Category Archives: Uncategorized

‘Camp MI Way’ Gives T.H. Rogers Students Multi-Sensory Experience

Fun activities and amusing songs are both part of ‘Camp MI Way’ at HISD’s T.H. Rogers campus, but the focus of this three-week-long summer camp is not recreation—it’s communication.

“The purpose of Camp MI Way is to give students with multiple impairments a chance to practice and expand their skills in an atmosphere of fun,” said Deborah Carr, the executive director of Home Run Hitters International. “Opportunities for participation in multi-sensory camp experiences with an attentive personal counselor are rare for most of our campers.”

Campers are guided in various activities by student volunteers from both T.H. Rogers and other nearby private and public schools who act as counselors. Activities are designed to engage the five senses, so campers might be encouraged to smell something pleasant or touch a silky fabric and then be asked if they want to smell or touch it again. Trained counselors watch and wait for their answers.

Since many of the campers don’t communicate through speech, this gives them hundreds of opportunities to do so by using movements of their head, legs, and fingers.

HISD Bond Package Would Rebuild High Schools, Address Campus Needs in Neighborhoods Across Houston

Forty-two schools across Houston, including 24 high schools, would be rebuilt, renovated, or renewed under a recommended bond package presented for the HISD Board of Education’s consideration on Thursday.

The board must decide by August whether to seek approval of the $1.89 billion proposal from Houston Independent School District voters during the Nov. 6 general election.

While including nearly $225 million in recommended projects that would benefit students at all 279 schools in the district, the proposed bond package focuses heavily on the city’s high schools. HISD’s most recent bond programs approved by voters in 1998, 2002 and 2007 have primarily addressed needs at the elementary school level.  The average age of HISD secondary schools now stands at 50 years, compared to 39 years for the district’s elementary schools. 

Many of these schools were designed to meet the needs of students in the 1950s and are no longer able to accommodate the best instructional approaches for helping today’s students meet rising academic expectations, according to independent school facilities experts who presented their findings to the board on Thursday.

Superintendent Terry Grier agreed the district’s high schools are long overdue for major improvements.

“Houston’s prosperity of today is rooted in the historic high schools erected generations ago by our city’s visionary leaders who knew the value of a solid long-term investment,” Dr. Grier said.  “Now is the time for today’s generation to step up and follow their lead.  Houston’s high schools should be places of pride for every neighborhood and, more importantly, the students they serve.  Just like the baby boomers of the 1950s, our children today deserve modern campuses that will bring real value to their neighborhoods for the 50 years to come.”

The proposed bond package would completely rebuild some of Houston’s most historic neighborhood high schools across the city, while others would undergo renovations and renewals.  The proposal also includes new campuses for some of HISD’s prestigious specialty magnet schools, including the nationally renowned High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. The new HSPVA would be built downtown near Houston’s vaunted Theater District on land that HISD already owns at 1300 Capitol.

 

The proposal calls for $1.67 billion to be spent on improvements at 42 schools. This would cover:

 

  • $577 million to completely replace 8 high schools
    • Furr
    • High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
    • Lee
    • Madison
    • Sharpstown
    • Sterling
    • Booker T. Washington
    • Yates

 

 

 

 

  • $354 million to replace the inadequate facilities at 4 high schools
    • Bellaire
    • Lamar
    • Sam Houston
    • Westbury

 

 

 

 

  • $259 million to replace inadequate facilities and renovate 5 high schools
    • Austin
    • Eastwood Academy
    • Milby
    • Waltrip
    • Worthing

 

 

 

 

  • $27 million to build 2 new early college high schools
    • North Early College
    • South Early College

 

 

 

 

  • $61 million to renovate or renew 9 high schools
    • Davis
    • DeBakey
    • Jones
    • Barbara Jordan
    • Kashmere
    • Scarborough
    • Sharpstown International
    • Young Men’s College Prep
    • Young Women’s College Prep

 

 

 

 

  • $121 million to convert 4 elementary schools into K-8 campuses
    • Garden Oaks
    • Pilgrim Academy
    • Wharton Dual Language
    • Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School at Gordon

 

 

 

 

  • $74 million to replace Dowling Middle School and expand Grady Middle School

 

