HISD’s annual State of the Schools luncheon will be taking place at the Hilton Americas Hotel on Thursday, March 3, and the theme for 2016 is “Ready for the World: Starring Team HISD.”
Attendees of this year’s event can expect to meet and mingle with some of the district’s biggest “stars,” including teachers of the year, nurses of the year, principals of the year, and even the city’s very first youth poet laureate (a member of HISD’s Class of 2016).
The HISD Board of Education is searching for a new superintendent, and trustees have been gathering feedback all week from community members about the qualities and traits they would like to see in a new district leader.
Board members will host a community meeting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th St., 77092), and all interested stakeholders are encouraged to attend.
[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000UJO1QTRilTk” g_name=”20160220-Lunar” 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” ]
Members of Team HISD will be formally observing the start of a new lunar year on Saturday, Feb. 27, during a celebration held at Westside High School (14201 Briar Forest Dr., 77077) in partnership with the Confucius Institute.
The free event will take place from 6 – 8 p.m. and the public is invited.
Entertainment will be provided by students from more than half a dozen HISD schools, including Kolter Elementary; Lanier and Revere Middle; Furr and Westside High; the Houston Academy for International Studies; the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts; Sharpstown International School; and the Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School (MCLIMS).
The Year of the Monkey began on Monday, Feb. 8. MCLIMS hosted its own campus celebration (photos above) on Feb. 20.
The library at Sam Houston Math, Science & Technology Center was overflowing with college financial aid information on Tuesday, Feb. 16, during HISD’s first-ever FAFSA Roadshow. Created jointly by three district departments — College Readiness, EMERGE, and College Access — the roadshow will travel to all HISD high schools to promote education and provide assistance in applying for scholarships, grants, and other types of financial aid.
“The purpose of today is to assist students in completing their TASFA or FAFSA, which is required in order for them to have some type of funding to pay for college,” said College Access Coordinator Kimberly Williams-Dooley. “Our students are doing a great job. We were very intentional about making sure our students had their documents in order.”
Kashmere High School will celebrate the opening of a campus-based multiservice center that provides health, education, counseling, and workforce development services to students and their families.
The Kashmere Success Center was launched in January by ProUnitas, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering communities by connecting social service organizations and resources to students and families with unmet needs. Continue reading
[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000q6a6p1RKR_A” g_name=”2016-BHM-SS” 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” ]
How well do you know your distinguished alumni from HISD? Take our quiz and find out!
In honor of Black History Month this year, the district’s Communications team has put together a question-and-answer-style slideshow that highlights 24 different African-American graduates, along with the years they earned their high-school diplomas.
Among those featured are professional athletes, artists, elected officials, and more.
Black History Month runs from Feb. 1 through Feb. 29.
On Feb. 8, 1926, Jack Yates High School opened its doors as the second campus for children of color in the city of Houston. Ninety years later, Mayor Sylvester Turner issued a proclamation announcing Feb. 9, 2016, as “Jack Yates Senior High School Day.”
Since its opening, the school has been a launching pad for world-renowned artists, athletes, politicians, and other figures. The school was named after a formerly enslaved reverend, who became an influential leader in Houston’s Fourth Ward.
99-year-old Maxine Williams, Yates alumna
“A lot of good things came out of Yates,” said Carolyn Simples, president of the Fabulous Fifties Yates alumni group, whose crimson and gold attire brought a celebratory mood at City Hall. “And [they] are still coming out of Yates.”
One such product, 99-year-old alumna Maxine Williams, was present for the event. So, too, were 50 current Yates government students, hoping to witness the ceremony. They had the opportunity — through Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and the help of Yates alumni and city attorney Arva Howard — to see the proclamation process from beginning to end.
“To get our kids involved and understand how government works, and get them involved in the process…for me, personally, it’s kind of a highlight of the year,” said Yates Principal Kenneth Davis. “Having a historically black school that receives a proclamation — this is something they’ll always have and remember in the future. It’s part of their history as well.”
To see a sampling of Yates’ distinguished alumni, please visit the district’s Alumni channel.
Editor’s Note: Black History Month runs from Monday, Feb. 1, through Monday, Feb. 29, this year, and HISD is celebrating with a series of weekly stories recognizing distinguished African Americans who graduated from district high schools. This second article focuses on alumni who went on to have successful careers in politics or law. The first one spotlighted professional athletes, and others will feature artists, educators, and those with careers in radio, TV, and film.
Since its earliest days, Houston has been home to great leaders who, through their commitment to public service, have helped to shape our community and create opportunities for future generations.
African-Americans figure prominently in this group of civic and government officials, and HISD is proud to count many of them among our distinguished alumni, who have left a lasting legacy for citizens of Houston and students in HISD.
A scene from last year’s Digital learning Expo
Digital Learning Day was created to showcase schools’ best practices and promote a new educational venue for students that is fun and interactive. In honor of that event, which takes place on Feb. 17 this year, HISD is declaring February “Digital Learning Month.”
Principals and teachers have been invited to participate by trying out new digital tools and innovative instructional practices, then showing how their schools are leveraging digital learning by posting content to social media using the hashtag #hisddigital. Students are also welcome to join the conversation.
Selected students will demonstrate their projects during a Digital Learning Day Expo scheduled for Feb. 11, 2016, at Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th Street, 77092). The expo will take place just before the Board of Education meeting, which starts at 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Editor’s Note: Black History Month runs from Monday, Feb. 1, through Monday, Feb. 29, this year, and HISD is celebrating with a series of weekly stories recognizing distinguished African Americans who graduated from district high schools. This first article focuses on alumni who went on to have successful athletic careers. Others will spotlight artists, educators, legislators, and those with careers in radio, TV, and film.
HISD alumnus Moran Norris regularly gives back to the schools he attended, including Madison High School (pictured). Here, he is distributing backpacks to incoming freshmen during the fall 2015 orientation.
From Wimbledon finalist and Olympic gold-medalist Zina Garrison (Sterling, Class of 1982) to National Basketball Association Rookie of the Year and Olympic bronze-medalist Chukwuemeka Noubuisi “Emeka” Okafor (Bellaire, 2001), HISD has produced dozens of African-American graduates who have gone on to enjoy impressive careers in professional sports.
![[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G00007RgjmC.uXAU” g_name=”2016-0218-FAFSARoadshow” 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” ]](https://blogs.houstonisd.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/02/FAFSARoadshow_800.png){kind=link}