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.
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.
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
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:
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.
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
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
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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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.
For at least the previous 25 years, the Houston Independent School District has been recognized by the Association of School Business Officials International’s Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting Award. On Thursday, the district once again received the ASBO honor.
The award, given to school districts that demonstrate superior accounting practices and reporting procedures, was presented to the district for its 2011-2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (PDF), which was presented for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012.
The award certifies the district has continually conformed to the principles and standards of financial reporting as recommended by the ASBO.