Winter break begins Dec. 20 for students, with classes resuming on Jan. 6  

The Houston Independent School District’s 2019 Winter break begins on Friday, Dec. 20 for all students. Campuses and district offices will be closed for the break starting on Monday, Dec. 23. 

Students will be on winter break from school starting on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, through Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Students will return to school on Monday, Jan. 6, 2020. 

HISD central and administrative offices will be closed beginning Monday, Dec. 23, 2019, and will reopen for normal business hours on Monday, Jan. 6, 2020. 

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Horn ES educator named finalist for TCEA Teacher of the Year

Alex Jones

Alex Jones, a STEM lab teacher at HISD’s Horn Elementary School, has been named one of only three finalists for Texas Computer Education Association’s (TCEA) Classroom Teacher of the Year.  

The award, which will be handed out in February 2020, is presented annually to the educator who best recognizes the importance of technology in school and actively tries to promote its use in his or her classroom. Jones, who was previously nominated in 2015, opened the STEM lab at Horn during the 2017-2018 school year, and since then he has helped secure numerous donations and grants for the use of technology on the campus.  

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Northline ES students get holiday surprise from Mattress Mack, Astros star Bregman

Two special elves carrying a huge holiday delivery on Tuesday stopped by HISD’s Northline Elementary School to the delight of the school’s more than 500 students. 

Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale and Houston Astros star third baseman Alex Bregman teamed up to deliver presents to all 550 students, and to pass on words of encouragement and support.  

“In order to play baseball, you have to do well in school, pass all of your classes, listen to your teachers and work extremely hard,” Bregman said. “And don’t forget to listen to your parents.” 

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HISD to offer no-cost winter meals at five schools during winter break

School may be out for winter break, but cafeterias will be open at five HISD high schools, where Nutrition Services will offer meals free of charge for all children ages 1 to 18.

Booker T. Washington, Chavez and Madison high schools will serve breakfast and lunch during winter break. Additionally, Yates High School will serve lunch only, and Revere Middle School will serve breakfast only. Children ages 1 to 18 can enjoy a healthy breakfast and lunch at no charge, while adults can purchase breakfast for $2.75 and lunch for $4.

“We know our students can’t learn and thrive without healthy food to fuel them — and that need does not stop just because schools close for the winter break,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “Ensuring student health, safety, and well-being is one of our strategic priorities, and this program takes us one step closer to achieving our goal.”

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North Houston Early College HS receives prestigious national ‘Distinguished School’ award

HISD campus is one of two Texas schools to receive the award     

The Houston Independent School District’s North Houston Early College High School is one of about 70 campuses nationwide and one of only two in Texas to receive a Distinguished Schools Award from the national organization of program administrators who manage Title I and other federal funds.   

The HISD campus was selected from among thousands of schools across the country and is the only one in Texas to earn the distinction due to its significant progress in closing academic achievement gaps between diverse student groups.  

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Achieve 180 hosts first-ever teacher appreciation tailgate event

Achieve 180 teachers didn’t let Wednesday’s cold front stop the festivities as they prepared for their biggest challenge outside of the classroom — determining which campus had the best chili.  

The district invited nearly 1,400 teachers from the turnaround program to a first-ever, pep-rally-style Achieve 180 Tailgate as a celebration of the teachers’ efforts to transform some of the district’s most undeserved campuses and critical student populations.   

“This is our way of saying thank you for always making our students a priority,” Achieve 180 Area Superintendent Felicia Adams said. “Whether it’s arriving early, staying late, (or) constantly attending professional development opportunities, none of our achievements would have been possible with you.”  

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Confidence, community support on display at ATMP/ROSES Winter Ball

As he waited for the night to begin, Tyler Burgmon, a senior at North Forest High School, nervously adjusted a red rose pinned to the lapel of the first suit he’s ever owned. 

A new suit can provide confidence and self-assurance, but for Tyler, a student enrolled in HISD’s Ascending to Men Project (ATMP), it stands for so much more.  

“This suit is an extension of what ATMP does for you,” he said. “ATMP creates men; it creates a foundation where you can be safe in your community and build powerful bonds between brothers.” 

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Transportation Services to focus on recruiting efforts in new year

The Houston Independent School District’s Transportation Services department will spend the new year focusing on recruitment efforts as it works to hire 30 more drivers by March.  

The department will begin hosting monthly bus driver job fairs in February 2020 as part of continuing efforts to make sure all routes are fully staffed, and additional drivers are available to provide coverage when employees are absent. 

Transportation Services General Manager John Wilcots IV said three job fairs will be held each month — one on a Saturday and two on weekdays. The upcoming job fairs are expected to give the department a head start on staffing for the summer and the 2020-2021 school year.  

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HISD participating in Toys for Tots holiday toy drive

This holiday season, the Houston Independent School District once again is participating as a donation site for Toys for Tots, the Marine Corps’ premier community action program.  

Employees as well as the general public are encouraged to drop off new and unwrapped toys at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th St., 77092) to the Strategic Partnerships department (Level 1SE) by 4 p.m. on Dec. 18. 

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School Choice application deadline for Phase 2 is Feb. 28  

Parents who would still like to apply for a school choice program for the 2020-2021 school year have until Friday, Feb. 28 to do so. 

After all applications in Phase 1 have been offered, eligible Phase 2 students who meet a program’s qualifications will be considered in the order in which their application was submitted should the program have space available. 

Any applications for students who live outside the HISD boundaries will not be considered until Phase 3, even if the application was submitted during Phase 2. 

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