HISD Names Chief Middle School Officer

Michael Cardona, whose leadership of a high school and a middle school in San Antonio led to significant student achievement gains, has been named Houston ISD’s chief middle school officer.

Cardona comes to the Houston Independent School District from North East ISD, where he has served as principal of Robert E. Lee High School since 2009. He previously served as principal of North East’s Driscoll Middle School from 2006 to 2009. Cardona was among just five Texas finalists for this year’s H-E-B Excellence in Education Secondary School Principal Award.

HISD Superintendent Terry Grier said Cardona has the expertise needed to continue the transformation of Houston middle schools.

“The middle school years are a crucial time in the academic journey of every student,” Dr. Grier said. “The schools under Mr. Cardona’s leadership have successfully raised the level of academic rigor for all children, regardless of their background, and prepared them to succeed in college and in the job market.”

The number of college-level Advanced Placement exams taken by students at Robert E. Lee High School more than tripled on Cardona’s watch. The 2,700-student campus, which is home to three magnet programs, was included among the National Center for Educational Achievement’s list of Higher Performing Schools in 2011.

Cardona said he plans to use his experience as a principal on the middle school and high school levels to help students make the transition from eighth grade to ninth grade. Students must leave HISD’s middle schools prepared to tackle the rigor of AP classes in high school, Cardona said. This means exposing students to challenging classes in middle school, because high school is too late, he said.

“We have got to get these students ready when they enter high school,” Cardona said. “All kids are capable of being successful if they’re given the right structures.”

Cardona hold a master of science in educational administration from Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and a bachelor of arts in political science from Texas A&M University. He is currently pursuing his doctoral degree in educational administration from Texas A&M University.

Cardona began his education career in 1992 as a teacher working with students with disabilities. He served as an assistant principal at three North East ISD middle schools and one high school. His wife, Leila Cardona, is an elementary school reading facilitator. They have two sons, ages 7 and 12.

Cardona will report for duty in HISD on July 2. He replaces Dr. S. Dallas Dance, who was recently named superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools in Maryland.

HISD Board of Education Votes for More Class Time

The Houston ISD Board of Education on Thursday gave  preliminary approval to a policy requiring all schools to adopt a minimum 7 hour and 15 minute daily schedule.

The proposal is intended to provide schools more flexibility to meet their students’ academic and developmental needs.  Earlier this spring, the Board of Education approved a resolution encouraging all elementary principals to offer their students daily recess, and this proposal would further enable them to do so.

Currently, the length of school days at HISD campuses ranges from 7 hours to 7 hours and 40 minutes, meaning no school’s day would be lengthened by more than 15 minutes under this proposal. Schools that already exceed the minimum time requirement will be able to continue doing so.

Other items approved at Thursday night’s meeting include:

  • A resolution calling on the Texas Legislature to “reexamine the public school accountability system in Texas and to develop a system that encompasses multiple assessments, reflects greater validity, reduces the number of instructional days affected by state-mandated standardized tests, and uses more cost efficient sampling techniques and other external evaluation arrangements, and more accurately reflects what students know, appreciate and can do in terms of the rigorous standards essential to their success, enhances the role of teachers as designers, guides to instruction and leaders, and nurtures the sense of inquiry and love of learning in all students.”
  • Expanding newcomer programs at Liberty High School and Las Americas Middle School.  These schools are designed to meet the unique needs of students who have recently immigrated to the United States.
  • A new set of performance criteria, the HISD School Leadership Framework, to be used in the appraisal instrument for principals, assistant principals, and deans of instruction. For more than a year, leaders from across the district have been working together to make recommendations about the design of this new appraisal system, including the appraisal process and timelines and the performance criteria used to assess school leader performance. With the right supports and standards, principals will be best positioned to improve the quality of instruction within schools and strengthen parent and community engagement.

