HISD schools that have early child and pre-school programs are recognizing The Week of the Young Child from April 14-20, 2013 with student projects, special events and parades. The annual celebration is sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.
At HISD’s Ninfa Laurenzo Early Childhood Center, students will be taking part in the school’s fourth annual Student Expo on Wednesday, April 17. Parents will have the opportunity to tour the hallways of the school to view classroom projects. Each classroom was responsible for researching and creating a group project on a different zoo animal.
“At Ninfa Laurenzo we lay the building blocks of learning for our children by going beyond the ABC’s and 123’s,” said Principal Maria Lopez-Rogina. “We also prepare them to apply what they have learned through classroom projects.”
Ninfa Laurenzo is one of seven HISD early childhood centers located throughout the city to serve the district’s youngest students. The others centers include Bellfort, Farias, Halpin, Mistral, Neff and The Martin Luther King Jr. Early Childhood Center.
“At MLK we play with a purpose,” said Principal Gabriella Coleman. “We are focused on making sure our students are provided with experiences that focus on building skills that will help them become better readers, better mathematicians and better scientists.”
Watch an example of how HISD’s Early Childhood Center work to educate children beginning at a young age in the video below.
[vimeo https://vimeo.com/28679938 width=”600px” height=”330px”]
In addition, many HISD elementary schools offer prekindergarten programs. For parents whose children do not meet the eligibility requirements to attend prekindergarten for free, HISD offers the program for a nominal tuition. For more information and a list of HISD schools that offer a prekindergarten program, click here.
HISD also offers parents zoned to 11 elementary school campuses the opportunity to participate in the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters program, also known as HIPPY. The HIPPY program is free and offers parents of three, four, and five-year-olds at home instruction on how to encourage and develop their child’s potential. Campuses that offer the HIPPY Program are:
• Brookline
• Coop
• DeChaumes
• De Zavala
• Farias
• Foster
• Garcia
• Garden Oaks
• JR Harris
• Lantrip
• Roosevelt
Reagan High School senior Diana Velasquez is excited about her upcoming prom and thanks to the generosity of several local organizations she’ll be going to the event dressed to the nines. “It’s going to be a big day for me and I am very lucky to have my dress, jewelry and even my shoes paid for,” said Velasquez.
Texas’ first Hispanic female Texas Supreme Court justice will be returning to her alma mater on Thursday, April 18, 2013, when The Honorable Eva Guzman presents the keynote speech at Austin High School’s second annual White Rose Dinner.
