Excitement was in the air at Oak Forest Elementary School on Monday, June 3, and not only because it was the last Monday of the 2023-2024 school year. Annually, the Astros Foundation and Reliant Energy team up for Slide into Summer Reading, a program intended to help students avoid the “summer slide,” or the loss of academic knowledge and habits formed over the school year. The schools with the most students registered for the program by May 13 were rewarded with a Slide into Summer Reading party at their schools, and Oak Forest won in the category of large public/charter school with more than 300 registrations.
Continue readingCategory Archives: Literacy
Houston Texans Tackle Reading with story time with a football star, donating to home libraries
Law Elementary students welcomed surprise visitors on Friday, March 1, when representatives from the Houston Texans, including former Texans defensive tackle Earl Mitchell, came to participate in a reading of Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham to celebrate the eighth annual Tackle Reading Day.
Continue readingLiteracy program donates millionth book to HISD students
Research shows that children who have books at home are more likely to be successful in school and maintain grade-level reading comprehension. However, according to the National Literacy Trust, one in five children do not own any books of their own. This fact was the impetus for the creation of My Home Library, an initiative of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Literacy that strives to give children from low-income families tools to read at home and thrive in the classroom.
Continue readingHISD students share their recommendations for National Book Month
October marks National Book Month, a celebration centered on the importance of reading, writing, and literature. National Book Foundation launched the initiative in 2003 to encourage reading and show appreciation to the writers who brought our favorite stories into the world.
At Pin Oak Middle School, librarian Brooke Corso does her best to make every day a celebration of books and reading. We sat down with Corso and some of Pin Oak’s voracious readers to ask them about their favorite books and how they think National Book Month should be celebrated.
Continue readingLibrary Services keeps students engaged with reading all summer long
Now that the 2022-2023 school year has come to an end and students are enjoying the freedom from early mornings and classroom schedules, they might be looking for something to do with their excess time.
HISD’s Library Services Department is providing access to Comic Plus and MackinVIA, ebook platforms that keep library books and comics available to students over the summer months and motivate them to read wherever they are. HISD is also encouraging students to take advantage of the Houston Public Library’s John P. McGovern Summer Reading Program.
Continue readingHISD libraries are light-years ahead with nontraditional and digital resources for students and staff
Necessity is the mother of invention, and few things can shine a light on unmet needs quite like a global pandemic. Nearly two years of digital and hybrid learning forced everyone to adapt, and HISD school libraries were no exception. In year two of their three-year library improvement and refreshment project, HISD Library Services has adapted to the new digital needs of students and educators by establishing community partnerships and working to increase the equity of library education with digital and online resources.
“Libraries in general, and Houston ISD campus libraries in particular, are engines of equity,” said HISD Library Services Director Len Bryan. “We help level the playing field for students who might not have access to learning materials outside of their classrooms. Books, eBooks, academic databases, makerspace equipment and materials, and most importantly, a caring and professional library staff help our students realize their potential and follow their dreams, regardless of their zip code.”
Continue readingVolunteer to change a child’s life through reading
Looking for a way to help HISD’s students? The district is resuming its popular “Read Houston Read” and “Real Men Read” programs this year. HISD recognizes the need to provide ongoing literacy support to students and is once again asking the community for volunteers to read to children.
Read Houston Read volunteers will work with the same student one hour each week for an entire year, either in person or virtually on the Microsoft TEAMS platform.
Houston Real Men Read is a mentoring program in which men volunteer at least one hour a month to read to students in third grade.
Continue readingLiteracy Bus loads up at Martinez ES
Parked under the summer sun in front of R. Martinez Elementary School, the bus could be mistaken for the typical mode of transportation seen across the district.
But after a second look, you will spot the bright colors, logos, and artwork that give it away: this isn’t your typical bus. Step inside, and the differences are even more obvious; gone are the seats and center aisle, replaced by Astroturf and hundreds of books for the taking.
This is the Literacy Bus, a partnership between HISD, the Astros Foundation, the Houston Public Library Foundation, and Occidental Petroleum. It’s a mobile interactive unit that encourages reading with the entire family, going to some of the most in-need neighborhoods throughout Houston.
Continue readingAnnual Name that Book contest comes to a close
HISD students from across the district gathered at the Hattie Mae White Educational Center this week to show off their reading comprehension skills during the annual Name that Book competition finals.
At the high-school level, the top three competitors were Carnegie Vanguard High School, The Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and Bellaire High School. T.H. Rogers, Garden Oaks, and West Briar Middle Schools earned bragging rights in grades 7 and 8, while Bush, Condit, and Horn Elementary Schools took the highest honors at the finals held for grades 3-6.
Continue readingName That Book competition makes developing literacy skills fun
HISD students from across the district will gather to show off their reading comprehension skills next week during the annual Name that Book competition finals.
Coordinated by the HISD Department of Library Services and sponsored by professional services network KPMG, the contest serves to acquaint HISD students with classic literature, as well as contemporary award-winning books, representing a variety of genres.
Continue reading