Category Archives: Literacy

Organizations team up to offer reading incentive for Sherman ES students

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LyondellBasell and Changing Young Children’s Lives through Education (CYCLE) led Sherman Elementary School students in a pep rally to celebrate the organizations’ donation of $30,000 to the school.

CYCLE rewards students with new bicycles for achieving better academic performance in the classroom. The donation will support Sherman’s early childhood reading program, and the students will participate in CYCLE’s reading program throughout the 2016 fall semester. Students who reach their reading goals will be awarded one of several bicycles in December donated by LyondellBasell.

HISD middle schools receiving $4.6 million in books for classroom libraries

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Thousands of books are arriving at HISD middle schools daily, and they are being placed in all core-subject classrooms—not just English and reading.

This massive influx of books is a vital key in the new initiative known as Literacy in the Middle, a three-year plan to to increase literacy in middle schools. The program aims to continue the great work accomplished through the Literacy By 3 initiative, which was launched in 2014.

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New HISD campus leaders gather for intensive training, networking 

IMG_3920Campus principals face unique challenges, as they balance running a school while making sure the needs of their teachers and students are being met.

That’s why HISD has all new principals attending the annual New Leaders Institute (NLI), a 10-day intensive training event that gives them many of the tools and resources they’ll need to hit the ground running when the 2016-2017 school year begins. The NLI started July 6 and wraps up on Thursday, July 21.  Continue reading →

Volunteers help students fight the ‘Summer Slide’

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Music and reading merged Tuesday at Benbrook Elementary School in northwest Houston as volunteers from Target, the Houston Symphony and PricewaterhouseCoopers helped students take part in the 2016 Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation Summer Reading Challenge Camps.

The camps, with the support of the Houston Area Urban League, aim to prevent the ‘Summer Slide,’ when students lose some of the academic gains made the previous school year. Activities include music lessons and exercises that combine math, science, reading and critical thinking.

Camps were also held at Kashmere Gardens and Atherton, and next week students at Highland Heights will participate.

HISD receiving $9.2 million grant from TEA for pre-K program

The Texas Education Agency on Tuesday awarded the Houston Independent School District a $9.2 million grant to enhance its early childhood education program.

HISD is among 578 school systems across Texas to be awarded a grant as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s high-quality prekindergarten initiative. The $116 million grant program allows districts and charters to receive funding for qualifying pre-K students in addition to the half-day Foundation School Program funding that is already received for each eligible pre-K student. To receive the grant funding, a district or charter must meet certain enhanced quality standards related to curriculum, teacher qualifications, academic performance, and family engagement.

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HISD launching Literacy in the Middle to boost reading skills for middle-schoolers

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As HISD has worked to boost literacy among its younger students, the district is now expanding the successful Literacy By 3 program to include middle school students.

The Literacy in the Middle model includes best practices for read alouds, independent reading, writing, and small group instruction across all core disciplines for students in grades 6-8. Ultimately, students will be further engaged in their classes while advancing their literacy levels at the same time. Continue reading →

Help prevent ‘summer slide’ by mentoring for Read Houston Read

It’s not uncommon for students to lose a little momentum during the lazy days of summer. Luckily, parents and community members can help prevent the “summer slide” by volunteering for the Read Houston Read program this summer break.

HISD’s Elementary Curriculum and Development literacy team is excited to announce that many Read Houston Read schools will offer the program to volunteers and students during summer school.

This will enhance the current summer school program and add additional intervention for students who need it most.

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Local nonprofit to donate thousands of books to elementary school students

Books Between Kids to expand to 12 more HISD schools

The Houston Independent School District will receive 250,000 books that will be donated to more than 35,000 elementary school students to read this summer, thanks to Books Between Kids, a local nonprofit that collects books year-round to distribute in May.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Books Between Kids will distribute free books to HISD students. This year, the organization will expand its efforts from serving 29,000 children at 47 HISD schools to 35,000 children at 59 campuses. Each child will choose up to six books during a book celebration at their school. Continue reading →

Vocabulary victories at Chavez HS, Lanier MS highlight effective literacy strategies

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Chavez High School and Lanier Middle School won the top prizes in Vocabulary.com’s 2015-2016 national Vocabulary Bowl, a competition that is becoming just one example of effective strategies to increase literacy across the HISD’s secondary schools.

Chavez won for the second consecutive year with 344,043 words mastered, and Lanier won with 230,034 words. Chavez celebrated on Monday, May 9, with a trophy presentation, medals and certificates for the top 100 students, and inspirational speeches and congratulations from local media and nationally known figures. Lanier’s celebration was Friday, May 13, in the school gymnasium.

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Summer Reading Program an opportunity to hone literacy skills, spark imagination

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The Houston Independent School District is challenging students to use the power of reading combined with the power of their imagination to go on an unforgettable journey through the district’s Summer Reading Program.

HISD is teaming up with the Houston Public Library and myON, a digital library where students can access more than 5,000 free books, to launch the initiative, which challenges students to read a minimum of five books during the summer. The program also encourages parents and students to spend time reading aloud together — even if it’s just a few minutes each day.

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