Category Archives: Uncategorized

Community Input Sought on Relocation of High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice

Meeting will focus on schedule, site needs, construction process for 2012 bond project

What: Community meeting to discuss the upcoming project to relocate the High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice. As part of the 2012 Bond Program, voters authorized HISD to relocate the school to a site designed to better meet the academic needs of students and site requirements for physical education and athletics. The meeting will discuss project schedule, as well as site, planning, design and construction considerations.  Continue reading →

17th annual Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition Finals on Friday

Last year's Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition winner Mattias McBride.

Last year's Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition winner, Matthias McBride.

Dr. Martin Luther King will inspire several elementary school students to pick up a microphone and show off their oratory skills in the 17th Annual Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition Finals at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Christ on Friday, Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Twelve  students will be judged on delivery, stage presence and decorum, content interpretation and memorization as they perform original three to five minute speeches designed to answer the question –  “If you could talk directly to Dr. King about your dream for our future, what would you tell him?”

Aimed at celebrating cultural diversity and encouraging continued development of writing and oratory skills, the contest has had an impressive past and led to contest winners spreading Dr. King’s messages of hope on local and national news outlets. Last year’s second-place winner, Donovan Williams, a fifth grader at Cornelius Elementary,  noted, “As a drum major for justice, Dr. King would surely share the baton with us.”

Check here to see the speeches from last year’s event, including the speech from winner Matthias McBride.

What:  17th Annual Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition Finals

Where:Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Christ

 When: Friday, Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

HISD monitoring severe thunderstorms, possibility of flooding

Due to heavy downpours and thunderstorms across Houston, HISD took precautionary measures to ensure the safety of all students and has cancelled all after-school athletic activities.  HISD has been monitoring the weather and providing updates throughout the day.  A full list of weather-related cancellations is available below:  Continue reading →

HISD to Dedicate Billy Reagan K-8 Educational Center

HISD Superintendent Terry Grier and Former HISD Superintendent  Dr. Billy Reagan to Deliver Remarks

Community leaders, students, administrators, and staff will join HISD Superintendent Terry Grier, Board of Education Trustee Larry Marshall and former HISD superintendent Dr. Billy Reagan at the official dedication ceremony for the new Billy Reagan K-8 Educational Center on Wednesday, January 16 at 10 a.m. at 4842 Anderson Road.

Continue reading →

HISD Students Selected to Represent Houston in Inaugural ‘Posse’ Group

Posse Foundation to send 23 HISD Students to Elite Universities

The Posse Foundation, a national nonprofit organization designed to send students from urban districts to elite universities to serve in a pre-established peer support network, selected 23 HISD students to represent the city. Continue reading →

Donors Step up to Fund Apollo 20 School Turnaround Effort

Contributions benefitting HISD’s innovative effort to transform 20 struggling schools total $16.8 million

The most ambitious private fund raising effort in HISD history has successfully concluded with the recent $1 million donation from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to the district’s Apollo 20 school turnaround program.  This donation brings the total amount given to Apollo 20 by the rodeo to $2 million.

Continue reading →

Training for Campus Leaders Starts in January

Sign up now for courses from Neuhaus Education Center, HISD’s Leadership Development

Assistant principals, deans and principals who want to hone their leadership skills, differentiate instruction, keep students engaged in learning, provide useful feedback to teachers, and more, should sign up now for one or more of the professional development opportunities available to school leaders in January. Continue reading →

Hundreds turn out to imagine the future of learning in HISD

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Kenneth Davis, principal of Dowling Middle School, discusses ideas on new school design with two of his colleagues at the Building the Future symposium on Friday, Dec. 14, 2012. Dowling MS will receive a new campus as part of the 2012 Houston Schools program approved by voters in November 2012.

Savian Nugent will likely have graduated college and be starting his career by the time Yates High School is replaced with a new $59.4 million building under the Houston Independent School District’s 2012 bond program.

But the current Yates senior sees a lot of benefits for the students who will have the opportunity to attend a modern urban high school with all the latest technology and innovations, including reducing drop-out rates and improving academic achievement.

“It will give them something to believe in,” he said. “If you give them something to hope for, they will come.”

Nugent, along with four other high school students were panelists Friday at HISD’s “Building the Future” workshop. The half-day event, held at Kingdom Builders Center, gave more than 200 school officials, parents and community members the opportunity to share their thoughts on creating innovative educational environments, as the district kicks off its bond program to repair, build or replace 40 schools across the city. Continue reading →

Get Your Tickets Now to Lamar’s Semifinal Playoff Game

The Lamar High School football team will be competing in the Class 5A Division I State Semifinal matchup against San Antonio O’Connor on Saturday, Dec. 15, at Austin ISD’s Tony Burger Stadium (3200 Jones Road, 78745). The game will determine whether HISD will reach a state championship game — a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since Yates High School did in 1992.

The semifinal game kicks off at 3 p.m. Tickets are available in advance today until 4 p.m. at Lamar High School ( $5 for students and $10 for adults). All tickets purchased at the gate will be $13.

Lamar High School cruised to a 28-7 victory over North Shore last Saturday in the regional championship game, marking the first time an HISD team has advanced to the 5A semifinals since Madison High School did so in 2001, led by Vince Young at quarterback.

The Redskins are led by Coach Tom Nolen, who was named Houston Coach of the Year by the Houston Touchdown Club on Wednesday night. Earlier this season, Nolen earned his 250th career victory.

Toys for Tots Collected at HMW are on the Way to Needy Families

2012 Toys for Tots

Click the image above to see more photos from the Toys for Tots drive.

Toys were collected from Hattie Mae White on Friday, Dec. 14, for the United States Marine Corps Reserve’s annual Toys for Tots campaign. Collection boxes were placed in the administrative building and at several schools over the last several weeks.

Marines, with the aid of local social welfare agencies and churches, will distribute the toys to children from economically challenged families on Christmas Day.

First Sgt. Mack Grimmett, who was on hand to pick up the toys, said today is the reserve’s major distribution day. The reserve is partnering with Houston Children’s Charity today to distribute toys at the George R. Brown Convention Center. He said the effort continues to be a huge help to needy families across Houston.

 “The need is always going to be there because there are always families that are going to be hurting,” Grimmett said. “But the good thing about being here is that Houston is such a patriotic city that we’ve never had a problem with people not giving.”

Today marks the last day of HISD’s employee campaign, but it’s not too late to donate a toy to the effort. The donation boxes will remain in the lobby through Dec. 19. For more information or to make a donation online, visit the Toys for Tots Web site.