  • $126 million to replace 5 elementary schools
    • Askew
    • Condit
    • Kelso
    • MacGregor
    • Parker

 

 

 

 

  • $67 million to renovate and make building additions at K. Smith Elementary, replace inadequate facilities and renovate Tijerina Elementary, and build a new elementary school on the district’s west end to reduce overcrowding

 

The proposed $225 million in district wide projects would cover:

 

  • Technology upgrades at all HISD schools ($100 million)
  • District athletic facility improvements ($42.7 million)
  • Middle school restroom renovations ($35 million)
  • Safety and security improvements ($27 million)
  • Land acquisition ($20 million)

 

Some of the schools recommended for major construction work are among those that had renovations under the 2007 bond program.  In many of those cases, the previously completed work will be incorporated into the new building design, said Leo Bobadilla, HISD’s Chief Operating Officer.

 

School community input included in plan

 

Earlier this spring, HISD hired Parsons — national specialists in the assessment, design, and project management of education facilities — to update the 2007 comprehensive assessment of the HISD’s facilities.  HISD principals were asked to engage their campus communities as they completed detailed surveys about the condition of their schools.  More than 3,300 parents, teachers, and community members representing 95 percent of the district’s schools participated in this feedback process.  Some of the specific facility issues raised by school communities in the surveys will be addressed outside of the recommended bond through HISD’s normal building maintenance program. 

Links to school community survey results for each campus, along with more details about the data that helped formulate the proposal, are posted online at houstonisd.org.

Using this school community input, existing data from 2007, and information about the condition of HISD campuses based on work completed since 2007, Parsons experts personally inspected dozens of schools and interviewed principals and plant operators to develop the list of campuses included in the bond proposal.  They took several factors into account while developing this list:

 

  • Overall building condition
  • Each school’s educational suitability and technology readiness
  • Enrollment projections and capacity
  • Community input

 

Even with the many projects included in the bond proposal, HISD schools still have many additional facility needs that remain unaddressed, according to the report presented to the board.  Those needs will be identified as HISD moves forward with developing a comprehensive long-range capital improvement plan.

 

Property tax implications

 

Because of the district’s strong fiscal management practices, HISD has been able to maintain the lowest property tax rate of the 20-plus school districts in Harris County. In addition, HISD is among the few districts in Texas that offer an optional 20 percent homestead exemption on top of the standard $15,000 exemption that other school districts offer.  This means that a home with a taxable value of $200,000 in another school district that doesn’t offer the optional 20 percent exemption would be taxed at a value of $160,000 in HISD (a 20 percent reduction).

If an election is called, and voters approve the bond package, HISD would likely adopt a property tax rate increase in the future.  This tax rate increase would have no impact on the homesteads of HISD residents age 65 and older, because their tax rates are frozen.

HISD estimates that the tax rate increase would be phased in over a 4-year period, beginning with an estimated 2-cent increase in 2014.  This would result in an additional $29 in taxes for the owner of a home valued at $200,000.  By 2017, the total tax rate increase resulting from the bond’s passage would reach 6.85 cents, raising the average tax bill by $99 a year, or $8.25 per month.

School construction and renovation work approved by HISD voters in 2007 is nearing completion under budget. So far, HISD has opened 16 new or replacement schools under that bond program, 6 more new schools are under construction, and 2 more are in the planning stage.  More than 100 HISD campuses have undergone renovations so far.  Click here for more detailed information about the work completed under the 2007 bond program.

HISD Board of Education to Review Facilities Assessment

The HISD Board of Education will receive a report Thursday that updates the district’s long-term facilities plan and recommends several school construction and renovation projects that could be funded through a bond program.

   Thursday’s meeting, scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Board auditorium of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 West 18th Street), is for discussion purposes.  No action is expected to be taken on a possible bond election until July or August.  The next possible date for a bond election is Nov. 6, 2012.

School construction and renovation work approved by Houston Independent School District voters in 2007 is nearing completion on budget. So far, HISD has opened 16 new or replacement schools under that bond program, 6 more new schools are under construction, and 2 more are in the planning stage.  More than 100 HISD campuses have undergone renovations so far.  Click here for more detailed information about the work completed under the 2007 bond program.

