Attendance matters: Improvement strategies show promising results at two HISD elementary schools

More and more, educators are realizing that attendance is critical to a child’s academic success. In fact, attendance is directly tied to performance – in general, the lower a child’s attendance rate, the lower their grades. Chronic absenteeism (missing 10 percent or more days a year) leads to a greater chance of that child dropping out of school.

HISD’s Family and Community Engagement Dept. (FACE) has been using a new initiative to increase attendance at Franklin and Whittier elementary schools, with positive results. FACE provided professional development for teachers and attendance clerks, a workshop for parents on the importance of attending school, and programs to promote attendance. The attendance plan had three major components: a data-tracking system, a rewards program, and chronic-absenteeism intervention.

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Crews making progress on Delmar Fieldhouse demolition

Exterior views of Delmar Field House, October 25, 2013. (Houston ISD/Dave Einsel)

Before demolition

Construction crews made progress on the demolition of Delmar Fieldhouse on Monday as part of HISD’s plans to level the 55-year-old athletic facility and replace it with a modern complex.

The building, located at 2020 Magnum Road adjacent to the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, will be replaced with a new three-story facility funded by the district’s 2012 $1.89 billion bond program. The 139,000-square-foot facility will include a basketball and volleyball arena, additional locker rooms, training rooms, and athletic storage to accommodate the existing athletic stadium and ball fields.

Workers continue the demolition of Delmar-Tusa Fieldhouse, January 27, 2014. (Houston ISD/Dave Einsel)

Demolition underway

Construction of the new facility, designed by PBK Sports, is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2014 by DivisionOne Construction, the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) selected by HISD to construct the new athletic complex. The design team, the district’s athletic department and HISD’s bond department are developing design concepts and exploring construction phases for the $44.7 million project that is expected to be complete by mid-2015.

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Classes resume Wednesday but remember it’s early dismissal

HISD students were back in class on Wednesday, Jan. 29 as scheduled.

Parents, please also remember that Wednesday is a previously scheduled early dismissal day, with schools releasing 2.5 hours earlier than usual.

Because of an officiating scheduling problem, all middle school basketball games scheduled for Wednesday were postponed to Thursday.

For additional updates, please visit www.houstonisd.org, call the HISD Inclement Weather Hotline at 713-267-1704, or follow the district on Twitter and Facebook: twitter.com/houstonisd (handle: @houstonisd) and facebook.com/houstonisd.

Many concerned parents and students are already asking about how lost instructional time will be made up, and if students will be required to attend class on April 18 (HISD’s Spring Holiday) or May 26 (Memorial Day). These days are scheduled holidays, but also the district’s designated make-up days for the current school year.

To learn more about make-up days, click here.

All HISD schools and offices closed due to inclement weather

Classes expected to resume Wednesday

The Houston Independent School District has canceled all classes tomorrow — Tuesday, Jan. 28 — as a result of the potential for inclement weather and related dangerous road conditions.

HISD officials have been closely monitoring the weather for the past 24 hours and have determined that icy road conditions in some parts of the Houston area may make for dangerous driving. As a result, all HISD schools and district administrative offices are closed for the day on Tuesday. All afternoon activities and athletic events are also canceled. Parents, students and staff are being notified by phone.

Classes are scheduled to resume as usual on Wednesday, Jan. 29. However, we are continuing to monitor weather conditions and will notify parents if that changes.

For additional updates, please visit www.houstonisd.org, call the HISD Inclement Weather Hotline at 713-267-1704, or follow the district on Twitter and Facebook: twitter.com/houstonisd (handle: @houstonisd) and facebook.com/houstonisd.

 

UPDATED: Your make-up day questions answered

The district’s 2013-2014 academic calendar adopted by the HISD Board of Education, designates the Spring Holiday (April 18, 2014) and Memorial Day (May 26, 2014) as makeup days. To make up the days lost due to wintry weather on Friday, January 24, and Tuesday, January 28, HISD schools will now be open April 18 and May 26 for students, faculty and support staff.

Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions:

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HISD students, staff join national school choice celebration at Union Station

Clifton MS sixth-grader Victoria Lopez and her mom got to know HISD School Support Officer Lupita Hinojosa, left, at Saturday’s National School Choice Week kick-off event.

HISD students and staff were among the thousands who attended the National School Choice Week kick-off at Houston’s Union Station Saturday, Jan. 25. The celebration brought together Democrats and Republicans, home-schoolers, public school districts, charters, and even a few virtual learners around a common cause: school choice.

Superintendent Terry Grier, introduced by KIPP Co-founder Mike Feinberg, pointed out to a sea of yellow scarves and signs advocating school choice. Nearly 70,000 students in HISD are exercising their right to choose the school that meets their unique needs. Contingents from Elrod,Garden Oaks, Parker, Poe Red, and Roberts elementary schools; Clifton, Fleming, Johnston and Revere middle schools; and Chavez, Challenge Early College and South Early College high schools were there.

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Get HISD weather plans here and @HoustonISD on Twitter

HISD families and employees are urged to stay connected through social media – such as @HoustonISD on Twitter – to check whether another round of wintry weather forcecast for the Houston area will impact schools, district facilities, and afterschool activities on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for all of southeast Texas from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday. The forecast shows the potential for precipitation, including snow and freezing rain, that could lead to dangerous driving conditions.

The wintry weather is expected to arrive just a few days after freezing rain and icy conditions forced HISD and school districts across the area to cancel school last Friday.

Please continue to follow this website, your school’s websites or our Twitter account @HoustonISD and Facebook page at Houston Independent School District for the very latest information about HISD’s plans. We’ll also call parents and update the Inclement Weather Hotline, which you can reach at 713-267-1704, if the district cancels classes.

All HISD schools and offices closed due to inclement weather

Classes to resume on Monday

UPDATE: 1/24 @ 1:04 p.m.: 

With dangerous road conditions still present across the Houston area, HISD has decided to cancel all districtwide athletic and academic events scheduled this afternoon and this evening, including the wrestling and debate tournaments. Also canceled are all soccer and basketball games. For information on the status of school-based events, please contact the individual school for updates. Currently, all athletic and academic events scheduled for Saturday are anticipated to take place. The debate tournament, however, will be rescheduled to a later date.

 

The Houston Independent School District has canceled all classes today — Friday, Jan. 24 — as a result of this morning’s inclement weather and the related potential for dangerous road conditions.

HISD officials have been closely monitoring the weather for the past 48 hours and have determined that icy road conditions in some parts of the Houston area may make for dangerous driving. As a result, all HISD schools and district administrative offices are closed for the day. Parents, students and staff are being notified by phone.

With temperatures forecast to rise throughout Friday and into the weekend, no schedule changes are expected for district athletic events on Friday afternoon or evening. No interruption to academic events scheduled for Saturday is anticipated.

Classes will resume as usual on Monday, Jan. 27.

HISD will make up the day on either April 18 or Memorial Day (May 26).

For additional updates, please visit www.houstonisd.org, call the HISD Inclement Weather Hotline at 713-267-1704, or follow the district on Twitter and Facebook: twitter.com/houstonisd (handle: @houstonisd) and facebook.com/houstonisd.

Contractor event offers opportunity to network on Worthing HS building project

More than 70 subcontractors were encouraged to bid now for construction work for a new building addition at Worthing High School during a meet and greet Wednesday with the school’s construction managers.

“The people here today are very interested in the 2012 bond,” said HISD supplier diversity specialist Vanessa McGinnis. “We’re giving local subcontractors and minority- and women-owned businesses an opportunity to talk one-on-one with the construction manager at risk for this project, so they can learn how their business and services may be used for this project.”

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