New Bellaire HS design unveiled to community members

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Community members gathered in the Bellaire High School auditorium to witness the unveiling of the new school building’s design.

Bellaire’s $132 million project is a part of the 2012 Bond Program. The new building will feature a new three-story academic wing – containing classroom and administrative spaces – along with multiple flexible learning areas for group collaboration, library with makerspace, two gymnasiums, and an exterior courtyard.

“I think the renderings are amazing,” Bellaire Principal Michael McDonough said. “When you see the shared spaces, you think community, and when the students are together as a community, it invigorates school pride.”

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YWCPA celebrates grand opening of new building addition, renovations

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Chants of “maroon-white, maroon-white, fight-fight,” echoed throughout the atrium of the Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy as cheerleaders joined with members of the choir to kick off the school’s Grand Opening celebration on Thursday.

The event paid tribute not just to the completion of major renovations on the campus, but also to the school’s Student Creed, which focuses on pushing boundaries to achieve educational excellence, and the importance of sisterhood.

“This whole area — the atrium — is my favorite,” YWPCA senior Kaylyn Steward said, gesturing to the room in which the ceremony was held. “This whole project is just a reminder of why I am in this journey. The renovations really just bring it all home for me and let me know that I really am here for a reason. I am destined for greatness.” Continue reading →

HISD PD hosts ‘National Night Out’ against neighborhood crime

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Music, laughter, and cheers filled the courtyard at Marshall Middle Academy of Fine Arts on Tuesday as students, employees, and community members participated in the HISD Police Department’s National Night Out celebration.

National Night Out is an annual event that aims to make neighborhoods safer by strengthening relationships between community members and police departments. HISD Police honored the day with a free public celebration, which featured local vendors and organizations, music, food, and appearances from emergency personnel.

“NNO is just a festive day. We host these events because we want our communities to feel relaxed in their neighborhoods,” HISD Chief Police Paul Cordova said. “We want them to collaborate on how to solve problems, meet each other, meet us, and feel comfortable.”

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HISD Special Education Fall Parent Summit set for Oct. 27

The Houston Independent School District will hold its 2018 Special Education Fall Parent Summit on Saturday, October 27, providing parents with the opportunity to meet with Special Education professionals and attend learning sessions.

This event, which will be held at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th St., 77092), serves as an opportunity for HISD to better support families and empower them to be a partner in their child’s education. The theme of the event is “Beginning with the End in Mind” and will address topics such as Child Find, autism, behavior, inclusion and transition.

Former HISD Special Education students will serve as keynote speakers. The summit is half day and parents have the option of attending either the morning or afternoon session. Childcare will be provided, with a nurse on site. Continue reading →

New Kinder HSPVA nears completion, set to open in January

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Construction on the new Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts is almost complete and scheduled to open at the start of 2019.

Kinder HSPVA’s $88 million project, which is part of the Houston Independent School District’s voter-approved 2012 Bond Program, is scheduled to open to students during first quarter of 2019.

Installation of building technology and system setup is currently underway, with furniture delivery slated to begin next month. Crews are now focused on finishing punch list items and finalizing the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Continue reading →

HISD PD offers employees implicit bias training courses

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In an effort to reduce opportunities for discriminatory perceptions, the Houston Independent School District Police Department is now offering its employees training on implicit bias.

The implicit bias training is meant to expose participants to their unconscious biases and offer information on how to eliminate those perceptions.

The two-day training kicked off in September at police headquarters and was led by Epic Collaborative Advisors, a consulting firm. Department leaders discussed how to interact with stakeholders and make better decisions when working with a variety of people out in the field.

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Three HISD schools named National Blue Ribbon Schools 

Challenge Early College HS, DeBakey HS for Health Professions and East Early College HS recognized by U.S. Department of Education

Three Houston Independent School District schools received a 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools award on Monday from the U.S Department of Education. The HISD schools are among 349 schools in the nation and 24 schools in Texas to be recognized.

The National Blue Ribbon award is given annually to high-performing schools to showcase the hard work of students and educators. Challenge Early College High School, DeBakey High School for Health Professions and East Early College High School are this year’s HISD recipients. Each school is a previous National Blue Ribbon award recipient.

Challenge Early College High School’s mission is to graduate confident, lifelong learners who are prepared to succeed in higher education and be productive citizens worldwide. The school allows students to stay a year beyond graduation in order to take college credit courses and receive individual academic assistance to succeed in those courses.    Continue reading →

October is National Principals Month

Principals are the foundation of success for a campus and its students. As campus leaders, they are responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of teachers and the delivery of high-quality instruction in every classroom. They also must handle disciplinary issues, manage campus budgets, direct the branding of their school, and maintain a connection to parents and the school community. It’s not an easy job, but it is an incredibly rewarding and crucial one.

That’s why the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the American Federation of School Administrators have designated October as National Principals Month to honor principals nationwide.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has also issued a proclamation declaring October 2018 as Principals Month in Texas. Recognizing the important role school leadership plays in student achievement, the motto of the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals is, “Above All, Students First.”

HISD is encouraging students, parents, staff, and community members to honor and thank district principals during the month of October by downloading one of our custom e-cards below to post on social media.

     

     

Click here to download e-cards

Be sure to include the name of the principal you would like to acknowledge, and tag the school he or she leads. Also include the hashtags #ThankAnHISDPrincipal and #HISD in your posts.

Help us show how much we value our school leaders!

Lamar HS construction passes halfway mark

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Construction at Lamar High School made steady progress over the summer, positioning the $129.2 million state-of-the art learning facility to surpass 50 percent completion this month.

Work on the exterior walls, roofing, window frames, and glass is in progress, along with installation of interior wall framing, drywall, door frames, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.

Structural steel erection and concrete floor deck installation, the gymnasium, and natatorium are complete, and permanent power is expected to be connected by the end of the month. Continue reading →

New culinary program space opens at Northside HS

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Northside High School opened two new commercial grade learning kitchens at the start of the 2018-2019 school year, giving a boost to the school’s popular culinary arts magnet program.

The new culinary classrooms are part of a $66 million, multi-phase renovation project taking place at the school as part of HISD’s voter-approved 2012 Bond Program. The Northside project is two-thirds complete.
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