A Robinson Elementary School teacher is the recipient of the prestigious Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award.
Johanna Heegeman, a 4th grade teacher at Robinson, was surprised with the award at the elementary school last week. The award also comes with a $25,000 prize.
Continue readingStanding in the school garden just inside the signature red wall at the front of Sugar Grove Academy Middle School, new HISD Superintendent Millard House II listened as Science Department Chair Charles Huckaby listed off the vegetables and fruits growing in the verdant space.
“Potatoes, garlic, corn, jalapenos, tomatoes, squash, bell peppers, even ghost peppers, if you’re brave enough to try them,” Huckaby said.
“Not me! No way,” House joked in reply.
The stop at the garden was a part of House’s visit to Sugar Grove’s summer school, where he took a tour of the building and then held his first press conference as superintendent, outlining his goals for HISD.
Continue readingHISD is looking to fill more than 400 custodial positions before the end of the year as the district transitions from outsourced contract custodian services to fully in-house operations.
More than a quarter of the district’s 280 schools are currently serviced by contracted vendors.
The transition will move the 79 outsourced campuses to in-house service by Dec. 1, 2021, in accordance with Texas Legislative Budget Board recommendations for improving operational efficiency.
Continue readingAs a kid, Jephte Mondesir loved watching “The Magic School Bus,” a popular animated children’s television show featuring an eccentric teacher who took her students on educational adventures via a magic bus.
The ex-New Yorker and 10-year Texan loved watching the teacher, known affectionately as Miss Frizzle, transport her science class to new worlds.
He loved it so much, in fact, he knew he wanted to do the same.
“I wanted to operate that bus in real life,” Mondesir said with a laugh. “I just knew that the school bus was an important part of education. In fact, all the real ones truly are.”
A 22-year veteran bus driver, Mondesir now serves as a response team operator for the Houston Independent School District’s Transportation Services department. He is among a select group of drivers who work with department leaders to solve manpower issues and recruit new drivers.
Continue readingLilly Rincon has been selected as the new principal of Scarborough High School. Rincon began her 22-year career as an educator in the McAllen Independent School District. Returning back home to Houston after two years of teaching in South Texas, she served as a classroom teacher at Burbank Elementary and Travis Elementary within Houston ISD. During this time, she was recognized as Bilingual Teacher of the Year and selected as a candidate for the Houston ISD Turnaround Leadership Cohort. Rincon joined the Jefferson Elementary team in 2013 and has served as a Teacher Specialist, Assistant Principal, and Principal. During her tenure, Jefferson has attained an 89 TEA rating with 3 distinctions and has been awarded Butterfly Effect by the Neuhaus Education Center for the inspiring work in literacy.
Rincon received her bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from the University of Houston Downtown and master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Houston.
Incoming seventh grader, Kirsten Aparicio, believes in-person learning at Ortiz Middle School has been the key to her success this summer.
After learning online since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the 12-year old finally returned to the classroom in June for summer school.
An avid reader, Kirsten said she now feels prepared for the seventh grade and ready to break out of her shell.
“When I came back, it’s like the old me again, and I’m making good grades,” she said.
Continue readingAs he walked through the first and second grade classrooms at Mading Elementary School, Superintendent Millard House was greeted with the smell of freshly made tamales.
Students attending summer school at Mading were taking a break for lunch just as the new superintendent of HISD stopped by for a visit. It was a well-earned break after a morning full of learning for the students.
“You guys continue working hard,” House said as he exited one of the classrooms. “We are proud of you. We are glad you are back.”
That school was just one of many as House toured several schools on his second official day on the job.
Continue readingRoam the hallways at Moreno Elementary School in north Houston, and you might see some lions, tigers, or even a few bears.
That’s because the elementary school’s theme for summer school is Summer Safari, giving students the chance to see wild animals without ever leaving their classrooms.
Enrollment for summer school at Moreno has increased this year, as it has at schools across Houston Independent School District. Many students are attending to help close the learning gaps from the previous year’s obstacles. And for teachers, it is a chance to see students in their classrooms—some for the first time in-person.
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Dr. Alexis Clark has been selected as the new principal of Crockett Elementary School. Clark started with HISD as a teacher at Brookline and Harvard Elementary Schools. She then served as the Assistant Principal of Harvard for almost five years. While at Harvard, she helped to close the student achievement gap through the authenticity of the PLC process and the implementation of depth and complexity elements for all students. Most recently, she served as an educational consultant with an organization specialized in early childhood brain development. Clark also has experience in dance and vocal performance.
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All HISD campuses and offices will be closed Monday, July 5 for the observed Independence Day holiday.
Schools and offices will reopen for normal business on Tuesday, July 6.
The HISD Police Department will be patrolling district facilities. Emergencies may be reported by calling 713-892-7777.