Math teacher at Navarro MS named Teacher of the Month for February  

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What started off as an ordinary day for Navarro Middle School teacher Ana Maria Steen on Tuesday morning turned into a surprise of a lifetime when Area Superintendent Geovanny Ponce interrupted class to announce Steen as the Sterling McCall VIP Services Teacher of the Month for February.

“Why Mrs. Steen? Because she is the best,” Ponce said. “She not only puts her students’ educational needs first, but those of the entire campus, which shows in their academic achievements.” Continue reading →

Governor calls on lawmakers to make education a top priority this legislative session 

On the first day of the 86th Texas Legislative Session, Gov. Greg Abbott had a strong message for both the House and Senate: Put education on the top of their to-do lists.

Abbott articulated the need to increase school safety, fix school finance, and reform property taxes. He also emphatically stated that lawmakers must solve these issues this session – a statement that received strong applause in both chambers.

“The state must invest more in public education, improve third-grade reading scores, pay teachers more, reduce recapture, make our schools safer, and prepare students for college or career,” Abbott later said during his inauguration speech. “We will do all of this without a court order telling us to do it. We will finally fix school finance in Texas.”

On Feb. 5, Abbott delivered his State of the State to the 86th Texas Legislature. Key themes of his remarks included the growing Texas economy, school finance reform, teacher pay, property tax relief, school safety, mental health, disaster response, border security, cracking down on crime and human trafficking, and support for Texas military personnel and veterans.  Continue reading →

Northside HS senior wins student emcee contest 

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Flanked by balloons and holding an oversized check, Northside High School Senior Tren’kell Reeves could not hide her excitement after discovering she had been named the winner of the student emcee contest for the HISD Foundation’s 2019 Public Education Matters Benefit Dinner.

“I am so happy that I am shaking,” Reeves, who goes by the nickname “TK,” said. “I have four younger sisters, and I just can’t wait to tell them!”

Along with hosting the event, Reeves earned a $2,500 college scholarship. Over 100 prospective emcees sent in audition videos, but according to HISD Chief Development Officer Ann Best Scott, Reeves’ video stood out.    Continue reading →

Chavez HS FFA student prepares for livestock show season 

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As livestock show season picks up steam, Chavez High School Junior Jewels Hernandez is ready for her first time in the major show ring.

“I am really excited,” she said. “I hope to one day win grand champion at a major show.”

In just her first year with Chavez’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) program, Hernandez has already had considerable success showing her Simbrah heifer, which is something she has long wanted to try.

“Going to the rodeo and seeing other kids raising animals really got me interested,” she said. “Once I found out I had the opportunity to raise cattle through the FFA program, I knew I had to try it out for myself.”   Continue reading →

Two top HISD student athletes commit to Kentucky State, University of Texas on National Signing Day

Nearly 150 students sign letters of intent for collegiate athletic programs across the country

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With their parents, coaches, and friends looking on, two of the Houston Independent School District’s top athletes announced they will attend Kentucky State University and the University of Texas to pursue their athletic and academic careers.

Mesi Wilson is a standout in volleyball at Bellaire High School who has been offered a scholarship to play at Kentucky State.

North Forest High School’s Javonne Shepherd, one of the top offensive tackles in the state, has accepted a scholarship to play at the University of Texas. Continue reading →

Transportation Services bringing back internal recruiting

Transportation Services is tapping existing bus drivers to serve as department ambassadors tasked with recruiting fellow bus drivers and encouraging them to join their ranks.

The 20-member internal recruiting team will be established by mid-February, Transportation Services General Manager John Wilcots IV said. The hand-picked team will work on recruitment each day after they complete their routes.

Recruitment duties will include attending job fairs and other recruitment events and posting recruitment fliers in areas with high traffic, such as libraries, beauty shops, and restaurants.

“They’re the best people to go out there and tell others about their jobs and really sell Transportation Services,” Wilcots said. Continue reading →

Milby HS Culinary Arts student headed toward bright future

(Houston Independent School District)

Milby High School Culinary Arts Program student Roberto Blas knows how something as simple as a conversation can change your life.

During the summer of 2018, Blas had a conversation about his future plans with Nutrition Services Officer Betti Wiggins in Washington, D.C. at the national Cooking Up Change competition for high school students.

It was during that conversation, just after his team earned second place in the cooking competition, he learned about Johnson and Wales University — a private career-oriented college in Providence, RI. Continue reading →

Wiggins featured in NBC News digital series for Black History Month 

HISD Nutrition Services Officer Betti Wiggins has been selected as one of 10 women featured in the NBC News series, She Thrives: Black Women Making History Today.

The series is sponsored by NBCBLK, NBC News Digital’s online platform focusing on the African-American community. The series highlights the contributions of black women “who are altering the way of life for everyone in 21st century America,” according to the She Thrives website.

Wiggins was selected for the honor based on her extensive work in child nutrition.   Continue reading →

HISD Foundation to host Public Education Matters Benefit Dinner on March 5 

The Houston Independent School District Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises funds to support HISD’s strategic initiatives, will hold its Public Education Matters Benefit Dinner on Tuesday, March 5.

The event will highlight the importance of community investment in public education and focus on the social and economic impact that results when public school students receive a quality education.

The evening program includes a one-on-one conversation with HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan and John Quiñones, host of ABC’s “What Would You Do?” That conversation will be followed by a “Fireside Chat” moderated by Quiñones with distinguished panelists, featuring Lathan, Teach for America CEO Elisa Villanueva Beard, and education advocate and founder of Harlem Children’s Zone Geoffrey Canada. 

Continue reading →

Student goes from Harvard ES to Harvard University

Bridgett Ramirez was born and raised in Houston, the oldest of three children. She began her formal education at Harvard Elementary School and is now attending Harvard University in Boston. She is the first in her family to go to college after graduating from Lanier Middle School and Heights High School.

Ramirez credits the HISD EMERGE program with helping her get into Harvard U. “EMERGE gave me the mentorship that my parents were not able to provide. The one-on-one relationship that I built with (EMERGE Program Manager) Esau Molina was so valuable. He made sure I was prepared for the college-application process, and he helped me get SAT prep.”  Continue reading →