Educators at two HISD elementary schools have stepped up to handle the effects of the recent flooding, each in their own way.
On May 26, Steven Shannon, a music teacher at Lyons Elementary School, saved a woman from drowning.
Shannon was on a walk when he noticed that Glenda Reynolds was trapped in her car by the rising water in the underpass beneath Shepherd Drive. Shannon and three other Good Samaritans swam out and extricated Reynolds and her dog from the vehicle. Continue reading
Houston Independent School District students will not have to attend school on Friday thanks to a waiver granted by the Texas Education Agency.
HISD schools and district offices were closed today — Tuesday, May 26 — due to overnight storms that resulted in potentially dangerous driving conditions because of heavy flooding throughout the city.
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With winter upon us, it’s a great time to sign up for HISD text alerts to receive updates on school weather conditions. Just text YES to 68453, and you will be enrolled in HISD text messaging. Texting provides instant access to the latest updates regarding school closures and other emergency situations.
Before you send your student out the door on a cold morning, be sure they are dressed in layers, including a scarf, gloves, and hat or hood. Dressing in layers allows them to adjust for varying temperatures throughout the school day, from waiting outside for the bus to learning inside the classroom.
For more information, go to the HISD texting homepage.
All Houston ISD schools and offices will be open on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26. It is a designated inclement weather make-up day.
If a parent chooses to not to send his or her child to school, HISD will follow the current policies in determining whether that student’s absence is excused or unexcused. You can find more information on the district’s attendance policies here and here.
Parents can request religious exemption for Good Friday
HISD is scheduled to be in session Friday, April 18, as one of two weather makeup days for icy conditions that shut down the district twice in the winter – but parents can have their children exempted from school for religious reasons.
Good Friday is that day, and parents who observe it as a Holy Day with their children may submit a written note to their school documenting the religious observance. The excuse must be received by the school within three days.
HISD schools will now be open April 18 and May 26 for students, faculty and support staff to make up the days lost to wintry weather last Friday and this Tuesday.
The decision, made Thursday, adheres to the district’s 2013-2014 calendar adopted by the HISD Board of Education, which designated the Spring Holiday and Memorial Day as makeup days.
The Texas Education Agency mandates procedures for setting calendars and for designating and publicizing makeup days, and the public has an extended opportunity in advance of adoption of the calendar to comment on those days.
The calendar, as well as the 2014-2015 calendar, are posted on this website, as well.
For FAQs on makeup days, go to https://blogs.houstonisd.org/news/2014/01/27/your-make-up-day-questions-answered/.
HISD families and employees are urged to stay connected through social media – such as @HoustonISD on Twitter – to check whether another round of wintry weather forcecast for the Houston area will impact schools, district facilities, and afterschool activities on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for all of southeast Texas from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday. The forecast shows the potential for precipitation, including snow and freezing rain, that could lead to dangerous driving conditions.
The wintry weather is expected to arrive just a few days after freezing rain and icy conditions forced HISD and school districts across the area to cancel school last Friday.
Please continue to follow this website, your school’s websites or our Twitter account @HoustonISD and Facebook page at Houston Independent School District for the very latest information about HISD’s plans. We’ll also call parents and update the Inclement Weather Hotline, which you can reach at 713-267-1704, if the district cancels classes.
UPDATE 1/24 @ 4:38 a.m.: All HISD schools and district administrative offices are closed Friday, January 24, due to inclement weather. Read more.
HISD families and employees are urged to stay connected through social media – such as @HoustonISD on Twitter – through Friday afternoon to check whether wintry weather will impact schools, district facilities, and afterschool activities Friday.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning from 9 p.m. Thursday through 12 p.m. Friday and warns travelers to be prepared for freezing rain that could lead to up to a quarter-inch of ice on roadways. Crews from the Texas Department of Transportation began spraying de-icing chemicals on elevated roadways – bridges, overpasses, and ramps – early Thursday morning.
Classes at all HISD campuses resumed Tues., Jan. 7. Teachers, principals and support staff returned to work on Monday to prepare for the students’ return.
All HISD after-school activities, including athletic events, are canceled for today because of severe weather. Schools will dismiss at their regular time. Buses will run on their regular schedule.