HISD is home to some of Houston’s most pandemic resilient schools according to Children at Risk’s annual list of best public schools.
The research and advocacy organization evaluated 1,347 schools in the Houston area to identify those that were most resilient during the pandemic. This year’s rankings focused on analysis comparing academic performance during the 2020-21 school year with the 2018-19 school year to identify the impact of the pandemic on children in Houston.
Continue readingHISD is partnering with various organizations across the city, including the Houston Health Department, to offer COVID-19 vaccine opportunities in school communities. COVID-19 vaccinations for 5 years old and up will be available in several HISD schools beginning Friday, Nov. 12.
Continue readingApril Coleman-Hernandez has been selected as the new principal of Raul C. Martinez Elementary. Coleman-Hernandez began her teaching career in 1997 at Sharpstown High School. She continued serving the children of HISD as dean of students at Revere MS and Fonville Middle School, and dean of instruction at North Forest High School.
Continue readingFor Houston Rockets newcomer Armoni Brooks, planting seeds and giving back to the Houston community is part of his roots. The Waco-born former University of Houston Cougar was joined by teammates Kenyon Martin Jr., Joshua Christopher, Rockets staff, mascot Clutch, and members of the military on Tuesday for the Hoops For Troops event at Oates Elementary School. The event was a beautification project that saw the military and Rockets organization roll up their sleeves and work on the Oates grounds by painting the basketball court, pulling weeds, replacing benches, power-washing the walls, and adding new flower beds.
“Just being able to give back to the community is a big part of what we wanted to do when we chose this profession,” Brooks said. “Being able to do it in the local community means a lot, and I’m sure it really means a lot to the kids and the families and everyone that is involved.”
Continue readingIn response to the unique challenges presented by COVID-19, HISD is partnering with iEducate to hire up to 500 college readiness mentors as tutors through a new initiative called Student Teacher Corps.
All HISD students and alumni ages 15 through college are invited to apply for this paid opportunity. The purpose of this program is to address gaps in learning widened by the pandemic at 50-plus elementary schools in need, all while helping students interested in the field of education gain valuable hands-on teaching experience.
Continue readingLast year on the final day of school in Maria Reveles-Gonzalez’s third-grade class at Pilgrim Academy, she posted a sign that read “last day of school.” Students wrote on it what they learned that year, as well as their favorite subject. While most wrote that they enjoyed learning multiplication, one student answered, “to be confident in who she was.” That moment helped the then-first-year teacher confirm that this was where she wanted to be—at HISD.
“It was so beautiful to see that is what she took away from being in my class for one year,” Reveles-Gonzalez said.
Continue readingFor many, the dream of being a professional musician starts young, but it isn’t always about being a big star but having a passion for the arts. The sonic passion of some of HISD’s most-talented students is on display at an unlikely venue for music performances—the library.
In 2016, jazz students at Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts wanted a setting that would be fitting to express their creative outlet, and it ended up being their library. What would soon follow was another version of what HSPVA calls “Happenings,” which were live music events generally held in the commons. Subsequently, the idea evolved into the “Library Desk Concert” (LDC). Since then, the LDC has been a hit.
Continue readingGerardo Medina has been selected as the new principal of Paul Revere Middle School. He is a proud product of HISD, having graduated from Lamar High School.
HISD Facilities Services is hosting a districtwide custodial job fair and recruitment drive at three locations on Saturday, Oct. 23.
Interested individuals can apply online at HoustonISD.org/careers or in person at North Forest, Sharpstown, or Milby high schools the day of the fair.
Continue readingThe sun strained through high, wispy clouds, beaming bright yellow warmth onto the windows of school buses that streamed into the bus terminal, returning from safely transporting students.
At all district locations, HISD Transportation Services is observing National School Bus Safety Week to raise awareness among students, staff, and the community about the importance of school bus safety – inside and outside the school bus.
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