The ELA secondary team was recognized by Superintendent Grier at the December Central office meeting. (Houston Independent School District)
Community members, parents, and former HISD students have signed up to read to a first-grader through HISD’s Read Houston Read campaign. Now HISD employees are also volunteering to read to a student, and one central office department is leading the charge. Continue reading
Community asked to spend at least 30 minutes a week reading to a child
HISD and the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation encouraged Houstonians to volunteer for the Read Houston Read literacy program in honor of ‘Giving Tuesday’ — a day specifically established to celebrate generosity and give back.
Volunteer to read with an HISD first-grader in person or virtually
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It’s the time of year to give back, and as part of the national “Giving Tuesday” movement, HISD is asking Houstonians to sign up for Read Houston Read and give a struggling student some of their time—listening, caring, and sharing the joy of reading.
This year, Giving Tuesday, a national day of giving that encourages Americans to donate to a charitable organization, falls on Tuesday, Dec. 2. HISD is encouraging folks to spend a few moments of their time that day signing up to be a volunteer at www.readhoustonread.com. As part of the program, volunteers spend half an hour to an hour each week—either in person or virtually—mentoring a child and listening to them read aloud.
HISD is encouraging local businesses and corporations, as well as their central office employees, to sign up for the program. Many, like HISD Senior Executive Secretary Fatima Barnett, have already started mentoring students. Continue reading
Scheduling conflicts usually prevent high school students from volunteering with younger students during the school day, but two district campuses figured out a clever way to work around that obstacle in order to take part in the district’s Literacy by 3 movement.
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Members of the National Honor Society at Davis High School have been using their early release day every month to spend time reading to students at Pugh Elementary. On Nov. 19, about 20 seniors spent the afternoon at Pugh, mentoring and working close to 30 students. Continue reading
As a mother, HISD senior executive secretary Fatima Barnett remembers trips to the library and reading with her own children, who are now young adults and avid readers. That’s why she jumped at the chance to read to children at Woodson K-8 as part of the district’s Read Houston Read campaign.
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“Since we as employees are advocates for education, this should be an extension of all that we encompass,” said Barnett. “Volunteering for Read Houston Read is a great way to show our commitment.”
Barnett is just one of the many volunteers who are signing up to read to district first-graders through the program. By giving a child a half-hour to an hour of reading time, volunteers can encourage a lifetime love of literature. Continue reading
Fleming Middle School recently hosted its annual Family Math Night for parents and students. This year’s event combined mathematics along with the district’s Literacy by 3 movement. The highlight of the evening was a mock wedding ceremony between “numeracy” and “literacy” in an effort to help parents and students understand how reading and math can be combined in the classroom to create academic success. Parents also got to actively participate in a variety of hands-on activities that reflected the daily work that their scholars are engaged in.
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HISD students learn the ‘five finger rule’ to ensure their selections aren’t too hard or too easy
HISD’s Literacy By 3 movement is now well underway, and teachers across the district are using fun and innovative methods to share critical concepts with students, such as the importance of choosing a “just-right” book to avoid frustration or lack of growth.
Some 475 HISD literary specialists, principals, and teachers packed the conference room at the Kingdom Builders Center on Nov. 13 to hear from literacy specialist Jan Richardson on “How to Harness the Power of Guided Reading.”
For two hours, Richardson shared practical suggestions and lesson plans on how to increase the impact of Guided Reading in support of Literacy By 3, HISD’s movement to have every child reading and writing with fluency by the end of grade 3. The plan calls for more than classroom work — it includes volunteers who read to students on a regular basis as part of Read Houston Read. Continue reading
Friendly online competition also promotes team spirit, as schools band together to beat their cross-town rivals
HISD’s Bellaire and Chávez high schools usually face off against each other on the football field or the basketball court, but this year, those campuses are taking their rivalry to the Internet, and fighting for dominance in a more ethereal realm.
Volunteers in HISD’s Read Houston Read initiative have met the students they’ll be working with this school year and are beginning the journey of helping children develop a love for reading.
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“I come once a week, every Monday, to read to two special little boys,” said Kimberly Thompson, who volunteers at Sutton ES. “When someone from the outside comes in and reads to these children, they just feel special. When you feel special, you are more open to every experience that comes your way.” Continue reading