Category Archives: Holidays

HISD to be closed March 11–15 for Spring Break

All HISD campuses and offices will be closed for Spring Break from Monday, March 11, through Friday, March 15, 2019. 

Schools and offices will reopen for normal business on Monday, March 18, 2019. 

Employees should consult the duty schedules posted here. 

The HISD Police Department will be patrolling district facilities all during the holiday break. Emergencies may be reported by calling 713-892-7777.

Winter break begins Friday for students, with classes resuming on Jan. 7  

The Houston Independent School District’s 2018 winter break begins on Friday for all students. Campuses and district offices will be closed for the break starting on Monday, Dec. 24.

Students will be on winter break from school starting on Friday, Dec. 21, 2018, through Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Students will return to school on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. HISD central and administrative offices will be closed beginning Monday, Dec. 24, 2018, and will reopen for normal business hours on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019.

Employees with questions should consult the duty schedules posted here.

The HISD Police Department will be patrolling district facilities during the holiday break. Emergencies should be reported by calling 713-892-7777.

Winter reading program encourages students to read, earn prizes 

Winter break is the perfect time for students to catch up on their favorite books, hone their reading skills, and earn a free book from their local Houston Public Library.

HISD is encouraging students to join the Houston Public Library’s winter reading program for kids and teens. From Dec. 15 through Jan. 15, students are encouraged to read or be read to 20 minutes a day for 10 days.

Students can read anything they like. Books, comics, newspapers, magazine articles, blogs, web pages, listen to an audiobook or have someone read to aloud; all of these types of reading count. The Houston Public Library’s Readers’ Advisory staff can also create a personalized reading list.  Continue reading →

Order HISD holiday cards featuring student artwork through Dec. 17 

Are holiday greeting cards still on your to-do list this season?

The Houston Independent School District is offering greeting card packages featuring the finalists and winners of this year’s student holiday greeting card competition, which feature creative artwork interpretations of winter landscapes, holiday traditions, and seasonal decorations.

The winners selected from each grade level – fifth-grader Valery Vazquez from Crespo Elementary School, seventh-grader Jocelyn Ajacum from Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School, and sophomore Allenique Matthews from Westbury High School – were among 31 finalists from elementary, middle and high schools. The winners were announced at a special ceremony this month at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center. All finalists’ designs are available for purchase through the district’s Printing Services department.   Continue reading →

Slime kits, action figures top the list in Longfellow ES annual toy survey  

Students at Longfellow Elementary School on Friday announced that action figures and slime kits are two of the hottest toys this holiday season after polling their classmates for their annual top toy survey.

For the ninth consecutive year, a group of fifth-graders at the school survey their classmates to determine what gifts kids would like to receive for the holidays. In an mid-morning press conference, 12 students announced the top five toys for boys and girls. The goal of the survey is to help give parents and relatives an idea of what to buy before they do their holiday shopping.

“Today we are showing some different toys that your child might want,” said fifth-grader Kaylyn Newcomb. “We want to give you a little bit of inspiration so you don’t have to draw things out and ask them what they want.” Continue reading →

HISD celebrates Thanksgiving with special lunch at schools

Thanksgiving is approaching quickly, and parents of Walnut Bend Elementary School students visited the school on Thursday to enjoy a hearty Thanksgiving lunch with their children.

The special celebration, occurring during normal lunch hours, is an HISD tradition that has attracted thousands of families to school cafeterias for more than 50 years. The event gives parents a chance to celebrate the holiday a week early by sharing a meal with their children.

The students and their families filled their plates with roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and sweet potato cake. Families sat down to enjoy their meals at reserved tables with fall-themed tablecloths and centerpieces. Continue reading →

Trustee Adams to host District IX Thanksgiving Day of Caring 

HISD District IX Trustee Wanda Adams, in partnership with the Houston Food Bank, will host a Thanksgiving Day of Caring from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17 at Reynolds Elementary School (9601 Rose Haven 77051).

Trustee Adams and volunteers from the Houston Food Bank will be distributing food items for the Thanksgiving holiday to families in need. For more information, contact Reynolds ES at 713-731-5590.