HISD Board of Education to Consider More Elementary School Class Time

The Houston ISD Board of Education today will consider giving preliminary approval to a policy requiring all elementary schools to adopt a minimum 7 hour and 15 minute daily schedule.

 The proposal is intended to provide schools more flexibility to meet their students’ academic and developmental needs.  Earlier this spring, the Board of Education approved a resolution encouraging all elementary principals to offer their students daily recess, and this proposal would further enable them to do so.

Currently, the length of school days at HISD elementary campuses ranges from 7 hours to 7 hours and 40 minutes, meaning no school’s day would be lengthened by more than 15 minutes under this proposal. Schools that already exceed the minimum time requirement would be able to continue doing so.

Other items on the agenda for tonight’s meeting include:

  • Adoption of a resolution calling on the Texas Legislature to “reexamine the public school accountability system in Texas and to develop a system that encompasses multiple assessments, reflects greater validity, reduces the number of instructional days affected by state-mandated standardized tests, and uses more cost efficient sampling techniques and other external evaluation arrangements, and more accurately reflects what students know, appreciate and can do in terms of the rigorous standards essential to their success, enhances the role of teachers as designers, guides to instruction and leaders, and nurtures the sense of inquiry and love of learning in all students.”
  • Expanding newcomer programs at Liberty High School and Las Americas Middle School.  These schools are designed to meet the unique needs of students who have recently immigrated to the United States.
  • Approval of a new set of performance criteria, the HISD School Leadership Framework, to be used in the appraisal instrument for principals, assistant principals, and deans of instruction. For more than a year, leaders from across the district have been working together to make recommendations about the design of this new appraisal system, including the appraisal process and timelines and the performance criteria used to assess school leader performance. With the right supports and standards, principals will be best positioned to improve the quality of instruction within schools and strengthen parent and community engagement.

The board’s regular monthly meeting begins at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, 2012 in the board auditorium of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 West 18th St., 77092).

The board is scheduled to receive status updates on a number of projects and vote on several programs, contracts, and grants. For a full copy of the Board meeting agenda, click here.  The board meeting will be carried live on HISD’s website and on the HISD Channel, which can be found on Comcast Channel 18 or AT&T Channel 99.

HISD Withdraws Breach of Contract Claim and Enlists Assistance of Don Lee Farms as Part of Settlement

HISD has withdrawn its allegation that Don Lee Farms breached its contract regarding lean finely textured beef (LFTB) and Don Lee Farms has agreed to redistribute the Charbroiled 100% Beef Patties to other customers requesting the product.

This agreement resolves any and all outstanding issues regarding LFTB and the product currently in HISD’s possession.

HISD and Don Lee Farms have agreed to continue working together to support student achievement through proper nutrition.

Thank an Educator During Teacher Appreciation Week May 7–11

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 7–11 and HISD would like to extend its thanks to the more than 10,000 teachers who serve our students.  And what better way to say “thank you” than to share some inspiring stories about favorite teachers from students across the district:

Carolyn Wiley
Bonner ES, Grade 4

Submitted by Annette M. Comacho, parent

She is a very generous person. She does a lot for her students. She gives them advice when they need it. She encourages them to do their best in school as well as in life. My son was in her class last year, and that year was by far the best year for him. He read a lot of books and was an honor roll student in part because of her. She didn’t let him give up when he thought it was too hard. She encouraged him to do his best because she knew he could do it. To this day, she is still helping and encouraging him to do his best. You know how sometimes, there is just one teacher that you have? You don’t forget them because they were a big influence in your life. Well, Ms. Wiley is one of the teachers that I am sure my son and I will never forget. I am very grateful that she came into my son’s life, as well as mine. She has also given me good advice when I needed it. The world needs more teachers like her.

 

Read more stories about great teachers on the HISD website.

High Marks for HISD in U.S. News’ Best High Schools Rankings

Eight Houston ISD high schools are among Texas’ top 100 in U.S. News’ Best High Schools Rankings issued today, and six HISD schools are listed among the nation’s top 400.

