Nutrition Services employees helping families fight hunger during pandemic

Dozens of cars were already lined up at McReynolds Middle School on Tuesday when Nutrition Assistant Shondrica Crenshaw arrived for her shift.

Clad in a face mask and gloves, she quickly joined her co-workers, assuming a spot six feet from them as she began placing bags of food in the trunk of each car that drove up.

“I’m more than excited to be out here,” Crenshaw said. “We’re all going through a lot right now. It’s a blessing to be able to give back.”

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Pre-K application process transitions to online only

Due to the districtwide closure and current restrictions involving social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the application process for pre-K is now online only.

HISD is currently accepting applications for its full-day pre-K program at schools across the district, offering more 3- and 4-year-old students in our community with the opportunity to attend a high-quality program that will build a strong foundation of learning.

Due to precautions surrounding the coronavirus, pre-K application and enrollment timelines have been adjusted:

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HISD to host Social-Emotional Learning at-home webinar

The HISD Social and Emotional Learning Department will host a webinar for parents next week to guide them as they adjust to distance learning.

“Incorporating Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) At Home” will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15. Parents and students will learn ways to incorporate SEL practices into their daily routines, understand the importance of mindfulness, and learn exercises and techniques that can be done by adults and students of all ages.

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While making the shift to online learning, Class of 2020 copes with an interrupted senior year

Editor’s Note: This is the second in a two-part series on how six HISD students are adjusting to the shift to virtual instruction throughout the district amid COVID-19 precautions. Read Part 1 here.

It has been two weeks since the district launched HISD @ H.O.M.E. (Home-based Online Mobile Education), a distance learning plan that has students at all levels of education transitioning from physical to virtual classrooms.

We checked in with three seniors to see how their second week of distance learning went and how the Class of 2020 is coping with the adjustment for the last months of their high school careers.

Part 1: HISD students adjust to the new reality of distance learning

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Join in the fun of HISD Virtual Spirit Week

HISD students, parents, teachers, and principals: Are you ready for a fun challenge to showcase distance learning?

As everyone adjusts to the new reality of online instruction, HISD has designated next week (April 13—April 17) as Virtual Spirit Week. Each day will be designated with a different theme to encourage students to share their at-home learning activities. In fact, everyone is invited to participate in the daily challenge—students, teachers, and even administrators.

As you participate each day, take photos or short videos and share them on social media using the hashtag #HISDSpiritWeek. The idea is to flood social media with positive learning activities and create a sense of community, school spirit, and inclusivity.

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HISD to host SEL Parent Webinar

The HISD Social and Emotional Learning Department will host a webinar for parents this week to guide them as they adjust to distance learning.

The webinar, titled “Coping Strategies for Parents” will be held on Wednesday, April 8 at 2 p.m. This is part of a weekly webinar series that provides social-emotional learning tools to HISD parents and students.

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‘This is changing learning’: Principals, teachers keep academic expectations high in new era of online instruction

With a districtwide closure in place and distance learning underway, what may have once been considered “normal” for principals and teachers in the seventh-largest district in the nation has changed for the foreseeable future.

Due to the ongoing spread of the COVID-19 virus, school districts across Texas were ordered by Gov. Greg Abbott to close until at least May 4, and that has made for huge adjustments at the campus and district levels.

“I assumed we would shut down for a week or two. But when I heard it would be through April, it was devastating for me,” said Worthing High School Principal Khalilah Campbell. “We knew it had to be done for the safety of our students and the community, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.”

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HISD students adjust to new reality of distance learning

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a two-part series on how six HISD students are adjusting to the shift to virtual instruction throughout the district amid COVID-19 precautions. Read Part 2 here.

Earlier this week, the district launched HISD @ H.O.M.E. (Home-based Online Mobile Education), a distance learning plan, and students at all levels of education are transitioning from physical to virtual classrooms.

We checked in with three students to see how their first week of distance learning went, the steps they’ve taken to succeed and the things they miss the most about school.

While making the shift to online learning, Class of 2020 copes with interrupted senior year

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HISD joins state agencies in campaign to promote healthy habits to prevent spread of COVID-19

The Houston Independent School District is joining the Texas Division of State Health Services and Texas Education Agency as the agencies roll out the “Apart We Stand Together” public health campaign.

The campaign’s goal is to ensure all school districts statewide and broader communities have access to a comprehensive set of information and resources about COVID-19.

The campaign will include easy access to health resources and information, with the goal of keeping Texas residents – from the smallest towns to the largest cities – healthier and safer as we all battle the spread of COVID-19

This public health guidance is based on what scientists know about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Find more information at Texas.gov/Covid19, and continue to follow updates from HISD at HoustonISD.org/HealthAlerts.

HISD to relaunch food distribution efforts on April 6 with centralized packing hub

The Houston Independent School District will relaunch food distribution efforts throughout the district beginning Monday, April 6, with a streamlined process that will implement increased safety measures.

HISD Nutrition Services will continue to work with the Houston Food Bank for the initiative and use the Hexser T. Holliday Food Services Support Facility as the central hub for this initiative. Staff will pack food boxes at the facility, which then will be delivered to the distribution sites Monday through Friday. Each site will distribute 500 boxes per day.

As a safety measure, HISD will also employ the Standard Distribution Method developed by the I Love You Guys Foundation, which will streamline efforts and include social distancing for both staff and families.

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