Category Archives: High Schools

Class of 2018 valedictorians, salutatorians to be honored at Scholars Banquet 

The Houston Independent School District will pay tribute to each high school’s valedictorian and salutatorian during its annual Scholars Banquet on Wednesday evening.

Every spring, HISD honors the top two scholars at each of its high schools with a formal celebration of the accomplishment of finishing first or second in their class academic rankings. During the banquet, each valedictorian and salutatorian is presented with a medallion in recognition of their outstanding academic achievements.

The 2018 Scholars Banquet will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, 2018, at the Westin Galleria Hotel (5060 West Alabama St., Houston, 77056). Continue reading →

Still need to choose a school for 2018-19? Come to the Spring School Choice Fair on April 21 

Magnet application deadline for Phase 2 is May 31

Magnet schools and other choice programs that still have open seats will be available to discuss options with parents at the Spring School Choice Fair on Saturday, April 21.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at Gregory-Lincoln Education Center (1101 Taft St. 77019) and will offer a glimpse of the many programs still waiting for students after the Phase 1 magnet deadline, as well as all other transfer options.

Schools with space available will have representatives at the event. For a complete list of magnet programs with openings, click here. Other programs such as dual language and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs will also be represented. Continue reading →

HISD updates standardized school start times for the 2018-19 school year

The Houston Independent School District announces revisions to standardized start/dismissal times for the 2018-19 school year in order to improve our delivery of reliable and affordable transportation to our students.

The updated times include two notable changes:

  • PK-8 and K-8 schools will now be grouped with middle schools, rather than elementary schools to have a later start/dismissal time of 8:30 a.m.-3:50 p.m.
  • Ten minutes will be added to each day for high schools and 6-12 campuses to account for eight optional early release days for final exams. Their start/dismissal time will be 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Beginning next fall, the district will operate with the following standardized start/dismissal times: Continue reading →

HISD to host Special Education Spring Parent Summit & Forum on April 28 

HISD invites parents and guardians to the 2018 Special Education Spring Parent Summit & Forum to meet with special education professionals, attend learning sessions, ask questions, and share input about special education in the district.

2018 Special Education Spring Parent Summit & Forum
Saturday, April 28, 2018
Registration: 7:30-9 a.m.
Summit & Forum: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th St., 77092)

Click here to register

The summit portion of the day begins at 9 a.m. and includes interactive presentations on understanding the IEP and special education process, supporting student achievement, supporting healthy parent and student relationships, and transition services. Food and child care will be provided.

Click here for a list of Parent Summit presentations 

The forum begins at 1:30 p.m. and will include a presentation on special education services available in HISD, as well as the opportunity to ask questions and share your concerns. There will be multiple ways to submit questions:

  • Ask a question during the forum portion of the meeting.
  • Submit your question electronically at the computer stations in the Hattie Mae White Lobby.
  • Email your question to SpEdSupportingParents@houstonisd.org or visit HoustonISD.org/SpecialEducation to submit a question electronically.
  • Ask your child’s school for a special education comment card, fill it out, and return it to your school’s front office, or call your school’s main office and request a comment card be mailed to you.

Click here to register. For more information, call the Special Education Parent Liaison Office at 713-556-7042 or contact SpEdSupportingParents@houstonisd.org

Lamar HS senior’s story of 20 college acceptances goes viral 

Micheal Brown received his first college acceptance in November, and after that, they just kept rolling in—20 in all, including all eight Ivy League schools and 12 other top-tier universities across the country.

When word got out that not only did Brown get accepted, but he got a full ride to all of them, the story went viral. The New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, CNN, Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, local TV stations, and news outlets in Atlanta, San Diego, and Seattle are just a few that ran the story. Lamar Principal James McSwain said that for the past few days, he has been Brown’s press agent, fielding calls and even holding a press conference at the high school.

Brown leaves in a few days for Stanford University, which has been his top pick since middle school. Now, however, he is not so sure, so he is going to try to visit his top seven schools before making a final decision by May 1. The Lamar senior’s mother, Berthinia Rutledge-Brown, hopes he picks Stanford, but she will support him no matter what, just as she has his entire life. Brown is her only child, so it will be bittersweet when he leaves for college.   Continue reading →

Project Prom this weekend to help students in need receive free formal attire 

The Houston Independent School District Student Assistance Department will provide free dresses, tuxedos, shoes, and accessories to hundreds of homeless and at-risk high school seniors planning to go to prom.

The third annual Project Prom event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 7, at Pin Oak Middle School (4601 Glenmont St. Bellaire, 77401). Students will be able to select formal attire from a wide selection of dresses and menswear.

The event also will include college and career resources; health services, including meningitis shots, which are required for all incoming Texas college students; free food; and giveaways.

Madison HS Project Advisory Team tours new school construction

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Madison High School Project Advisory Team members joined with school staff for a tour of the Marlins’ new facility, getting a sneak peek of the new gym, dining commons, auto shop, and auditorium.

Construction of the new school is more than halfway complete. The concrete walls have been erected and the installation of the roof, windows, and exterior brickwork is underway. Interior walls are being framed and utility site work is underway.

Permanent power to the building — an important project milestone — will be connected to the building in early May.

Continue reading →

Westbury High School opens new addition ahead of schedule

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Westbury High School students and staff looked right at home in their new building addition on Monday — the official opening day of the school’s two-story building expansion.

The new wing was completed and furnished ahead of schedule, which enabled the school to move in two weeks early for a “soft opening” before spring break.

Westbury Principal Susan Monaghan said the move was seamless, with crews and teachers working over the weekend to prevent any disruption to instruction time. Continue reading →

Northside HS community celebrates construction progress, leaves mark on new school

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Festive music filled the air at Northside High School on Wednesday as alumni and community members walked along a Panther-purple carpet into a wall-signing celebration held to mark the construction progress made at the school.

About 200 attendees were treated to student performances and heard from guest speakers before being invited to add their signatures to special wall panels, which will be permanently exhibited in the new building.

“Generations upon generations have entered these doors,” Northside Principal Cecilia Gonzales said. “Today they can leave their mark, which will be on display for generations to come. It’s really exciting.” Continue reading →

Westbury HS moving into new building addition

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Construction on Westbury High School’s two-story building addition is wrapping up, with the school beginning to move into the space this weekend and use the new classrooms as early as March 5.

Classroom furniture setup is complete. Furniture installation for the dining commons and other flexible spaces is underway, as are final interior touches and wood floor installation in the main gym.

The school will be fully moved into the new addition by the time students return from spring break. Continue reading →