HISD Pre-K Enrollment Festival set for April 18

HISD is collaborating with Good Reason Houston to promote an opportunity for families to enroll their eligible 3 and 4-year-olds into prekindergarten. 

HISD and Good Reason Houston, a local nonprofit dedicated to creating a future where every child excels in world-class public schools, will be hosting a Pre-K Enrollment Festival from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 18 at Delmar Stadium (2020 Mangum Rd., 77092), which will allow families to learn about the prekindergarten programs across the district. Additionally, HISD and Good Reason Houston will also host a second Pre-K Festival in June.  

Families will be able to talk directly with program leaders and administration and apply for pre-K programs on the spot for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. Texas Children’s Hospital mobile clinic will provide free vaccinations to children 0-18 who do not have insurance and the Ronald McDonald Mobile Dentistry unit will be on site to do free dental checkups.  

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HISD Foundation’s State of the Schools event focuses on achieving excellence with ‘One Voice, One Vision’

A packed house of public education supporters from the business, academic, advocacy and faith communities attended the HISD Foundation’s Public Education Matters fundraising luncheon on Friday.

HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan delivered the annual State of the Schools address during the benefit.  Lathan issued a call to action urging supporters to work together by employing, “One Voice and One Vision” to equitably raise the standard of excellence for all students in the district, regardless of their socioeconomic status.

Lathan also told the crowd of about 700 that despite the challenges faced by the district, innovative teachers, inspiring leaders, and resilient students have helped HISD earn its current high “B” rating, with a score of 88 under the Texas Education Agency’s accountability system.

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HISD takes home 26 TSPRA awards for communications, community engagement efforts

The Houston Independent School District’s Communications department earned top honors for its work in communications and community engagement during the 2020 Texas School Public Relations Association Annual Conference in Austin.  

The accolades covered nearly all facets of communications, including writing, videography, graphic design, marketing, branding, and special events.  

“As the storytellers of HISD, we are passionate about sharing the inspiring stories of our resilient students, hard-working teachers, and empowering leaders,” said Chief Communications Officer Rebecca Suarez.  “I am extremely proud of our Communications Team for their creative lens and clear focus on promoting the district’s strategic priorities to help student succeed.”   

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Guidelines for travel, self-quarantine advised as precaution for COVID-19

HISD amends perfect attendance rules and high school student exemptions for final exams

The Houston Independent School District continues to closely monitor the potential impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the HISD community. The district has not experienced any active cases of COVID-19.

As Spring Break draws near, we are asking all HISD students, families, and staff to take extra precautions when traveling. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s travel guidelines provide country-specific information at the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Information for Travel website.

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Name That Book competition makes developing literacy skills fun

HISD students from across the district will gather to show off their reading comprehension skills next week during the annual Name that Book competition finals. 

Coordinated by the HISD Department of Library Services and sponsored by professional services network KPMG, the contest serves to acquaint HISD students with classic literature, as well as contemporary award-winning books, representing a variety of genres. 

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Transportation Services to halt route changes March 27

Transportation Services will stop making changes to existing routes at the end of March to allow the department to begin planning for the 2020-2021 school year.  

Parents will no longer be able to request changes to existing routes starting Friday, March 27. Students with new transportation requests submitted after the cutoff date will be assigned to existing routes and stops.  

“Planning for the next year is an essential part of ensuring we fulfill our mission,” General Manager John Wilcots IV said. “This deadline will allow us to shift our focus to scheduling and route planning for the coming 2020-2021 school year.”  

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HISD launches website to provide updates on Coronavirus

The Houston Independent School District is providing one location online where updates and information regarding Coronavirus will be posted. The website (HoustonISD.org/HealthAlerts) will be updated as needed to provide the most current resources, including a parent fact sheet, FAQs, and links from supporting health agencies.  

HISD is in contact with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Texas Department of Health and Human Services and Houston Health Department and continues to monitor information on Coronavirus (COVID-19) to ensure all students and staff members are safe and updated with the latest information.  

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HISD continues to monitor coronavirus, offers precautionary health tips

The Centers for Disease Control has issued a warning to expect a wider spread of the coronavirus in the U.S., saying it remains unclear how severe the health threat could be – but that a sustained transmission of the virus is possible and has advised schools, businesses, and communities to plan for potential outbreaks.

The Houston Independent School District is in contact with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Texas Department of Health and Human Services and Houston Health Department, and will continue to monitor the situation to ensure plans are in place and protocols are followed to keep all students and staff members safe and updated with the latest information.

As part of HISD’s effort to ensure campuses and facilities are safe and healthy, the district has trained staff who routinely monitor individuals who exhibit fever, cough, and shortness of breath will follow appropriate assessment and monitoring protocols for students and staff who report feeling ill. Staff are also inquiring about recent personal travel, and new students wishing to enroll at any HISD school are being asked to complete a routine travel history questionnaire as a precaution.

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Thursday is Houston Dynamo Spirit Day in HISD

The Houston Dynamo kick off their 2020 season this weekend with a game against the LA Galaxy at BBVA Compass Stadium.  

In recognition of the team’s many contributions to public education and to HISD students, Thursday, February 27 has been designated as HISD Dynamo Day. To cheer on the Dynamo and show our support, all students and staff are encouraged to wear Dynamo or orange gear and accessories. Jeans will be permitted. 

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HISD Police Department to host public forum as part of national re-accreditation process

HISD PD is nation’s only accredited school district law enforcement agency

The Houston Independent School District Police Department and a team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) will host a public forum as part of the department’s re-accreditation process.

The HISD Police Department became the first school district law enforcement agency in the nation to achieve CALEA accreditation in 2008. This year, the department is seeking its eighth renewal.

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