Award-winning author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni to be guest speaker
For more than 25 years, the Houston Independent School District has been recognizing the dedication and efforts of all school librarians in the district. The Librarian of the Year for 2013 will be announced at the upcoming annual banquet on May 18, 2013.
Partnership possible thanks to KBR’s support
Students at HISD’s Booker T. Washington High School are collaborating with students at the Ormiston Victory Academy in Norwich, England to build a mission on Mars, thanks to KBR’s Discover Engineering Committee.
The SAMbassadors program is designed to engage students in science and engineering projects with a global perspective. The students at both campuses Skype every other week to discuss the logistics of this project and share documents online. Each school has 25-30 students in the program.
One group of students has been determining environmental conditions on Mars such as wind speed, temperature, atmospheric gases, sunlight and shade, radiation and soil conditions. Another group is designing the living conditions. Meanwhile, the British students at Victory Academy are creating 3D CAD drawings.
The students from both campuses will Skype immediately following the press conference on Monday, May 20, 2013.
What: SAMbassadors, program to a build mission on Mars
Who: Aimee Yuan, KBR-DEC chairperson; Patrick Harkin, KBR-DEC outreach chair; Jack Kramer, KBR engineer; Dr. Nghia Le, engineering teacher, Washington High School; LaShonda Bilbo-Ervin, principal, Washington High School; Elizabeth Nolazco, student, Washington High School
When: Monday, May 20, 2013; Press conference – 9:30 a.m.; Skype interview – 10 a.m.
Where: Washington High School, 119 East 39th Street, Houston, 77018
HISD Superintendent Terry Grier to deliver remarks
The Houston Independent School District is recognizing the efforts of thousands of volunteers and awarding the top volunteers of the year at the upcoming VIPS Recognition and Awards Program on May 22, 2013.
The Volunteers in Public Schools Program (VIPS) started in 1970 and to date, HISD has more than 30,000 volunteers district-wide who have dedicated countless hours to schools, programs and events across Houston.
During the VIPS Recognition and Awards Program, HISD will be giving numerous awards including the Jean Davis Meyer and Special Lifetime Achievement awards recognizing the most outstanding volunteers.
What: VIPS Recognition and Awards Program
Who: HISD Superintendent Terry Grier, HISD Board of Education President Anna Eastman, Trustees Rhonda Skillern Jones and Michael Lunceford and VIPS volunteers
When: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 9a.m.
Where: Kingdom Builder’s Center, 6011 West Orem, Houston, 77085
Bikes donated by the Lester and Sue Smith Foundation, Martha Patricia Jaimes and the Thin Blue Line Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club
More than 350 Houston Independent School District students at Garden Oaks, Looscan, Garcia, and Coop elementary schools will receive bicycles, helmets, and bicycle locks as part of the “Bikes for Excellence” program. This program, founded in 2006 by Park Place Elementary teacher Martha Patricia Jaimes, rewards fifth-grade students who have excelled in academics, personal conduct, and attendance. The Thin Blue Line Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club and the Lester and Sue Smith Foundation help by donating bikes to the program.
During the final ceremony on Friday, May 17 nearly 100 students at Coop Elementary will receive their bikes.
What: 95 fifth-grade students will each receive a bicycle, a helmet, and a bicycle lock
Who: Coop Elementary students, staff and parents; Bikes for Excellence Founder Martha Patricia Jaimes; Sue and Lester Smith; and Thin Blue Line Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club
When: Friday, May 17 at 12:30 p.m.
Where: Coop Elementary School, 10130 Aldine-Westfield, 77093
Nine meetings scheduled across Houston in April and May
April 25, 2013 – In an effort to provide taxpayers a guide to understanding the district’s budget, the Houston Independent School District is hosting a series of community meetings across the city that will outline the budgeting process from planning, to adoption and implementation.
