Tag Archives: HISD bond

HISD Board of Education to consider Kashmere High School construction contract

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday is expected to consider a construction contract for Kashmere High School, which is undergoing significant renovation as part of the 2012 Bond Program.

The bid for the renovation work was submitted by DT Construction in response to a February request for competitive sealed proposals. The proposal — one of three submitted — includes a base bid of $13 million with a construction contingency of $1.1 million, meaning the total costs would not exceed $14.1 million. Continue reading →

HISD project-by-project analysis shows 2012 Bond could need additional $212 million

The Houston Independent School District could need up to $212.4 million in additional funding for 2012 bond projects, according to a comprehensive, project-by-project analysis completed by district officials.

[su_box title=”Download” box_color=”#ededed” title_color=”#000000″ radius=”5″]2012 Bond Project-By-Project Analysis[/su_box]

The review was done to outline how much additional funding the district potentially could need to ensure all work is completed as initially described in the 2012 bond election. Continue reading →

Board of Education to consider approval of $211 million for 2012 bond program

The Houston Independent School District’s Board of Education in October will consider a proposal by district administrators to add $211 million in funding to the 2012 bond program, which would cover unprecedented and unanticipated inflationary construction costs.

Since 2012, when Houston voters approved the district’s $1.89 billion bond program, the district has seen a nearly 40 percent increase in building costs, from about $160 per square foot in 2012 to about $222 per square foot today. Continue reading →

Jones Futures Academy freshmen tour Prairie View A&M for insight into nursing, architecture

A group of 70 freshman students from the Jones Futures Academy traveled to the campus of Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) on June 25 to learn first-hand what it takes to become future construction, architecture and nursing students.

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Majority of Work Under 2007 Bond is Complete; 20 New Schools Open

As the Houston Independent School District moves forward with planning for the 2012 bond program to renovate, build, or replace 40 schools, work is under way to finish all the projects in the 2007 bond program over the next two years.

As of January, more than 77 percent of the approved work in the 2007 bond program was complete. Among the milestones are 20 new schools open for students, including Berry Elementary School, which offers a hands-on science garden and two environmental science instruction labs. Continue reading →

Superintendent Grier outlines next steps for HISD Bond

“I can’t ever recall a time in my career when I have been more proud,” HISD Superintendent Terry Grier told principals after the Houston Schools Bond was approved by a more than 2-1 margin. Continue reading →

Students Get Nearly 200 Commitments from Houston Voters through Phone Banks

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Simultaneous phone banks after school on Monday at Davis, Sharpstown, Chavez, Scarborough and Furr plus one earlier on Friday at the Sam Houston Math, Science & Technology Center (MSTC) resulted in 187 commitments from Houston voters promising to hit the polls on Election Day.

More than 100 students participated in the phone banks in collaboration with Mi Familia Vota, a national nonprofit organization geared to promote civic engagement.

“This was an excellent opportunity for our kids to contribute toward a good cause, one that will benefit everyone,” said Sharpstown High School Principal Rob Gasparello. “It is always good to work with the great folks from Mi Familia Vota. The students really enjoyed volunteering for this event.”

The students volunteered a couple of hours after school to call eligible voters in their communities to encourage them to vote on Tuesday and remind them to finish the ballot.

“We had great results across the board from students, teachers and staff,” said Will Hernandez, deputized volunteer for Mi Familia Vota. “Thank you to HISD for allowing us to collaborate on this project!”

Mi Familia Vota provided the students at each campus headsets and a computer program to help facilitate the phone bank, along with the list of contact numbers for voters in their surrounding areas.

Students from Davis High School previously participated on another phone bank with Mi Familia Vota on October 19 to promote civic engagement and placed over a thousand phone calls.

At Sam Houston MSTC, parents and students made hundreds of phone calls to Houston voters on November 2.

Do you recognize these early voting zombies?

It’s getting close to Halloween, and there are some ghoulish efforts under way to get out the word on early voting, which starts on Monday (Oct. 22). Just look at these photos snapped at some of the HISD schools that would benefit from the $1.89 billion schools bond. The proposition appears at the very end of the ballot. Use your braaaaaains and vote early!

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Gallery: A Look at Types of Historic Exteriors that Could Be Preserved in School Rebuilds

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All-student TV crew covers Lovett dedication ceremony

Principal Amy Simson welcomed HISD Board of Education President Michael Lunceford, Chief School Officer Sam Sarabia, and the grandson of E. O. Lovett at the elementary school’s official dedication held March 8, 2012.

Edgar Odell Lovett Elementary School was named for the first president at Rice University. Both the university and elementary school share the same mascot and school colors. Principal Simson thanked the community, parents and volunteers for helping build a solid foundation for the children to excel, using both technology and art.

A student on Lovett's WHO TV crew works with Aaron Casares from HISD's Multimedia Services team.

“We are delighted to welcome you to this lovely new space,” she said. “There is so much we have been able to do, we now have special practice rooms for our band, choir and orchestra programs, and through the window wall in our new band room, we can give outdoor performances.”

Lovett’s all-student WHO TV crew worked with HISD TV to cover the event, including holding the cameras, and shooting footage.

Chief Elementary School Officer Sam Sarabia congratulated Principal Simson for Lovett’s continued achievements, and recognized longtime band director Ginny Croft, whose 30-year tenure has earned numerous performing arts accolades, at both the district and state level.