The magazine produced the rankings based on an analysis of data from nearly 22,000 U.S. high schools.  The rankings’ methodology gives considerable weight to the percentage of graduates who are considered college-ready based on students’ performance on college-level Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams. Using the magazine’s standard, 27 of HISD’s 33 rated high schools – 82 percent — meet or exceed the state average when it comes to college readiness.

The rankings are based on data from the 2009-2010 school year, when the Board of Education and Superintendent Terry Grier launched an aggressive expansion of the district’s AP program in all high schools.  Since then, the number of AP exams scored 3 or higher (the generally accepted passing score) has increased 35 percent.

“This is great news as we celebrate National Teacher Day,” Dr. Grier said. “Teachers across HISD are proving that the AP program is not just for the academically elite students. AP is for prepared students.”

The news also comes on the heels of the latest Children at Risk rankings of Texas high schools that included eight HISD campuses among the top 50.

In addition, the strong all-around performance of HISD students has placed the district among four national finalists for the coveted Broad Prize for Urban Education, which recognizes the top urban school district in America. As a finalist, HISD is guaranteed a minimum of $150,000 in college scholarships for students graduating in 2013. The scholarship total will climb to $550,000 if HISD wins the award.

 The nine HISD schools that earned spots in the magazine’s national rankings were:

 Carnegie Vanguard (U.S. rank: 33; Texas rank: 3)

DeBakey High School for Health Professions (U.S.: 36; Texas: 4)

Eastwood Academy (U.S.: 121; Texas: 14)

Bellaire (U.S.: 349; Texas: 29)

Lamar (U.S.: 376; Texas: 32)

The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (U.S.: 377; Texas: 33)

High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (U.S.: 950: Texas: 81)

Challenge Early High School (U.S.: 1,069; Texas: 90)

Empowerment College Prep (U.S.: 1,947; Texas 159)

How HISD students celebrated Cinco de Mayo (w/photos)

Students at dozens of HISD schools from across the district observed Cinco de Mayo with performances and celebrations during the week of May 5, in recognition of the day Mexico’s army defeated a much larger French force in the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

See a photo gallery of the performances at several HISD schools below:

[slideshow]

Attend a School Board Meeting

All board meetings are posted for public viewing as required by the Texas Open Meetings Act. Regular meetings are held the second Thursday of every month, beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, 4400 West 18th Street, in the board auditorium. Dates are subject to change.

HISD live broadcasts of monthly Board of Education meetings are also available.

The board may go into closed (executive) session at any time during a meeting to consider matters regarding personnel, real estate, security, school children, negotiated contracts, consultation, and/or legal issues, as permitted under the Texas Open Meetings Act.

Click here (.pdf) to see a schedule of meetings and hearings for 2011–2012.

Support Budding Entrepreneurs on Lemonade Day May 6

Prepared 4 Life, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the empowerment of middle-school-age children, will be holding its sixth annual Lemonade Day on Sunday, May 6, 2012—and HISD students and their families are encouraged to participate.

The communitywide event, which fosters entrepreneurship and character development among Houston’s youth, will teach children how to start, own, and operate their own business by setting up lemonade stands across the city.

Due to the success of the program in Houston, Lemonade Day has since been replicated in more than three dozen cities around the country.

Members of the public can purchase a sample of one of this year’s most unique lemonade recipes on Friday, May 4, 2012, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Paige Elementary School (7501 Curry, 77093), or visit one of the hundreds of other lemonade stands expected to be in operation that day across the city.

Paige students Gayla Powell and Dakota Merriweather, along with Gayla’s older sister Mary (Clifton MS), won second place in the 2012 Lemonade Day competition for their concoction, which earned its title by including a small piece of real cotton candy in every cup.

Kaitlin Nuñez, a second-grader at Lyons Elementary School, won the first-place prize in that same category for spicing up her recipe using cinnamon and two different types of sugar (white and brown).