Campus, district leaders share best practices at first-ever all virtual PLS 2020

Nearly 2,000 district and school-based employees gathered online for HISD’s first-ever all virtual Professional Learning Series (PLS), three days of professional development, team building, and preparation for the upcoming 2020-21 school year.

The theme of this year’s event, which took place June 15-17, was “Virtual Learning and Beyond: Bridging Gaps with Strong Systems.” A major focus of the series included preparing for a virtual school system, as well as management best practices and guidance for schools and teachers on how to support students engaged in online learning.

“We are embracing the virtual learning space across HISD, and PLS this summer is no exception,” Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said during the recorded general session. “It is our goal that our leaders rejuvenate, renew and reimagine the possibilities for the upcoming school year.”

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Yolanda Bruce named new principal of Fleming Middle School

Yolanda Bruce is the new principal for Fleming Middle School. Bruce joined Team HISD in 2016 after a 15-year tenure in Tennessee. Since joining HISD, she has served as a dean of instruction, leadership development program manager, and interim principal at various campuses. Prior to relocating to Houston, Bruce served as a statewide curriculum developer and a districtwide professional learning community coach. She has spent much of her career coaching teachers and leaders in high-needs campuses. Bruce received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Education from Tennessee State University.

Senior celebrations poignant, bittersweet for Bellaire HS grad

When Bellaire High School Senior Madison Olds thinks back on the past three months, she does so with a sense of bittersweet nostalgia.

She thinks about the missed basketball, baseball, and soccer games where, as a cheerleader, she didn’t get to cheer her teams on to victory. She thinks about the missed trips to Chick-Fil-A for lunch with her friends.

She thinks about missing her senior luncheon, joining with her cap-and-gown-clad classmates for their senior class picture, and graduation practice — all part of an annual Senior Week that she had been looking forward to since she was a freshman.

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Jessica Rivero named new principal of J.R. Harris Elementary School

Jessica Rivero has been selected as the new principal of J.R Harris Elementary School. Rivero began her educational career in Calcasieu Parish, in Louisiana, as a teacher, curriculum consultant, and assistant principal. Most recently, she served in HISD as a teacher development specialist and assistant principal at Ortiz Middle School. During her tenure at Ortiz Middle School, she focused on creating a campus-wide system for Response to Intervention and providing instructional support in the area of math. Rivero earned her bachelor’s degree at McNeese State University and her master’s degree from Lamar University.

Middle College HS at HCC Fraga senior shows resilience on path to graduation

Before Mykayla Clark-Jolivet could begin her high school career at Middle College High School at HCC Fraga, her home was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey. This was the first of many challenges she would face on her way to graduating.

Clark-Jolivet and her family left their mold-ruined house to live in a hotel for three months.

“I left a lot of memories behind,” Clark-Jolivet said. “I was constantly late to school because the hotel was across town.”

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Graduation marks end of remarkable journey for Yates HS student

As Jack Yates High School senior Ernest Russell sat on the school’s football field for the citywide senior celebration recently, it was far more than an event honoring his graduation from the historic school.

The celebration — marked by colorful Yates High School masks and chairs spaced at a proper social distance — represented the culmination of a trying journey that was marked by the loss of his father and homelessness.

“I don’t really have a word to describe it. But, if I had to come up with one, I’d say it was challenging,” Russell said.

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Gina Colion Hernandez named new principal of Herod Elementary School

Gina Colion Hernandez is the new principal for Herod Elementary School. Colion Hernandez is a product of HISD schools and has served as a teacher, instructional specialist, and assistant principal. For the last three years, she has served as the assistant principal at the Mandarin Immersion Magnet School. During her tenure at MIMS, she not only focused on building a strong academic program but on developing Mandarin immersion from pre-K through 8th grade. Colion Hernandez was awarded the West Area Assistant Principal of the Year for 2019 – 2020. Colion Hernandez earned her bachelor’s degree at Texas A&M University and her master’s degree from Lamar University-Beaumont.

Eden Bass named new principal of Love Elementary School

Eden Bass has been selected as the new principal of Love Elementary School. She began her career in HISD as a sixth-grade math teacher at Patrick Henry Middle School and spent the past five years at the Arabic Immersion Magnet School. Bass joined the founding team at AIMS as an Arabic language enrichment teacher. She then moved to the AIMS leadership team and over the years served as magnet coordinator, teacher specialist, and assistant principal. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Wellesley College and a master’s degree in Public School Leadership from Columbia University.

Bronchelle W. Johnson named new principal of Milne Elementary School

Bronchelle W. Johnson has been selected as the new principal at Milne Elementary School. Johnson joined HISD in 2006 as a reading interventionist and then went on to serve as a reading and science teacher at Mitchell Elementary School. She was nominated as HAASBE Teacher of The Year for two consecutive years. She transitioned to the role of teacher specialist in 2011 and then to an assistant principal role at Shadowbriar Elementary Schoo,l where she focused on data-driven instruction, equitable educational systems, tiered interventions, and the student’s social emotional needs. Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in Education as well as a master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of Houston.

HISD honors Class of 2020 in virtual graduation ceremonies

The Houston Independent School held virtual graduation ceremonies on Sunday to celebrate the district’s 11,000-plus graduating seniors.

The virtual commencements were broadcast in partnership with Herff Jones and in collaboration with graduation technology partners StageClip and MarchingOrder. Each virtual ceremony included recorded messages from the superintendent and other district officials, as well as audio of each student’s name as their personalized slide was displayed.

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