Nutrition Services offers tips on how to maximize Halloween fun

Stevens Elementary School student Ke’Oshia Johnson picks up a treat during healthy Halloween class.

Stevens Elementary School student Ke’Oshia Johnson picks up a treat during healthy Halloween class.

Excited children in costumes will soon flood neighborhood sidewalks to perform their annual collection of Halloween treats. As plastic pumpkins fill with sugary sweets, parents may ask, “Is it possible to have a healthy Halloween?”

Nutrition Services Education Dietitian Jennifer Lengyel believes it is, through proper education. Lengyel has been teaching elementary school students how to become responsible trick-or-treaters and avoid the issues that come with overindulging.

“The goal is for students to have fun during Halloween, to learn moderation, and take care of their bodies,” Lengyel said. “Talking about how they feel when having too much candy is a better teaching tool than just telling them what not to do.” Continue reading →

Power of social media helps the Rusk School harness the power of the sun

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Students at HISD’s Rusk School will soon be growing organic food for local charities, after the campus completed construction on a geodesic-dome-shaped, solar-powered greenhouse funded by a $25,000 grant from the State Farm Youth Advisory Board.

The school won the grant in 2012 through the organization’s “Cause An Effect” program (later re-named “Neighborhood Assist”), an online contest that generates votes for local causes through social media. A student panel chose 100 finalists from a field of 3,000 entries, and voters on State Farm’s Facebook page chose the top 40 winners. Continue reading →

Texas College Night helps seniors narrow down college choices

Many members of HISD’s Class of 2016 got a clearer vision of their future at Texas College Night on Oct. 28. More than 1,200 students from about 50 high schools attended the event at the University of Houston.

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“Students were able to go breakout sessions and learn about careers in STEM, public service, business, or education,” said David Johnston, director of HISD’s College Readiness team. Continue reading →

Bond Oversight Committee receives updates on third quarter progress, additional funding proposal

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HISD’s Bond Oversight Committee met this week to review third quarter progress on the district’s $1.89 billion bond program and received a project-by-project analysis that outlines additional funding that the district potentially needs to ensure all work is completed as initially described in the 2012 bond election.

Continue reading →

NAEP results show HISD students outperforming peers across country in math

Report shows African American, Hispanic, and white students outperforming peers in math.

Houston Independent School District fourth and eighth graders outperformed their peers across the nation in math, according to recently released results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

The math results also show that HISD students in both grades outperformed their national counterparts in all subgroups, which means white, African American and Hispanic students are doing better than their respective peers across the country. Continue reading →

Dowling MS holds second community meeting to provide update on new school

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Dowling Middle School held its second community meeting on Tuesday evening to brief stakeholders on the design process for a 21st century learning environment, which is being built under the district’s 2012 bond program.

Continue reading →

Schools: Want to start/expand a garden? Apply for a grant!

Does your school want to start a garden or expand an existing one? The National Gardening Association is taking applications for Youth Garden Grants!

Interested schools must fill out an application that details how many children will participate in the garden program, if the school’s garden program faces any special needs or challenges, the educational goals of the garden, and more. Schools can visit this website see all of the questions they need to answer before they begin filling out the application. Continue reading →

Experience the benefits of yoga on Nov. 7

About 25,000 students in 51 HISD schools participate in yoga-style classes twice a week, and on Nov. 7 you can get a taste of the program that’s helping students personally and academically.

The Wanderlust 108 Festival features a large-scale, 90-minute yoga class and guided mindfulness exercise led by top teachers. There will also be a 5k run, musical performances, and more.

The event, which will be held at Buffalo Bayou Park from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., normally commands a $60 entry fee, but HISD parents can get an 83 percent discount! Visit this website and use the code “sonimalove” to get a reduced price of $10. Students can get in for free by using the code “HISD.” (Note: You will need to make separate transactions to use both discount codes.)

HISD has partnered with the Sonima Foundation since 2013. The yoga-style classes held in 51 campuses include stretching, relaxation techniques, and lessons about nutrition. The curriculum is designed to minimize stress, reduce bullying and violence, increase attendance, and improve academic performance. By the 2018–2019 school year, the district plans to have the program in place at 273 schools.

Upcoming HISD football games to be rescheduled due to weekend storms

Four Houston Independent School District varsity football games planned for this weekend are being rescheduled as a result of schedule conflicts caused by the recent storm. The schedule conflicts were created when two games on Saturday, Oct. 24 — Yates vs. Davis and Washington vs. Wheatley — had to be moved to Monday, Oct. 26 because of inclement weather. Continue reading →

Schad to oversee Construction & Facilities Department, including bond program

Chief Technology Information Officer Lenny Schad will assume the responsibilities of the Construction & Facilities Department, including the 2012 bond program, following the resignation of the district’s Chief Operating Officer Leo Bobadilla.

The other departments that reported to Bobadilla have been reassigned to other members of HISD’s administration:

  • Business Assistance, including Warehouse Operations, Risk Management and Supplier Diversity will become part of the Finance Department and report to Deputy Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer Ken Huewitt.
  • Transportation and Nutrition Services will become a part of the Office of Student Support and report to Chief Student Support Officer Mark Smith.
  • The HISD Police Department will report directly to Superintendent Terry Grier with assistance from Chief of Staff Jason Spencer.