Tag Archives: HISD

Neff Elementary to Celebrate Dedication of New School

‘Hooray for Neff Day’ will mark new building constructed under 2007 bond program

What:  Neff Elementary School students and staff will dedicate its new 750-student campus, built under the 2007 bond program, with a ceremony in the school’s cafeteria. The ceremony will be followed by “Hooray for Neff Day.”  Events will include student performances, special guest speakers and classroom tours of the new facility.

Who:  Neff Principal Rupak Gandhi, HISD Board of Education Trustee Greg Meyers, HISD Chief School Officer Sydney Zullinger

When:  Friday, May 24, 2013, 9 a.m. – Ceremony; 11:30 a.m. – ‘Hooray for Neff Day’

Where: Neff Elementary School cafeteria, 8301 Neff  St. Houston, Texas 77036

HISD to Announce 2013 Teachers of the Year

Twenty-two elementary and secondary teachers among finalists

Teachers from all 276 HISD schools, including the 22 finalists for the districtwide teacher of the year award, will be at the annual HISD Celebration of Excellence today at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

HISD will announce the two 2013 Teachers of the Year, and each winner will receive $5,000, a plaque, and a custom made ring from Herff Jones Graduation Center. The principals, assistant principals, first-year principal and first-year teachers of the year and employees of the month will also be recognized.

Click here to read more about the 22 finalists for Teacher of the Year.

Who:  HISD Board of Education Trustees, HISD Superintendent Terry Grier, principals, teachers and staff

What:  Team HISD Celebration of Excellence ceremony honoring the 2013 Teachers of the Year

When:  Tuesday, May 21 at 6p.m.

Where:  George R. Brown Convention Center, Grand Ballroom, 1001 Avenida de las Americas, Houston

HISD’s Washington High School Partners with British School to Build a Mission on Mars

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 to Recognize District’s Top Volunteers at VIPS Recognition and Awards Program

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

More Than 350 “Bikes for Excellence” Awarded to HISD Students

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

Ten HISD Seniors Awarded National Merit Scholarships

Winners selected from talent pool of more than 15,000 finalists

Ten Houston Independent School District students from five high schools have been named National Merit Scholarship winners and will each receive a scholarship for their undergraduate studies.  The winners, selected from a pool of more than 15,000 finalists nationwide, were awarded based on their ability to demonstrate the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential success in rigorous college studies.

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HISD Wins Big at HEB Excellence in Education Awards

HEB Houston President Scott McClelland with Fondren ES Principal Mike Walker

Three HISD educators won top honors at the HEB Excellence Awards on May 3, 2013, and brought home a combined total of $75,000 for their schools.

Mike Walker, the principal at Fondren Elementary, received top honors in the elementary principal category. He received a $10,000 prize and a $25,000 grant for his school.

High School for the Visual and Performing Arts Principal R. Scott Allen was also awarded a $10,000 cash prize and a $25,000 grant for his school. “Winning this award speaks volumes to the importance of combining arts with a rigorous education to create well-rounded, successful students,” said Dr. Allen. He plans to use the $25,000 grant to create a yearly scholarship for an at-risk student on his campus.

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HISD to Host Inaugural Districtwide Special Olympics Field Day

More than 1,200 students to participate during two-day event

The HISD Office of Special Education Services and Special Olympics Texas have partnered to host the inaugural districtwide Special Olympics Field Day, a two-day event to provide athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and closely related developmental disabilities, on May 2 and 3.  More than 1,200 HISD students will be participating in a variety of athletics events such as basketball, track, flag football, soccer, and softball toss events.  Houston Texans players and coaches, along with volunteers from HISD’s athletics department, the University of Houston and Hewlett Packard, will be helping out with the event.

What:  Inaugural HISD Special Olympics Field Day

Who:  HISD Office of Special Education Services staff, HISD students, coaches, Houston Texans players and coaches, and University of Houston and Hewlett Packard volunteers

When:  Thursday, May 2, 2013 (Elementary) and Friday, May 3, 2013 (Middle/High) from 9a.m. – 1p.m.

Where:  Delmar-Tusa Athletic Complex, 2020 Mangum Road

HISD Hosting Community Meetings to Answer Budget Questions

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:

  • May 13 – 6 p.m. at Lamar High School (3325 Westheimer)
  • May 14 – 6 p.m. at Revere Middle School (10502 Briar Forest)
  • May 15 – 6 p.m. at Reagan High School (413 East 13th)
  • May 16 – 6 p.m. at Milby High School (1601 Broadway)

HISD School Choice Fair Offers Parents Opportunity to Explore Education Options for Students

Representatives from more than 70 HISD schools will be on-site

April 25, 2013 – When it comes to selecting a school, parents and students at the Houston Independent School District have a multitude of options from magnet programs to preschool programs to career and technical education academies and early college high schools.  Houston families will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from more than 70 HISD schools at the upcoming HISD School Choice Fair on Saturday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Hattie Mae White Education Support Center (4400 West 18th Street).

“In HISD, we are committed to providing equity in access to quality educational programs for all students,” said Assistant Superintendent of School Choice Dave Wheat.  “We want to help families choose an ideal school for their children based on the students’ interests, talents, and needs.”

The schools at the fair are those that still have space for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year.  The representatives from these schools will be available to answer questions, provide detailed information about their campuses and help parents fill out the application on site.

Information will be provided about HISD’s magnet schools, early colleges, vanguard programs for gifted and talented students, preschool programs, multilingual programs and other specialty programs, including the district’s newest additions to its portfolio, the Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan and The Energy Institute High School.   Parents and students have until May 16 to apply for these two new magnet schools that will feature a highly rigorous curriculum emphasizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

For more information about the School Choice Fair, please contact the Office of School Choice at 713-556-6947.