Austin HS readying for construction of new school

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A temporary campus will begin to take shape this summer just across the street from Austin High School as crews begin installing modular buildings to accommodate students during construction of their new school.

The temporary campus will be located along South Lockwood Drive, directly behind the current school. Students will have access to the same programming, activities, clubs, and sports that are currently being offered. Continue reading →

Books Between Kids donates millionth book to HISD student 

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There were bubble machines, free books, and lots of exuberant children at Piney Point Elementary School recently, because Books Between Kids was there to celebrate the presentation of the one-millionth book to an HISD student.

Second-grader Justin Ikwuagwu was the lucky boy, and he seemed a bit overwhelmed by the attention. As Books Between Kids staff and volunteers gathered round for pictures, Justin held up the book, “How Much is a Million?” and smiled shyly.  Continue reading →

Bellaire HS senior twins have matching GPAs and class rank 

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Bellaire High School’s Connelly twins may look alike, but they have forged two very different paths in high school.

Caitlin is varsity swim captain, loves Spanish and will attend Texas Christian University. Gillian is a varsity cheerleader, likes art and history, and will attend Texas A&M. So imagine their mother’s surprise when the calculations for GPA and class rank came back: The girls have the exact same numbers.

“I found it odd that they had exactly the same GPA and class rank,” said Elizabeth Connelly, who teaches second grade at Horn Elementary school. “I thought there must be a mistake, so I contacted the school to verify the information. But it’s correct.” Caitlin and Gillian both have a 3.8 GPA and a class rank of 208 out of 789 students at Bellaire.   Continue reading →

Sharpstown HS construction progresses at full speed

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Construction of the new Sharpstown High School is nearly two-thirds of the way complete, with the new facility expected to open to students in January 2018 when they return from winter break.

Project officials said the concrete walls of the gym and exterior glass wall in the main building are nearly complete, and the interior painting and tiling are halfway done. In addition, air conditioning units have been installed on the roof, wooden cabinets are being installed in science labs, and the outdoor amphitheater is being formed. Continue reading →

Free summer meals offered at more than 250 HISD schools

Houston Independent School District will be kicking off its Summer Meal Program May 31 at more than 250 area schools. Children ages 1 to 18 can enjoy a free healthy breakfast and lunch from May 31, 2017 through Aug. 4, 2017.

Children do not need to be enrolled in summer school to participate in the program, and no paperwork, registration, or proof of income is required. Adults can also participate by purchasing breakfast for $2.25 and lunch for $3.50. Continue reading →

‘Feast of Art’ offers variety of fine arts performances 

Schools in the Chavez High School feeder pattern hosted a fine arts showcase, “A Feast of Art,” on Saturday, May 20 at Chavez High School to celebrate artistic successes achieved by students in District III during the 2016-2017 school year.

The fine arts showcase, part of a larger effort to increase arts access in the area, featured visual artwork created by students from Bellfort Early Childhood Center; Bonner, Lewis, Patterson, Park Place, and Rucker elementary schools; Ortiz and Stevenson middle schools; and Chavez High School.    Continue reading →

HISD celebrates Asian Pacific Heritage Month

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States, and this year, HISD is honoring the district’s Asian principals.

  • Jonathan Trinh, Wisdom High School
  • Jyoti Malhan, Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan
  • Nirmol Lim, Park Place Elementary School
  • John Hendrickson, Field Elementary School
  • Chaolin Chang, Mandarin Immersion Magnet School

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month originated with Congress in 1977, when Rep. Frank Horton of New York introduced a resolution proclaiming the first 10 days in May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, and Sen. Daniel Inouye put forth a similar resolution. Neither passed, but the following year, Horton tried again and succeeded, and a joint resolution passed by the House and Senate was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter on Oct. 5, 1978.  Continue reading →

What’s new with STAAR in 2017 

The Texas Education Agency has redesigned the STAAR student report cards and revised the way your student’s performance is labeled on STAAR tests in grades 3-12.

Confidential Student Reports

The STAAR report card your child receives is known as the Confidential Student Report (CSR). These report cards are published for all students taking the STAAR each year. The CSR has been updated to improve communication and transparency with educators and families, as well as to create a more family-friendly report on student progress that highlights growth and improvement as much as proficiency.  Continue reading →

Kasey Bailey named new principal of Lawson Middle School

Kasey Johnson poses for a photograph, September 2, 2015. (Houston ISD/Dave Einsel)Kasey Bailey has been selected as the new principal of Lawson Middle School. Bailey is currently the principal of Foerster Elementary School. She began her career in 2004 as a middle-school English Teacher and served as assistant principal at Barbara Bush Elementary School and Worthing High School. Bailey received her bachelor’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Stephen F. Austin State University and her master’s degree in Administration and Supervision from the University of Houston–Victoria.

J. Auden Sarabia named new principal of Meyerland Middle School

Auden Sarabia poses for a photograph, September 2, 2015. (Houston ISD/Dave Einsel)J. Auden Sarabia has been selected as the new principal of Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School. Sarabia is currently principal of Crespo Elementary School, a fine arts magnet school. He began his career in 1999 as an instructional technologist at Wharton K-8 Dual Language Academy. He also served as magnet coordinator for Wharton Dual Language Academy and Roberts Elementary School. Sarabia received his bachelor’s degree in Spanish/Education from the University of Texas. He completed the Entrepreneurship Program at Rice University and holds a master’s degree in Instructional Technology from the University of Houston.