It’s not too late to sign up for HISD Text Message Alerts

An emergency text is displayed on a smartphone, August 14, 2014. (Houston ISD/Dave Einsel)The wait is over. Today HISD has launched its new text message notification system, which will help HISD officials quickly and efficiently notify parents and employees when district and campus emergencies occur.

Did you receive a text message from HISD? If you did, that means your cell phone number is registered with HISD or one of its campuses, but you have not signed up for text message alerts. If that’s the case, you likely received the following message: Houston ISD text messages. Reply Y for aprx 3 msgs/mo. Txt HELP for info. Msg & data rates may apply. See schoolmessenger.com/tm. Continue reading →

HISD schools celebrate International Literacy Day

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Many Houston ISD schools held special events to celebrate International Literacy Day on Sept. 8.

Anderson Elementary School students held a parade of book characters, and they participated in a special presentation of the Wizard of Oz. Students and staff donned costumes to perform the story.

“We want to make sure the love of reading comes to life,” Principal Roslyn Vaughn said. Continue reading →

Bellaire HS stakeholders turn out for first bond community meeting

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Members of the Bellaire High School community gathered Thursday evening to learn about the status of the planning and design phase of the school’s new construction project.

As part of HISD’s 2012 bond program, a new Bellaire High School will be constructed that will provide students with a 21st century learning environment and incorporate the recently completed science classroom and laboratory wing.

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HISD students and staff to participate in Green Apple Day of Service

DOS_wordmark_2014Students and staff across Houston Independent School District will have the opportunity to “green” their schools on Sept. 27 by participating in the third annual Green Apple Day of Service.

The event, sponsored by the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council, allows for parents, teachers, and students to create a healthy and productive school environment through local service projects.

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Fallen firefighter’s foundation donates books to HSLECJ

The High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice has new textbooks for future firefighters, thanks to a generous donation.

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The Garner Foundation delivered the books to the school in early September. The foundation was created in honor of firefighter Robert Garner, who lost his life while battling a massive five-alarm fire at the Southwest Inn, 6855 Southwest Freeway on May 31, 2013. Three other firefighters also died battling that blaze. Continue reading →

Yates boys’ basketball teams receive title trophies

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Yates High School received the 2013 and 2014 Conference 3A Boys Basketball State Championship trophies on Tuesday. The University Interscholastic League (UIL) awarded the titles to Yates after they were forfeited by Dallas Independent School District’s Madison High School in August.

“This is a really exciting day. It means a lot for the community and the school,” Coach Greg Wise said. Continue reading →

Grady MS community gets update on construction of building addition

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With signs of construction already visible on campus, Grady Middle School community members gathered at the school on Wednesday evening to hear from the architect and contractor working on a new building addition. Stakeholders expressed enthusiasm for the project, which will complete a multi-phase master plan for the campus.

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Will you be a reading mentor?

Houston ISD and community partners issued a call Thursday for 1,500 volunteers to join HISD’s Read Houston Read program, to mentor first-graders at more than 50 selected elementary schools as part of the district’s Literacy By 3 movement.

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“All along, as we devised our master plan to attack this literacy crisis, we have said that this is not a problem that will be solved in the classroom or the school alone,” said Superintendent Terry Grier at the news conference at Garcia Elementary, one of the participating schools. “It is a community crisis, and the community’s help is needed to solve it. This is a very important — if not the most important — district initiative since I’ve been here.”

Read Houston Read volunteers can sign up for a weekly one-hour mentoring session at a school, where they will work with two first-graders in half-hour sessions — listening to them read, doing an activity related to the book, and reading another book to them. Continue reading →