The Houston Independent School District’s Teacher Recruitment is hosting a districtwide job fair for experienced teachers on Saturday, February 8 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hattie Mae White (4400 West 18th St., 77092).
The district is searching for certified teachers in the following critical shortage areas: bilingual education, secondary science, secondary mathematics, and special education.
Continue readingYoung Elementary School fifth-grade science teacher Brittnay Douglas on Tuesday learned that she had been named the district’s Sterling McCall VIP Services Teacher of the Month for January.
“Douglas has served as an amazing science teacher that has made the classroom,” Principal Shanica Smith said. “She is always making the classroom fun as she creates autonomous thinkers.”
In her fifth year of teaching at Young Elementary School, Douglas ensures that her students are gaining exposure to new environments, especially during field lessons to Galveston State Park and TopGolf, where they learned about force and motion.
Continue readingAchieve 180 teachers didn’t let Wednesday’s cold front stop the festivities as they prepared for their biggest challenge outside of the classroom — determining which campus had the best chili.
The district invited nearly 1,400 teachers from the turnaround program to a first-ever, pep-rally-style Achieve 180 Tailgate as a celebration of the teachers’ efforts to transform some of the district’s most undeserved campuses and critical student populations.
“This is our way of saying thank you for always making our students a priority,” Achieve 180 Area Superintendent Felicia Adams said. “Whether it’s arriving early, staying late, (or) constantly attending professional development opportunities, none of our achievements would have been possible with you.”
Continue readingFourth-graders at Osborne Elementary School were in the middle of their reading inference lesson Tuesday morning when their teacher, Demetria Washington, learned from Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan she would be the district’s Sterling McCall Teacher of the Month for December.
“She has been a phenomenal educator this year,” Principal Mikia Barnes said. “She has adapted quickly to the demands of meeting her students’ needs by engaging in after-school planning to learn the new reading standards.”
The fourth-grade ELAR teacher is always striving to build her capacity, attending all North area trainings and learning to utilize FOCUS comprehension to close literacy gaps for her students.
Continue readingThere was a level excitement that could not be contained when math teacher Breana Chatman of Holland Middle School was surprised by Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan as the Teacher of the Month for October.
“Mrs. Chatman goes above and beyond the call of duty every time she steps into the classroom,” Principal Pablo Resendiz said. “She is very intentional in planning and ensures standards have been unpacked thoroughly before she designs her lessons.”
Not accepting anything less than excellence from her students, Chatman pushes students understanding and knowledge of the mathematical process by using mathematical sentence stems, and utilizes interactive word walls and anchor charts to ensure the class environment supports all students.
Continue readingDistrict’s alternative certification program hosting info session
Thinking about changing careers and love working with children? Maybe you’ve thought about becoming a teacher, but not sure what’s involved with getting your certification?
The Houston ISD Alternative Certification Program invites you to attend its upcoming ACP Teacher Information Session at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 29 at Hattie Mae White (4400 West 18th St., 77092).
Prospects can learn more about the ACP program and candidate selection process, as well as meet current teachers with HISD and those enrolled in the HISD ACP program. The one-year program is dedicated to recruiting individuals from diverse educational and career backgrounds who are passionate about students, teaching, and learning.
Continue readingThe district has designated five “Staff Development Days” for the 2019-2020 school year to be utilized for professional development at the school level. As a result, schools will release students early on those days throughout the school year.
On the following dates outlined below, elementary schools will be dismissed at noon, and middle and high schools will be dismissed at 1:10 p.m.
HISD Transportation Services will be adjusting bus schedules to ensure students are picked up at the early dismissal times, which will result in earlier delivery times to bus stops.
Continue readingThe HISD Foundation is now accepting applications for its Innovation Fund program, which provides funds for teachers and schools to develop innovative projects that lead to increased student success.
The Foundation is funding projects that will:The program, which is in its second year, will allow teachers in grades pre-K through 12 to apply for a $3,000 – $7,000 grant. Two or more teachers from the same school can also apply for a Teacher Collaborative Grant ranging from $5,000 – $10,000.
Continue readingDuring a recent visit to Nicole Hevener’s classroom at DeChaumes Elementary School, it’s clear she embodies creativity head to toe – from her shock of multi-colored hair and teal cat-eye glasses to her cheeseburger tights and Bob’s Burger-themed shoes.
It’s a look that she hopes inspires her fine arts students to embrace what makes them unique and to express their artistic side.
“I tell people I’m Wednesday Adams and Louise Belcher on the inside and Lisa Frank on the outside,” Hevener said, laughing. “It’s to show my kids that you can work, be successful and still be very fun with your look.
“A school nurse once told me that she had a student who had experienced some bullying, and the student said to her, ‘Ms. Hevener doesn’t care what people think. I’m going to be like Ms. Hevener.’ I hope I’m showing (my students) that you can have that confidence and dress the way you want to.”
Continue readingThere wasn’t an empty seat in sight as more than 1,500 new teachers filled the gymnasium at Kingdom Builders for their first day as members of Team HISD at the district’s annual New Teacher Academy.
With parking overflowing to the adjoining streets, it’s one of the district’s most exciting days as HISD welcomes and prepares those who have decided to embark on the journey of teaching.
The four-day conference is a collaboration between Onboarding & Organizational Development and the Professional Support & Development teams. Planning begins more than six months before as district representatives gather to produce an action-packed week filled with information and resources new teachers need as they navigate through their first year at HISD.
As the many new faces nervously headed to training focused on curriculum and lesson planning, a few of the district’s newcomers shared a bit about themselves and why they are eager to get started for the 2019-2020 school year.
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