Category Archives: Staff updates

Leal sworn in as trustee for District III

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At a brief ceremony in the Manuel Rodríguez, Jr. Board Auditorium, José Leal was sworn in as District III trustee by State Sen. Sylvia Garcia. He was surrounded by friends and family during the board ceremony, which was presided over by District II Board Secretary Rhonda Skillern-Jones.

“I am here to serve the students, the parents and the teachers,” Leal said in an interview after the ceremony. “This is not about status, it’s all about the service and people.”

Leal was appointed to the Board of Education in August 2017 by unanimous vote of HISD trustees. He is serving a portion of the unexpired term of District III representative, a position left vacant by the passing of Trustee Rodríguez. Leal’s term will expire in January 2018 after a special election for the office will be held on Nov. 7, 2017.

Leal has worked in HISD schools since 1981, beginning his career in the operations and maintenance departments.   Continue reading →

UPDATED: HISD cancels classes Monday due to threat of inclement weather 

District events, activities for Friday and Saturday canceled or postponed

Weather Alert

All HISD campuses and administrative offices will be closed on Monday, Aug. 28 and all campus and district activities are canceled due to the threat of inclement weather. Currently, all campuses and district offices are closed and inaccessible.

Classes are scheduled to resume on Tuesday, Aug. 29. However, the district will continue to monitor developing weather conditions and will determine whether classes can safely resume on Tuesday. The district will make that decision by noon on Sunday, Aug. 27.

All HISD campus-based activities and district events – including professional development and recruiting sessions – are canceled. In addition, the Houston ISD Athletic Department is canceling all athletic activities for Friday, Aug. 25 and Saturday, Aug. 26. This cancellation includes, practices, scrimmages and any scheduled games.

HISD Facilities Services will stage personnel and first responders throughout the night on Friday through Sunday to monitor potential building flooding at eight campuses: Kashmere, Northside, Heights, and Liberty high schools; Meyerland Middle School; and Elrod, Kate Bell, and Kolter elementaries. Lovett Elementary, Fondren Middle, Red Elementary and HISD’s McCarty complex also will be monitored.

For additional updates, please monitor HoustonISD.org or call the HISD Inclement Weather Hotline at 713-556-9595. We also encourage HISD staff and parents to sign up for text alerts to receive the most up-to-date information on school closures or delays by texting YES to 68453. Please ensure your number is updated with your school. You can also follow the district on Twitter and Facebook: Twitter.com/HoustonISD and Facebook.com/HoustonISD.

Christina Lovette named new principal of MC Williams Middle School

Dr. Christina Lovette has been appointed principal of MC Williams Middle School. Dr. Lovette has been an educator for 23 years, beginning her career with HISD as a history teacher at Patrick Henry Middle School and serving in various leadership roles across the district, including district coordinator and assistant principal. From 2010-2017, Dr. Lovette served as a principal and the director of curriculum and instruction in Alvin ISD. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Dillard University in New Orleans and a master’s and doctoral degree in educational leadership from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Brian Gaston named new principal of North Houston Early College High School

Brian Gaston poses for a photograph, November 7, 2016. (Dave Einsel)Brian Gaston has been appointed principal of North Houston Early College High School. Gaston graduated from North Forest ISD schools and started his educational career as a 2010 Teach for America corps member at Hogg Middle School and later Heights High School. After serving in several instructional leadership roles, Gaston became dean of students at Sam Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center and served as the school director training new teachers for the Teach For America Houston Institute. Most recently, he was assistant principal of the Business Academy at Heights High School. He was named 2011-2012 HISD Secondary Teacher of the Year, received the 2012 Kinder Award for Excellence in Teaching, and was named to the 2014 Fishman Prize for Superlative Classroom Practices Honor Roll. Gaston received his bachelor of business administration in management from University of Texas at Austin and his master of education in teacher leadership from University of St. Thomas.

New HISD chief school officers and assistant superintendents appointed

Rebecca Brown, Nicole Moore, and Yolanda Rodríguez

HISD Superintendent Richard Carranza announced several new leadership appointments and a restructuring of the district’s Schools Office, improvements that are part of a larger effort to better meet the needs of HISD students, especially in historically underserved schools.

Continue reading →

Enrique Cruz named new principal of Cunningham Elementary

Enrique Cruz (Houston Independent School District)Enrique Cruz has been appointed principal of Cunningham Elementary School. Cruz has been an educator for 22 years, serving HISD as a first-grade bilingual teacher, literacy coach, and assistant principal. He also served as a reading technical assistant specialist with the University of Texas. Cruz began his career at Brookline Elementary School and served as assistant principal at Southmayd Elementary, Marshal Middle, and most recently R.P. Harris Elementary. He is a graduate of the district’s High School for Law Enforcement. Cruz has a bachelor’s degree from Texas Southern University and a master’s degree from University of St. Thomas.

Rita Sotelo named new principal of Clemente Martinez Elementary

Rita Sotelo (Houston Independent School District)Rita Sotelo has been named the principal of C. Martinez Elementary School. Sotelo began her career with HISD as an English Language Arts and reading teacher at Ninth Grade College Preparatory Academy (now closed) and later Eastwood Academy. She was an instructional leader at Westbury High School before becoming principal of Bluebonnet Elementary School in Lockhart ISD and East Montana Middle School in Clint ISD. Most recently, Sotelo served as an assistant principal at Chavez High School. She attended Rogers Elementary, Hogg Middle, and Reagan (now Heights) High schools. She has a bachelor of arts in mass communication and Spanish from Texas State University and a master of education in administration from Concordia University Texas.

Gerardo Medina named new principal of Almeda Elementary

Gerardo Medina poses for a photograph, November 7, 2016. (Dave Einsel)Gerardo Medina has been selected as principal of Almeda Elementary School. He is a graduate of HISD’s Lamar High School and has been an educator with the district for 12 years, serving in various instructional and leadership roles. Medina served as a bilingual kindergarten teacher at Sutton Elementary before moving to Petersen Elementary, where he was a teacher specialist. Most recently, he was an assistant principal at Stevens Elementary. Medina has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Houston Baptist University and a master’s degree in applied linguistics from University of Massachusetts-Boston. He has a principal endorsement from Lamar University and has been a participant in various leadership training opportunities within the district, including the Principal Candidate Development Opportunity.

Emeterio Cruz named new principal of Sanchez Elementary

Emeterio Cruz (Houston Independent School District)Emeterio Cruz has been appointed principal of Sanchez Elementary School. He has been with HISD for eight years, starting as a fifth-grade bilingual teacher at Sutton Elementary School, where he was named teacher of the year in 2010. Cruz served as a teacher specialist at Shearn Elementary and assistant principal at Pugh and Anderson elementaries. He graduated from HISD schools and holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from University of Houston-Downtown and a master’s degree in education as part of the HISD Leadership Cohort at University of Houston.

Christopher Walker named new principal of Tinsley Elementary

Christopher Walker (Houston Independent School District)Christopher Walker has been named principal of Tinsley Elementary School. Walker has been an educator for 12 years, serving in various roles from teacher to teacher interventionist to assistant principal. He began his career with HISD as a special education teacher and since 2012 has served as assistant principal at Askew and Ashford elementary schools. Walker earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and child and family development from Texas Southern University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from University of Texas at Tyler.