“We want our constituents to understand how HISD’s budget process works, how much money does each school get and even how they can get involved,” said HISD Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Huewitt. “Our goal is to ensure HISD’s budget and financial information is readily available and user friendly so that taxpayers know exactly how their tax dollars are allocated and spent.”
The meetings will cover key aspects of HISD’s budgeting process such as where the money comes from, how much is designated to each of the 276 campuses, who decides how the money is spent at each campus and who monitors the budget, among other topics.
HISD’s General Manager of Budget and Financial Planning Sharon Eaves will be leading the budget presentations at the community meetings.
Upcoming Community Budget Meetings:
Partnership to expand international exchange programs and learning opportunities
April 15, 2013 – In an effort to expand international exchange programs and learning opportunities for the students of both countries, HISD’s Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School is forming a sister school relationship with The Elementary School Affiliated to Renmin University of China during an official signing ceremony on Tuesday, April 16, 2013.
This partnership will enable the students to use their knowledge of both cultures to think and act globally and become responsible and successful global citizens. Meanwhile, the educators will develop their language and teaching abilities to a high global standard that will maximize learning opportunities for their students. By signing this agreement, both schools commit to work together to improve the quality of education for all students and explore ways in which the two campuses can share a variety of resources, expertise and learning opportunities.
What: Official signing ceremony between HISD’s Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School and The Elementary School Affiliated to Renmin University of China
Who: Harvin Moore, HISD Board of Education Trustee; Bryan Bordelon, Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School principal; Dr. Andrew Houlihan, HISD Chief School Officer for Major Projects; Zheng Ruifang, The Elementary School Affiliated to Renmin University of China principal
When: Tuesday, April 16, 2013, 1:30 p.m.
Where: Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School, 6300 Avenue B, Bellaire, TX 77401
Ten percent of Texas winners are from HISD
April 10, 2013 – Seven Houston Independent School District students have been named National Achievement Scholarship winners and will each receive a $2,500 scholarship for their undergraduate studies.
Each year the National Merit Scholarship Corporation awards scholarships to African-American students who have excelled in academics and have demonstrated the potential for academic success in college.
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Event in collaboration with the Houston Grand Opera
What: HISD’s Neff Early Learning Center, in collaboration with the Houston Grand Opera, continues its tradition of displaying the young students’ artistic and musical talents at the annual ‘Hooray for Neff’ performance and exhibition on Thursday. Throughout the academic year, with the support of the Houston Grand Opera, the students create art, learn how to use technology, and practice singing, dancing, and performing in preparation for this grand event. The Houston Grand Opera provides the school with supplies and resources, as well as guest performers that work with the students on their artistic projects.
The Houston Grand Opera collaborates with the Rice University’s Center for Education for support to fund this project at Neff Early Learning Center.
Who: Neff Elementary students, parents and community members
With more students spending most of their day at school, HISD’s Food Services has partnered with the 21st Century Community Learning Center program to serve dinner at various campuses to ensure students have access to healthy meals each day.
Some of America’s most innovative education leaders gathered at the Houston Independent School District’s headquarters on March 19 for the second meeting of the League of Innovative Schools.
Fondren Middle School Principal Charles Foust (far left) explains to members of the League of Innovative Schools how his campus is using technology to drive instruction.
Designed to give educators a chance to dramatically increase student achievement through the wise use of technology, the league was launched by President Barack Obama in 2011 in tandem with Digital Promise, a new national education center created by the Congress and the U.S. Department of Education.
Superintendents from across the country attended the Houston meeting, where they—along with dozens of respected researchers and entrepreneurs—adopted the league’s membership charter, took part in break-out sessions on various topics, and toured one of five Apollo 20 campuses to see how HISD is using technology to drive instruction.
“Mr. McNairy, one of our history teachers, can get instant assessments and download data to his grade book immediately using the Classroom Performance System,” explained Fondren Middle School Principal Charles Foust, “while Ms. Perry can be anywhere in the classroom and her writing will appear on the SMART Board up front.”