In observance of National STEM Day on Nov. 8, Space Center Houston welcomed more than 500 HISD students to speak with NASA astronaut Megan McArthur and engage in authentic science learning activities.
Students from Wesley Elementary School, Davila Elementary School, Deady Middle School, Booker T. Washington High School, and Milby High School were all in attendance.
HISD believes in teaching students the value of their civic duty. Every year, the district makes a concentrated effort to help eligible students register to vote. This year, during the first week of school, volunteers with the Texas League of Women Voters (LWV) visited every HISD high school to support that effort.
HISD Community Partnerships is joining local organizations to spread holiday cheer, food, and supplies in a drive-through distribution event. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11, in the Hattie Mae White east parking lot, families in the community are welcome to pick up a variety of items.
Looking for a way to help HISD’s students? The district is resuming its popular “Read Houston Read” and “Real Men Read” programs this year. HISD recognizes the need to provide ongoing literacy support to students and is once again asking the community for volunteers to read to children.
Read Houston Read volunteers will work with the same student one hour each week for an entire year, either in person or virtually on the Microsoft TEAMS platform.
Houston Real Men Read is a mentoring program in which men volunteer at least one hour a month to read to students in third grade.
For 50 years, Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) has provided the Houston Independent School District with invaluable support and commitment that supports student success. That partnership was celebrated at a virtual ceremony on Friday, honoring 50 Years of Volunteers in Public Schools.
As Interim Superintendent Dr. Grenita Lathan opened the program, she noted that VIPS boasted more than 44,000 volunteers in HISD schools. That makes it one of the largest volunteer groups in the city, putting it alongside such organizations as the Houston Food Bank and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
“And just like those organizations, we could not do what we do without volunteers,” Lathan said. “Many, many students would not be where they are today without your tireless efforts. During those five decades, you’ve shown Houston the power of public education. Time and time again, you showed up and worked hard, believing in HISD students every step of the way.”
As the Houston Independent School District gears up to honor its volunteers with a virtual celebration, Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) is taking the entire week to recognize the hard work of volunteers throughout the district.
VIPS recruits thousands of parents and community partners every year to donate their time and efforts in supporting HISD students. Volunteers contribute in areas such as mentoring, tutoring, fundraising, career education, enrichment programs, extracurricular and community service activities, and office and classroom assistance.
The Houston Independent School District has been disinfecting schools daily in order to combat the spread of COVID-19, and a $200,000 donation from locally based international energy company Phillips 66 is now supporting those efforts to protect students and staff.
HISD has utilized the donation to outfit schools with state-of-the-art electrostatic cleaning supplies and equipment. The Phillips 66 donation is designed to assist with safe continuation of in-person instruction on district campuses.
“There is no doubt that this generous gift is making our campuses safer,” Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “We deeply appreciate Phillips 66’s desire to help HISD keep our campuses clean and safe.”
As volunteers decked out with Houston Texans swag walked
into Wendy Martinez-Morales’ third-grade class at C. Martinez Elementary School
on Tuesday, students suspected they were in for a big surprise.
But, when Texans starting quarterback Deshaun Watson popped
into their virtual classroom, the students – and Martinez-Morales – could
hardly contain their excitement.
“We are huge Texans fans! I never thought anything like this
would happen,” she said. “It is really amazing that Mr. Watson took some time
out of his busy schedule to meet with us.”
With homemade thank-you cards in hand, Tonya Middleton’s class at
Southmayd Elementary School eagerly awaited a visit from a surprise special
guest.
When Houston Astros all-star third baseman Alex Bregman burst
through the school’s library doors on Monday with a smile on his face and gifts
in his hands, a collective gasp could be heard from the group of students, all
of whom are on the autism spectrum.
“It is a blast and an honor to be here,” he said while juggling a
box of iPads for the students. ““Hopefully,
these iPads help the students because it is a fun way to learn.”
HISD has partnered with Rice University’s Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC), a program of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research and School of Social Sciences, to conduct a comprehensive study on educational equity across the district.
Recognizing its responsibility to continually improve
academic achievement for all students, HISD and HERC will examine equitable
access to educational programming, resources, supports, facilities and
opportunities for students by race/ethnicity, economic status, English-learner
status and other factors.
“Conducting a districtwide study on educational equity
— at this scale — is remarkable, and truly unprecedented in many ways,” HISD Interim
Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “We know that for some of our students,
simply having equal access to opportunities and resources may not be enough of
the support they need to achieve their greatest academic potential. This study
will inform critical decision-making relating to equity and closing achievement
gaps across the city.”