Category Archives: High Schools

Construction at North Houston Early and South Early College high schools nears completion

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Construction at both North Houston Early and South Early college high schools is nearing completion, with preparations underway to have both campuses ready for students at the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year.

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HISD interim superintendent calls for school finance reform as district aims to build on literacy gains

HISD Board President Manuel Rodriguez announces district’s first-place win of prestigious Magna Award for literacy efforts

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Speaking before a packed ballroom, HISD Interim Superintendent Ken Huewitt urged the community to rally around its most struggling schools, while Board of Education President Manuel Rodriguez announced the district has won a national Magna Award for its literacy efforts.

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33 HISD schools earn spot on 2015 Texas Honor Roll

 List includes schools that exhibit high academic achievement and have reduced achievement gaps

Thirty-three schools from across the Houston Independent School District have been named to the 2015 Texas Honor Roll by the Educational Results Partnership, a nonprofit organization that showcases schools with high academic achievement.

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Graduation ceremony schedule announced for the Class of 2016

A student from Davis HS at the 2015 graduation ceremony.

A student from Davis HS at the 2015 graduation ceremony.

Hundreds of HISD students will take their first steps into adulthood this spring, when they walk across a stage to collect their diplomas as part of the district’s annual graduation ceremonies.

Most ceremonies will take place at various locations around the city (primarily the Barnett Fieldhouse, Butler Fieldhouse, NRG Arena/Stadium, Texas Southern University campus, and Williams Pavilion) between Friday, May 27, and Sunday, May 29.

However, a few will be taking place earlier (Leland College Prep on Tuesday, May 24; E-STEM on Thursday, May 26) or later (Liberty HS on Sunday, June 12), so be sure to check the schedule here for details. You can also find it at www.HoustonISD.org/GraduationCalendar.

Student Congress seeking volunteers, speakers for April 9 TEDxHISD

HISD’s Student Congress, in partnership with Rice University, will be conducting a TEDxHISD conference on April 9, 2016, and leaders of that organization are still seeking both volunteers and speakers.

TEDx are independently organized events designed to bring people together to share great ideas. The TEDxHISD event will take place from noon until 6 p.m. in the Anderson Bio Lab Lecture Hall 131 at Rice University (6100 Main Street, 77005). It is open to all HISD high-school students.

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Two HISD educators surprised with 2016 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards

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Two HISD educators were surprised by H-E-B on Wednesday with news that they are finalists for the 2016 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards, one of the largest monetary programs for educators in Texas and the nation.

Bellaire High School teacher and international baccalaureate coordinator Ann Linsley was recognized as a teacher finalist, while North Houston Early College High School Principal Angela Lundy-Jackson was named a principal finalist for the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards.

The two are among eight educators from across Houston and 40 across the state who were selected as award finalists. They now will go on to compete at the state level, where they will have the chance to win additional cash prizes.

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Kashmere HS launches new on-campus Success Center

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On Wednesday, Feb. 17, Kashmere High School celebrated the opening of HISD’s second ProUnitas, Inc., center with the unveiling of the Kashmere Success Center. The center, which was created, supported and financed by 40 different non-profit, for-profit, community, and municipal groups, is dedicated to empowering the Kashmere community by providing much-needed services to students and their families.

“This came about because there was a need in the community and the school,” said District II Trustee Rhonda Skillern-Jones. “It does take a village to beat the effects of poverty, which a lot of the kids in this community face. So our village has stepped up and decided to come to the aid of our children.”

Created by former Kashmere teacher Adeeb Barqawi with the help of Skillern-Jones, ProUnitas was designed to provide essential goods and services that were seen to be lacking in the community. The center features a counseling room with trained counselors, a food pantry, a clothing drop, health services, and a workforce and college-readiness development center.

“At the end of the day, what I want you to keep in mind is that this is the product of a community coming together,” said Barqawi. “It’s not that we’re saying change is going to happen in a day. But we’re definitely moving in the right direction.”

Westbury HS holds second community meeting on new addition and renovations

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Westbury High School held its second bond community meeting on Thursday evening to give an update on plans for a new addition and renovations to the campus under the district’s 2012 bond program.

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FAFSA Roadshow brings financial aid support directly to students

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The library at Sam Houston Math, Science & Technology Center was overflowing with college financial aid information on Tuesday, Feb. 16, during HISD’s first-ever FAFSA Roadshow. Created jointly by three district departments — College Readiness, EMERGE, and College Access — the roadshow will travel to all HISD high schools to promote education and provide assistance in applying for scholarships, grants, and other types of financial aid.

“The purpose of today is to assist students in completing their TASFA or FAFSA, which is required in order for them to have some type of funding to pay for college,” said College Access Coordinator Kimberly Williams-Dooley. “Our students are doing a great job. We were very intentional about making sure our students had their documents in order.”

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Free Microsoft STEM conference for secondary students Feb. 27

More than 1,000 HISD middle and high school students, as well as educators and parents, are expected to attend a free STEM-education conference presented by Microsoft at Chávez High School (8501 Howard, 77017) on Saturday, Feb. 27.

Microsoft YouthSpark is a global initiative designed to impact more than 300 million young people across the country through increased access to technology education and job-skills training.

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