HISD students take part in sensory-friendly movie night

Going to the movies can be a magical experience and one that should be enjoyed by all. Last Friday, thanks to the autism advocacy group The Perfect Connection, six HISD students attended a free, sensory-friendly private screening of the newly released Disney-Pixar short film “Loop,” which follows the story of a non-verbal, autistic girl.

“We’ve partnered with some amazing vendors to premiere the Disney+ premiere of Loop,” Liza Bailey, founder of The Perfect Connection, said. “Through this movie, Disney has empowered the autism community by providing a wonderful example of autism representation in the media.”

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HISD students to perform speeches at annual Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition

Twelve HISD students will continue the tradition of honoring the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when they compete Friday in the final round of the MLK Jr. Oratory Competition. 

For more than 20 years, fourth- and fifth-graders from two dozen HISD schools have competed in the annual contest, which challenges students to write and present a short original speech on a subject related to the slain civil rights leader. The topic this year is, “What would Dr. King’s vision be for America in 2020?”   

Watch livestream of competition at Houstonisd.org/LiveTV or follow along on Twitter at Twitter.com/HoustonISD 

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HISD to participate in Souper Bowl of Caring

In partnership with Souper Bowl of Caring and the Houston Food Bank, HISD schools and staff are participating in the 2020 Souper Bowl of Caring, a youth-led, national food drive that mobilizes thousands of young people to fight hunger and poverty in their communities 

Beginning Jan. 14, one of the nation’s largest celebrations of serving and giving will raise awareness and tackle hunger in communities. There are five ways to participate: 

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HISD 2019-2020 budget earns top honors for financial accuracy, accountability

The Houston Independent School District has received the Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) from a worldwide association of school business officials for producing a 2019-2020 budget that is accurate, informative and easy to comprehend.

HISD earned the award from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), which has been in existence for 110 years. To receive the honor, the association required the district to submit a substantial packet of detailed budget documents, which were evaluated by a confidential panel of school finance experts.

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Athletic events cancelled, district buildings closing at 7 p.m. Friday due to inclement weather forecast

Due to impending inclement weather conditions this evening (Friday, Jan. 10), the Houston Independent School District is cancelling all eventing athletic events and games.

After-school activities will continue as normal but will end by 7 p.m. Additionally, all district buildings will close by 7 p.m. as a safety measure. All Saturday events will take place as scheduled. 

For additional updates, follow district updates on Twitter and Facebook: twitter.com/houstonisd and facebook.com/houstonisd. 

FAFSA priority deadline for Texas students is Jan. 15

Completing your FAFSA is the first step toward getting many different types of financial aid for school, and finishing the FAFSA early is the best way to maximize college-award packages. 

Even though the federal government doesn’t have a firm deadline as to when FAFSA  (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) applications need to be completed, all 50 states do, and for Texas, the priority deadline is  Jan. 15, 2020. 

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Rucker ES students jump-start new year through mindfulness and yoga

While many have entered the new year with resolutions to get healthier, a group of students at Rucker Elementary School are taking time each day to put their hands to their hearts and close their eyes. 

“Hands up, deep breath, stretch, and now let’s swing our bodies to the left and now the right,” HISD Social Worker Manager Nicole Batiste said. 

For the next few minutes, students are led through a series of deep breathing and movement exercises designed to help participants be more mindful of their emotions and responses to have better self-control and ultimately better self-esteem. 

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Yates HS earns status as International Baccalaureate World School

Houston Independent School District leaders on Thursday announced Yates High School’s new status as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, becoming the district’s fifth high school campus to receive official authorization to offer the Diploma Programme.

Yates will begin offering the IB Diploma Programme to juniors and seniors at the start of the 2020-2021 school year. The IB Diploma Programme is for students ages 16 to 19 and is currently offered at Bellaire, Chávez, Heights, and Lamar high schools.

Yates is one of nine HISD schools supported by the district as part of Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan’s initiative to expand the number of IB campuses in geographically diverse areas across the city.

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HISD agriculture specialist teaches students how to grow food

Agriculture Specialist Kierra Goosby spends much of her day outside, surveying and preparing school gardens for students to grow vegetables from seed to harvest. 

Goosby’s passion for nutrition education began when she was teaching her family about healthy eating practices. Now, she shares with students what she’s learned over the years. 

“It’s hard to explain in words the level of excitement they feel about planting seeds or watching them sprout,” Goosby said. “They’re excited about each step of the process. It’s very rewarding.” 

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