As HISD prepares for the 2016-2017 school year, the district is taking the necessary steps to align the central office team in a way that best supports teaching and learning. Also, as a result of the $165 million recapture payment HISD must make to the state, the district is making changes to the organization and staffing structure at the cabinet level and throughout central office departments. Continue reading
Category Archives: Magnet/School Choice
Washington Post ranks 37 HISD high schools among nation’s best
Seven HISD high schools crack top-100 list of
America’s Most Challenging High Schools
The Washington Post’s 2016 list of America’s Most Challenging High Schools features 37 Houston ISD schools, led by Energized for STEM Academy in the No. 4 slot.
Four out of every five HISD high schools made this year’s list recognizing the top 10 percent of campuses across the nation. HISD schools also accounted for 19 of the top 100 schools in Texas. The rankings are based on the number of seniors taking college-level Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Cambridge tests.
The Rusk School to become middle school with health and medical focus
For young students with an interest in a health or medical career, there is a new magnet middle-school program in HISD.
Beginning with the upcoming school year, The Rusk School will transform from PK–8 into a middle school with a medical focus.
“We are very excited about the big changes coming to Rusk,” said Principal Daniel De León. “The new middle school will be modeled after the highly successful Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan. We have room for up to 250 students in sixth grade, and we want parents to begin applying now.”
HISD celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week, will host special ceremony for fellowship program
The Houston Independent School District will extend its thanks to nearly 12,000 teachers who serve in HISD classrooms during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 2— May 6.
On Teacher Appreciation Day, scheduled for Tuesday, May 3, HISD will host a ceremony for seniors who were accepted into the district’s new Teach Forward Houston program. Through the Teach Forward Houston fellowship program, HISD graduates interested in obtaining a degree in education are eligible for free tuition at University of Houston in exchange for teaching four years in HISD after graduation.
Wharton renovation, expansion plans presented to community; construction to start soon
Once construction is complete, the new Wharton Dual Language Academy will feature new learning spaces and labs, a new gym and library, an interior courtyard preserving heritage trees, and a grand, three-story, glass entryway.
Designs plans for the school’s renovation and new addition were detailed to nearly 100 Wharton parents and community members Thursday night during community meeting at the Wharton campus.
[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000zs1OfpkPbNw” g_name=”20160421-Wharton” width=”600″ f_fullscreen=”t” bgtrans=”t” pho_credit=”iptc” twoup=”f” f_bbar=”t” f_bbarbig=”f” fsvis=”f” f_show_caption=”t” crop=”f” f_enable_embed_btn=”t” f_htmllinks=”t” f_l=”t” f_send_to_friend_btn=”f” f_show_slidenum=”t” f_topbar=”f” f_show_watermark=”t” img_title=”casc” linkdest=”c” trans=”xfade” target=”_self” tbs=”5000″ f_link=”t” f_smooth=”f” f_mtrx=”t” f_ap=”t” f_up=”f” height=”400″ btype=”old” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” ]
The project is part of the Houston Independent School District’s 2012 Bond Program, which calls for renovation or replacement of 40 schools across the district. Construction at Wharton is expected to start later this year, with the Montrose-area school expected to re-open its doors in fall of 2018.
The project will expand the school’s capacity up to 900 students and eliminate all the temporary buildings from the site.
‘When I Grow Up Expo’ draws crowd for hands-on career exploration
Houston families stepped out into the sunshine for a productive, fun-filled day on Saturday at the “When I Grow Up Expo” at Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center.
[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000TBhO0EavsTQ” g_name=”20160409-Expo” width=”600″ f_fullscreen=”t” bgtrans=”t” pho_credit=”iptc” twoup=”f” f_bbar=”t” f_bbarbig=”f” fsvis=”f” f_show_caption=”t” crop=”f” f_enable_embed_btn=”t” f_htmllinks=”t” f_l=”t” f_send_to_friend_btn=”f” f_show_slidenum=”t” f_topbar=”f” f_show_watermark=”t” img_title=”casc” linkdest=”c” trans=”xfade” target=”_self” tbs=”5000″ f_link=”t” f_smooth=”f” f_mtrx=”t” f_ap=”t” f_up=”f” height=”400″ btype=”old” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” ]
Approximately 6,000 people took advantage of the more than 100 exhibitors, including Exxon Mobil, Centerpoint Energy, and the Chavez High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) showcased hands-on career awareness and exploration activities. Face painters and food vendors maintained a party atmosphere. Students were encouraged to take part in numerous exercises designed to help them explore different career options.
With magnet deadline passed, are you still looking at school options? Here are a few
Whether you missed the magnet deadline, your child was waitlisted, or you recently moved into the district, there are still many school choice options available for the upcoming school year.
One of the best places to explore those options is at the upcoming Houston ISD School Choice Fair from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 23 at Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4440 West 18th St.).
Status of all students’ magnet applications to become available March 24
If you’re one of the parents who submitted one of the more than 60,000 magnet applications HISD received for the 2016–2017 school year, your wait is almost over.
Thursday, March 24, 2016, is the date on which parents who participated in Phase 1 of the application process (Oct. 1–Dec. 18, 2015) will be notified of the status of their submissions. Parents who created online accounts will be able to find the results posted on their dashboards, but application-status letters will also be sent out by U.S. mail to all parents who submitted an application.
Magnet notifications are going out via our online system, so you can start checking now. FYI, they can take up to 8 hours to send.
Don’t see any notifications for your magnet application yet? Don’t panic! Your notifications will be posted to the parent dashboard.
Three HISD schools receive 2016 National Merit awards from Magnet Schools of America
Garden Oaks Montessori, Lovett Elementary School, and the Energy Institute High School were honored Friday with 2016 National Merit awards from Magnet Schools of America, the national association for magnet and themed-based schools.
The three schools are among 258 public magnet schools and programs from across the nation to receive the award. They were selected for their commitment to high academic standards, school diversity, specialized curricula and instruction, family engagement, and community partnerships. Continue reading
New Mark White ES accepting applications through March 25
HISD’s brand new Mark White Elementary School (2515 Old Farm Road, 77063) will be opening its doors for the first time in the fall of 2016, and interested parents have until Friday, March 25, to submit their applications for admission.
The school, which is located just north of Westheimer on the district’s west side, will offer a French-language immersion program to students in prekindergarten and kindergarten during its first year of operation, and expand the program by one additional grade each year until 2021.