New HISD campus leaders gather for intensive training, networking 

IMG_3920Campus principals face unique challenges, as they balance running a school while making sure the needs of their teachers and students are being met.

That’s why HISD has all new principals attending the annual New Leaders Institute (NLI), a 10-day intensive training event that gives them many of the tools and resources they’ll need to hit the ground running when the 2016-2017 school year begins. The NLI started July 6 and wraps up on Thursday, July 21.  Continue reading →

Volunteers help students fight the ‘Summer Slide’

[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000bDrIv.ZgC8Q” g_name=”20160719_Literacy” width=”600″ f_fullscreen=”t” bgtrans=”t” pho_credit=”iptc” twoup=”f” f_bbar=”t” f_bbarbig=”f” fsvis=”f” f_show_caption=”t” crop=”f” f_enable_embed_btn=”t” f_htmllinks=”t” f_l=”t” f_send_to_friend_btn=”f” f_show_slidenum=”t” f_topbar=”f” f_show_watermark=”t” img_title=”casc” linkdest=”c” trans=”xfade” target=”_self” tbs=”5000″ f_link=”t” f_smooth=”f” f_mtrx=”t” f_ap=”t” f_up=”f” height=”400″ btype=”old” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” ]

Music and reading merged Tuesday at Benbrook Elementary School in northwest Houston as volunteers from Target, the Houston Symphony and PricewaterhouseCoopers helped students take part in the 2016 Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation Summer Reading Challenge Camps.

The camps, with the support of the Houston Area Urban League, aim to prevent the ‘Summer Slide,’ when students lose some of the academic gains made the previous school year. Activities include music lessons and exercises that combine math, science, reading and critical thinking.

Camps were also held at Kashmere Gardens and Atherton, and next week students at Highland Heights will participate.

Students from private school in China welcomed at two HISD elementary schools 

[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000uTlBp1piVNQ” g_name=”20160711-Chinese” width=”600″ f_fullscreen=”t” bgtrans=”t” pho_credit=”iptc” twoup=”f” f_bbar=”t” f_bbarbig=”f” fsvis=”f” f_show_caption=”t” crop=”f” f_enable_embed_btn=”t” f_htmllinks=”t” f_l=”t” f_send_to_friend_btn=”f” f_show_slidenum=”t” f_topbar=”f” f_show_watermark=”t” img_title=”casc” linkdest=”c” trans=”xfade” target=”_self” tbs=”5000″ f_link=”t” f_smooth=”f” f_mtrx=”t” f_ap=”t” f_up=”f” height=”400″ btype=”old” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” ]

Fifth- and sixth-graders from the Dalian Mingxing School in China were welcomed to two HISD schools on Monday, where students interacted in classrooms and shared their educational experiences.

At Dogan and Elmore elementary schools, students participated in various activities together, including yoga, dance, and computer exercises.

Continue reading →

HISD Police Department to host public forum as part of national re-accreditation process

The Houston Independent School District Police Department and a team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies will host a public forum next week as part of the department’s re-accreditation process.

It has been 13 years since the department first achieved accreditation, becoming the only school district police department in the nation to achieve such a feat. This summer, the department is seeking its fourth renewal of the designation, and they need your input.

Continue reading →

HISD to test schools for lead in water

Amid national concerns about lead in municipal water supplies, HISD has begun random lead testing and plans to test all schools not being rebuilt within the 2012 bond program by the end of the 2018-2019 school year.

In March 2016, HISD conducted a test for lead at five schools that were selected at random. The schools tested were: Wharton Dual Language Academy, Hogg Middle School, Henderson Elementary School, Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men, and McReynolds Middle School. Lead levels in all water samples were within acceptable standards.

Continue reading →

HISD receiving $9.2 million grant from TEA for pre-K program

The Texas Education Agency on Tuesday awarded the Houston Independent School District a $9.2 million grant to enhance its early childhood education program.

HISD is among 578 school systems across Texas to be awarded a grant as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s high-quality prekindergarten initiative. The $116 million grant program allows districts and charters to receive funding for qualifying pre-K students in addition to the half-day Foundation School Program funding that is already received for each eligible pre-K student. To receive the grant funding, a district or charter must meet certain enhanced quality standards related to curriculum, teacher qualifications, academic performance, and family engagement.

Continue reading →

Codwell ES students benefit from summer partnership 

Tutors/mentors work with students, develop meaningful relationships

Camp counselors from Camp Fuge celebrated the end of their three-week program with a summer part at Codwell Elementary on Wednesday, June 29, 2016.

Camp counselors from Camp Fuge celebrated the end of their three-week program with a summer party at Codwell Elementary on Wednesday, June 29, 2016.

The heat and humidity wasn’t about to slow down students at Codwell Elementary. They had earned this party. As summer school was nearing its end, students gathered for an afternoon celebration with their new friends, a group of middle, high, and college students from Fuge Camp, who spent the past three weeks tutoring and mentoring them.

Kristy Love, principal at Codwell, said she was amazed how quickly bonds developed between her students and the camp counselors.

“We’re a ‘Leader in Me’ campus, and one of the principles we follow is, ‘Working together, and together is better,’” Love said. “It’s been crazy to see the benefits. These are kids who don’t have a lot of communication with people from other backgrounds. So it’s been great to see them develop these relationships.”   Continue reading →

Construction on new Askew ES to begin as early as September

[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000r_WqnakcJdQ” g_name=”20160621-Askew” width=”600″ f_fullscreen=”t” bgtrans=”t” pho_credit=”iptc” twoup=”f” f_bbar=”t” f_bbarbig=”f” fsvis=”f” f_show_caption=”t” crop=”f” f_enable_embed_btn=”t” f_htmllinks=”t” f_l=”t” f_send_to_friend_btn=”f” f_show_slidenum=”t” f_topbar=”f” f_show_watermark=”t” img_title=”casc” linkdest=”c” trans=”xfade” target=”_self” tbs=”5000″ f_link=”t” f_smooth=”f” f_mtrx=”t” f_ap=”t” f_up=”f” height=”400″ btype=”old” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” ]

Site work at Askew Elementary School is underway with construction of the new building scheduled to begin this fall, according to design and construction plans presented to community members on Tuesday.

Existing temporary buildings are being removed to make room for construction of the new school on the north side of the campus. Crews are preparing to install two temporary classroom buildings on the southwest side of the campus to accommodate students during construction.

“This is the exciting part of the job when everything starts to come to life,” Project Manager Ron Keller said to about 40 people who gathered for an update on plans for the $26.6 million facility, which is part of HISD’s voter-approved 2012 Bond.

Continue reading →

Teacher at Arabic Immersion Magnet School to be recognized on World Refugee Day

Asinja Badeel

Asinja Badeel

Every refugee has a story, and they do not all have happy endings. Former refugee Asinja Badeel, however, came to the U.S. in 2008, and hers is a story of perseverance and success.

Badeel is being honored at World Refugee Day 2016 on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. at Houston Community College, 1300 Holman. She will speak about leaving Iraq with her family and spending a year in Istanbul before coming to Houston.

Continue reading →