Roberts ES teacher ‘Caught in the Act’ of delivering great instruction

Roberts Elementary School English teacher Jennifer Heemer was recently “Caught in the Act” of great instruction during a lesson on how to compose an essay. An HISD video crew, along with Chief Elementary Curriculum and Development Officer Lance Menster, surprised Heemer and her students and captured the video below.

The “Caught in the Act”—or CIA—video campaign was started by HISD to recognize highly effective teachers who are delivering instruction that will lead to students become Global Graduates: young men and women who possess the skills necessary to ensure success in college and the ability to compete in today’s global workforce.

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Sharpstown International student wins Luby’s ACT grand prize

Katherine Miranda cited for her leadership, compassion, and generosity of spirit

Katherine Miranda

Sharpstown International School (SIS) has among its students an exceptional eighth-grader who epitomizes the quality of character that the Luby’s Achieving Character Together (ACT) program is looking for. Katherine Miranda was recognized on May 28, 2015, during the final assembly of the school year, as Luby’s ACT grand prize winner. Continue reading →

Washington HS community learns how fault line will impact design

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More than 65 people turned out Tuesday to a community meeting at Booker T. Washington High School to discuss how a geological fault line will impact the design of the new school being built under the bond program.

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Up Close checks in with Read Houston Read for a year-end update

HISD’s Read Houston Read program just completed its first full year of operations, in which first-graders are paired up with adult mentors to build students’ literacy skills.

In the June 2015 edition of “HISD Up Close,” Board of Education President Rhonda Skillern-Jones checks in with HISD Curriculum Specialist Carly Colton and Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation Director Neil Bush for an update on the program’s status.

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Apollo 20 Fellowship program highlighted on Great Day Houston

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HISD’s Apollo 20 Fellowship program was the subject of a recent segment on KHOU’s “Great Day Houston” with Debra Duncan.

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Substitute teacher leads fledgling choir to greatness

When Starlic Williams initially came to McGowen Elementary School, he was only supposed to be serving as a substitute teacher for a few days, filling in for a band instructor who was out sick.

“[But] I saw a piano in the corner that wasn’t being used, so I pulled it out and started teaching the kids to sing,” explained Williams. “The principal saw us and asked me to come back for the remainder of the school year and start a choir. I was excited and accepted the challenge.”

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Teachers: Attend a job fair for North Forest area schools on June 5

$5,000 sign-on/transfer bonus being offered

Teachers interested in making a difference in a child’s life can attend a job fair on Friday, June 5, for HISD schools in the North Forest area.

There are openings at all levels, and a $5,000 sign-on or transfer bonus is being offered to help recruit highly effective teachers to North Forest schools. You must be a pool-approved candidate to attend or a current HISD teacher to attend. Use the link below to apply now.

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Student creates powerful video on post-Memorial Day flood

When classes were cancelled in the Bayou City due to flooding on May 26, senior Jay Mondkar did not waste his day off. Mondkar, a student at Carnegie Vanguard High School, chose to bike to his school and record the aftermath of the flood with his Nikon D800 camera. He then made a video and posted it on YouTube. Within five days, the video accumulated 2,156 views.

The video, titled “Houston Flooded”, shows scenes of the torrential downpour and water-filled highways, as well as firefighters clearing roads and Houstonians navigating the damaged city.

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‘Chicken Soup’ books to feed students’ reading appetite

Students at Poe ES pose with Principal Jeff Amerson and their new books.

Students at Poe ES pose with Principal Jeff Amerson and their new books.

A new partnership between the Boniuk Foundation and Chicken Soup for the Soul is helping students in HISD and across Harris County to develop more cultural awareness while simultaneously building their literacy skills.

The partnership kicked off on May 14 at Poe Elementary School, where a group of students gathered to open boxes of books that were being delivered to the libraries of every school in Harris County.

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Young Women’s College Prep Academy observes first historic graduation

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On May 31, Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy (YWCPA) celebrated its first graduating class at the University of Houston’s Cullen Performance Hall.

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