Everyone deserves the chance to start fresh. On Saturday, July 30, A Fresh Start Resource Fair will be held at the community center at 170 Rittenhouse St. in North Houston.
The free event is sponsored by several Houston institutions including Harris County Precinct 2, Houston Community College, and the Houston Food Bank.
Continue readingHouston Independent School District Student Assistance held a “Back To School Extravaganza” drive-thru event Friday at Bethel’s Empowerment Center.
The event featured a drive-up that included free vaccinations (including for Covid-19), backpacks, supplies, fresh produce, local vendors, giveaways, Medicaid and CHIP renewal applications, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications, and HISD Community Partnerships.
Continue readingThe following letter from Superintendent House was distributed on the night of August 5 to HISD parents, staff, and community members:
Dear HISD Community,
The health and safety of our students and staff continues to be our guiding compass in all of our decisions. As a result, during tonight’s agenda review meeting, I announced that I will propose a mask mandate for students, staff, and visitors at all schools, buses, and facilities to be voted on next week by the Board of Education. The mask mandate will become effective upon Board approval during next Thursday’s board meeting, August 12. In light of the announcement by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner to raise the COVID-19 threat level to “red,” additional safety measures are needed to protect our students, staff, and families.
The mask mandate applies to everyone regardless of whether or not they are vaccinated. In partnership with health officials, three HISD schools are offering vaccinations this Saturday. If your child is 12 or older, I encourage parents to stop by and get a shot. No appointments are necessary.
The 2021-2022 school year begins on August 23, and we will continue to monitor the situation and work with health officials for frequent updates, which we will share with you. The safety of all HISD staff and students continues to be our top priority.
Sincerely,
Millard House II
HISD Superintendent
It’s time to get ready for the first day of school, and we have prepared a list of of resources to ensure your children are ready for the 2017-2018 school year.
City of Houston Health Centers
http://www.houstontx.gov/health/HealthCenters/
Harris Health Troubleshooters
Texas Children’s Mobile Clinics
http://www.texaschildrens.org/departments/mobile-clinics/services
Visit the Family and Community Engagement Resource Guide at www.houstonisd.org/communityresource and search for these resources:
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Houston Independent School District’s Facility Services rolled out the red carpet for employees on Wednesday during a Hollywood-themed Welcome Back event designed to recognize workers for their outstanding performance.
Several hundred Facilities Services employees packed the bleachers of Barnett Fieldhouse to learn about new changes for the coming school year, including the development of new departmental values. Employees received surveys during the event to provide input on the values that are most important to them, as well as feedback on ways to improve the workplace culture and environment.
“Each of you is important,” Facility Services Officer Alisha Jolivette said as she addressed the crowd. “You have an impact on student education.”
Adams partners with community to help students with free haircuts, supplies for new school year
HISD Board of Education President Trustee Wanda Adams of District IX, along with Kut N Zone Barber Shop and Diamonds and Pearls Mothers, will host a special back-to-school event on Sunday with free haircuts, school uniforms, backpacks, food, fun and other giveaways.
The fourth annual event will be held at Kut N Zone Barber Shop (2919 Westridge 77054) from 3 to 7 p.m. The event is sponsored by HISD, Houston Health Department, Kut N Zone Barber Shop, and a long list of other sponsors. For more information, call 713-412-0707.
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Back-to-school events aimed at strengthening partnerships with parents and community
Schools included in HISD’s Achieve 180 initiative are kicking off the 2017-2018 school year for their parents, students, and communities surrounding their campuses with everything from dance parties and parades to free school supplies, immunizations, and dental care.
Thirty-two schools are included in Achieve 180, a new district initiative launching during the 2017-2018 school year to support, strengthen, and empower underserved and underperforming HISD schools. A key component of the research-based initiative is family and community empowerment. Continue reading
Parents and community members can have their back-to-school questions answered by the superintendent and learn more about what’s new in the 2017-18 school year by tuning in to a live, interactive broadcast on Monday, Aug. 21.
Superintendent Carranza and his staff will take questions during a discussion that will be streamed live on HoustonISD.org, Facebook.com/HoustonISD, and on HISD-TV (Comcast 18 and Uverse 99).
There will be two opportunities to join in the conversation: from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. for Spanish-speaking community members, and from 7 to 8 p.m. for English-speaking community members.
Parents can submit questions ahead of time by emailing Back2School@HoustonISD.org , posting a Tweet with the hashtag #Back2School, or posting a question at Facebook.com/HoustonISD. Questions can also be submitted during the live event.
The live broadcast will also provide an opportunity for the community to learn more about HISD’s initiatives for the new school year, including Achieve180, which is a plan to support the district’s 32 underserved campuses; restorative justice practices; wraparound services; and literacy. There will also be an update on the district’s new bond schools, nutrition in HISD, and fine arts.
Most clothing, footwear, school supplies, and backpacks exempt
Parents have the opportunity for some extra back-to-school savings during Texas’ annual Sales Tax Holiday on August 11–13, 2017.
The holiday provides exemptions from state and local sales taxes on most clothing and footwear priced at less than $100, saving shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend. Many retailers offer sales and special promotions over the weekend, so shoppers can maximize their savings. For complete details, please visit TexasTaxHoliday.org.
HISD’s Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) will hold its Back to School Festival from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5 at Kingdom Builders Center (6011 W. Orem, 77085).
Parents of children ages 0-11 or in grades pre-K through 5 are encouraged to attend. At the event, parents will be able to learn more about the HIPPY program, connect with HISD and community resources, receive free back-to-school supplies, and have the chance to win prizes. Lunch will be provided.
To register, go to HoustonISD.org/HippyFestival or call 713-967-5298. The registration deadline is July 21.
HIPPY works with parents of 3- and 4-year-old children to help prepare their preschool child for academic success. Instructors visit parents in their homes for an hour a week in a 30-week period and cover early literacy skills, mathematics, science, fine and gross motor skills, and language development. Research shows that HISD kindergarten students whose parents have participated in the HIPPY program significantly outperform their peers in reading and math. Interested families can contact the HIPPY office at 713-967-5298.