Tag Archives: Austin HS

Retired brigadier general to speak at Austin HS’s fourth annual White Rose Dinner

BrigGenRamirez_250The commandant of Texas A&M University’s Corps of Cadets will be returning to his alma mater on Thursday, March 12, 2015, when Brigadier General Joe E. Ramirez Jr., U.S. Army, Ret., presents the keynote speech at Austin High School’s fourth annual White Rose Dinner.

After graduating from Austin, General Ramirez attended Texas A&M University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in science in 1979. He obtained a master’s degree in management from Webster University, St. Louis (1993) and a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania (2000).

General Ramirez has earned numerous awards during his 31 years of military service, including the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, and the Parachutists Badge.

The dinner will take place at 6 p.m. at the University of Houston’s Hilton Hotel (4800 Calhoun, 77004) and the public is invited. Tickets are $50 each, and there are three premium sponsorship levels available. To reserve a seat or arrange a sponsorship, please call 713-924-1600.

All proceeds from the event will be used to support Austin High School programs. The white rose, symbolizing truth, purity, and honesty, appears on the Stephen F. Austin family’s coat of arms.

Five HISD schools named finalists for Touchdown Club’s sportsmanship awards

HISD representatives accept good sportsmanship awards on behalf of Austin, Davis, North Forest, Sterling, and Yates high schools at the Touchdown Club’s annual luncheon Jan. 28.

HISD representatives accept good sportsmanship awards on behalf of Austin, Davis, North Forest, Sterling, and Yates high schools at the Touchdown Club’s annual luncheon Jan. 28.

Austin, Davis, North Forest, Sterling, and Yates high schools were all named finalists for the Touchdown Club Houston’s annual Sportsmanship Awards.

Nominees are determined based on referees’ scores after every game in the areas of:

  • actions of coaches
  • actions of players
  • actions of supports groups (such as parents and bands)
  • respect for the American flag.

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What’s afoot? Rival HISD HS bands are playing the same tune for special appearance

The Austin High School Sonic Boom and Milby High School Marching Thunder will join the University of Houston Spirit of Houston Cougar Marching Band to kick off the East End Street Fest from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, October 25 along Navigation Blvd.

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The bands practiced this week for Afoot! A Marching Band Extravaganza, a choreographed, artistic performance. The experience, while fun for the dedicated musicians, also builds character and a solid work ethic, emphasizes teamwork, and helps prepare them for life. Continue reading →

Board of Education to consider design contracts for remaining projects under 2012 bond program

Administrators are recommending that the HISD Board of Education authorize the district to negotiate design contracts with 13 firms on the remaining 14 projects within the 2012 bond program.

The latest round of contract recommendations comes ahead of schedule in response to the booming construction market in Houston. Although architect selections for schools in Groups 3 and 4 of the program weren’t slated to take place until next year, the district wanted to move forward as quickly as possible to minimize the impact of escalating construction inflation.

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Austin HS Algebra I team produces its own version of the ‘Khan Academy’

Maria Rios, the content manager for the mathematics department of Austin High School, knew that there was already a multitude of resources available online—such as the Khan Academy—to help kids master various math concepts. But something about that just set wrong with her. So she and the school’s Algebra I team produced an online library of web-based instructional videos.

“What we were interested in is continuing to build relationships with our students,” said Rios, “to personalize our instruction by having our voices—the voices of the students’ actual teachers—and our style of delivery available at any time to learners.”

The video library was created both to complement students’ in-class lessons and to maximize the benefits of the PowerUp initiative, but another benefit was that it allowed teachers to “flip” the traditional classroom model on its head. Continue reading →

Volunteer for 2014 Grads Within Reach Walk Sept. 6

Help HISD get dropouts back in school by volunteering for the 2014 Grads Within Reach walk.

This year’s event will be held at 24 high schools from 8 a.m. to noon on Sat., Sept. 6, 2014. Volunteers will be placed in teams and fan out across the city, based on the school to which they are assigned, and visit the last known address of students who dropped out or didn’t show up for the first weeks of school. Continue reading →

Computer simulation is helping teachers refine instructional methods

Teachers at eight different HISD schools have been spending more time with avatars this spring—but it’s not because they’re playing on FarmVille, The Sims, or Second Life.

Instead, these educators have been fine-tuning their instructional skills using TeachLivE, a pilot program in which flesh-and-blood teachers deliver actual lessons to virtual students in a computer-simulated classroom. The students are programmed to respond in real time to the actions of the teacher, so instructors can identify ways to improve their lessons almost immediately.
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14 Austin HS students earn welding certificates

Fourteen Houston ISD students are certified welders thanks to a partnership between the district and Houston Community College.

Four seniors and 10 juniors from Austin High School graduated with Basic Welding Helper Certificates on Saturday. How did juniors earn the certificate? The courses the students took at Austin HS were dual credit and the juniors also completed required classes at HCC Southeast, which made them eligible for the certificate.

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11-school CASEY Club introduces HISD students to career as firefighter/EMT

Students from Chavez, Westbury, Yates and Sharpstown high schools spent a sunny day completing a 24-foot ladder extension, hoisting equipment and rescuing a dummy named Randy. The exercises were part of the CASEY Club’s physical ability test for students interested in becoming firefighters. The Houston Fire Department’s CASEY Club — which stands for cultivate, advise, support, empower and youth — creates and fosters a career path to become a firefighter/EMT for high school sophomores, juniors , and seniors.

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HISD announces 2014 Teachers of the Year at Celebration of Excellence

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HISD held its third annual Celebration of Excellence at the Hilton Americas Hotel on May 1, 2014, to honor the many dedicated professionals who contribute to the success of Houston’s students on a daily basis.

Among those recognized at the event were the district’s Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year, who were revealed for the first time that evening.

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