Category Archives: High Schools

Automotive technician training program offers Sterling HS students hands-on career experience

Mapping out the road for life after high school can be intimidating for some students, but with the help of HISD’s Transportation department and International Trucks of Houston, students from Sterling Aviation High School are quickly on their way to meaningful careers in the automotive industry.

The Automotive Diesel Internship Program, sponsored by HISD’s Transportation Fleet Operations, creates a hands-on opportunity for departmental staff to train future automotive technicians and provide guidance to students. Training is divided among all five motor pools in the district in hopes of giving students the background and initiative to succeed in automotive mechanics.

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Next School Choice Open House set for Oct. 24

Parents who have not yet decided where to send their children for the 2016–2017 school year still have plenty of time to make up their minds, and HISD is helping them narrow the field with a series of four School Choice Open Houses scheduled through mid-December.

The first Open House took place on Oct. 3, but if you missed it, don’t worry. The next one is this Saturday, Oct. 24, at Sharpstown High School (7404 Bissonnet, 77074), and there will be two more before the deadline for guaranteed first-round consideration of magnet applications on Dec. 18. Continue reading →

PSAT Administration Day sets stage for National Merit Scholarships

Thousands of HISD freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will take the first step toward earning a National Merit Scholarship on Oct. 14, when they take the PSAT during the school day at their respective campuses.

The PSAT measures college readiness, and is offered to HISD students free of charge on the district’s PSAT Administration Day. Students will take the exam in the morning for up to three hours. The test includes sections on math, critical reading, and writing.

“It might be tempting to think that the PSAT stands for ‘Practice’ SAT, but it’s actually the preliminary SAT,” said Jharrett Bryantt with the HISD College Readiness Department. “It’s an exam given to HISD students in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades. What’s important about it is it’s the exam that qualifies you for the National Merit Scholarship.” Continue reading →

Students make the most of Top-Tier College Night

HISD hosted its annual Top-Tier College Night on Oct. 6, and hundreds of students and their families came out to learn more about what Ivy League and other high-profile institutions have to offer, as well as what qualities they are looking for in applicants.

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“Some of our students have amazing grades, and some don’t,” explained Justin Segal, a representative from the University of Pennsylvania. “But comparing yourself to others is not really fair, because grades don’t tell the whole story. We’re more focused on if your application is consistent with your stated interests. Because if you’re applying to business school, but all you’ve done so far is arts and theatre, there’s a bit of a disconnect there.” Continue reading →

Bellaire HS grad gets $100,000 grant to fund her ‘bright’ idea

After a devastating earthquake hit the island of Haiti, one Bellaire High School graduate was inspired to do something — and one of the nation’s largest banks is helping her in her quest to light up the world.

Andrea Sreshta (Bellaire HS Class of 2002) and one of her Columbia University graduate-school classmates invented a solar-powered light that is collapsible, lightweight, and affordable. They called it LuminAID, and made the first 50 prototypes by hand in 2010. It has since been used in more than 70 countries around the world, and during disaster relief after Hurricane Sandy, Typhoon Haiyan, and a recent earthquake in Nepal. Continue reading →

First School Choice Open House helps parents fine tune their campus selections

HISD hosted the first of four School Choice Open Houses on Oct. 3, 2015, and hundreds of families came out to Jordan High School on Saturday to explore their options.

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“My main interest is the gifted and talented (G/T) program,” said parent Linda Le, who has two daughters. “These sessions are helpful, because you can look at all the different schools and talk to someone right away to get as much information as you need.”

“As a teacher myself, I’m able to see the different schools and what they offer, ask questions, and then decide what’s best and look at locations,” added Dominique Broomfield, a teacher at Eliot Elementary School with three children. Continue reading →

Nine schools to participate in Marching Band Festival Oct. 6

Nine HISD high school bands will be strutting their stuff in the district’s eighth annual Marching Band Festival on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

The festival gives bands the opportunity to receive feedback on their music quality, sections, music effects, visual effects, and visual performance. The critiques will help the bands prepare for future performances and events.

Participating schools include: Continue reading →

HSPVA joins newly formed CLASS Coalition

The High School for the Visual and Performing Arts (HSPVA) is part of a new nationwide coalition aimed at promoting school success.

The Coalition for Leaders for Advanced Student Success (CLASS) was established this year and is focused on helping students overcome challenges to gain the skills needed to succeed after graduation.

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to join with like-minded educators nationwide to help advance curriculum, policies, and activities that will help more high school students gain the valuable experiences and knowledge that will serve them well in both college and career,” said HSPVA Principal R. Scott Allen. Continue reading →

Principal stages freestyle rap session to help students ‘PowerUp’

Furr High School is new to HISD’s PowerUp initiative, but that didn’t stop enthusiastic campus leaders from spreading the word.

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HISD offering school tours, open houses to help families select schools for next year

The Houston Independent School District Office of School Choice will host four open houses and offer weekly campus tours throughout the fall semester to help families make more informed school selections for the next year.

Families will be able to explore their neighborhood schools, as well as the district’s 100-plus magnet programs, specializing in areas such as fine arts, language studies, college and career readiness and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math).

The weekly tours will be held at all HISD campuses every Thursday from Oct. 8 through Dec. 3. Elementary and K-8 school tours are scheduled for 9 a.m. Middle and high school tours begin at 1 p.m. Continue reading →