“The Dogs of Character” rescue dogs recently paid a visit to Lockhart Elementary to teach 600 HISD students some important life lessons. The animals are used to “deliver messages of diversity, tolerance and self empowerment” said Dogs of Character Creative Director Joy Southard.
Click the photo below to see Lockhart students and their furry friends.
Reviewing officer and keynote speaker Marquis Alexander was on hand when HISD’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program honored its top six cadets from the Class of 2012 on April 21. Alexander, who was recently selected as the commander for the 2012-2013 Texas A&M University’s Corps of Cadets, and his fellow cadets from Texas A&M University served as the selection board for this year’s HISD JROTC competition.
The top six graduating seniors from the class of 2012 are:
Corps Commander (Top Graduate)
Cadet Colonel Ron-Joseph Lastimosa
Lamar High School
Cadet Colonel Ron-Joseph Lastimosa is ranked in the top three percent of his graduating class with a grade point average of 4.67. The International Baccalaureate diploma candidate is a member of the National Honor Society, French Club, Spanish Club, and Student Council. He is also active in the Boy Scouts of America.
Cadet Colonel Lastimosa placed first out of 25 competitors all four years in the Outstanding Cadet Qualification Board competitions. He has been awarded the Superior Cadet medal four times and he is a two-time recipient of both the George C. Marshall Award for Academic Achievement and Leadership and the Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award. He has been a member of the Junior Leadership and Academic Bowl team that competed at the national finals inWashingtonD.C.twice. At the 2011 competition, Cadet Lastimosa’s team placed fifth in the nation out of 1,710 schools.
Cadet Colonel Lastimosa serves as captain of the Lamar Marksmanship Team. He is also a member of the Lamar Organizational Color Guard and his church’s youth group. He has held a part time job at the Chocolate Bar since his sophomore year.
Cadet Lastimosa plans to major in investment management at theUniversityofTexasinAustin, from which he has already received a Business Honors Scholarship.
First Brigade Commander (#2 Graduate)
Cadet Colonel Veronica Zaragoza
Waltrip High School
Cadet Colonel Veronica Zaragoza has been an active Cadet in the JROTC program for four years. Cadet Zaragoza, with a GPA of 3.83, is ranked number 31 out of 375 students in her graduating class. Cadet Zaragoza has served as president of the National Honor Society and commander of the Waltrip JROTC Varsity Female Physical Training Team. She volunteers at the K2 Academy of Kids Sports, a facility for special needs children. Cadet Zaragoza plans to attendUniversityofTexasatAustinand major in social work.
Second Brigade Commander (#3 Graduate)
Cadet Colonel Nallely Prudencio
High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice
Cadet Colonel Nallely Prudencio is ranked fourth out of 123 graduating seniors with a grade point average of 4.00. She serves as president of the Business Professionals of America and the Student Council. She is also a member of the National Honor Society, the National Latino Peace Officers Association, the JROTC Academic Team, the Battalion Unarmed Drill Team, and the Houston Leadership for Tomorrow (a service organization). Cadet Colonel Prudencio has been awarded the Superior Cadet Medal for the last two years, and has placed in the Military Qualification Board competition two years straight. She plans to attendGeorgetownUniversity, where she will pursue a degree in computer security.
Third Brigade Commander (#4 Graduate)
Cadet Colonel Thesly Imboden
Reagan High School
Cadet Colonel Thesly Imboden scored one of the highest SAT scores ever earned by a student from her campus. She is currently ranked 19th of 456 seniors in her graduating class and she holds a GPA of 4.09. Cadet Colonel Imboden plans to attend theUniversityofTexasto pursue a degree in communications. She serves as chief editor of the school newspaper, and she is a member of the National Honor Society, the Reagan High School Leadership Council. She is also active in the Peer Assistance and Leadership (PALS) program, which performs community service projects.
Fourth Brigade Commander (#5 Graduate)
Cadet Colonel Cristian Buitrago
Bellaire High School
Cadet Colonel Cristian Buitrago has a grade point average of 4.17. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Operation Military Children, and the Army Reserve Team Panel. He also serves as captain of the JROTC Physical Fitness Team, a counselor for Speak Out for Military Kids, and a representative of the US Army 75th Reserve Division’s Family Readiness Group at Ellington Field. After graduation, Cadet Colonel Buitrago will attend theUnited StatesMilitaryAcademyatWest Point.
