Christmas arrived early for nearly three hundred kindergarten through third grade students at Benbrook Elementary School. On Saturday, December 15, the students were awarded free bicycles and helmets from the group Elves and More for achieving their reading goals for the semester. Continue reading
Category Archives: Elementary Schools
Campus Safety Message from Superintendent Terry Grier
Dear HISD Community,
Schools are supposed to be places where our children feel safe to learn and play with their friends. On Friday, we were reminded that even our best efforts to protect our precious students are sometimes not enough to prevent tragedy. I know that all of you join me in praying for the Newtown community and sending them our sincere condolences as they grieve their unimaginable loss.
As Houston ISD students and employees return to class today, I want to assure you that we are taking action to ensure our schools are as safe as possible. We have nearly 200 fully certified police officers in the HISD Police Department, and they are vigilantly patrolling our school neighborhoods and walking our campus hallways. Every school in HISD regularly performs safety drills, and every campus leadership team has an emergency preparedness plan in place. In the days and weeks to come, our police department leaders will be reviewing our procedures to determine whether any modifications are necessary to further protect our children and employees.
HISD also employs a well-trained team of psychologists whose services are available to every campus. Our principals and teachers will not hesitate to bring them in to help any student who might need their care. It is not uncommon for children to have questions and to express fears in these times. We encourage parents to address their children’s concerns proactively. The National Association of School Psychologists offers some helpful tips for parents as they discuss this tragedy with their children. Those suggestions include reassuring children that they are safe, and acknowledging their feelings. You can find more recommendations on the group’s website by clicking here.
The final week of school before winter break is always a time of celebration and anticipation. We owe it to our children to keep it that way. We also owe them a collective commitment to doing whatever it takes to keep them safe while they are in our care. I want to personally wish each of you a joyful holiday season, and encourage you to hug your children just a little tighter and a little longer this year.
Terry B. Grier
Texans Player Gets Billy Reagan Students Excited about Learning
Click the photo above to see photos from the event
Houston Texans football player Kareem Jackson visited students this week at Billy Reagan K-8 Educational Center to motivate them to stay in school and to work hard to get good grades. Jackson spoke to the sixth- through eighth-grade students at a pep rally.
During his talk, he stressed the importance of being good students and encouraged them to always listen to their parents and teachers. He reminded them that the choices they make now will affect them later in life.
Longfellow Elementary Students Reveal Top 10 Toys for Kids this Holiday Season
Since 2001 HISD’s Longfellow Elementary students have been helping parents tackle their holiday shopping with a list of kid-friendly and cost-effective gifts. Today, fifth-grade students at Longfellow held a news conference to announce this year’s top 10 most-wanted holiday gifts.
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“It was hard work. We had to work together,” said Erik Cuellar, fifth-grade student. “But in the end we had a lot of fun, and we are making holiday shopping easier for many parents.”
Every year, the fifth-graders at Longfellow divide into teams and spend a month surveying their classmates on the most desirable toys for the holiday season. The students conduct the surveys on their own, record the data, and use data analysis and math skills to tally the results and release their top 10 list to the media.
Halpin Early Childhood Center Distributes Thanksgiving Baskets to Families
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Thanksgiving arrived early for 150 Halpin Early Childhood Center families. Last week, the Houston Community Service Club provided the families with everything they will need to have a fantastic Thanksgiving meal. In fact, the turkey and all the trimmings were even loaded up in each family’s car. Students dressed up in Thanksgiving outfits and sang a song of thanks for the service club members.
Halpin Early Childhood Center principal Jessica Tejada said in today’s economy everyone needs a little help and she is thankful to service organizations like the Houston Community Service Club for lending a helping hand. “Our parents were so appreciative of this wonderful gift, and our community is happy to receive such a thoughtful donation,” Tejada said.
One of the Service Club members, Harold Goldstein, has a special connection with Halpin Early Childhood Center since it was dedicated to his daughter, Sharon Goldstein Halpin, in 1997 to honor her exceptional dedication as a teacher in HISD.
Bejeweled playgrounds to celebrate SPARK Week
A playground made out of rhinestones and a schoolhouse trimmed with pearls were among the sparkly sights as students at about 40 HISD schools created collages made out of pieces of jewelry for an art show benefiting the SPARK School Park Program. The nonprofit group helps schools develop their playgrounds into community parks, and has transformed 110 playgrounds at HISD schools alone since 1983.
Click here to view pictures of SPARK Week 2012 artwork and park dedications.
Broken bracelets and tangled necklaces used to create the collages were donated by locally owned accessory chain Charming Charlie. The art was auctioned off at a reception Monday night, and raised a total of $4,000 for the organization to continue developing community parks around the city. SPARK often incorporates art from teachers and local artists celebrating community culture and heritage into park landscaping.
Berry Elementary receives ‘Green Ribbon Schools’ award
Berry Elementary School received a “Green Ribbon Schools” Award recently from a national program of the same name in recognition of its leadership in touting green initiatives on campus.
The school was one of only 63 campuses chosen from among 13 states and Guam to win the award, and Berry was selected for achieving the online community’s highest level of participation during the 2011–2012 school year. Continue reading
HISD Police Department Partners with ARAMARK Education to Promote “Kids with Character” Mentoring Program
The HISD Police Department introduced a new partnership today with ARAMARK Education to promote positive character building in HISD schools. The Kids with Character mentoring program will recognize elementary students who have displayed outstanding citizenship in their classes.
Twice a month, HISD officers will eat lunch with students who have shown strong character. During the lunch the officers will also serve as role models by showing students how to be good leaders. Continue reading
Twain ES Celebrates New Track with ‘Parade of Grades’
Students and staff at Twain Elementary School celebrated the completion of their campus’ new track with a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony held on Oct. 12.
The new track, which encircles the athletic field and playground, lies just inside the perimeter of the fence surrounding the campus at the corner of Braes and Aberdeen.
“Today is the day,” said Principal Melissa Patin. “Our children will finally be able to enjoy our new playground and track. This is a sterling example of what we can accomplish when we work together.”
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The ribbon-cutting ceremony included a performance by members of the strings orchestra and concluded with the entire student body marching around the track for the first time in a ‘Parade of Grades’ led by the tiger mascot.
“This project has been on our radar for many years,” said Parent Teacher Organization President Sydni Mossman. “It was in the original plans of the new school.”
Dignitaries in attendance included HISD Board of Education Mike Lunceford, HISD Special Projects Director Willie Burroughs, Isani Consultants Engineering Manager Vincent Jacobs, and many of Twain’s corporate sponsors and community partners.
Parents Plus Curriculum Equals Better Math Instruction for Helms Students
HISD’s Curriculum Department hosted a Partnering with Parents to Prepare Students for Algebra workshop at Helms Elementary School recently, and nearly 90 parents attended the event, which was designed to help them learn some of the same instructional strategies used by HISD teachers to convey various mathematics concepts to their children.