HISD community partners help student parents on path to graduation

Rising 11th grader Chelsea Almendarez is no stranger to a challenge. A dedicated student, Almendarez recently earned her driver’s license and has ambitions of joining JROTC in her junior year. Driving and high school graduation did not always seem to be within reach for Almendarez, who became a mother during her freshman year. That is where HISD’s Parenting Summer Workshop came in.

HISD’s Parenting Summer Workshop was designed to help pregnant or parenting students connect with resources in their community that can help them and their children to thrive despite the challenges and stigma of teen parenting. 

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HISD educator named Region 4 Elementary Teacher of the Year finalist

A Houston Independent School District teacher has been named a finalist for Elementary Teacher of the Year by Region 4. This year’s theme is “One Ripple, Endless Impact: Recognizing Teachers Who Inspire Excellence.”

Melodie Musgrove, who teaches at Walnut Bend Elementary School, is one of six finalists from the Houston metropolitan area.

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Plan for the new school year with a variety of after school programs

As the largest school district in Texas, HISD is comprised of diverse families and communities and offers a variety of after school programming to meet and accommodate a wide range of needs.

The two primary programs utilized by HISD schools are Texas ACE and CASE for Kids.

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HISD announces Teacher Referral Bonus program

Qualifying campus-based HISD employees are invited to support teacher recruitment efforts by taking part in the district’s Teacher Referral Bonus program. Those who successfully refer a candidate will receive a $300 bonus for teachers who sign a contract and start work by the first day of school, Aug. 28, 2023.

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HISD students to get school supply ‘boost’ from Kroger shoppers

HISD students will start the new school year off right with help from community donations through Kroger’s annual school supplies drive.

Backpack Boosters provides students with kits filled with the essential school supplies they need for a successful school year.

Now through July 31, shoppers can donate $2, $5, or $10 dollars at the register in any Kroger store to help local students. Click here to find your local Kroger store.

HISD taps community program to feed Houstonians in need

HISD’s Student Assistance Department knows that students can’t learn on an empty stomach. While Nutrition Services provides students with three nutritious meals a day, Student Assistance strives to provide support for the whole student, and sometimes, that means also supporting their families and communities.

Student Assistance partnered with Second Servings, a local nonprofit that specializes in “food rescue,” the practice of recovering and redirecting edible food from grocery stores and other food retailers that would otherwise go to waste. Second Servings works with these retailers to collect short-dated or unsold food items and redistribute them to people in need.

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HISD Connect Parent Portal maintenance notice

The district’s Parent Portal, HISD Connect, is going offline for end-of-year maintenance on July 21, 2023.

This will impact online enrollment, as the Enrollment Portal will be offline from Friday, July 21, through Tuesday, Aug. 1. During that time, parents and caregivers are asked to report to their child’s campus to complete a manual enrollment application.

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HISD partners with community donors for Back-to-School Bonanza

For students, summer vacation is in full swing, but HISD is hard at work preparing for the impending fall semester. Preparing for almost 190,000 students for a new school year isn’t a task that can be done alone, however, this is where the collaboration of community partners is vital.

HISD’s Community Partnerships Department, with the help of local businesses, is working to secure resources for its annual Back-to-School Bonanza, an effort to support multiple back-to-school supply drives throughout the district. 

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