Volunteers in Public Schools celebrates 50 years, recognizes 2020-2021 honorees

For 50 years, Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) has provided the Houston Independent School District with invaluable support and commitment that supports student success. That partnership was celebrated at a virtual ceremony on Friday, honoring 50 Years of Volunteers in Public Schools.

As Interim Superintendent Dr. Grenita Lathan opened the program, she noted that VIPS boasted more than 44,000 volunteers in HISD schools. That makes it one of the largest volunteer groups in the city, putting it alongside such organizations as the Houston Food Bank and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

“And just like those organizations, we could not do what we do without volunteers,” Lathan said. “Many, many students would not be where they are today without your tireless efforts. During those five decades, you’ve shown Houston the power of public education. Time and time again, you showed up and worked hard, believing in HISD students every step of the way.”

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Park Place ES receives long-awaited honor for innovative, school-wide recycling program

Recycling isn’t something an afterschool robotics club would typically dedicate its time to, but the RoboTigers at Park Place Elementary are no ordinary club.

The RoboTigers won first place in the All-Earth EcoBot Challenge last year after launching an ambitious, school-wide recycling program and contest that resulted in 23,000 pounds of recycled material.

The impressive accomplishment was initially overshadowed by the pandemic. But nearly a year after being declared winners, Park Place finally had its time to shine last week as the RoboTigers received a plaque honoring their contributions to sustainability.

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HISD partnership to explore opportunities to enhance district’s School Choice process

The Houston Independent School District is launching an initiative to improve the district’s School Choice process and develop a plan to make it more family-friendly, efficient, and equitable.

With support from Houston Endowment, the project will entail gathering input and feedback from families, students, and district administration and campus staff to better understand what is working well regarding School Choice and to identify areas of improvement. In addition, data and district guidelines and policies related to School Choice will be examined.

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Cultivated Classroom at Gregory-Lincoln growing young minds, spreading roots in community

Sit down to a table at Bludorn Restaurant in Midtown, and you expect to see a few things: an airy dining room with high-end lighting, the wine wall with vintages from around the world, and artfully plated dishes with ingredients like maitake mushrooms, chermoula, and sea urchin.

But what you might not expect to see is a carrot—or Swiss chard or green beans or kale—planted, cultivated, and harvested by a third-grader just down the block.

So how do these vegetables make it from the hands of an elementary school student to the plate of a high-end restaurant with a Michelin pedigreed chef?

Just down Taft Street from Chef Aaron Bludorn’s flagship restaurant sits Gregory-Lincoln Education Center, and its school garden. Or, as Kellie Karavias calls it, the Cultivated Classroom.

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Washington HS to dedicate auditorium, break ground on community ‘Vision’ project

In a ceremony on April 24, Booker T. Washington High School and the High School for Engineering Professions will dedicate its auditorium to alumna state Rep. Senfronia Thompson and kick off efforts to create a community “Vision” project.

Thompson, a 25-term state representative and 1957 Washington High School graduate, has long been heralded for her service to her community as a state legislator.

Thompson will be present at the ceremony in her honor, along with State Senator John Whitmire, State Representatives Jarvis Johnson and Harold Dutton, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Houston City Council Member Karla Cisneros, HISD District II Trustee Katherine Blueford-Daniels, and Harris County Justice of the Peace Judge Eric Carter.

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Parent University wraps up third year with final session

Parent University, the Houston Independent School District program offering guidance and resources for parents of district students, has wrapped up its third year of workshops.

This year, all sessions were held virtually due to social distancing protocols. Parent University was created to offer practical information to create successful academic careers as well as safe and healthy environments at home and at school. Each session highlights internal and external resources available to all HISD students and parents.

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Wisdom HS calculator applications team headed to state for 4th year in a row

For the fourth consecutive year, the Wisdom High School math team is headed to state UIL competition.

The school’s UIL Calculator Applications team won the regional championship on Saturday at Fort Bend ISD’s Willowridge High School. With a team score of 581 points, they defeated runner-up Waller ISD by 22 points to advance to the state finals, which will be held on May 1.

The team includes sophomore Paul Oh, sophomore Bruno Santana, senior Wilmer Salgado and freshman Emir Genc. They are coached by Eridani Alcantar, Saul Cantu and JooHee Cho – under the direction of Principal Michelle Wagner.

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Volunteers in Public Schools marks 50 years of service

As the Houston Independent School District gears up to honor its volunteers with a virtual celebration, Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) is taking the entire week to recognize the hard work of volunteers throughout the district.

VIPS recruits thousands of parents and community partners every year to donate their time and efforts in supporting HISD students. Volunteers contribute in areas such as mentoring, tutoring, fundraising, career education, enrichment programs, extracurricular and community service activities, and office and classroom assistance.

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Nutrition classes at Attucks MS, Worthing HS set up students for success

As students begin to think about the future, Nutrition Services Culinary Educator Brittany Jones is working to ensure they’re equipped with a key ingredient for success — the basics of cooking.

Chef Jones is one of two educators who teach “Get Growing Houston” classes at Attucks Middle School and Worthing Early College High School. The 10-week classes were piloted at the schools to help students learn the importance of good nutrition and the fundamentals of cooking.

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Braeburn ES marks virtual grand opening with Bobcat Newscast, watch party

Neymar Gonzalez could barely contain his excitement.

The Braeburn Elementary School third-grader vigorously clapped his hands as a five-minute countdown launched on the big screen at the front of his classroom.

“Yay! Five minutes until showtime!” Gonzalez squealed. “I’m so excited!”

Similar excitement was felt throughout the school on Friday afternoon as students celebrated the premiere of their school’s virtual grand opening — a specially themed “Bobcat News” segment — with cupcakes and classroom watch parties.

The virtual event officially marked the beginning of a new chapter for Braeburn, which was among four HISD elementary schools that had to be demolished and rebuilt after sustaining significant damage during Hurricane Harvey.

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