Two children’s authors visit HISD elementary schools this week

Red ES student Brian Mejia poses for a photo with children author Don Tate and the school librarian, Melissa Buron.

Red ES student Brian Mejia poses for a photo with children author Don Tate and the school librarian, Melissa Buron.

Red Elementary School students welcomed two children’s authors to their school this week. On Monday, Dec. 1, the HISD science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) magnet school celebrated the love of fairy tales with author Liesl Shurtliff. Shurtliff is the author of the Bluebonnet Nominated book “RUMP: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin.”  Author and illustrator Don Tate, who’s written more than 50 books for children, also stopped by Red ES. On Wednesday, Dec. 3, Shurtliff made another visit to a HISD school by reading to students at Patterson Elementary School.

Author Liesl Shurtliff and Red Elementary Students

Red ES students pose for a photo with children’s author Liesl Shurtliff on Dec. 3, 2014.

DSC_0286 (2)

Patterson ES students get a visit from children’s author Liesl Shurtliff on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2014.

Houston Police Department’s K-9 unit inspires students to ‘be a better you’

[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000ik3XJPOL4fw” g_name=”20141204-BeABetterYou-ForesterES” width=”600″ f_fullscreen=”t” bgtrans=”t” pho_credit=”iptc” twoup=”f” f_bbar=”t” f_bbarbig=”f” fsvis=”f” f_show_caption=”t” crop=”f” f_enable_embed_btn=”t” f_htmllinks=”t” f_l=”t” f_send_to_friend_btn=”f” f_show_slidenum=”t” f_topbar=”f” f_show_watermark=”t” img_title=”casc” linkdest=”c” trans=”xfade” target=”_self” tbs=”5000″ f_link=”t” f_smooth=”f” f_mtrx=”t” f_ap=”t” f_up=”f” height=”400″ btype=”old” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” ]

Foerster Elementary School students were treated to a visit from the Houston Police Department’s K-9 Unit on Thursday, Dec. 4 while learning the importance of making positive decisions every day.

Continue reading →

eNews Highlight: College acceptance letter helps quiet student’s fears

Though she’s well on her way to completing no fewer than 16 different applications to various universities, HISD student Olaide Sode was still worried about not getting into college until she received her very first acceptance letter about a month ago.

Read how this milestone experience helped diminish some of the Carnegie Vanguard High School senior’s anxieties in the Dec. 5, 2014, edition of eNews.

Other stories in this week’s edition include:

  • A story on the top toys for the 2014 holiday season, as reported by students from Longfellow ES who conduct a survey every year to help parents avoid gift-giving mistakes
  • A feature on the upcoming Hour of Code, and how HISD students are learning to build web applications and develop other 21st century skills in class
  • A look inside the district’s FUTURES Academies, and why parents should consider these programs before making magnet selections for their children

To have eNews delivered to your inbox automatically every week, just visit www.houstonisd.org/subscribe.

Click here to see the full issue for Dec. 5.

HISD Superintendent and Chief Technology Officer recognized by national education publication

Houston School District CTO Lenny Shad. Photo by Swikar Patel/Education Week

Chief Technology Information Officer Lenny J. Schad (left) and Superintendent Terry B. Grier (right) —Photo by Swikar Patel/Education Week

HISD Superintendent Dr. Terry Grier and Chief Technology Information Officer Lenny Schad are being recognized for their leadership in education technology by Education Week, a leading nonprofit provider of news, information, and analysis in K-12 education. Continue reading →

Cheer on your favorite teams at annual girls’ basketball tournament 

Spectators can catch the hoops action from Thursday, Dec. 4, through Saturday

If you’re in the mood for some exciting full-court action this weekend, check out one (or more!) of the games in HISD’s 31st annual girls’ basketball tournament.

The match-ups will take place at Chávez, North Forest, Reagan, and Westside high schools, as well as the Wilkins Pavilion located on the Forest Brook Middle School campus. Individual game tickets cost $4 each, but a $10 tournament pass will grant admission to all of them.  Continue reading →

HISD announces commitment to expand college access at White House event

Houston ISD EMERGE students visit Boston College, June 4, 2014. (Dave Einsel / Houston ISD)

Houston ISD EMERGE students visit Boston College, June 4, 2014. (Dave Einsel / Houston ISD)

HISD College Readiness Assistant Superintendent Rick Cruz will join President Obama, the First Lady, and Vice President Biden along with hundreds of college presidents and other higher education leaders Thursday to announce new actions to help more students prepare for and graduate from college.

The White House College Opportunity Day of Action serves to strengthen the President’s commitment to partner with colleges and universities, business leaders, and nonprofits to support students across the country as they help the U.S. reach its goal of leading the world in college attainment. The event is being held at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C. Continue reading →

Principals get personalized dose of holiday cheer at monthly meeting

Students and staff at each campus create gift baskets for campus leaders in thanks

When HISD principals walked into their monthly meeting at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center on Dec. 3, they discovered a wonderland of gift baskets, glittering bows, and even original works of art.

The colorful and festive treats were assembled on the sly by students and staff members from each school as a gesture of thanks for all their campus leaders do, and the prevailing reaction among the principals was speechlessness.

Continue reading →

Central Office department dedicates time to volunteer for Read Houston Read

The ELA secondary team was recognized by Superintendent Grier at the December Central office meeting. (Houston Independent School District)

The ELA secondary team was recognized by Superintendent Grier at the December Central office meeting. (Houston Independent School District)

Community members, parents, and former HISD students have signed up to read to a first-grader through HISD’s Read Houston Read campaign. Now HISD employees are also volunteering to read to a student, and one central office department is leading the charge.  Continue reading →

Elementary students take art ‘on the road’ to promote fine arts magnet program

FullSizeRender3
The lobby of Spring Hill Suites by Marriott will be transformed into an art gallery from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4, thanks to the creativity of 30 Crespo Elementary School students.The event will help raise public awareness of HISD’s outstanding magnet programs, and Crespo is honored to represent the fine arts programs in particular.

Continue reading →