Category Archives: High Schools

Parents of eighth-graders to get preview of high school under HB 5

Community meetings begin Monday; high school counselors and registrars will be on hand to answer questions about new graduation requirements 

What is an “endorsement”? How can my child be eligible for Top 10 percent admissions to college? What does my child do to “supersize” his or her diploma to be more attractive to colleges and employers? Parents of current eighth-graders – who will be the first to graduate under revised state requirements – will face an array of new choices and decisions at the start of the 2014-2015 school year.

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Three schools eliminated from HISD closure, consolidation proposal

The Houston Independent School District Board of Trustees will review proposals to close Jones High School and Dodson Elementary School during the March 13 board meeting. Three of the five schools – Nathaniel Q. Henderson Elementary School, Port Houston Elementary School, and Fleming Middle School – originally proposed for closure have been removed from consideration by Board President Juliet Stipeche. This authority is provided to the president through board policy.

“I respect our board president’s request to remove these schools from consideration,” HISD Superintendent Terry Grier said. “I also appreciate her input, the input of all trustees, and the community-at-large in this process.”

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Chavez HS College Camp helps students, parents prepare for paying for college

Don’t think that financial issues make college out of reach. That was the message sounded repeatedly to several hundred parents and students, who attended College Camp Houston at Chavez High School on March 1 to find out more about the financial aspects of preparing for higher education.

The workshop, hosted by the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and Wells Fargo Bank, provided students and parents with advice for paying for college, researching financial aid, and obtaining scholarships. Bankers and education finance specialists guided families through the application process.

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Find out how high school is changing at HISD ‘Plan Your Path’ meetings

Ten community sessions will introduce families to new requirements, resources

Houston ISD will launch a series of 10 community “Plan Your Path: House Bill 5 and You” meetings Monday, March 10, to introduce eighth-graders and their families to major changes in high school planning that will blend academics with higher education and careers.

One session is set for each trustee’s district, with one at the HISD headquarters at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center. Families may attend any of the meetings, and all HISD students and parents are invited to get a first look at this new model for learning.

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CVHS students learn first-hand what farm-to-table eating is like

Students embrace concept whole-hog after tasting fresh local produce, pork

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A prominent executive chef and local farmer teamed up Saturday to teach 15 Carnegie Vanguard HS students about differences in food that comes directly from the source.

Carlos Rodriguez, concept executive chief for Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse, had extended the invitation after he observed the school and observed its raised beds in the courtyard that included some edible plants.

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Houston FAFSA Day results in: Large increase in applications for financial aid

The recently held Houston FAFSA Day, a partnership between HISD, Spring Branch ISD, the city of Houston and other local organizations, was a huge success and district administrators have the data to prove it. Early numbers from the Department of Education show an increase of more than 159 percent in the number of seniors who completed FAFSA applications.

The number of applications increased from 618 in 2013 to 1601 in 2014, mainly due to the efforts of a city-wide partnership during the first Houston FAFSA Day. The event opened the doors of all HISD High School to host parents, students and family members who were interested in completing the federal aid application. It took place for the first time on February 20 from 6-8 p.m.

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Students share their vision of the Bayou City in ‘Eye on Houston’ exhibit

This photo, taken by Bellaire High School student Maggie Dib and entitled “Limitless,” is one of dozens captured by students from three HISD campuses that will be in the Eye on Houston display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, through April 20. (Image courtesy MFAH)

For almost two decades, students at HISD’s Jack Yates High School have been chronicling the rhythm of life in Houston’s historic Third Ward.

Under the leadership of photography teacher Ray Carrington III, teens learned the basics of photography, film development, and print-making, then used their developing artistic eye to record interesting images of their neighborhood.

The photographs were displayed each year in an exhibit called “Eye on Third Ward” at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston—and now, that program has expanded to include the work of students from two other campuses: Bellaire and Chávez high schools.

Now known as “Eye on Houston,” the exhibit opened on Jan. 11 in the museum’s Audrey Jones Beck Building (5601 Main St.). It will stay there through April 20.

Decisions, decisions: School Choice Week celebrates variety

Kolter ES students are excited about School Choice Week!

The fourth annual National School Choice Week (NSCW) kicks off its Whistle-Stop Tour across the nation in Houston at 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at Union Station at Minute Maid Park, 501 Crawford St. The event provides an opportunity to learn more about HISD’s School Choice program and the portfolio of educational programs offered by the district’s many magnet and vanguard, International Baccalaureate, Montessori, and early college high schools, Futures academies, and charter schools. Despite the December deadline for first-round consideration for magnet applications, there are still many openings in great schools across the district.

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Board of Education approves mascot policy update

Mascots at affected schools will be respectfully retired, replaced during the 2014-2015 school year

On Thursday, the Houston Independent School District Board of Education voted 7-0 with one abstention and one member absent to approve the second reading of a policy update to prohibit the use of any race or ethnic group as a mascot or nickname.

This policy update affects four schools — Lamar High School Redskins, Westbury High School Rebels, Hamilton Middle School Indians and Welch Middle School Warriors.

During the 2014-2015 school year, each school will be required to select a new mascot and respectfully retire its existing mascot. HISD administration will work closely with the affected schools to help them retire their mascots with respect and dignity, taking into consideration the history and tradition surrounding them.

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District reviewing literacy plan in the new year

HISD will be reviewing and modifying the district’s literacy plan known as CLASS over the next several months and evaluating individual school programs for effectiveness.

“It really comes down to coherence at the district level,” said Chief Academic Officer Dan Gohl. “In math, there are very few programs and there is a great deal of coherence, so when a child moves from one school to another, they can quickly adapt. This is not true of our literacy programs.”

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