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225 prospective teachers came out to the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center on Tuesday for HISD’s Summer School Job Fair. 25 secondary schools interviewed teachers to provide support for 9th and 12th grade students who will be required to re-take the STAAR End of Course exams or the Exit Level TAKS. Students must pass these exams to get their diplomas.
HISD will be observing Teacher Appreciation Week May 7–11, and announcing its Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year at the Team HISD Celebration of Excellence on May 24.
To help us say “thanks” to these dedicated professionals, we invite you to share your most inspiring or heartwarming story with us about a teacher who changed your (or your child’s) life. Just send an e-mail to info@houstonisd.org, using the subject line, “Inspiring Teachers,” and we’ll post as many as we can on the district’s website.
Superintendent Terry Grier addressed attendees at the American Association of School Administrators’ National Conference on Education at the George R. Brown Convention Center recently to tell them about HISD’s goal to ensure every child in the city is taught by a highly effective teacher. In partnership with The New Teacher Project, Dr. Grier said the Effective Teachers Initiative is producing promising results.
An article on the AASA website provides a recap:
“Quality should not be determined by zip code. Every child should have the same exposure to excellence,” he said. “Every child is entitled to have a quality teacher in every classroom.”
Grier reported that in 2009 the district leadership discovered nearly all teacher evaluations were the same, with only 3.4 percent rated “below proficient.” “But we had students performing below level — the data was not consistent,” said Grier. Continue reading
Recruiting event designed to showcase the advantages of a career with HISD to external candidates
The Recruitment and Selection team from Human Resources held an interactive info session exclusively for experienced teachers from outside the district on Feb. 11. Placing an effective teacher in every classroom is part of HISD’s plan to transform the district – called the Strategic Direction.
Almost 120 participants attended the event, which included breakout sessions on certification requirements, district benefits, and the new Teacher Development and Appraisal System.
Attendees were also invited to participate in a panel discussion with HISD school improvement officers, principals, and current veteran teachers, after which they met one-on-one with principals and representatives from 44 different schools.
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/31161260]Approximately 280 teachers from across the district have been collaborating with HISD’s Curriculum Department for the past several months to develop a high-powered, standards-based curriculum for all students in the Houston Independent School District.
They meet after school and on weekends, and educators involved in the Curriculum Writing Initiative report that their work has given them fresh insight into the necessity of focusing on standards.
“The curriculum-writing experience has opened my eyes to the importance of aligning our curriculum to the TEKS,” said Kolter Elementary School teacher Sharon Grimm. “This process will make me a better teacher and will ensure that all my students’ needs are met.”
Dr. Grier addressed attendees at the American Association of School Administrators’ National Conference on Education at the George R. Brown Convention Center to tell them about the Houston Independent School District’s Effective Teachers Initiative (ETI), a research-driven plan to ensure that every child in our city, regardless of where they live, is taught by a highly effective teacher. In partnership with The New Teacher Project, Dr. Grier said ETI is producing promising results and allowing our teachers to get the most out of their students.
Click here for the presentation.
Superintendent Terry Grier will Visit Two Top Teachers on Wednesday
January 24, 2012 – Students across the Houston Independent School District achieved unprecedented success in the classroom in 2010-2011, and the educators most responsible for the gains will receive their financial awards on Wednesday.
HISD is paying a total of $35 million to 12,390 campus employees under the ASPIRE Award program that aims to recognize those whose hard work resulted in students making more progress in one year than their peers elsewhere.
HISD students showed significant academic progress in 2010-2011. The number of students not just passing, but scoring at the tougher “commended” level on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills has never been higher. The district’s dropout rate has never been lower under the state’s current reporting system, and the percentage of students graduating from high school on time has never been higher.
Classroom teachers in HISD are receiving the bulk of the ASPIRE Award money – $30.5 million spread among 9,162 teachers. The average ASPIRE Award for teachers is $3,324.26.
This year, four teachers at four different campuses received the highest payout of $10,300. Those teachers are Debra Bunton (Highland Heights Elementary), Marcos Giannotti (Hobby Elementary), Chavis Mitchell (Osborne Elementary), and Stephanie Spurling (Hartsfield Elementary).
“These teachers personify the firmly held belief shared by all members of Team HISD that every child has the ability to excel in the classroom under the guidance of quality teachers working in schools led by great principals,” said HISD Superintendent Terry Grier. “The value that HISD educators bring to our city is immeasurable and these ASPIRE Awards are one way of recognizing the impact they have on our children.”