Category Archives: HISD @ HOME

HISD celebrates special day to honor principals

National School Principals Day is Friday, May 1, and although HISD schools are closed, principals remain on the job supporting their staffs and students during the transition to distance learning.

For their hard work, leadership, and dedication to children during this unprecedented challenge, HISD is recognizing the district’s outstanding campus leaders as schools navigate the COVID-19 crisis and ensure that academic greatness continues to be held to the highest standard for all children.

HISD encourages students, teachers, parents, and all HISD staff to thank and recognize our campus leaders. Please share on social media what makes your principal an outstanding leader using the hashtag #HISDPrincipalsDay.

‘Get Emoji-tional’ to Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 4 through 8, and it’s a time for our staff, students, parents, and community to recognize our teachers.

For Teacher Appreciation Week, HISD is launching a fun campaign called “Get Emoji-tional” so we can share the love 😍 for our teachers on social media. Each day, share emojis as well as videos, photos and special messages with the hashtag #ThankAnHISDTeacherto show your support for teachers.

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HISD announces 2019-2020 Teacher of the Year finalists

Twelve finalists have been named as HISD’s 2019-2020 Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year. The two winners will go on to represent the district in Region IV. The 12 finalists were selected from all 280 schools based on performance data and other criteria. 

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Ashford ES teacher wins Alliantgroup’s HISD Elementary Science Teacher grand prize

Ashford Elementary School fifth-grade Science Teacher Kirk Coppes has received the 2020 HISD Elementary Science Teacher Grand Prize Award from Alliantgroup.

Six finalists from across the district were nominated by HISD for the award based on their innovative teaching methods and ability to ignite the interest of students in the subject of science. The grand prize award announcement was made live on CW39’s “Morning Dose” on April 28.

Coppes, a veteran teacher in his 12th year in HISD and fourth year at Ashford ES, credited the support he receives both at work and home for the achievement.

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Virtual town hall offers vital college readiness info for HISD seniors

HISD aired a live virtual town hall meeting on Tuesday, April 28, to assist students pursuing postsecondary education options during the COVID-19 crisis.

The virtual town hall, which aired in English and Spanish, opened with remarks from HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan and featured experts in college admissions, scholarships and financial aid, testing requirements, and enrollment.

Dr. Lathan thanked everyone for their patience during this difficult time, saying, “Our goal is to give you access to knowledgeable individuals who can provide up-to-date information, resources, and answers to any questions you might have.”

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T-Mobile donates $60,000 to support HISD students during COVID-19 crisis

T-Mobile has donated $60,000 to help meet the needs of the students of the Houston Independent School District during the COVID-19 crisis.

The donation was sent to the HISD Foundation, the district’s nonprofit organization that raises funds to support students, staff, and families.

“We greatly appreciate T-Mobile’s generosity during this challenging time,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “None of us can get through this crisis alone, so we are grateful to our community partners who are helping the district continue our commitment of meeting the educational and nutritional needs of students and their families.”

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Virtual Student Leadership Program accepting applications from high school students, district alumni

In response to the unique challenges presented by COVID-19, the Houston Independent School District is excited to announce that 100 interns will be hired to tutor students remotely.

The HISD Virtual Student Leadership Program will offer online instruction and lessons to students in need, delivered by student interns. To promote social distancing and properly plan, the focus of HISD’s Summer Student Leadership Program has been shifted from in-person internships within departments to online virtual tutoring services.

In addition to providing high-quality virtual academic instruction, the district remains committed to ensuring that students have access to competitive summer employment opportunities. All students who applied for the Summer Student Leadership Program will be notified of the change and are invited to apply for a paid internship tutoring students virtually.

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Eastwood Academy HS student accepted to 25 universities across nation

Voters in Harris County may want to remember the name Mercedes Sotelo. The Eastwood Academy senior has some serious goals – and clearly likes to have options.

Sotelo, who is a proud lifelong resident of Houston’s East End, has been accepted to 25 colleges across the nation. States with universities with her name on their acceptance lists range from Hawaii to Maine. On top of that, her scholarship offers totaled a whopping $559,000.

The choice wasn’t easy, but Sotelo ultimately chose to stay home, in Texas. In the fall, Sotelo will attend Concordia University in Austin, where she will pursue a degree in Political Science and Government.

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Travis ES kicks off annual One Book, One School event with drive-through parade, book pickup

As a line of cars stretched down the block of Houston’s Woodland Heights neighborhood, Travis Elementary second-grader Kai Teste eagerly waved his hands from the car window at his teachers’ smiling faces.

For the past six years, the HISD school has participated in the One Book, One School event in which the entire campus community reads one book together at the same time.

Because the districtwide closure due to COVID-19 happened before the books could be delivered, the campus created a drive-thru parade so students could pick up the book while simultaneously saying hello to their teachers.

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HISD Fine Arts explores innovative projects to support distance learning

The Fine Arts Department is working with teachers and students to promote the fine arts curricula, as well as additional projects to inspire students while distance learning is occurring.

Dancers from six HISD high schools worked together virtually to create a dance to inspire students studying at home via distance learning. The students are in the process of editing the video, which is part of a series titled “HISD Dance Alone—Together.” The video is expected to debut on Fine Arts Friday on April 24.

The Fine Arts Department is also receiving world-class guidance for instruction in theater arts. The Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, and the Globe – three world-renowned theater companies in the United Kingdom – have granted HISD permission to use their online materials in the district’s theater curriculum. In addition, eight HISD theater teachers have created or are in the process of creating videos to accompany the HISD @ H.O.M.E. theater curriculum.

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