Inaugural HISD Visual Art Teachers’ Exhibition opens this week

Throughout the month of March, Houston Independent School District Visual Art teachers will showcase their artistic talents in the inaugural HISD Visual Art Teachers’ Exhibition.  

Visual art teachers from all over the district applied to participate in the exhibition. Twenty-two artists were selected to exhibit new works for the show. They were selected by a jury of peers based upon artistic quality and instructional testimonial submissions.  

HISD artists will be exhibiting new, never-seen-before works for this art show.  The faculty showcase is an opportunity for people to view new directions in work by some of the district’s most talented artists and educators.  

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HISD to be closed March 11–15 for Spring Break

All HISD campuses and offices will be closed for Spring Break from Monday, March 11, through Friday, March 15, 2019. 

Schools and offices will reopen for normal business on Monday, March 18, 2019. 

Employees should consult the duty schedules posted here. 

The HISD Police Department will be patrolling district facilities all during the holiday break. Emergencies may be reported by calling 713-892-7777.

Wilson Montessori revels in new building

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Shiny blue balloons spelling out “Wilson” floated on stage as students sang, providing a joyous start to the Wilson Montessori building dedication. 

The Montessori school hosted the festivities to celebrate its $24.7 million makeover. The project included renovations to the school’s original historic 1924 building and a new three-story addition.  

“The spaces in the new wing and the renovated spaces in the historical wing allow our students to experience learning specially designed to meet their developmental needs,” Wilson Principal Shameika Sykes-Salvador said. 

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Final Parent University session scheduled for March 28  

HISD will host its fifth and final Parent University workshop from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 28 at four locations throughout the district: Furr, Northside, Madison and Westside high schools. 

The theme for the session will be “Getting Your Child Ready for College and Careers.” The workshop will begin with a dinner and resource fair and will include information on district programs, parent engagement, community resources, and how parents can become active partners in the successful education of their children.

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HISD celebrating Educational Diagnosticians’ Week

HISD celebrates Educational Diagnosticians’ Week during the week of March 4-8 to celebrate and honor educational diagnosticians and their contribution to positive student outcomes. 

With nearly 150 educational diagnosticians employed at the district and the largest populations in the state of Texas, these professionals are trained to formally assess students in the areas of cognition and achievement. More specifically, educational diagnosticians identify challenges a student may be facing on his or her learning path.     

At HISD, one may find a diagnostician attending any type of special education meeting between the school, student and family, functioning as the expert in how a student learns and processes information.  

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Record number of campuses seek certification as Family Friendly Schools

New Platinum certification level being launched as part of program

HISD Family and Community Engagement Department (FACE) continues to make strides with its Family Friendly Schools program, experiencing a new record-high number of 170 campuses seeking to be certified for the 2018-2019 school year.   

Now in its fourth year, the Family Friendly School Program is bringing a new challenge: earning Platinum Certification. Launched during the 2015-2016 school year, the program focuses on guiding campuses who embark in a concerted effort to carry-out research-based activities and strategies to build relationships with families, link family events to student learning, develop parent capacity, and honor families’ diversity.  

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Parker ES dedicates new facility, Spark Park

Parker Elementary School students, staff, parents, and community members were visibly excited about their new colorful and modern surroundings as they gathered for Building and Spark Park Dedication ceremony Thursday.

Parker students provided musical entertainment throughout the evening, including the Parker Elementary School Advanced Strings, a surprise performance by the school band, and a reception with Parker Jazz Band.

“One of the things that I see is just how much more seriously the kids take their performances in a fancy auditorium like this one,” Parker Principal Lori Frodine said.

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Kinder HSPVA named 2019 Landmark Award finalist

The new Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts building has been named a Houston Business Journal 2019 Landmark Award finalist.

The annual awards program recognizes impressive real estate projects that make a significant impression on the Houston landscape and help sculpt the look, feel, and image of the city.

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Nutrition Services recognized by Texas Department of Ag

Besides being delicious and nutritious, what do tortillas, skim milk, and watermelon all have in common?

The items were part of Nutrition Services’ winning menu for the Texas Department of Agriculture’s 2018 Farm Fresh Challenge, which encourages schools to incorporate local foods into their menus and garden-based learning activities into their curriculum.

“The students learn about growing plants locally and the benefits of choosing local foods,” Nutrition Services Senior Manager Amanda Oceguera said. “The aim of this program is to establish behaviors that create healthy students for their entire lives.”

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Transportation Services offers free Commercial Driver’s License prep class

Transportation Services is working to address its driver shortage by offering free training for individuals who wish to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License.

The class for the license, also known as a CDL, is held Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Northwest Terminal (6351 Pinemont Drive) and is open to anyone interested in becoming an HISD bus driver until the start of the 2019-2020 school year.

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