HISD appoints 3 new area superintendents for 2018-2019 school year

The Houston Independent School District is announcing new area superintendents for the 2018-2019 school year to lead three areas of the district.

In HISD, area superintendents lead key areas covering all schools in the district, which are being modified from seven to six areas for 2018-2019: Achieve 180 Schools, and the North, Northwest, South, East, and West areas of the district.

“These area superintendents bring with them a wealth of experience and numerous recognitions for their leadership in HISD at the campus and district levels,” said HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan. “I am confident that under their leadership, we will keep pushing to ensure every child is supported in their journey to a quality education.” Continue reading →

Lamar HS football coach retiring after 33 years of service at HISD

Tom Nolen

Lamar High School Football Head Coach Tom Nolen has announced his retirement after 33 years of coaching football at HISD.

Nolen led the Lamar Texans to 308 University Interscholastic League (UIL) wins and 19 district championships. In his 33 years, the Texans made the playoffs 31 times.

“Lamar has become part of my identity,” Nolen said. “My students and coaches are my best friends. In some cases, I’ve coached them, their parents, and their grandparents. I am deeply honored to have had the privilege of working with some great athletes at a school as special and diverse as Lamar.” Continue reading →

Fifth Annual Special Education Conference draws hundreds of parents, HISD staff 

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More than 900 parents and members of Team HISD filled Kingdom Builders’ Center on Tuesday to kick off the district’s Fifth Annual Special Education Conference.

The two-day conference, themed Engage, Restore and Support Every Student, focused on arming participants with new and effective instructional, compliance and behavioral strategies.

“We have come a long way from our very first conference with approximately 70 attendees,” Senior Manager of Special Education Services Kelli Charles said. “It is my hope that you leave here ready to give your absolute best to the students who needed it the most and ready to elevate HISD’s special education services.” Continue reading →

Summer internships at HISD help students determine possible careers

HISD hired nearly two dozen interns for its 2018 Summer Leadership Program, exposing students to possible careers and skills employers demand in an increasingly technological workforce. The students were assigned to various administrative departments, including Informational Technology, College and Career Readiness, Communications, and Procurement.

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Three HISD police sergeants promoted to captain

Three veteran sergeants from the HISD Police Department have been promoted to the new rank of captain, HISD Police Chief Paul Cordova announced on Thursday.

The three are Capt. Richard Morris, Capt. Artina Walker, and Capt. Robert Barbosa, and they will report to Asst. Police Chief Lucretia Rogers. Their promotions take effect on Monday, July 16.

“Each of these officers is a proven leader with a unique skill set and dedicated to our mission of strengthening our relationship with the community as we work to keep our schools and students safe,” Cordova said. “They work well together, and I’m excited to have them on the police department leadership team.”

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HISD thanks Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority for Harvey efforts

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This week, HISD joined with more than 20,000 members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated to publicly thank them for donating thousands of dollars to district students and staff in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

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HISD supports summer learning, connects students to high-impact programs through DiscoverU

July 12 is National Summer Learning Day, a day of advocacy aimed at recognizing the importance of keeping students learning, safe, and healthy every summer.

In a city the size of Houston, students can participate in a variety of fun and educational activities that will not only prepare them for the upcoming school year, but also prevent the “summer slide” — learning loss that can occur over the summer months.

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Condit ES awarded LEED Silver certification

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Condit Elementary School has received the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for its new building, which was constructed as part of HISD’s 2012 Bond Program.

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED certification provides independent verification of a building’s green features and is the most widely used green building rating system in the world.

Green schools offer improved air quality, lighting, temperature control, and acoustics, as well as reduced operating costs — all of which enhance the overall learning environment and have been shown to boost student health, test scores, and faculty retention.

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Pre-K and K summer fine arts camp

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A summer afternoon at Bastian Elementary School revealed a wonderful exhibition of paintings and other works of art, as well as a musical performance of songs by Pre-K and Kindergarten students who were wrapping up a four-week summer fine arts camp. The camp, which was based around the four themes of community, transportation, healthy eating, and friendship/fairness, was in response to an initiative from Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan to include the fine arts in summer school.

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