Tag Archives: HISD

Texas Supreme Court Justice is Austin High School’s White Rose Dinner Keynote Speaker

Second annual event to raise funds to benefit students and school programs

April 16, 2013 – Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, an Austin High School alumna, will be the keynote speaker for the school’s second annual White Rose Dinner on Thursday, April 18.

Justice Guzman was appointed to the Supreme Court of Texas in 2009.  Before her appointment, she served as an Associate Justice on the Houston-based Texas 14th Court of Appeals for eight years and as a trial court judge in the 309th Family District Court.

The annual dinner is hosted by Austin faculty, staff and alumni to raise funds to benefit the students and school programs.  Last year, the dinner raised $7,000 and all proceeds were used to purchase incentives to promote perfect attendance and honor roll.

The cost per person is $50, and sponsorships are available.  For ticket information, call 713-924-1600.

What:              2nd Annual White Rose Dinner

Who:               Eva Guzman, Texas Supreme Court Justice and Austin High School alumna

When:             Thursday, April 18, 2013, 6 p.m.

Where:            University of Houston Hilton Hotel, 4800 Calhoun, Houston, TX 77004

HISD’s Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School Forms Sister School Relationship with Beijing Campus

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

Seven HISD Seniors Awarded National Achievement Scholarships

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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Annual ‘Hooray for Neff’ Event Showcases Young Students’ Musical and Artistic Talents

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

When: Thursday, March 28, 2013; 9a.m. – 10a.m. (Performance), 10a.m. – 1p.m. (Exhibits)

Where: Neff Early Learning Center, 8200 Carvel Lane, Houston, TX 77036

32 HISD Schools Now Serving Free Dinner to Students

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.

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HISD Introduces New Law Enforcement Mentoring Program at Parent Night

The Houston Independent School District will introduce a new law enforcement mentoring program during the upcoming Parent Night event.  HISD’s Parent Engagement Department has partnered with the HISD Police Department, METRO Police Department, and Houston Police Department to create a mentoring program for at-risk students.   The officers will serve as mentors at Peck Elementary School, and Attucks, Cullen, Deady, Jackson, Key, McReynolds, Sugar Grove, and Welch middle schools.  Former NASA astronaut Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr. will serve as the keynote speaker.  In 1995, Dr. Harris became the first African-American to walk in space.

 Who:         HISD Parent Engagement Department, HISD Police, METRO Police, and the Houston Police departments, former NASA astronaut Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr., HISD students, parents, and administrators. 

What:           The HISD Parent Engagement Department will announce a new law enforcement mentorship program in partnership. 

When:        Wednesday, December 5, 2012: 6p.m.-8p.m. 

Where:       Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center , 4400 West 18th Street

Houston ISD Seniors to Receive $150,000 in Broad Foundation Scholarships

This spring’s Houston Independent School District graduates will receive $150,000 in scholarships from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.

Update, May 29, 2013: The Broad Foundation increased its scholarship giveaway to $165,000 in an effort to distribute more financial assistance to HISD students.

The scholarships are a result of HISD being among the four national finalists for the 2012 Broad Prize for Urban Education, which was awarded today to the Miami-Dade County Public Schools.  This was Miami-Dade’s fifth time to be a Broad Prize finalist.  HISD won the inaugural Broad Prize in 2002.

“We were honored to be among the final four of 75 urban school districts for the most prestigious award in education,” HISD Superintendent Terry Grier said.  “The consistent progress that our students have made over the past several years is a direct reflection on the hard work put in by the teachers, principals, and every member of Team HISD.” Continue reading →

Roosevelt Elementary celebrates official dedication

Near the finale of Wednesday’s official dedication ceremony for Theodore Roosevelt Elementary, at least one parent in the crowd let out a grito — a celebratory yell — during the final performance of a visiting mariachi band comprised of students.

It certainly wasn’t the only rave review at the school this morning.

Roosevelt Elementary, a Vanguard school for gifted and talented students, opened the doors to its new campus building in late November 2011, more than 80 years after the school originally opened.

The two-story school serves about 750 students, and most, if not all of them, Roosevelt principal Armando Lujan said, really enjoy learning with the new technology the school now uses.

“The students love this building,” he said. “They love the SMART boards, they love the technology. They love the fact that we are able to broadcast news over the SMART boards.”

During the celebration, attendees were entertained by three different musical groups, including songs by the school’s Pre-K students and its new choir team, as well as bookended performances by the mariachi band from Jefferson Davis High School.

Inside the school, students have access to a central library and large multi-purpose room, one Lujan said was nearly unusable in the old school. The design of the school allows for more natural light inside the hallways and classrooms, results in a nearly 20 percent reduction in energy use from the previous building.

“It’s come a long way,” said Mary Morales, president of the school’s Parent-Teacher Organization and mother to two students currently at Roosevelt. “It’s like the best thing they could give these kids nowadays that we didn’t have when we were younger.

“It’s wonderful,” she said. “It helps (students) out a lot more. It expands their minds a lot more. I remember when I was little, I wasn’t doing projects. Now they are.”

The school was built with approximately $16.5 million from the bond program approved by voters in 2007. Roosevelt is one of 20 new schools built with funds from that bond program.