‘Camp Lit’ celebration at Minute Maid Park kicks off HISD summer school  

Music, fun and laughter filled Minute Maid Park On Thursday as HISD kicked off summer school for thousands of students, ushering in the district’s second year of “Camp Lit” for literacy.  

“We have 5,000 students here today that are representing over 70 HISD schools,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “Not only will our students leave here with books for their own personal library, but we have a number of students here that have never been to Minute Maid Park, so it’s a wonderful learning opportunity for them.” 

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HISD welcomes summer interns for six-week job program

The Houston Independent School District recently welcomed interns to participate in the 2019 Summer Student Leadership Program, a six-week paid summer internship and leadership development program for HISD high school students and alumni currently enrolled in college.  

In just the first week, the interns have been fully submerged in their respective departments for a true hands-on experience, and, over the next five weeks, interns will gain valuable employment experience and can test-drive numerous career pathways before choosing a college major or entering the workforce.  

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HISD Business Operations launches new brand focused on students

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With more than 7,000 employees, Business Operations is the largest division in HISD. But what exactly do we do?

Before students can ever file into their classrooms, bus drivers and crossing guards must get them safely to school. Cafeteria workers must make them a nutritious breakfast. Custodians, police officers, and construction crews must make sure they have new, clean, safe spaces in which to learn.

The breadth of our work touches all facets of the district, and support is at the heart of everything we do. We help lay the foundation for student success — most of the time behind the scenes.

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HISD airs first-ever livestream of graduation, providing virtual access to Kinder HSPVA ceremony

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The Office of Communications aired the district’s first-ever graduation livestream on Facebook and HISD TV (Comcast Ch. 18 and U-verse Ch. 99) for Kinder HSPVA at Jones Hall on Wednesday, May 29. 

The office announced a districtwide video contest prior to the last day of the 2018-2019 school year to increase community and campus engagement surrounding the district’s upcoming graduation schedule.  

“Our goal was to provide a fun way for our schools to celebrate one of the biggest accomplishments yet for our students,” said HISD Chief Communications Officer Rebecca Suarez. “Our students and campus leaders work hard all year long, and this was a chance to get everyone even more excited about graduation season. It was an innovative way to provide a viewing opportunity for family and friends to watch the students walk across the stage from wherever they were around the world.” 

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DeBakey HS for Health Professions again tops Children at Risk’s list of top public schools

For the 11th consecutive year, DeBakey High School for Health Professions topped the 2019 Children at Risk list of best public schools in the Houston area.  

HISD’s Eastwood Academy ranked third in the Houston area, Carnegie Vanguard High School came in fourth, East Early College was sixth among local public high schools, and Challenge Early College ranked eighth regionally.   

“We thank Children at Risk for recognizing the work done by HISD and our neighboring districts to ensure academic equity for all students,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “Our city helps drive the nation’s economy and our public schools are the engine.” 

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Thomas Cotter named new principal of Wesley Elementary School

Thomas Cotter has been selected as the new principal of Wesley Elementary School. Cotter began as a teacher at Gregory-Lincoln Education Center and has since served as an instructional specialist, dean of students, and assistant principal at Woodson PK-5 Leadership Academy, where he assisted with the school moving from Improvement Required (IR) to meeting state accountability standards. Cotter earned a bachelor’s in business administration in marketing from Texas Southern University and a Master’s in Administration and Policy Studies from the University of Houston. He is currently working to earn a Doctorate’s in professional leadership and policy studies at the University of Houston.

Margarita Tovar named new principal of Dogan Elementary School

Margarita Tovar has been selected as the new principal of Dogan Elementary School. Tovar began as a teacher aide at Farias Early Childhood Center and has also served as a teacher, teacher specialist and most recently assistant principal at Dogan. She was instrumental in leading Dogan out of Improvement Required (IR) status to meet state standard in May 2018. Tovar has a bachelor’s degree from University of Houston-Downtown and a master’s degree from Houston Baptist University. Tovar is also currently pursuing her doctoral degree at the University of Houston. 

Jorge Rodriguez named new principal of Lewis Elementary School

Jorge Rodriguez has been selected as the new principal of Lewis Elementary School. He has served as a teacher, interventionist, specialist, and most recently assistant principal at Longfellow Elementary School, where he supported the successful implementation of restorative discipline practices and “The Leader in Me” framework. His recognitions include being named a finalist for the Harris County Education Foundation Teacher of the Year and Bilingual Teacher of the Year while serving at Burbank Elementary School. Rodriguez holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology from the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Thomas. 

Legislature passes major school finance bill, reducing recapture by $3.6 billion statewide

The Texas Legislature approved House Bill 3 on Saturday, May 25, receiving unanimous support for the school finance bill in both the House and Senate before legislators concluded the 2019 Texas Legislative Session on Monday, May 27.

The bill is expected to reduce HISD’s 2019-20 and 2020-21 recapture payments significantly. Many of the district’s recommendations were included in the final version of HB 3, including funds for full-day pre-K, high needs students, and transportation. 

School finance reform, teacher compensation and property tax relief were top priorities for Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Speaker Dennis Bonnen, and lawmakers across the state. HISD’s Government Relations team worked hard to accomplish the district’s legislative priorities, with school finance reform and lowering recapture payments as the number one issues. 

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Transportation Services to host job fairs throughout summer

Transportation Services is continuing its recruiting efforts as the school year comes to an end, with the department hosting four job fairs this summer to hire new bus drivers.  

The district has been working this past year to address a bus driver shortage by adding more drivers to its roster. The job fairs will continue through June and July. 

“We want people who are reliable and hardworking,” Transportation Services General Manager John Wilcots IV said. “My goal is to have one bus driver for every route as we head into next year.”  

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