iWatch Harris County Mobile App to Provide HISD Another Tool to Further Promote School Safety

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office, (HCSO) in partnership with the Houston Independent School District (HISD), is launching iWatch Harris County, a new tool that allows Houston students to report crimes in and around their campuses via an application on their mobile phones.

i-Watch Harris County, now in its second year, is a free mobile app that lets users send anonymous tips, images and videos reporting crimes or suspicious activities directly to law enforcement.  HCSO has formatted the app to support HISD as it monitors reports made specifically about any of the district’s 282 campuses.

“We are excited to be partnering with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office to make iWatch available to HISD’s students,” HISD Chief of Police Jimmy Dotson said.  “iWatch will allow students to report any suspicious activity they see while maintaining their anonymity.”

In addition to HISD, the HCSO is also collaborating with other school districts within Harris County to roll out this app on their campuses within the next six weeks.

What:             Press conference to launch iWatch Harris County at HISD schools

Who:               Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia, HISD Chief of Police Jimmy Dotson,                         iWatch Harris County App Developer Dan Elliott

When:             Monday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m.  

Where:            Austin High School, 1700 Dumble St.

HISD Names Outstanding Hall of Fame Partners During Annual Appreciation Breakfast

The Houston Independent School District paid tribute on Friday to four of its long-standing, dedicated partners during the Annual Partnership Appreciation Breakfast.

The Houston Astros, Houston Food Bank, IPAA/PESA Education Center and Target each received a 2013 Hall of Fame award for their exemplary service to HISD students. The award is presented to businesses and organizations that have an impact on multiple schools and serve as a model for other partnerships.

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HISD to Announce Outstanding Hall of Fame Partners during Annual Appreciation Breakfast

What: The Houston Independent School District will pay tribute to four of its long-standing, dedicated partners during the Annual Partnership Appreciation Breakfast. The 2013 theme — HISD Partners: Becoming Great All Over — serves to recognize the importance of our partners and the role they place in students’ success. Each of the four honorees will receive a 2013 Hall of Fame award for their exemplary service to HISD students. Winners will be announced during the ceremony.

Who: HISD Board of Education Trustees Juliet Stipeche, Rhonda Skillern-Jones and Michael Lunceford, HISD Chief Business/Community Relations Officer Michele Pola and many district partners.

When: Friday, Oct. 25, 2013 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. with the program following at 8:15 a.m.

Where: Kingdom Builders Center, 6011 Orem Drive

HISD’s Supplier Diversity Team Honored for Community Outreach

The Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum honored the HISD supplier diversity team as an advocate of minority businesses with a merit and outstanding community service award during a breakfast event Oct. 22  in celebration of Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week. Continue reading →

Learn Your Child’s Options at the School Choice Open House Nov. 2

It might seem a bit premature to be thinking about the 2014–2015 school year, but parents who want to learn about the vast array of options HISD has to meet the needs, talents, and/or interests of their children should begin the process now.

The district will begin accepting applications for Magnet programs for the coming school year on Mon., Nov. 4, and parents must submit those applications on or before Fri., Dec. 20, 2013, for guaranteed first-round consideration.

To assist families in choosing a school, HISD will be hosting its annual School Choice Open House on Sat., Nov. 2, at Northwest Mall (9500 Hempstead Hwy., 77092). The event will take place from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., and representatives from many of HISD’s schools of choice will be on hand to answer questions and offer information about their programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

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HISD kicks off Real Men Read Program with District MENtor Orientation

What: District MENtor Orientation for Houston Real Men Read, a mentoring program that allows men from across the Houston area to volunteer to read to second-, fifth- and seventh-grade students for one hour per month for five months — November December, January, February and May. In addition to reading, the volunteers also spend time discussing the book with the students. Books also are provided to both students and volunteers. Launched five years ago by HISD Trustee Paula Harris and Sen. Rodney Ellis, the program has roughly 300 volunteer mentors working at 45 HISD schools. The district orientation provides an overview of the program and allows mentors to network with each other and share ideas.

Who: HISD Chief Academic Officer Daniel Gohl, Chief Elementary School Officer Karla Loria, Director of Literacy Carol Bedard, longtime Red Elementary School volunteer and mentor Jonathan Randle and many other program volunteers.

When: Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: Peck Elementary School, 5001 Martin Luther King Blvd

 

Students Learn Impact of Digital Footprint

Students at Young Men’s College Preparatory Academy received their laptops in mid-October

In today’s world of cell-phone texts, social media posts, and online videos, what a student says or does in the digital world may come back to haunt them in the future. That’s just one of the lessons students are learning during a special PowerUp digital citizenship class happening at all 11 high schools participating in the district’s one-to-one laptop initiative.

“Today’s world is full of technology, and it’s important that students know about good ethics and what is proper and improper behavior when using technology,” said HISD junior Charlie Barrio, who recently attended the class with his peers at Sam Houston Math, Science & Technology Center.

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HISD College Fairs Help Students Make Big Decisions

Whether to stay in state or go out of state for college is a big decision for HISD seniors, and an upcoming college fair may help students and their parents make that important choice. College fairs are a great way to collect information about potential schools – students can meet face to face with college representatives, ask pertinent questions, and even get insider tips on how to get admitted to the school of their choice.

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HISD School Turnaround Effort Closing Math Achievement Gap

Dr. Roland Fryer

Students taking part in the Houston Independent School District’s three-year effort to turn around struggling schools have achieved academic gains similar to students enrolled in America’s highest-performing charter schools, according to Harvard University Economics Professor Roland Fryer’s research.

Dr. Fryer presented his research findings Wednesday to the HISD Board of Education and representatives from non-profit and business organizations. Launched in 2010-2011, the Apollo 20 program has received $16.8 million in donations to offset costs. Key findings from Dr. Fryer’s research include:

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