Thursday’s report will be presented by representatives from Parsons, an engineering, construction, technical, and management services firm hired by the district in March to update the comprehensive facilities assessment that was conducted in 2007.

The board workshop will be carried live on HISD’s website and on the HISD Channel, which can be found on Comcast Channel 18 or AT&T Channel 99.

Young Men’s College Preparatory Academy Awarded $31,000 Grant for School Uniforms

The Moody Foundation has awarded HISD’s Young Men’s College Preparatory Academy a $31,000 grant to purchase school uniforms for the 2012-2013 school year.  Nearly 80 percent of YMCPA students are from low-income families, and many students and parents cannot afford the uniforms which consist of blazers, slacks, and ties. Since state and federal guidelines prevent the academy from paying for uniforms, the school relies primarily on partner organizations for financial support.    

The HISD Board of Education is expected to accept the grant during the board’s regular meeting on Thursday, June 14. 

Principal Dameion J. Crook says the school uniform project has helped inspire student confidence and has helped nurture both the intellectual and social development necessary for his students to graduate college and become successful leaders. 

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HISD Takes Action to Help More Students Pass Tougher STAAR Exams

Houston ISD Superintendent Terry Grier is presenting the Board of Education today with a plan to offer intensive summer school programs specifically for students who did not pass the new State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exams on their first try.

The plan entails hiring as many as 228 extra summer school teachers to help students pass the state exams required for graduation.  These exams include the new STAAR end-of-course exams taken by ninth-grade students in the spring, and the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills exit-level exam that is still required for students who entered high school before 2011-2012.

Summer school begins for HISD students on Monday.

 This spring, more than 12,000 HISD high school freshmen were the first to attempt the tough end-of-course exams required under STAAR.  Much more rigorous than the old Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), STAAR is the first state assessment system designed to measure whether students are on track to graduate, prepared for success in college and in the workplace.

 The Texas Legislature required school districts to prepare students for the tougher STAAR exams in the same year that districts lost $5.4 billion in state funding.  HISD campuses operated in 2011-2012 with 835 fewer teachers than in the previous school year and the district has lost about $120 million in state funding.

 Students who did not pass the STAAR end-of-course exams or the TAKS exit-level exam get their next opportunity July 9-12.  Summer school is not mandatory for students who have not passed the STAAR exams, but attendance is highly encouraged, because passing averages are required for graduation.  Texas students now must pass a total of 15 STAAR end-of-course exams by the time they complete high school to receive a diploma.

HISD still had not received complete STAAR exam results from the Texas Education Agency as of Thursday morning, but plans are moving forward to bolster summer school offerings for students in need of help.  Under the plan approved Thursday, the district is offering teachers who are chosen to work with students in need of help on the STAAR and TAKS exams an increased pay rate of $50 an hour and bonuses ranging from $150 to $250 for each student who meets performance goals on the STAAR and TAKS retest in July. The maximum bonus payout per teacher is $10,000.

The money to pay for the program is coming from unspent funds in the district’s pool of money set aside for teacher performance pay.

Preliminary First-Year STAAR End-of-Course Exam Results

 

            Because the STAAR exams are in their first year of use, the Texas Education Agency is not using results from the 2011-2012 administration for accountability purposes.  This means that school ratings will not be based on this year’s scores and results are not being used to determine whether students are promoted to the next grade level.

            Scores on the STAAR End of Course exams taken by ninth-graders, however, will be used to determine their eventual eligibility for graduation.  The majority of HISD freshmen took end-of-course exams this spring in five subjects: English I reading, English I writing, Algebra I, biology, and world geography.  HISD is still awaiting full results for all students from the state, and the preliminary results listed below are still subject to change.  The preliminary results are as follows:

Reading: 59 percent passing

Writing:  47 percent passing

Algebra I: 79 percent passing

Biology: 84 percent passing

World Geography: 73 percent passing

            The number of HISD students who must retake each exam ranges from 6,100 students on the writing exam to 2,100 students in biology.

