For Principal Rita Graves, it is impossible for her to pick a favorite part of the construction project at Lamar High School.
The $122 million project, part of the 2012 Bond Program, brings several improvements to the campus, including a new, state-of-the-art academic wing, renovations to its historic original building, and enhancements to the athletic fields.
Continue readingAfter a week-long break, the Houston Independent School District is relaunching curbside student meals distribution on Tuesday, Sept. 8 — the first day of the 2020-2021 school year.
HISD Nutrition Services will offer daily curbside pickup, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 86 schools strategically located throughout the district. Each day, families can go to any location to pick up one pre-packed breakfast and lunch meal per student. The meals are served at no cost to families.
Parents must show proof of enrollment in an HISD school — such as a student ID or report card — to pick up the meals.
Continue readingHISD staff members took hundreds of calls and answered questions on a variety of topics during the district’s back-to-school phone banks on Friday as the district helps families to Reconnect Safely and Return Strong for the 2020-2021 school year.
The phone banks gave the public the opportunity to ask questions in English and Spanish by calling the HISD at H.O.M.E. hotline number at 713-556-(INFO) 4636.
“Every year, we hold our phone banks to ensure our parents and students can get their questions answered by talking one-on-one with an HISD team member,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “During this ‘Year of Flexibility,’ we want our parents to know that we are partners with them in their child’s education.”
Continue readingThe Houston Independent School District and Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas have announced a partnership to launch the innovative 3DE model at Austin High School.
United around the belief that equitable access to high-quality education is a lever to economic mobility, 3DE transforms learning to be more interconnected and better reflect the real world. The program will serve ninth-grade students this fall and will continue to grow as students move to the next grade level.
The 3DE program is designed to help drive student engagement and opportunity in high school to better prepare students for the demands of tomorrow’s economy. The 3DE model will help students achieve this by teaching them critical skills and knowledge in all content areas by combining traditional learning and with real-world experiences.
Continue readingThe Museum of Fine Arts Houston recently released an online photography exhibition featuring works from HISD Class of 2020 graduating seniors created during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The virtual exhibition, Stronger than COVID-19: Empowering the Seniors of Houston Independent School District to Reclaim the Narrative of Their Senior Year, was inspired by Booker T. Washington High School art teacher Maya Imani Watson, who, as the mother of a class of 2020 senior, wanted to give students from 12 HISD high schools the opportunity to take back the story of their senior year, which had been sidelined by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continue readingAlberto Varona, a rising ninth-grader from DeBakey High School for Health Professions, has dreams of pursuing a career in science, and after one week at HISD’s all-virtual Camp Spark, those dreams are stronger than ever.
“One day, I have dreams of creating medicine that will help people,” he said. “Camp Spark has really encouraged me to pursue those dreams.”
The two-week camp, which is offered to students in grades pre-K through 12 and provided at no cost, is designed to get students re-engaged as the district prepares for online learning, and provides online lessons that focus on physical fitness, science, literacy, math, internet safety, technology and art.
Continue readingFor more than 80 years, the red-bricked Austin High School has been a mainstay in the Eastwood community. With construction nearing completion, the new school now strikes a balance of the past and present.
The $80.9 million project features modern classrooms, flexible learning spaces, and sound and lighting upgrades to the existing auditorium. The Art Deco-influenced façade also has been preserved and refurbished as a part of the project.
“This school has been here for more than 80 years. It was important to keep a part of this building that has been present in this community for so long,” Austin Principal Steve Guerrero said. “The entire building is just phenomenal. It feels very grand with lots of natural light. Every single part of the building is exciting.”
Continue readingThe Houston Independent School District has moved to a new Student Information System (SIS) for the 2020-2021 school year. The new system includes a parent portal that will launch on Aug. 31.
Parents will be able to use the HISD Connect Parent Portal as a tool to track information related to their student’s schedule, grades, attendance, academic history, and more.
“Collaboration between educators and parents is more important than ever, as we prepare to reconnect safely and return strong,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “HISD Connect will integrate seamlessly with online learning.”
Continue readingStudents at HISD’s Edison Middle School and Yates High School will receive innovative technological instruction through the Microsoft Imagine Academy as part of the company’s partnership with the City of Houston to stimulate digital literacy in economically disadvantaged communities.
Edison Middle School and Yates High School students will receive virtual instruction in coding, IT infrastructure, data science, and attend virtual Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) camps. High school students will also receive training in Artificial Intelligence, modern workplace tools and office productivity in preparation for earning certifications.
“This is an incredible opportunity for students at Edison and Yates, who will gain the tools and knowledge they need to close high-tech skills gaps,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “Participating in the Microsoft Imagine Academy has the potential to be a game-changer for our middle and high school students.”
Continue readingSurrounded by the bright orange and white colors of the Houston Dynamo, HISD Interim Superintendent Lathan led the unveiling on Tuesday of the district’s first-ever, all-virtual academic enrichment camp.
Camp Spark, which kicks off on Monday, Aug. 24, launched with a live socially distant celebration at Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium. The virtual camp, which is designed to get students re-engaged as the district prepares for online learning, will provide lessons that focus on physical fitness, science, literacy, math, internet safety, technology and art.
New ninth-graders will take part in a boot camp to prepare them for high school while 10th- through 12th-graders will participate in a College and Career Readiness course.
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