HISD wins national award for crisis communications during Hurricane Harvey  

District wins 5 NSPRA Golden Achievement Awards and multiple honors for print and digital communications 

The Houston Independent School District Communications team was honored for its crisis communications to families, staff, and the community during Hurricane Harvey – the worst disaster in Houston history – with a Golden Achievement Award from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA).

HISD’s Communications team, under the direction of Chief Communications Officer Rebecca Suarez, worked day and night to keep families and the public informed before, during, and after Hurricane Harvey. In addition to local communications efforts, the team also facilitated the dissemination of information on a state and national level.

“Harvey did not stop us, but it made us stronger. Despite the difficulties from the hurricane, we found creative ways to communicate critical and timely information to our students, parents, employees, and the community during one of the worst disasters in local history,” Suarez said. “I’m very proud of my team for the hard work and commitment to putting students first in everything we do.”

Golden Achievement Awards recognize exemplary work in all aspects of school public relations, communication, marketing, and engagement. HISD won a total of five Golden Achievement Awards for the following work:  Continue reading →

HISD ‘Get Growing Houston’ school garden program awarded grant from USDA 

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The Houston Independent School District has been awarded a $67,395 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the district’s “Get Growing Houston” program.

Part of the USDA’s Farm to School Program, the grant will enable HISD’s Nutrition Services department to expand the program to 15 additional schools, which will be selected in the fall.

The program was piloted during the 2017-2018 school year in four elementary schools: Hobby, Shearn, Gallegos, and Cook.

“Get Growing Houston” uses an interdisciplinary approach to teach elementary school students about the importance of healthy foods and good nutrition through the creation and cultivation of school gardens.

“Once students feel the ownership of the garden, their preferences and willingness to try the produce they grew increases,” HISD Food Literacy Dietitian Julia Jarrell said. “It also opens the discussion to the benefits of a healthy diet, agriculture and cultural preferences, and exposure to other people’s relationship with foods.”   Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education approves 2018-2019 budget

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved a $2 billion budget for the 2018-2019 school year.

The budget includes $17 million in increases for special education, dyslexia programs, and Achieve 180, the research-based program that will continue next school year to support underserved and underperforming schools. The budget also includes a performance review by the Texas Legislative Budget Board (LBB).

The board also voted to reduce the proposed performance review allotment from $2.5 million to $1 million, with the difference of $1.5 million being transferred immediately to the general fund reserve for operations. The total cost of the performance review to be conducted by the LBB has not yet been determined.  The LBB is expected to begin working on the performance review in fall 2018 so that findings may be used by the board in the decision-making process during the next budget cycle.

As other large school districts in Texas, HISD continues to face looming budget shortfalls in the coming years due to inadequate state funding and increasing recapture payments. HISD has been designated by the state as a property-wealthy school district under the state’s school finance system, despite the fact that almost 80 percent of students are considered low-income.

Recapture requires districts that exceed a certain per-student property wealth level to send local tax dollars to the state. The 2018-19 budget has a $272.5 million recapture payment budgeted.

Program offers grads an opportunity to explore high-paying careers 

Are you a graduated senior interested in getting to work right away? Are you still trying to navigate your plans? HISD is offering an opportunity to explore high-paying careers in high-demand fields on Thursday, June 28 through BridgeYear.

Two sessions (morning and afternoon) will be offered to accommodate student schedules:

  • Session #1: 9 a.m. – noon
  • Session #2: 1 – 4 p.m.

Continue reading →

Building demolition underway at Braeburn ES

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Demolition at Braeburn Elementary School is underway, with site work and paving soon to follow as crews begin the process of rebuilding the flood-ravaged campus.

“The community is excited to watch as demolition continues and progress on the new building begins,” Braeburn Principal Amanda Rodgers said.

The campus is one of four elementary schools — Braeburn, Mitchell, Scarborough, and Kolter — being rebuilt as a result of damages sustained last year during Hurricane Harvey.

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Demolition in progress at Kolter ES

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The demolition of flood-ravaged Kolter Elementary School is underway, with site work and building construction expected to start soon after.

Construction is expected to continue through 2019, with the new school opening in early 2020. Students and staff will remain at their current temporary location — the former Gordon Elementary School campus on Avenue B in Bellaire — for the duration of the construction process.

The foreign language magnet is one of four elementary schools — Braeburn, Mitchell, Scarborough, and Kolter — being rebuilt as a result of damages sustained last year during Hurricane Harvey.

Continue reading →

Former Mitchell ES currently undergoing abatement

Work has begun at Mitchell Elementary School, where abatement is underway, and demolition is soon to start.

The campus is one of four elementary schools — Braeburn, Mitchell, Scarborough, and Kolter — being rebuilt as a result of damages sustained last year during Hurricane Harvey.

Mitchell’s $23 million facility will accommodate about 750 students. The two-story 91,300-square-foot-building will feature open, brightly colored learning spaces, large windows, abundant natural light, and extended learning spaces throughout the building for individual and group collaboration.

Continue reading →

Abatement underway at Scarborough ES

Work has begun at Scarborough Elementary School, where abatement is underway and demolition is soon to start.

The campus is one of four elementary schools — Braeburn, Mitchell, Scarborough, and Kolter — being rebuilt as a result of damages sustained last year during Hurricane Harvey.

Scarborough’s $23 million facility will accommodate about 750 students. The two-story 91,300-square-foot-building will feature open brightly-colored learning spaces, large windows, abundant natural light, and extended learning spaces throughout the building for individual and group collaboration.

Continue reading →

LaJuana Armstrong-Jean named new principal of Isaacs Elementary School

(Milton Durango)LaJuana Armstrong-Jean has been selected as the new principal of Isaacs Elementary School. Armstrong-Jean joined Team HISD in 1996 as an associate teacher and later began teaching full time at Garden Villas Elementary School. Armstrong-Jean went on to serve as an instructional coordinator and assistant principal, most recently at Key Middle School. Armstrong-Jean received a Bachelor of Science in Health Administration from Southwest Texas State University and a master’s in Educational Administration from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Preliminary HISD STAAR scores show strong gains across multiple grades, subjects, and student groups

Houston Independent School District students showed strong gains that exceeded those made by the state in third- through eighth-grade reading and math, and on end-of-course (EOC) assessments in English I and Algebra I, according to preliminary 2018 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores.

“This year, our students made significant progress on the state-mandated STAAR tests,” Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “We are excited about what these preliminary results mean for our schools labeled by the state as Improvement Required and our district’s accountability ratings. HISD is shifting course and turning schools around. We know that it is critical that we continue our commitment to strengthening the supports in place to further advance our progress in student achievement.”

Overall, the spring administration of the 2018 STAAR grades 3-8 assessment results indicate the district held steady or showed increases in the percentage of students meeting the Approaches Grade Level standard in reading, math, science, and social studies. Continue reading →