Fifth Brigade Commander (#6 Graduate)
Cadet Colonel Merline Gonzalez
Scarborough High School
Cadet Colonel Merline Gonzalez has a GPA of 4.1 and is her class valedictorian. She serves as president of the National Honor Society, and she is a member of the Environmental Club, the Student Council, the varsity soccer team, the Lady Spartans Unarmed drill team, and the Spartans Physical Fitness Team. She is also active as a peer tutor and a ninth grade mentor. Cadet Colonel Gonzalez has been awarded the Superior Cadet medal three times. Following graduation, she plans to attend theUniversityofHouston, where she will major in communications.
Houston ISD boasts the eight-county region’s top three elementary, middle, and high schools, according to the 2012 Texas Public School Rankings announced Monday by Children at Risk. The rankings include schools from 58 school districts, plus charter schools.
The results mark HISD’s strongest showing since the non-profit child advocacy and research organization began issuing the rankings in 2006. The announcement was made during a ceremony at HISD’s High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, which is among the region’s top 15 high schools.
The news comes on the heels of this month’s announcement that HISD is among four national finalists for the county’s most prestigious public education award – The Broad Prize for Urban Education. Selected from a field of 75 eligible school districts across America, HISD was chosen as a Broad Prize finalist because of Houston students’ strong academic performance since 2008 and the district’s shrinking achievement gap.
“HISD has a much-deserved reputation for offering some of the best schools in America,” Superintendent Terry Grier said. “These recent accolades show that our work to replicate this excellence in more schools serving neighborhoods throughout Houston is working. HISD is proving that great teachers working in schools led by great principals are more than capable of helping students overcome obstacles and eliminate excuses for failure.”
Half of the region’s top 10 elementary, middle and high schools for 2012 are HISD campuses. For the third year in a row, HISD’s DeBakey High School for Health Professions earned the No. 1 spot. T.H. Rogers took the No. 1 spot on the middle school list for the second straight year, and also earned the No. 1 spot on the elementary school list after coming in fourth in 2011.
HISD’s top 10 schools for 2012
Elementary Schools
T.H. Rogers (No. 1)
Lyons (No. 2)
River Oaks (No. 3)
West University (No. 5)
Condit (No. 6)
Burrus (No. 10)
Middle Schools
T.H. Rogers (No. 1)
Project Chrysalis (No. 2)
Energized for Excellence (No. 3)
Lanier (No. 10)
High Schools
DeBakey (No. 1)
Carnegie Vanguard (No. 2)
Eastwood Academy (No. 3)
East Early College (No. 8)
High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (No. 10)
Children at Risk also singled out several other HISD schools for special recognition.
Lee High School was named the Most Improved School in the region. Lee is one of four high schools taking part in HISD’s ambitious Apollo 20 program that uses research-based strategies aimed at turning around schools with a long history of poor performance. After one year, students in HISD’s Apollo 20 schools produced academic gains on par with the nation’s most prestigious charter schools.
DeBakey High School was named the region’s top high school for math and science.
Lyons Elementary School and Pilgrim Middle School were named Gold Ribbon schools.
The Children at Risk rankings consider multiple factors designed to tell whether schools are not just meeting minimum passing standards, including: percentage of students scoring at the “commended” level on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, SAT scores, graduation rates, and the percentage of students earning college credit through AP, IB or dual credit courses. Student poverty rates also factor into the rankings. The rankings also consider the annual academic growth made by students in math and reading.
The Houston Independent School District will honor the top six JROTC cadets from the class of 2012. The top cadets were chosen among all graduating seniors in HISD’s 25 JROTC programs. The six cadets have been promoted to the rank of Cadet Colonel, the highest rank in the JROTC program. HISD graduate and commander of Texas A&M University’s Corps of Cadets, Marquis Alexander will serve as the reviewing officer.
Who: Cadets from HISD’S 25 JROTC programs, HISD administrators, and HISD Graduate and commander of Texas A&M University’s Corps of Cadets Marquis Alexander
What: HISD honors top six JROTC cadets from the class of 2012 during the annual HISD JROTC Final Review and Awards Ceremony. The top cadets will be featured leading their respective command groups.
When: Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 10 a.m.
