Earth Day brings volunteers to HISD’s Mykawa Farm for day of service

Since its inception, Mykawa Farm has been the beating heart of the mission of HISD’s Nutrition Services Department. The headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Literacy Center (FALC), Mykawa Farm is a working educational farm where students gain not only foundational knowledge about agriculture and the environment, but have an opportunity to volunteer or work for pay, developing skills they will take with them into adulthood.

Nutrition Services welcomed more than 70 volunteers from local organizations The Mission Continues and CarMax to the farm on Saturday, April 27 (a make-up date after unexpected rains upended the original planned date, Earth Day). The volunteers set to work building arbors and trellises in the Mykawa Sensory Garden, a new fence to protect crops from scavenging animals, and new ADA-compliant picnic tables.

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Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program wraps up successful year of nutrition education in HISD

The USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, more commonly known as FFVP, provides fresh fruit and vegetable snacks and nutrition education to elementary school students. Schools can request accompanying educational programs taught by chefs and registered dieticians with HISD Nutrition Services aim to teach students where their food comes from, what a balanced diet looks like, and how they can incorporate more fruits and vegetables into common recipes at home.

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HISD celebrates community volunteers at 53rd annual VIPS Awards Ceremony

Each year, HISD celebrates its Volunteers in Public Schools with the annual VIPS Awards Breakfast Ceremony. This year, on April 25, volunteers including parents, teachers, community members, and students gathered to celebrate their accomplishments with a breakfast catered by HISD’s Nutrition Services Department.

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Energy and Sustainability Department sets its sights on a waste-free HISD with collaborative Zero-Waste Initiative

HISD’s Energy and Sustainability Department has a vision for all campuses to be waste-free. With that goal in mind, Analyst Stephanie Walker and her team worked to educate and inspire teachers and administrators with the District’s inaugural Zero-Waste Initiative email series.

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HISD students take their creativity to the streets at 37th Annual Art Car Parade

On April 13, students from 26 HISD campuses participated in the 37th Annual Art Car Parade. The parade is a treasured community tradition and the culmination of months of hard, creative work each year. Students at participating schools collaborated during their art classes and after-school time to construct their unique Art Cars. The morning of the parade, students gathered to showcase their creations alongside vehicles designed and built by scores of other artists from across the city. Crowds came out to marvel at the fantastic works of art on wheels along a route that followed Allen Parkway through downtown Houston.

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HISD students take in solar eclipse with help from NASA

On April 8, 2024, a solar eclipse was visible across the U.S., with parts of Texas lucky enough to experience a total eclipse of the sun by the moon. Houston landed just outside of the path of totality, giving students the opportunity to witness the moon’s 94% obfuscation of the sun using special kits provided by Space Center Houston and delivered by a real NASA astronaut. 

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HISD students to explore careers at annual When I Grow Up expo

HISD’s 12th annual When I Grow Up career expo will be held Saturday, April 27, from 10. a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th Street, 77092).

More than 100 exhibitors from local companies and organizations and post-secondary institutions will be on hand to help students explore their options in high-demand, high-growth industries. All HISD students in grades K-12 and their families are invited.

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HISD raises salaries for Special Education teachers across the District

As part of its reimagined employee compensation plan, Houston Independent School District (HISD) is raising salaries for Special Education teachers across the board. In the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, the minimum salary for a Special Education teacher will be $80,000. At New Education System (NES) campuses, that number will be $86,000.

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HISD chefs and nutritionists make healthy cooking fun for elementary students

Since January, HISD’s Nutrition Services Department has been working closely with Berry Elementary School to bring agriculture literacy into every classroom. HISD’s Chef Brittany Jones and registered dietitians Gabby Villarreal and Nathan Raska are in the process of visiting every class at Berry and providing students a fun and educational cooking demonstration and nutrition lecture.

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