About 6,800 HISD third-grade students will get free backpacks full of supplies, thanks to the NCAA.
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“Each student will get a notebook, pencils, pens, crayons, rulers, and other school supplies,” said Doug Hall, president of the Houston organizing committee for the 2016 NCAA Final Four. Continue reading
From left, Shadowbriar ES Principal Mark Samuel, Davis HS Principal Julissa Alcantar-Martinez, and HISD Chief Student Support Officer Mark Smith at the White House.
HISD representatives traveled to the White House on July 22 to participate in “Rethink School Discipline,” a convening on how to improve school discipline policies and practices. HISD Chief Student Support Officer Mark Smith, Davis High School Principal Julissa Alcantar-Martinez, and Shadowbriar Elementary School Principal Mark Samuel attended the conference.
Across the country, there is concern that zero-tolerance policies in schools are resulting in more student suspensions and expulsions, which places students on the streets when they should be learning in school. According to the Civil Rights Data Collection, more than 3 million students across the country are suspended or expelled every year.
“The convening was a great starting place to discuss the need for a change to the zero-tolerance approach to discipline,” Dr. Alcantar-Martinez said. “They prompted us to re-evaluate our code of conduct and to work with students to include their insight into discipline options at all levels. We plan to share with our peers and work toward exploring alternatives that keep kids in school, thus reducing suspensions.”
HISD Nutrition Services is piloting a composting program to help local agriculture by recycling food leftovers. Last fall, the department selected the Gregory-Lincoln Education Center, Garden Oaks K-8 Montessori, and Briargrove Elementary to pilot the program, which will help HISD become even greener.
Dietitian Jennifer Lengyel manages the new initiative and is excited about Nutrition Services’ involvement in the program. “Compost soil has super nutrients,” said Lengyel. “Instead of food waste going to the landfill, now it will help grow more food.” Continue reading
Irma Sandate has been named the new principal of Durkee Elementary School. She began her education career in Corpus Christi ISD, where she taught Spanish at Moody High School and served as an assistant principal at Moody and Miller high schools, a principal at Driscoll Middle School, and a turnaround principal at Allen Elementary School.
Sandate has 14 years of experience in public education and holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a master’s degree in secondary education from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree from Texas A&M University – Commerce in global eLearning.
Alicia Craig has been named the new principal of Fondren Elementary School. She started her career as an educator in Alief ISD, where she served as a teacher, program coordinator, mentor teacher, magnet instructor, math specialist, and most recently, assistant principal in an elementary school.
Craig earned a bachelor’s degree in science and a master’s degree in educational management from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.
Marlen Peña has been named the new principal of Lewis Elementary School. Peña began her career as a second-grade teacher at Herrera Elementary School, worked as a health teacher at Eastwood Academy, and served as the magnet coordinator at Burbank Elementary School. Her most recent assignment was assistant principal at Benavidez Elementary.
Peña earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas State University and a master’s degree from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.
April Williams has been named the new principal of Oak Forest Elementary School. She previously served as an assistant principal at Lanier Middle School. Williams began her 12-year career with HISD as a fifth-grade teacher at Law Elementary School, and has served as a classroom teacher at both Peck Elementary and Ryan Middle School. She also held the role of high school graduation coach. While at both Peck and Ryan, she received the Classroom Teacher of the Year and the English as a Second Language Teacher of the Year awards.
Williams received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Houston and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Lamar University. She received her doctorate of education in professional leadership from the University of Houston.
Amy Poerschke has been named the new principal of Durham Elementary School. She previously served as the assistant principal of Garcia Elementary School. Prior to that, she taught reading language arts at Dodson Elementary and Garcia. In 2012, she was awarded the Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award.
Poerschke holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Baylor University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of St. Thomas. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in executive leadership from the University of Houston.
Trealla Epps has been named the new principal of Roberts Elementary School. She began her career in HISD as a first-grade teacher at Longfellow Elementary School. After teaching both first and second grades at Longfellow and taking on a variety of leadership roles, Epps served as the school’s instructional coordinator and assistant principal. In 2006, she became the principal of Gordon Elementary (now the Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School). She became the principal at Bruce Elementary School in 2011.
Epps holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Houston (Central Campus) and a master’s degree in educational mid-management and supervision from the University of Houston – Clear Lake. She also holds certification in English as a Second Language and early childhood education.
Linda Bellard has been named the new principal of Garcia Elementary School. She began her education career in Aldine ISD as an elementary school teacher, where she was voted campus Teacher of the Year. She went on to serve as a reading specialist and an assistant principal at the elementary and intermediate levels. In 2007, she joined HISD as the principal of Blackshear Elementary, and later served at Elrod Elementary in the same capacity.
Bellard holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a concentration in reading and a master’s degree in educational administration from Texas Southern University.