March is Women’s History Month. All across Houston Independent School District, we are honoring women’s contributions to American history and raising awareness to promote equality in the classroom through education.

Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote. Due to the pandemic and safety protocols, many planned celebrations did not take place.

So the National Women’s History Alliance is extending the celebration through 2021 with the theme “Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to be Silenced.”

All HISD campuses and offices will be closed for Spring Break from Monday, March 15 through Friday, March 19, 2021.

Schools and offices will reopen for normal business on Monday, March 22, 2021.

This summer, students from HISD can spend their summer break getting real-world work experience as part of the City of Houston’s Hire Houston Youth (HHY) Initiative. The program offers students paid summer jobs and internships throughout Houston.

Now in its sixth year, the HHY initiative offers high school and college students (ages 16 to 24) the opportunity to work for the City of Houston. Each job lasts for seven weeks, June 14 through August 5, and pays $10 an hour.

More than 450 jobs are available. Opportunities are available in all city departments, ranging from the Houston Health Department to Parks and Recreation to the mayor’s office.

The Houston Independent School District Foundation’s annual State of the Schools fundraiser will take place virtually this year for the first time ever and will focus on effective methods for supporting student achievement amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan will deliver the State of the Schools address during which she takes participants on a video tour of the district’s most notable schools and programs, highlighting student success stories.

The virtual event, set for noon on Wednesday, March 24, will also highlight educational projects funded by grants to the Houston ISD Foundation as well projects funded directly by the district’s charitable organization, such as: real-world laboratory and field experiences to study water quality and its global impact; on-campus gardens to promote nutrition awareness, beautification and mental health; and an interactive STEM lab for elementary students.