Category Archives: Special events

Texas to Practice Medicine Distribution During Mock Emergency

HISD schools to host three distribution sites

The Texas Department of State Health Services will host an exercise Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 in the Houston area to test the ability of state and local partners to work together to provide medical supplies during an emergency.

The exercise focuses on the distribution of medical supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile, a store of large quantities of medicine and other items that can be deployed quickly to help protect the public in an emergency. Three HISD campuses — Jones, Scarborough and Westside high schools — will serve as distribution sites on Saturday, Nov. 2, the final day of the exercise.

Exercise activities may include the movement of large trailers, law enforcement vehicles and volunteers across multiple sites in Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Brazoria, Galveston, Chambers and surrounding counties. These activities are for exercise purposes only and do not represent a real emergency.

Formally called the Regional Allocation, Dispensing, and Distribution Strategic National Stockpile Full-Scale Exercise, the event will test public health and hospital preparedness during a mock widespread public health emergency. The exercise will include coordination with 19 regional and local health agencies, 50 hospitals and 17 dispensing sites.

iWatch Harris County Mobile App to Provide HISD Another Tool to Further Promote School Safety

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office, (HCSO) in partnership with the Houston Independent School District (HISD), is launching iWatch Harris County, a new tool that allows Houston students to report crimes in and around their campuses via an application on their mobile phones.

i-Watch Harris County, now in its second year, is a free mobile app that lets users send anonymous tips, images and videos reporting crimes or suspicious activities directly to law enforcement.  HCSO has formatted the app to support HISD as it monitors reports made specifically about any of the district’s 282 campuses.

“We are excited to be partnering with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office to make iWatch available to HISD’s students,” HISD Chief of Police Jimmy Dotson said.  “iWatch will allow students to report any suspicious activity they see while maintaining their anonymity.”

In addition to HISD, the HCSO is also collaborating with other school districts within Harris County to roll out this app on their campuses within the next six weeks.

What:             Press conference to launch iWatch Harris County at HISD schools

Who:               Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia, HISD Chief of Police Jimmy Dotson,                         iWatch Harris County App Developer Dan Elliott

When:             Monday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m.  

Where:            Austin High School, 1700 Dumble St.

HISD Names Outstanding Hall of Fame Partners During Annual Appreciation Breakfast

The Houston Independent School District paid tribute on Friday to four of its long-standing, dedicated partners during the Annual Partnership Appreciation Breakfast.

The Houston Astros, Houston Food Bank, IPAA/PESA Education Center and Target each received a 2013 Hall of Fame award for their exemplary service to HISD students. The award is presented to businesses and organizations that have an impact on multiple schools and serve as a model for other partnerships.

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HISD to Announce Outstanding Hall of Fame Partners during Annual Appreciation Breakfast

What: The Houston Independent School District will pay tribute to four of its long-standing, dedicated partners during the Annual Partnership Appreciation Breakfast. The 2013 theme — HISD Partners: Becoming Great All Over — serves to recognize the importance of our partners and the role they place in students’ success. Each of the four honorees will receive a 2013 Hall of Fame award for their exemplary service to HISD students. Winners will be announced during the ceremony.

Who: HISD Board of Education Trustees Juliet Stipeche, Rhonda Skillern-Jones and Michael Lunceford, HISD Chief Business/Community Relations Officer Michele Pola and many district partners.

When: Friday, Oct. 25, 2013 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. with the program following at 8:15 a.m.

Where: Kingdom Builders Center, 6011 Orem Drive

School Choice Fairs Scheduled Across Houston

The Houston Independent School District is hosting several school choice fairs across the district to inform parents of the different educational choices available to their children as they transition into middle and high school.

“HISD offers excellent opportunities to meet your child’s needs, challenge their thinking, and develop their skills,” said Dave Wheat, HISD assistant superintendent for school choice.  “But most importantly, we prepare them for success in college and their careers.”

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HISD to Celebrate Being Named America’s Top Urban School District

HISD Board of Education, HISD Superintendent, administrators, teachers and students to partake in the district’s celebration

What:             Hundreds of school administrators, teachers and students will join the HISD

Board of Education and Superintendent Terry Grier as the district celebrates winning the Broad Prize for Urban Education. The prestigious award recognizes the public school system that has demonstrated the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among poor and minority students. The award also provides the HISD class of 2014 with $550,000 in college scholarships. HISD won the first Broad Prize awarded in 2002 and was also a finalist in 2012.

The celebration at the district’s headquarters will feature school marching bands, cheerleaders, community members and HISD’s #GreatAllOver school bus, among other festivities.

For more information about The Broad Prize, including video and photos, please visit www.houstonisd.org/broadprize.

Who:               HISD Board of Education trustees, HISD Superintendent Terry Grier, administrators, teachers, students and community members

When:             Monday, Sept. 30 at 4 p.m.  

Where:           Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, 4400 W. 18th Street

HISD Food Services Hosts Inaugural Community Health and Wellness Festival

Event will feature student chefs, free health services and fun family activities

In an effort to encourage healthy, active lifestyles, the Houston Independent School District’s Food Services Department is hosting its inaugural Community Health and Wellness Festival on September 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at North Forest High School, 10725 Mesa Drive.  The event is free and open to the public.

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HISD Elementary Schools to Celebrate Grandparents with a Special Lunch

Over 80 elementary schools participating

What:    Dozens of HISD elementary schools across the city will celebrate National Grandparents’ Day on Tuesday with a special lunch hosted by HISD Food Services to recognize the important role that grandparents and their peers play in the lives of students and the community.

The students sent their grandparents an invitation to attend lunch at their school and will be presenting them with a special gift they created in class.  Each grandparent will also receive a certificate of appreciation for attending this special day.  Last year nearly 7,000 grandparents participated.

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More Than 600 Volunteer in 10th Annual Grads Within Reach Walk

Hundreds of volunteers at 24 HISD high schools spent Saturday morning knocking on doors across Houston encouraging students who have not returned to school this academic year to re-enroll. The outreach effort was part of the 10th Annual Grads Within Reach Walk which led to 47 HISD students deciding to return to school immediately and many more promising to give school another try.

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Hundreds of Volunteers to Visit Students’ Homes during 10th Annual Grads Within Reach Walk

24 high schools participating across Houston

What:  HISD’s Department of Dropout Prevention will lead visits to the homes of hundreds of students who did not return to school for this fall semester during the 10th annual Grads Within Reach walk.  The purpose of this walk is to let the students know about the programs HISD offers to help them graduate such as the Grad Labs online credit recovery program and the Twilight High Schools around the city which offer flexible night and weekend hours.  The volunteers will set out from 24 high schools across the city to knock on the doors of students’ homes to personally encourage them to return to school.

Media are invited to Sam Houston Math, Science & Technology Center for video of the walk and interviews with administrators and volunteers.

Who:   HISD Department of Dropout Prevention, principals and volunteers

When:  Saturday, Sept. 7 at 8:00 a.m.  

Where: Sam Houston MSTC, 9400 Irvington