Schwan’s Chef Collective visits Milby HS for cook-off

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Milby High School recently was transformed into the site of an exciting cooking competition — complete with four celebrity chefs — as part of the Schwan’s Chef Collective K-12 Kitchen Collaborative Mystery Ingredient Cook-Off.

The cooking contest — which featured chefs from the Food Network and Top Chef — was the culmination of a week-long event that included student Q&A sessions and a visit to the student gardens at Atherton Elementary School and Gregory-Lincoln Education Center. Continue reading →

Transportation Services operating 41 fewer routes, addressing needs with TransFinder

When the spring semester starts in January, HISD’s Transportation Services will be operating 860 bus routes — 41 routes fewer than they did at the end of September.

The nearly five percent reduction is part of the department’s continued efforts to streamline operations, increase efficiency, and provide better service for students, Transportation Services Interim General Manager John Wilcots said. Continue reading →

HISD collects record number of toys for Toys for Tots campaign 

The spirit of the season was in full swing as more than 1,000 toys were collected for HISD’s annual toy drive for the United States Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots campaign – the most toys collected in district history.

Over the last several weeks, 1,092 toys were collected throughout the district. Collection boxes were placed in the administrative building and at several schools, including Scarborough High School, whose Cheer Team and BPA Organization collected 400 toys for the effort.  Continue reading →

Northside HS students awarded funds to improve technology projects 

Students from Northside High School presented their 2018 Together with Tech Project at the Harris County Clerk’s office.

Two student-led groups from HISD’s Northside High School scored big recently, winning grants to improve their 2018 Together with Tech projects.

The students received nearly $20,000 after submitting a formal funding request to build upon the projects they presented at this past year’s Together with Tech Student Conference, which was held in April.

Although the groups did not place at the conference, they received valuable feedback, and the panel of judges encouraged them to continue with their work.  But that would take funding.  Continue reading →

Fourth annual Dream Summit prepares HISD international students for the future

Click here for more from the HISD Dream Summit.

Excitement filled the air at HISD’s fourth annual Dream Summit, held Saturday at Hattie Mae White, drawing hundreds of students eager to collect resources and information about college applications and financial aid.

The HISD Office of College and Career Readiness and Multilingual Programs event is held each year to aid HISD DREAMers, DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients, visa holders, permanent residents, refugees, and asylum grantees, along with their families.

Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer Rick Cruz welcomed students and their families to the event applauding them for their commitment to the future. Continue reading →

Looscan ES community to receive $250,000 for neighborhood revitalization project

A $250,000 grant was presented to Avenue CDC during Looscan Elementary’s winter program.

The area surrounding HISD’s Looscan Elementary School will soon be transformed thanks to a $250,000 grant from Republic Services for an upcoming neighborhood revitalization project.

The grant funds, awarded to Houston-area nonprofit Avenue CDC, will be used for the organization’s Boosting Success for Looscan Elementary School project. The funds will be allocated to improve safe routes to school, SPARK Park renovations, and lead abatement in 10 neighborhood homes.

The grant will be presented Wednesday during the school’s winter program.

Avenue CDC is a builder of homes and a builder of communities in Houston, Texas.  The organization builds affordable homes, provides education, and supports robust community engagement programs that promote resident leadership and improved quality of life for all Houstonians.

Winter break begins Friday for students, with classes resuming on Jan. 7  

The Houston Independent School District’s 2018 winter break begins on Friday for all students. Campuses and district offices will be closed for the break starting on Monday, Dec. 24.

Students will be on winter break from school starting on Friday, Dec. 21, 2018, through Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Students will return to school on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. HISD central and administrative offices will be closed beginning Monday, Dec. 24, 2018, and will reopen for normal business hours on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019.

Employees with questions should consult the duty schedules posted here.

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

Worthing HS construction wraps up, set to open final phase in January

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Construction on the final building phase of Worthing High School is nearing 100 percent completion, with students and staff eager to move into the new facility next month.

As crews complete final punch-list items, new furniture will be delivered in the coming weeks, preparing the building for students when they return from winter break on Jan. 7.

“It’s really beautiful,” Principal Khalilah Campbell-Rhone said on a recent walkthrough of the new building. “I’m very excited. We just received a permit from the city to start moving in.” Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education votes against turnaround and innovation partnerships

The HISD Board of Education rejected, 4-5, a move to request proposals for turnaround partnerships to operate four campuses that have been designated “Improvement Required” for four or more years.

The four campuses are Highland Heights Elementary School, Henry Middle School, and Kashmere and Wheatley high schools.

Under Senate Bill 1882, entering into a turnaround partnership would provide a two-year pause on accountability from the Texas Education Agency and prevent sanctions from the state related to House Bill 1842, including school closures or the appointment of a Board of Managers.  Continue reading →

Board of Education to consider authorizing request for school partnership proposals

The HISD Board of Education on Thursday will consider whether to authorize the district to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for school partnerships, as outlined under Senate Bill 1882.

The board’s regular monthly meeting begins at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 13, in the Manuel Rodríguez Jr. Board Auditorium of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, 4400 W. 18th St., 77092. Click here to view the full agenda.

Entities eligible to be considered for partnerships are non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, or governmental organizations. Continue reading →