Alexander Gonzalez has been selected as the new principal of Helms Elementary. Gonzalez first began his career in education as a middle school reading teacher at Killough Middle School in Alief ISD. In 2014, he served as a teacher, department chair, and site coordinator for Houston ISD’s Advanced Virtual Academy. In 2017, he became a Teacher Specialist at Hines-Caldwell Elementary overseeing IAT, LEP, and 504. For the last three years he has served as an Assistant Principal at Scarborough High School.
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HISD announces 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year finalists, Beginning Teacher of the Year winners
Twelve educators have been named as HISD’s 2020-2021 Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year finalists, and two teachers have been named the Beginning Teachers of the Year.
The two Teacher of the Year winners will go on to represent the district in Region IV. The 12 finalists were selected from all 280 schools based on performance data and other criteria.
At the elementary level, the six Teacher of the Year finalists are:
Continue readingHelms ES, Tanglewood MS leaders named Principals of the Year
As she stood in the upstairs teachers’ lounge at Helms Dual Language Elementary School, Lola Perejón was talking to her parents on FaceTime, who were calling in from Spain.
Perejón, the principal at Helms, does not normally call her family during a regular school day, but this was a special occasion.
Continue readingMaria “Lola” Perejon-Lasheras named new principal of Helms Elementary
Maria “Lola” Perejon-Lasheras has been appointed principal of Helms Elementary School. Perejon-Lasheras has served HISD in various capacities for more than 16 years. Prior to this, she was assistant principal at Helms, and before that a curriculum specialist in the HISD Curriculum Department. Perejon-Lasheras holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Complutense University of Madrid. She obtained her principal’s certification through University of St. Thomas.
Take it outside Nov. 17–21 and observe SPARK Week
HISD will be observing SPARK (School Park) Week Nov. 17–21, 2014, with the opening of brand-new school parks at four different campuses, so come join district and community members as they celebrate the occasion with refreshments, entertainment, and lots of fun!
Below is a schedule of the opening ceremonies: Continue reading
Helms ES celebrates crossing guard’s 84th birthday
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Helms Elementary threw a birthday party for one of its most dedicated employees on Monday – 84-year-old crossing guard Joy Wilson. She was presented with dozens of cards and flowers. Continue reading
J.P. Henderson ES gets teachers’ lounge makeover
J.P. Henderson Elementary has new furniture in its teachers’ lounge, thanks to Gallery Furniture, Univision 45 and Children at Risk.
The furniture store is making over several teachers’ lounges throughout the Houston area. It asked Univision 45 to pick a school, and the TV station asked Children at Risk for a recommendation.
“When Univision called that I had really good news, I ran to my office and said that I need good news – it’s the beginning of school!” Principal Herlinda Garcia said. “This sends a very strong message from the community to the teachers that we do care about you.”
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Surprise! Shearn ES students find new program, meet the superintendent
Shearn Elementary School is one of 14 HISD schools launching the school year today as a dual-language campus, with instruction in both English and Spanish, and students had a special visitor this morning.
Dr. Terry Grier dropped in as the school day began to greet students and parents, and to pump up their enthusiasm for dual-language. “I sure wish we had this when I was in school,” Grier told a trio of fifth-grade school leaders who guided him on a tour of Shearn.
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Marques Foster was delighted to hear about the new program. “I really want to learn Spanish,” she said. “I know it’s important to have more than one language.” Continue reading
Countdown to 2014-2015: What’s new in HISD #5 — Dual-language programs expanding to 14 more schools
This is the sixth in a series of stories counting down to the start of school, spotlighting what is new in HISD in the coming year.
When the school bells sound Monday in HISD, 14 additional elementary campuses will be conducting classes in two languages, as the district expands its successful dual-language program to a total of 32 schools.
The structure offers foreign language immersion for English-speaking students and a bilingual program for Spanish speakers.
The expansion process started a year ago, when all HISD elementary schools were invited to apply for the successful program. Those chosen have spent months preparing. HISD has a six-year plan to turn at least half its elementary campuses into dual-language schools by 2020. Continue reading
Helms ES fourth-grader earns perfect math score on STAAR exam
Natalie Nichols
Natalie Nichols has seen a lot of tragedy in her short life. Given up for adoption by her dying mother when she was just four years old, she lost both her mother and her younger sister in Guatemala before being adopted by a couple from the U.S.
Assimilating to life in a foreign country is a formidable task on its own, but that hasn’t stopped the plucky Helms Elementary fourth-grader from taking on additional challenges. Natalie wants to excel academically as well—and now, she has done so—earning a perfect score on the math portion of the recent STAAR exam.