Where: Delmar Field House
2020 Mangum Road
Superintendent Terry Grier on Friday will visit Sam Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center staff and students to celebrate the Houston Independent School District being chosen to launch the BigFuture college planning website. BigFuture, a free comprehensive website offered by the College Board, will serve as a nationwide resource for students, counselors, teachers, and parents seeking information about preparing for, applying to and paying for college.
Who: HISD Superintendent Dr. Terry Grier, Board of Education Trustee Anna Eastman, Richard Middleton College Board Regional Vice-President, Sam Houston Principal Jane Crump, and HISD Students
What: Dr. Grier recognizes HISD as the first school district to work with the College Board to create forthcoming videos to be included on the BigFuture college planning website.
When: Friday, April 20, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.
Where: Sam Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center, 9400 Irvington
The Houston Independent School District is launching a campus-based voter registration drive as part of an effort to teach students the importance of participating in the democratic process. HISD will kick off this drive on Thursday, April 19 at 10 a.m. at Waltrip High School (1900 West 34th).
“Texas had one of the lowest voter turnouts in the country for young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 in 2008, and it is our responsibility as a district to change those statistics,” said HISD Superintendent Terry Grier. “Democracy thrives when our schools produce an educated society.”
All HISD high school principals have been deputized to register eligible voters. In addition, an official from the Harris County Tax Assessor’s Office trained all HISD high school principals on the proper protocol to follow when collecting voter registration cards on campus.
“As a principal, I am thrilled to be able to assist the district with these efforts. We also welcome our parents and community members to come here and register to vote,” said Waltrip Principal Steve Siebenaler. “This drive will further complement what is already being taught in our classrooms.”
HISD social studies teachers have been emphasizing the importance of civic participation through voting and other means in class.
“The importance of voter registration is a key component in the U.S. government course offered to all high school seniors,” said Angela Miller, HISD curriculum manager. “Students learn about the rights and responsibilities of participatory citizenship in our democratic republic.”
There are almost 19,000 high school students between 17 and 18 years of age who are or will be eligible to vote soon. All HISD high schools will have voter registration cards available on campus to encourage all eligible students to register to vote. Parents and members of the community can also register to vote at their nearby high school during regular school hours.
To be eligible to vote, individuals must be a U.S. citizen and be 18 years old by election day.
Roosevelt’s annual Character Court Gifted and Talented Expo was held on Friday, March 30, 2012. Parents pushed the “On” button located on the floor to hear ethical debate between fairy tale characters like Red Riding Hood and the Wolf. Kindergarten and first grade vanguard students portrayed the story book characters.
Click below to view photos from the event.
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What: Dogs of Character is an anti bullying presentation taught by rescued dogs in which each dog in the cast is a working assistant in the award winning character education program, The Healing Species. Five dogs will be introduced to the Lockhart students during a school assembly and will provide them with living examples of perseverance, courage, hope and forgiveness.
Who: The Healing Species’ Dogs of Character
When: Thursday, April 19, 12:30p.m.
Where: Lockhart Elementary, 3501 Southmore Boulevard
HISD students were asked to “Name That Book” as part of the district’s annual contest sponsored by the HISD Library Services Department, which has been holding final rounds over the past several months. Avid readers were asked to identify books based on a popular quote from the tomes.
The competition is divided into four levels: lower elementary, upper elementary, middle school, and high school. Students at each campus who joined their school’s Name That Book team started preparing for the spring competition in August, reading 30 or more books that included everything from classics to new fiction and non-fiction. Click here to see the Name That Book winners for 2012.
Now, let’s see how much you know. Can you guess the following 5 book titles based on one quote? The answers are at the bottom.
1. “Somewhere in la Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember, a gentleman lived not long ago, one of those who has a lance and ancient shield on a shelf and keeps a skinny nag and a greyhound for racing.”
2. “Mother died today.”
3. “Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it.”
4. “Call me Ishmael”
5. “124 was spiteful.”
Answers below:
1. Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote
2. Albert Camus, The Stranger
3. Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
4. Herman Melville, Moby Dick
5. Toni Morrison, Beloved
Once a year, T.H.Rogers holds a field day or special olympics for students enrolled in the Motor Activities Training Program (MATP) on campus. The fun-filled event gives students with severe disabilities a chance to demonstrate their personal best in a variety of sporting events. A tropical luau served as the theme for this year’s challenge which also included students and staff from Barbara Bush and Memorial Elementary.
Click through the photos below to see more from MATP Challenge Day.
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