As students gathered in the Deady Middle School auditorium on Friday, Sept. 15, they thought they knew what they were in for. Deady students, along with students from Milby High School and Davila Elementary, were treated the day before to a preview screening of the new Amazon Prime film, A Million Miles Away, the life story of astronaut José Hernández. Little did they know that José Hernández himself was waiting in the wings to surprise them.
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HISD students visit Space Center Houston for National STEM Day
In observance of National STEM Day on Nov. 8, Space Center Houston welcomed more than 500 HISD students to speak with NASA astronaut Megan McArthur and engage in authentic science learning activities.
Students from Wesley Elementary School, Davila Elementary School, Deady Middle School, Booker T. Washington High School, and Milby High School were all in attendance.
Continue readingHISD expands participation in Verizon Innovative Learning program
Houston Independent School District, in partnership with Digital Promise and Verizon Innovative Learning, will welcome eight schools into the Verizon Innovative Learning program for the 2022-2023 school year.
Continue readingOpal Harrison named new principal of Deady Middle School
Opal Harrison has been selected as the new principal of Deady Middle School. Harrison began her teaching career in HISD in 2005 as a science teacher at Jones High School. Harrison has served as an administrator at Milby High School for the past six years, most recently as the dean of instruction. While at Milby, Harrison was named the HISD Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Physics from Xavier University of Louisiana and Master of Science in Microelectronics-Photonics from the University of Arkansas. Harrison is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education in Leadership and Learning in Organizations at Vanderbilt University.
Edward Cuevas Jr. named new principal of Deady Middle School
Edward Cuevas Jr. is the new principal of Deady Middle School. Cuevas is a graduate of HISD schools and has also dedicated 20 years of service to the district. He began his career with HISD in the Multi-Lingual Department and transitioned into teaching in 2001 at Carrillo Elementary School. Cuevas served as a first through fourth grade teacher at Seguin Elementary. In 2012, he became assistant principal at Hartman Middle School. In 2014, Cuevas became principal of Almeda Elementary, where he has served as instructional leader for three years. He holds a bachelor of arts in interdisciplinary studies from University of Houston-Downtown and a master of science in educational management from University of Houston-Clear Lake.
Deady MS receives $5K grant from House of Blues to strengthen music programs
More students at HISD’s Deady Middle School will soon be able to benefit from music instruction, thanks to a $5,000 grant from the House of Blues’ Music Forward Foundation.
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The grant was delivered to the school on Oct. 14 in the form of instruments and other music resources as a part of the organization’s 2015–2016 Action for the Arts program.
“Participation in music programs helps youth develop transferable life skills such as diligence, focus, and critical thinking,” said Music Forward Executive Director Marjorie Gilberg. “Action for the Arts ensures thousands more young people will benefit from learning and playing music.” Continue reading
AVID program supports low-income students’ quest for college
The desks in seventh-grade teacher Zachary Cummings’ AVID classroom at Hamilton Middle School are arranged so that students can work in groups. Collaboration is one of the five hallmarks of AVID, along with reading, writing, inquiry, and organization.
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Cummings’ students recently quizzed each other on Cornell notes they took on a PowerPoint presentation about the history of Apple Inc. Cornell notes are just one example of college-level study techniques students learn in AVID, a global nonprofit organization directed at students who are capable of completing a college-preparatory path if they receive the proper support. The focus is on low-income students whose families don’t traditionally attend college.
Summer program gives rising sixth-graders a taste of middle school life
Incoming sixth-grader Taylor, 10, believes it’s important to protect the bee population, and she thinks she knows ways to do so. “Planting flowers will help attract bees so they can make more honey,” she said as she put marigold seeds into a small decorated pot.
This was only one of the many lessons she and several other soon-to-be sixth-graders learned during their two weeks in the Summer Bridge program, made possible by the federally-funded Race to the Top grant the district received, at Holland Middle School.
Students planted flowers as one way to help improve the bee population, discussing the reasons bees were threatened, and ways they could help save them. It was all part of a day’s work that integrated the mini-ecology lesson into other areas such as mathematics, reading, improving critical thinking skills, leading discussions, and other subjects. Continue reading
‘Eagles’ symposium encourages students to soar with STEM courses
Hundreds of middle and high school students learned about science, technology, engineering, and math careers at a symposium organized by the Gathering of Eagles and the Houston Military Affairs Committee.
A variety of speakers working in STEM-related careers, including a geologist at NASA, encouraged about 375 students in attendance at the Saturday event at Houston Community College Southeast. They came from schools including Austin, Bellaire, Davis, and Milby high schools and Deady, Hartman, Ortiz, and Stevenson middle schools and heard about exploring science and math courses and considering the engineering profession.
I Am HISD: ‘Granola boy’ comes of age; Lee HS alum talks tenacity, transitions

Justin Anderson
Justin Anderson has come a long way since launching a granola-manufacturing company while still a junior at Lee High School.
Since 2003, he has graduated, earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University, and rebranded his entire business.
Anderson talks about what lessons he has learned along the way in this week’s “I Am HISD” profile. You can check out the full edition of eNews online.
Other highlights from the latest edition include:
• Breakthroughs—Learn how Dr. Traci Duck has improved her students’ performance at Deady MS by breaking assignments down into their smallest components.
• HB 5 Spotlight—Find out why it’s never too early to start contacting colleges and universities in this article.
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