Other Preliminary STAAR Exam Results

            Students in grades 3 through 8 took STAAR exams for the first time this spring as well.  The Texas Education Agency has not yet determined the percentage of questions that each student must correctly answer in order to pass those exams.  Therefore, each exam’s results are being reported in terms of the average percent of questions answered correctly by students at each grade level and in each subject.  The average number of questions answered correctly on each exam is as follows.  It is important to note that these percentages DO NOT represent passing rates:

Grade 3 Reading: 63 percent; Math: 63 percent

Grade 3 (Spanish-language test takers) Reading: 60 percent; Math: 63 percent

Grade 4 Reading: 64 percent; Math: 59 percent

Grade 4 (Spanish-language test takers) Reading: 61 percent; Math: 65 percent; Writing: 61 percent

Grade 5 Reading: 65 percent; Math: 66 percent; Science: 73 percent

Grade 5 (Spanish-language test takers) Reading: 48 percent; Math 40 percent; Science: 50 percent

Grade 6 Reading: 65 percent; Math: 58 percent

Grade 7 Reading: 64 percent; Math: 46 percent; Writing: 60 percent;

Grade 8 Reading: 65 percent; Math: 52 percent; Science: 61 percent; Social Studies: 52 percent

TAKS Exam Results

 

            The percentage of HISD 10th-grade students passing each subject – English language arts, math, science, and social studies – increased compared to the 2010-2011 school year.  The percentage of 11th-grade students passing the math and science TAKS exams increased, while the social studies passing rate remained unchanged at 98 percent.  The 11th-grade passing rate in English language arts now stands at 90 percent, a 2-point decline.

Team HISD Celebration of Excellence honors Teachers of the Year, exceptional employees

HISD is recognizing its most dedicated staff members—including the Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year—at the Team HISD Celebration of Excellence at the Hilton Americas Hotel downtown. The program, which honors the year’s Employee’s of the Month, as well as Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year,  also features KPRC-Channel 2 Chief Meteorologist Frank Billingsley as emcee.

Follow the 2012 Team HISD Celebration of Excellence at HISD’s website and see photos of the event below. Click here to find out which two teachers were selected as the Teachers of the Year.

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Teachers of the Year will be announced during recognition ceremony

The Houston Independent School District will announce the 2011-2012 Teachers of the Year tonight during a Celebration of Excellence recognition ceremony. The winners will receive $5,000, a plaque, and a custom made ring from Herff Jones Graduation Center. The Principals of the Year and the Employees of the Month will also be recognized.  View live coverage of the event at houstonisd.org

Who:  HISD Board of Education Trustees, Superintendent Terry Grier,2011-2012 Principals of the Year, Employees

of the Month, Elementary Teacher of the Year Nominees for 2011-2012:

  • Ashley Moteil – Lyons Elementary School
  • Ana Lentz – Pilgrim Academy
  • Nanette Musters – Mark Twain Elementary School
  • Selene Rogers – Windsor Village Elementary School
  • Maria Godoy – Port Houston Elementary School
  • Lindsey MacLeod – Oak Forest Elementary School
  • Benjamin Glover – Gallegos Elementary School
  • Susan (Kim) O’Reilly – Roberts Elementary School
  • Alaster Gaines – Crawford-Sherman Elementary School
  • Cecily Stevens – The School at St. George Place
  • Martha Garcia – Herrera Elementary School
  • Ernie Bainbridge – Walnut Bend Elementary School

Secondary Teacher of the Year Nominees for 2011-2012:

  • Timothy Daponte – Reagan High School
  • Qian Zhang – DeBakey High School
  • Tarhonda Greer – Jones High School
  • Modesto Mendoza – Devry/CLC
  • Mildred Williams – Hope Academy
  • Margarita Castro – Madison High School
  • Darryl Tricksey – Fondren Middle School
  • Brian Gaston – Hogg Middle School
  • Neda Khan – Black Middle School
  • Camula Stanfield – Pershing Middle School

             

What: Team HISD Celebration of Excellence recognition ceremony honoring 2011-2012 Teachers of the Year, Principals of the Year, and Employees of the Month

When: Thursday, May 24 at 6:45 p.m.

 Where: Hilton Americas Hotel
                  Ballrooms of America
                  1600 Lamar Street

Broad committee visits J.P. Henderson Elementary

A decade after HISD won the inaugural Broad Prize for Urban Education, committee members for the 2012 Broad Prize have arrived at HISD to evaluate the district again as a finalist for the largest education award in the country given to school districts.

See photos of the committee visit to J.P. Henderson Elementary School below:

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