The National Wildlife Federation is hosting a workshop on Saturday, Nov. 2, for middle school science teachers to provide them with the framework to implement a student-based energy efficiency program at their school that applies STEM teaching methods.
Teachers who attend will receive a $100 stipend, 6 CPE credits and TEKS aligned curriculum. Schools that send a team of two to three science teachers will be eligible for a $500 grant from the NWF to help their school become more sustainable.
The district’s supplier diversity team got the chance to tout business opportunities with HISD on Wednesday at the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council Business Expo.
The event, which attracted more than 1,500 corporate buyers, government agencies and educational institutions, provided a way for participants to network and build relationships. HISD took part in hopes of identifying more minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) that might be interested in future procurement opportunities in the district.
In talking about the future of Milby High School on Wednesday, students and members of the school’s Project Advisory Team spent just as much time reflecting on the historic high school’s past and traditions.
“There is a lot of pride and connection with the school,” said Colley Hodges, an architect at Kirksey, which is working to design a new facility for Milby that preserves the century-old school’s architecturally significant building structure. “There’s a lot of incentive for maintaining the historical fabric of the school.”
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Members of the Sterling High School Project Advisory Team discuss options for the new school.
Are you wondering about the progress at your school under the 2012 bond program? There’s no easier way to keep up to date than checking out HISD’s website dedicated to providing complete coverage of the program to build or renovate 40 schools at houstonisd.org/bond.
One feature of the website is a calendar listing all the meeting times of the Project Advisory Teams. These groups of students, staff, and community members hold monthly meetings at each bond campus to guide the design and the construction of the schools. These meetings are open to the public and are a great way to stay informed.
The Houston Independent School District is highlighting its commitment to building sustainable schools with a new web section dedicated to raising awareness about its green building program and the different ways campuses are participating.
The web page is located at houstonisd.org/GreenSchools and features information about LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, which were developed by the U.S. Green Building Council to provide builders a framework and guidelines for green building.
Editor’s note: This profile is part of an occasional series on minority or women-owned companies that do business with HISD. The district’s minimum M/WBE goal levels are 20 percent for all levels of purchasing and construction, and 25 percent for professional services. In the 2007 bond program, that commitment reached nearly 34 percent. In the 2012 program, the contracts awarded to date reflect a nearly 51 percent M/WBE commitment.
District residents will soon be receiving an update on the 2012 bond program in their mailboxes.
As the $1.89 billion building program gets underway, HISD administrators want to ensure that all stakeholders stay informed and have the opportunity to get involved.
Read the bond program update mailed to HISD households
“We are updating our website and social media channels frequently, but we understand that some people still like to get their information on paper,” said Tiffany Davila-Dunne, HISD’s chief communications officer. “We’ve made tremendous progress on the 2012 program, and we are moving forward quickly to create 21st century campuses for our students.”
More than 400 people, including a long list of elected officials, turned out Friday to celebrate the opening of the new Atherton Elementary school, rebuilt under the 2007 bond program in Houston’s fifth ward neighborhood.
“It’s beautiful,” said Judy Day-White, who attended the original Atherton Elementary back in the 1950s and came out Friday for special event. “When we have a better environment for our students, it uplifts them and it uplifts the community. It makes a difference.”
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The HISD bond program was featured recently in the Summer 2013 issue of Cite magazine, which is published quarterly by the Rice Design Alliance and covers the latest in urban planning, architecture, arts and preservation in Houston.
Three articles in the issue delve into what will be built with funds from the $1.89 billion bond, which was passed in November. HISD Superintendent Terry Grier explains the district’s campaign to build 21st century schools and implement blended learning curriculum.
Houston Independent School District students will be planting and weeding gardens, and participating in other environmentally friendly activities on Sept. 28 as part of a global movement to transform schools into healthy and sustainable learning environments.
The Green Apple Day of Service is sponsored by the Center for Green School at the U.S. Green Building Council. The goal of the second annual event is to help raise awareness among parents, teachers and students about the importance of improving the school environment.
Two HISD schools – Herod Elementary and Gabriela Mistral Early Childhood Education Center – have already signed up with projects designed to help their own facilities create greener and healthier campuses.