More than 460 students in the four-year maritime programs at Stephen F. Austin and Jack Yates high schools are getting a sneak peek at two state-of-the-art crane and forklift simulators that students will be able to use for training starting next school year.
The two $50,000 simulators were installed last week at Austin High School, and students in grades 9-12 will experience real-life scenarios that become more challenging as they move to the next grade.
Reagan, Washington HB 5 sessions show what’s in store for next year’s ninth-graders
High school is changing in a big way for next year’s ninth-grade students, and dozens of HISD families got a jump on finding out how at two community meetings Monday night at Reagan and Washington high schools.
The changes are coming as a result of state legislation known as House Bill 5 – and HISD has rebranded the process for its students and their families as “Plan Your Path.”
“Plan Your Path” is all about guiding students to “dream big,” explained Alejandro Morua, HISD’s general manager of Family and Community Engagement, by combining career awareness and selection with a rigorous academic curriculum from pre-K through graduation.
Austin High School’s Lady Mustangs Soccer Team has won the 44-4A district championship.
The team moves on to the first round of the playoffs, where they will take on Pearland’s Dawson High School on March 25.
Seven of the players are seniors who have played together for their entire high school careers. They’ve been to the playoffs each year and always moved up in the standings.
Clifton MS sixth-grader Victoria Lopez and her mom got to know HISD School Support Officer Lupita Hinojosa, left, at Saturday’s National School Choice Week kick-off event.
HISD students and staff were among the thousands who attended the National School Choice Week kick-off at Houston’s Union Station Saturday, Jan. 25. The celebration brought together Democrats and Republicans, home-schoolers, public school districts, charters, and even a few virtual learners around a common cause: school choice.
Superintendent Terry Grier, introduced by KIPP Co-founder Mike Feinberg, pointed out to a sea of yellow scarves and signs advocating school choice. Nearly 70,000 students in HISD are exercising their right to choose the school that meets their unique needs. Contingents from Elrod,Garden Oaks, Parker, Poe Red, and Roberts elementary schools; Clifton, Fleming, Johnston and Revere middle schools; and Chavez, Challenge Early College and South Early College high schools were there.
Almost 19,000 HISD students are receiving laptops this month as part of the district’s one-to-one initiative that will eventually give every high school student a computer. The initiative – PowerUp – will not only give students 24-hour access to a laptop and a variety of software but to digital-age instruction that will transform teaching and learning both inside and outside the classroom.
“PowerUp is not about the device,” said Superintendent Terry Grier. “This is about creating anytime-anywhere learning for our students so they can have the world at their fingertips. We want to make sure they learn skills that complement technology so they won’t be replaced by technology.”
Last year, almost two dozen HISD students became members of the city’s inaugural group of “Posse Scholars,” after a national non-profit called The Posse Foundation expanded its programming to Houston.
That organization will be sending its second group of students off to higher education this fall—and the majority (70 percent)—come from HISD.
The Houston branch of the Posse Foundation announced the 61 members of its Class of 2014 at a special celebration held on Jan. 6, and 43 of those students will be graduating from 18 HISD high schools this spring.
Thirty-one of the Houston area’s best prep teams will begin three days of action Thursday in the 74th annual HISD Boys Basketball Tournament at nine district locations – and they’ll combine play with holiday giving.
Fans bringing two nonperishable food items and one unwrapped toy will gain free admission, with no re-entry permitted. The toys will go to the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots Drive, and the food will benefit the Houston Food Bank. Collection points will be located at each site for those who want to contribute additional items.
While fellow employees are sipping eggnog, exchanging presents, or just visiting with their friends and family, some members of Team HISD will be spending most of their winter break at one of 12 schools around the city.
Those campuses, which include Fondren Elementary, Woodson K–8, and Austin, Chávez, Davis, Lee, North Forest, Reagan, Sharpstown, Jones and Worthing high schools, are conducting credit recovery programs during that two-week period to help students who are behind in their classes get caught up with their peers.
Seven-venue event combines hoops with holiday giving
Michael Sudhalter photo/The Leader News
The Houston area’s best girls basketball players will face off at seven HISD venues December 5-7 in the 30th annual Houston ISD Basketball Tournament – combining action on the courts with a giant food and toy drive, in the spirit of the holiday season.
M. C. Williams Middle School is partnering with Harris County Precinct One Constable Alan Rosen to distribute bags of groceries to some 100 families in the Acres Homes community. At 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 26 various tow trucks and wrecker services will arrive on campus with traditional Thanksgiving favorites. M. C. Williams students will sort them into grocery bags, which will be distributed starting at 3 p.m. The groceries will be given to needy families previously identified by area churches and the middle school.