Angel Wilson has been selected as the new principal of Cornelius Elementary School. Wilson has served as a teacher and Teacher Development Specialist, and she has a wide range of campus leadership experience in diverse communities such as Durkee Elementary, where she was dean of instruction; Thompson Elementary, where she was assistant principal; and Lanier Middle School, where she was also assistant principal. Wilson holds a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education and a Masters in Educational Administration. Both degrees are from Prairie View A&M University.
Garden Oaks Montessori gathers for groundbreaking
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Despite a stormy forecast, the weather cleared up just long enough Friday morning for the Garden Oaks Montessori community to officially celebrate the start of construction on their new addition and renovations.
The suddenly sunny skies matched the mood of hundreds of students, staff, and community members who took part in the groundbreaking ceremony.
“We have some sunlight, so let’s make the most of this beautiful moment in time,” Principal Lindsey Pollock said as she kicked off the celebration, which included student performances and a recitation of the Garden Oaks Creed.
HISD elementary students’ poetry, artwork featured in Houston Symphony production
Poetry and artwork created by second grade students from Patterson Elementary School will be featured in the Houston Symphony’s Carnival of the Animals jazz production Saturday at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts.
With guidance from the Houston Symphony, the students wrote poetry based on the movement of each animal featured in the show and their personal interpretation of the music. To complement their poetry, the students also created visual art, which will be on display in the Jones Hall lobby on Saturday and Sunday.
Patterson, a dual language literature magnet school, was selected for the Houston Symphony’s School Residency program, designed to provide music education experiences for second-graders while exploring connections between music and literacy. As part of the program, the school receives two pre-concert classroom visits and one post-concert visit led by the Houston Symphony community-embedded musicians.
The program also is part of the district’s fine arts initiative to ensure students in the Chavez High School feeder pattern have the opportunity to continue learning about art, drama, and music from elementary through high school.
The Carnival of the Animals production is scheduled for 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 18 at Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana St.
Westbury HS community gathers to break ground on new addition, renovation
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Westbury High School Principal Susan Monaghan flashed a smile as she grabbed a shovel adorned with a bright blue bow and dug it into the dirt at her feet.
Flanked by district, campus and bond project officials, Monaghan then lifted her shovel and turned it over, letting clumps of dirt fall to the ground in a ceremonial groundbreaking marking the start of construction at the campus.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of this history-making event at Westbury High School,” Monaghan said as she kicked off the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday.
HISD to kick off districtwide Voter Registration Week
The Houston Independent School District will kick off a districtwide voter registration drive as part of the district’s ongoing efforts to teach students about their civic duties and the voting process.
HISD will host its Voter Registration Week beginning on Presidents’ Day – Monday, Feb. 20. Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center (9400 Irvington Blvd., 77076) is one of many HISD campuses that will register students to vote from Monday, Feb. 20 through Friday, Feb. 24.
Honor African Americans during Black History Month by learning about HISD’s namesake schools
HISD is celebrating Black History Month by exploring the many schools named for distinguished African Americans in the community. The district has more than 30 schools that recognize the contributions of African American leaders ranging from renowned educators to legislators to community leaders. The first week’s story focused on early childhood centers and elementary schools. Last week, the series continued with middle and combination schools, and this third week is high schools, alternative schools, and the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center.
Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center – When former teacher Hattie Mae White (1916-1993) was elected to the HISD Board of Education in 1958, she was the first African American elected to public office in Texas in the 20th century. She led the effort to desegregate Houston’s schools, undeterred despite racist attacks. White also was elected to the YWCA Metropolitan Board of Directors, where she served for six years. After being defeated for a third term with HISD, she returned to teaching and retired at age 70. She attended Booker T. Washington High School and the former Texas Southern University before graduating from what is now Prairie View A&M University. The HISD district headquarters building on Richmond was named in her honor, as is the new building on W. 18th Street that replaced it.
HISD superintendent urges business community, state lawmakers to invest in every child
HISD Board President Wanda Adams says investment in our students is the board’s top priority
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Speaking before a sold-out crowd, HISD Superintendent Richard Carranza and HISD Board of Education President Wanda Adams urged business professionals and state lawmakers to see public education as an investment to ensure the future success of every student that walks through a school’s doors.
“I am here to tell you that we must invest in every child,” Carranza said. “Regardless of where they live, where they were born, the color of their skin, their religion, or the language they speak. Every child at every school deserves a high-quality education that prepares them for a successful future … They are our future leaders, engineers, entrepreneurs, computer programmers. They are the fulfillment of Houston’s enormous potential.” Continue reading
Groundbreaking ceremonies planned for Westbury HS, Garden Oaks Montessori
Westbury High School and Garden Oaks Montessori will hold groundbreaking ceremonies this week to celebrate the start of construction on their campuses as part of the voter-approved 2012 Bond Program.
Westbury is set to receive a new two-story addition and renovations to the existing building to accommodate 2,300 to 2,500 students. The new $40 million facility will feature 26 new classrooms that will replace current portable buildings, flexible learning centers, a commons area designed to serve a dual purpose as both a dining and gathering space, and two gymnasiums. New baseball and softball fields were included in an early phase of the project and already have been completed. Continue reading
Applications now open for City of Houston summer jobs
The City of Houston has just announced that it has more than 450 summer jobs available for students between the ages of 16 and 21 years of age. It’s is a great opportunity to “learn and earn” while making $8 or more an hour.
Students can start applying today, and the final deadline is March 20.
The positions offer at least 32 hours a week from June 12 to Aug. 3.
City departments now hiring include:
- Library Operations
- Houston Police Department
- Park Maintenance
- Parks Community Centers
- Houston Fire Department
- Information Technology
- Houston Health Department
For a complete list of departments and to apply, visit www.houstontx.gov/summerjobs.
Questions? Email SummerJobs@serhouston.org or call 713-773-6004 or 832-393-6148.
Town hall meeting planned with Trustee Eastman, Superintendent Carranza at Northside HS
HISD Board of Education Trustee Anna Eastman will host a community town hall meeting for the north region schools with Superintendent Richard Carranza at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at Northside High School.
The meeting will be held as a way to solicit input from stakeholders about the district’s future and learn about key issues across HISD.