Category Archives: Magnet/School Choice

YWCPA welcomes students to newly renovated campus for first day of school

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Excitement could be seen on the faces of many students at Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy as they walked the halls of their newly renovated facility for the first day of the 2018-2019 school year.

The school’s multi-phased construction project wrapped earlier this summer with completion of the final work to third-floor classrooms and learning commons areas.

“It’s definitely exciting,” YWCPA Principal April Williams said, mentioning the completion of the school’s final renovations. “It really sells our school well and the girls deserve it.”

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Magnet school hub program to allow direct commutes to campuses

Students who attend magnet programs in the Houston Independent School District will ride bus routes specifically dedicated to servicing their schools in the upcoming school year.

Beginning on the first day of school, Aug. 27, 2018, HISD Transportation Services will implement the magnet school hub program for bus riders in the magnet program.

Students will ride buses that will transport them directly to their respective schools. In previous years, students attending magnet schools rode buses with routes that serviced a number of schools, resulting in a longer commute time. Continue reading →

HSPVA and HSLJ graduating seniors get glimpse of new facilities

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It was a bittersweet moment for seniors from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) and High School for Law and Justice (HSLJ) as they recently got a sneak peek inside their schools’ newly constructed buildings.

HSLJ students held a senior awards breakfast in their new building, while HSPVA students were treated to a barbeque lunch during their visit. Both groups posed for a special class photo to commemorate the occasion.

“We really wanted them to see the new building before they moved on,” HSLJ Principal Carol Mosteit said. “The students were amazed when they walked in. Their faces were priceless.”

As part of HISD’s voter-approved 2012 Bond Program, both schools are receiving new buildings, which will be completed later this year. HSLJ will open to students in August, and HSPVA will open to students in January 2019. Continue reading →

Summer reading program ‘block party’ encourages kids of all ages to read, earn prizes 

Summer is the perfect time for students to hone their reading skills, and thanks to a partnership with the Houston Public Library, they can have fun while doing just that.

HISD is encouraging students to join the Houston Public Library’s summer reading program for kids and teens called “Summer Block Party,” which kicks off June 1 and runs through Aug. 1.

Students can receive a free book and lanyard simply by registering. At each prize level, students earn another book and pins to decorate their lanyards and show off their success. They can earn pins by reaching their reading goals, attending library activities, and being an active member in their communities.  Continue reading →

HISD parent in viral law school graduation photo to speak at inaugural Cornelius ES Career Day

Ieshia Champs, a single mother of five whose law school graduation picture went viral on social media, will be a featured speaker at Cornelius Elementary School’s inaugural Career Day.  Three of Champs’ children attend Cornelius Elementary.

The event will take place Friday, May 18, 2018 on the Cornelius campus (7475 Westover, Houston, 77087) from 8:30 to 10 a.m.

The recent Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law graduate gained notoriety after a photo of her dressed in her cap and gown surrounded by all five of her children was shared hundreds of thousands of times on social media.

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Still need to choose a school for 2018-19? Come to the Spring School Choice Fair on April 21 

Magnet application deadline for Phase 2 is May 31

Magnet schools and other choice programs that still have open seats will be available to discuss options with parents at the Spring School Choice Fair on Saturday, April 21.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at Gregory-Lincoln Education Center (1101 Taft St. 77019) and will offer a glimpse of the many programs still waiting for students after the Phase 1 magnet deadline, as well as all other transfer options.

Schools with space available will have representatives at the event. For a complete list of magnet programs with openings, click here. Other programs such as dual language and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs will also be represented. Continue reading →

Gregory-Lincoln Education Center students benefit from Houston Ballet lessons 

Gregory-Lincoln Education Center dance instructor Thomas Porter teaches all types of dance in his classes, but he has found that ballet helps his students improve in all areas.

“When I began taking dance lessons, I focused on jazz and tap,” Porter said. “But when I took ballet, I saw a major improvement in my jazz techniques. Ballet quickly became my favorite form of dance.”

That’s why he jumped at the chance to have Melanie Hovis from the Houston Ballet teach a series of six master classes at Gregory-Lincoln this spring. Hovis has been teaching with the Houston Ballet for two years, having danced previously with the Austin Ballet.  Continue reading →

New Energy Institute High School holds first event in new building

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Excitement filled the halls of the new Energy Institute High School on Thursday as the school opened the building for the first time to welcome its incoming students to Freshman Signing Night.

During the event, the incoming class of 2022 officially committed to attending the school this fall and got their first Energy Institute High School t-shirts. Many students and their families arrived early, eager to preview the campus before its formal opening in August. Continue reading →

Yates HS Project Advisory Team tours new school

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Large science labs, the gymnasium, and views of the Houston skyline were just some of the highlights seen by Project Advisory Team members as they were led on a tour of the new Yates High School on Thursday.

As attendees made their way through the facility making stops in the auditorium, dining commons, and JROTC spaces, the group huddled up near the large windows of a second-floor extended learning area to take in a full view of the University of Houston’s TDECU Stadium.

Currently the construction project is 85 percent complete with interior finishes — flooring, painting and ceiling tile installation — underway. All sidewalks and driveways have been poured and science lab equipment has been installed. Furniture selections will be finalized in the coming weeks.

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