Category Archives: Special Education

Special Education conference focuses on creating positive culture for students  

[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000uWXWNd0OpD8″ g_name=”20160719_sped_conference” 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” ]

During her keynote speech Tuesday at HISD’s Special Education Conference, Kelly Brown told the story of a woman named Araminta Ross. As a child, she had been beaten, causing life-long pain and dizziness, and she had no formal education.

Brown, an assistant professor at Prairie View A&M University, went on to explain that Ross didn’t let her circumstances define or limit her. She eventually changed her name to Harriet Tubman and went on to be an extraordinary figure in American history.  Continue reading →

Early identification, intervention is key for HISD’s Speech-Language team  

speech_pathologistPart of creating Global Graduates is ensuring all students have the resources they need to be ready to learn. That’s where HISD’s speech-language pathologists come into the picture.

These trained professionals are responsible for identifying and providing intervention for students with speech and/or language difficulties that might affect a students’ ability to learn. Whether it’s receptive/expressive language, articulation, social skills, or stuttering; speech-language pathologist work to identify struggling children and provide the right intervention and strategies for them so they are able to flourish in school.  Continue reading →

‘Light It Up Blue’ April 1 and 2 in honor of Autism Awareness Month

Light It Up Blue is the annual kick-off event for Autism Awareness Month, and members of the HISD community are encouraged to wear blue on Friday, April 1, and Saturday, April 2 (Autism Awareness Day), to help spread the word.

Members of Team HISD will observe the month in different ways across the district, including adding blue accents to the Special Education Field Office (SFO). Supporters can also participate by lighting up their homes, campuses, or offices with the color blue.

The Office of Special Education will also be hosting an autism parent meeting at that location (4040 W. Fuqua St., Room 204) from 9–11 a.m. on Friday, April 1.

Parents and campuses can find additional autism resources by clicking here or by following @HISDSPED on Twitter.

Notice of Destruction of Special Education Records

Special Education records which have been collected by the Houston Independent School District (HISD) related to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of Special Education in the district, must be maintained under state and federal laws for a period of five years after Special Education services have ended for a given student. Special Education services end when the student is no longer eligible for services, graduates, completes his or her educational program at age 22, or moves from the district. Continue reading →

Free dyslexia screenings available Nov. 7

HISD’s Office of Special Education Services will offer free dyslexia screenings at a Family Learning Academy event at Burbank Middle School (315 Berry Road, 77022), on Nov. 7, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition, and poor spelling and decoding abilities. Continue reading →

Camp M.I. Way proves educational for both campers and counselors

CECHS student Emerson Greer (holding umbrella) helps a Camp M.I. participant navigate a water activity.

CECHS student Emerson Greer (holding umbrella) helps a Camp M.I. participant navigate a water activity.

Over the past several weeks, middle and high school students from HISD campuses across the district have been volunteering at Camp M.I. Way, a special program designed to give students with multiple impairments a chance to practice and expand their social skills in an atmosphere of fun.

As part of the camp, run by Homerun Hitters International, student counselors guide campers in various activities that are designed to engage the five senses. Emerson Greer, a rising junior at Challenge Early College High School, has served as a camp counselor for two years and describes the experience below:

Continue reading →

Students embark on the road to independent living

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X82U98iMqsc” responsive=”no”]youtube url=”http://youtu.be/GzLcJfvbaww” width=”320″ height=”200″ responsive=”no”][/su_youtube]

This June, HISD is teaching young people to be part of a community beyond the classroom.

Continue reading →

Nutrition Services partners with high-school transition coaches to build students’ job skills

Waltrip High School students work at Garden Oaks Montessori with their transition coach and the Garden Oaks cafeteria team lead.

Waltrip High School students work at Garden Oaks Montessori with their transition coach and the Garden Oaks cafeteria team lead.

Through HISD’s Community Based Vocational Instruction (CBVI) program, high-school students can go into local businesses for a couple hours a day, a few of times a week, to develop their workplace skills through on-the-job training.

For the first time this year, HISD’s Nutrition Services department is one of the partnering organizations, and it is working with two or three students from each of five high schools: Lee, Madison, Scarborough, Sharpstown, and Waltrip. Participating students learn about the food service industry by working in school cafeterias, performing tasks such as washing dishes or serving fruit.

Continue reading →

Students and teachers “shake it off” on awards day

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuU5D9-cosM&feature=youtu.be” responsive=”no”]youtube url=”http://youtu.be/GzLcJfvbaww” width=”320″ height=”200″ responsive=”no”][/su_youtube]

 

Sometimes you just need to dance to a Taylor Swift song. Special Education students and staff at Halpin Early Childhood Center acted on such an urge last week. During their Special Education Awards Day on May 22, they debuted a video of the whole community dancing to Swift’s single “Shake It Off.”

Continue reading →

Hearing student to attend advanced ASL summer workshop at Gallaudet

NathanBrunell_300Nathan Brunell, a junior at HISD’s Westside High School, will be immersing himself in deaf culture this summer after being selected to attend an exclusive American Sign Language (ASL) program at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.

Nathan is one of only 48 high-school students chosen from across the country to participate in the 10-day program, which is for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students. Gallaudet is the only university in the world designed specifically to serve deaf and hard-of-hearing students, and only experienced signers at the intermediate level or higher were considered for the workshop.

Continue reading →