Summer enrichment program gives students a glimpse inside national politics

Carnegie Vanguard HS students Bonnie Sullivan (2nd from L), and Connor Burwell (far R) pose with Senator Ted Cruz.

Carnegie Vanguard HS students Bonnie Sullivan (2nd from L), and Connor Burwell (far R) pose with Senator Ted Cruz.

If Bonnie Sullivan still wasn’t sure about her plans after graduation, she is now.

Bonnie was one of four rising seniors from Carnegie Vanguard High School (and only 100 from around the world) to participate in a summer school program recently in the nation’s capital, and her experience there only cemented her desire to pursue a career in politics.

“I did it because I thought it would be interesting,” she said. “But being in D.C. and meeting policymakers made me realize it would be something I’d enjoy.”
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Henry MS students spend summer building garden at school

Incoming seventh-graders at Henry Middle School have spent their summer creating something beautiful and educational for their campus.

Teacher Terry Moore and his students have spent three weeks building a garden at the school, thanks to donated funds. The garden consists of 15 planters and a pond with a bridge. The students studied plant lifecycles, germination, and pollination before they chose the plants they wanted to nurture. They then took to constructing, digging, painting, and planting to bring the garden to fruition.

“This is a huge undertaking for the kids,” said Moore.
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EMERGE SAT boot camp aims to boost scores, student dreams

Across the U.S., thousands of high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors buy books, attend seminars and complete online tutorials in hopes of boosting their SAT scores. This year, HISD EMERGE fellows hope to boost their scores by attending an intensive SAT boot camp which provides test strategies and content-based instruction. In past years, the program has led to significant increases in scores on the critical reading, mathematics and writing sections of the SAT.

Students who attended boot camp said they found the materials and instructors helpful:

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Consistency, support make all the difference in HISD’s Literacy By 3 initiative

HISD’s focus on literacy may be nothing new, but according to Elementary Curriculum & Instruction Officer Lance Menster, many components of the district’s Literacy By 3 initiative are.

“The difference is in the districtwide alignment and the resources and support that will be available,” said Menster. “This is one of the most exciting things happening right now in HISD.”

Menster appeared alongside Elementary Reading Manager Malene Golding in the July 2014 edition of HISD Up Close (a district TV program hosted by the Board of Education President Juliet Stipeche) to discuss Literacy By 3 and to talk about what sets it apart from the district’s previous literacy efforts.

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Pen pal project builds bridge to literacy for all participants

Neff ES student Leticia Hernandez is all smiles after reading her April pen pal letter from Westside HS student Annie Edick.

When Neff Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Stefani Patch first coordinated a pen pal exchange between her students and some of their older counterparts last school year, she had no idea that it would result in both parties improving their literacy skills.

But participating students at Westside High School were forced to bring their “A game” to the table once they saw the caliber of their younger correspondents’ letters.

“My students were blown away by the quality of writing from the younger students,” said Westside High School teacher Donna Patch (who is also Stefani’s mother). “It challenged them to be more creative and to focus on their own writing.”
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Bellaire HS debate coach receives two big honors

Jay Stubbs

School may technically be out, but it’s been a busy summer for Jay Stubbs, Bellaire High School’s speech and debate coach. He took a team to nationals, was inducted into the National Forensic League Hall of Fame and received the Texas Bar Association’s Leon Jaworski Award for Teaching Excellence in Law Focused Education – all in June!

“Being inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame and receiving this award from the Texas Bar Association mean so much to me,” Stubbs said. “How lucky I am to receive awards on behalf of the successes of so many of my students.”

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Hearing set this week on HISD redistricting plan

The Houston Independent School District will hold one more public hearings this week to gain feedback about a draft plan to redraw all nine trustee districts.

The hearings will take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at district headquarters at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, 4400 W. 18th St. 77092.

The last of the four hearings – one was held last week and another was held on Tuesday – is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. July 15 at Austin High School, 1700 Dumble St. 77023. Continue reading →

Digital transformation ‘Power(ing)Up’ job prospects for high school students

Sharpstown High School 2014 graduate Jairo Luna prepares laptops at a NetSync warehouse for distribution to classrooms, July 2, 2014. The Sharpstown PowerUp coordinator recommended Luna for the internship. (Houston ISD/Dave Einsel)

Jairo Luna

HISD is only one full year into its one-to-one laptop distribution as part of the district’s PowerUp initiative, but that hasn’t stopped students from reaping the benefits of the district’s bold, three-year push to close the digital divide.

Three Sharpstown High School students—Class of 2014 members Kevin Gordwin and Jairo Luna, and junior Keion Jackson—have already landed three of the coveted summer internships available with NetSync, the district’s approved vendor for distributing computers. And, they’re making good money while doing it.

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