Last school choice fair on Saturday as magnet deadline nears 

Parents have a wide variety of choices regarding where to send their students to school in HISD, but time is running out to be in the first round of consideration.

Parents who still aren’t sure which school they want their child to attend next year are invited to the final School Choice Fair from 9 a.m. to noon this Saturday, Dec. 1, at Milby High School (1601 Broadway St., 77012). Representatives from HISD magnet schools will be there, and attendees can get help submitting their application.

The deadline to apply is Dec. 7 for guaranteed consideration in the first round. Any applications received after the Dec. 7 deadline will be considered only for schools where space is still available.   Continue reading →

FAFSA priority deadline for Texas students is Jan. 15

Filling out the FAFSA is the first step toward getting many different types of financial aid for school, and finishing the FAFSA early is the best way to maximize college-award packages.

Even though the federal government doesn’t have a firm deadline as to when FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) applications need to be completed, all 50 states do, and for Texas the priority deadline is Jan. 15 – two months earlier than last year.

When applying for student aid, timing matters. Each year, the Office of Federal Student Aid offers more than $120 billion through grants, loans, and work-study funds to help students pay for higher education. Priority for this money will be given to students who apply before the priority consideration deadline.

Also, if you complete your FAFSA application by Jan. 1, 2019, you will be entered in a drawing for three $500 scholarships. The scholarships will be awarded in January. Continue reading →

Slime kits, action figures top the list in Longfellow ES annual toy survey  

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Students at Longfellow Elementary School on Friday announced that action figures and slime kits are two of the hottest toys this holiday season after polling their classmates for their annual top toy survey.

For the ninth consecutive year, a group of fifth-graders at the school survey their classmates to determine what gifts kids would like to receive for the holidays. In an mid-morning press conference, 12 students announced the top five toys for boys and girls. The goal of the survey is to help give parents and relatives an idea of what to buy before they do their holiday shopping.

“Today we are showing some different toys that your child might want,” said fifth-grader Kaylyn Newcomb. “We want to give you a little bit of inspiration so you don’t have to draw things out and ask them what they want.” Continue reading →

Transportation’s Coffee & Conversations aims to foster communication with parents   

HISD parents and campus administers gathered with Transportation Services staff on Wednesday to discuss their most pressing transportation concerns during the second round of Coffee & Conversations.

The bimonthly meetings — held this month at Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center and Carnegie Vanguard High School — allow Transportation Services the opportunity to share important updates and progress, identify ongoing challenges and gather feedback.

“We know we have a lot of work to do,” Wilcots said. “But know that we are making changes and working every day to better our systems.”  Continue reading →

50 HISD students named 2019 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists

Students will have opportunity to compete for more than $31 million in scholarships 

Fifty seniors from eight Houston Independent School District high schools have earned one of the top academic honors in the nation by qualifying as semifinalists in the 64th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

The students attend Bellaire, Carnegie Vanguard, Lamar and Westside high schools, DeBakey High School for Health Professions, Houston Academy for International Studies, Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and Sharpstown International School.

The students are among 16,000 from across the country to earn the semifinalist designation, allowing them the opportunity to continue in the academic competition and vie for more than $31 million in scholarships that will be awarded next spring. Continue reading →

Parent University helps Wisdom HS mom lead the way for new PTO 

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Armed with a fresh notebook and pens for jotting notes, Wisdom High School parent Erica Alvarado bounced from table to table at Thursday night’s second Parent University session, gathering as much information and resources as she could.

Alvarado’s mission was twofold: Learn as much as possible to help support her children’s education, and pass along resources to fellow parents serving on Wisdom’s newly minted PTO, for which she is president.

Parent University was designed to connect parents and children to resources offered by the district to create successful academic outcomes, as well as safe and healthy environments at home and at school.   Continue reading →

10 helpful tips for filling out the FAFSA and securing financial aid for college 

Completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is important. It’s the first step toward getting many different types of financial aid for school, and finishing the FAFSA early is the best way to maximize college-award packages. But how much do you know about this financial aid application?

Here are 10 important tips about filling out your FAFSA: Continue reading →

HISD celebrates Thanksgiving with special lunch at schools

Thanksgiving is approaching quickly, and parents of Walnut Bend Elementary School students visited the school on Thursday to enjoy a hearty Thanksgiving lunch with their children.

The special celebration, occurring during normal lunch hours, is an HISD tradition that has attracted thousands of families to school cafeterias for more than 50 years. The event gives parents a chance to celebrate the holiday a week early by sharing a meal with their children.

The students and their families filled their plates with roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and sweet potato cake. Families sat down to enjoy their meals at reserved tables with fall-themed tablecloths and centerpieces. Continue reading →

Trustee Adams to host District IX Thanksgiving Day of Caring 

HISD District IX Trustee Wanda Adams, in partnership with the Houston Food Bank, will host a Thanksgiving Day of Caring from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17 at Reynolds Elementary School (9601 Rose Haven 77051).

Trustee Adams and volunteers from the Houston Food Bank will be distributing food items for the Thanksgiving holiday to families in need. For more information, contact Reynolds ES at 713-731-5590.

Science teacher at Longfellow ES named Teacher of the Month for November 

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It was a science experiment brought to life when science lab teacher Jennifer Howell was surprised by Chief Academic Officer Noelia Longoria as the Sterling McCall VIP Services Teacher of the Month for November on Wednesday.

Howell’s fourth-grade students were getting a lesson on the types of batteries used in keyless remotes, specifically for push-start cars, when they learned their teacher’s recognition came with a special gift—a 2019 Acura TLX, courtesy of Sterling McCall Acura.

“This has been an overwhelming experience, and I’m indebted to the district for the recognition,” Howell said. “Every day, I’m driven to create enriching lessons that will push all 800 of my students.”  Continue reading →