Tag Archives: Kashmere HS

Kashmere HS construction to start 2nd quarter of 2016

Kashmere High School, which is getting a $17 million renovation to its existing facility, held the first of three community meetings earlier this fall to share information about progress on the project’s design.

The renovation will enclose the center courtyard to create a large indoor flexible space with natural light for year-round use. The design merges the four main campus buildings into one and also will feature an updated front entrance. The permitting process with the City of Houston is underway, with review set to begin in January.

Construction is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2016 and take about 9 to 12 months to complete.

Photo gallery of HISD building projects

Nancy Blackwell named new principal of Kashmere High School

Nancy Blackwell has been selected as the new principal of Kashmere High School. Ms. Blackwell has a total of 38 years of experience in the field of education, including 15 years of classroom experience in grades K-12. She recently retired from the Aldine ISD, where she served as principal of Worsham Elementary, Hambrick Middle School, and MacArthur Senior High School. Ms. Blackwell received her Bachelor of Science degree from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and her master’s in Mid-Management from Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, Texas.

 

STEM fields come to life for ELL, migrant students at Rice

Twenty-eight students in HISD’s English Language Learner and migrant programs spent two weeks of their summer participating in hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities at the STEM Leadership and Design Fabrication Academy at Rice University.

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The students, who attend Austin, Chávez, Davis, Furr, Kashmere, Liberty, Lee, Sam Houston, Sharpstown, and Waltrip high schools, got a taste of what careers in a STEM-related field could be like. Continue reading →

Pumps & Pipes externship shows teachers how to link learning with careers

Mentors for Mentors gives educators direct access to medical, energy, and space professionals

Whether you’re a cardiologist trying to clear a blocked artery or an engineer trying to drill for oil more efficiently, the mechanics and physics at play are the same.

That’s why 15 educators from seven different HISD campuses attended a “Pumps & Pipes” externship recently to learn how to apply concepts from engineering to medicine and vice-versa.

Pumps & Pipes was founded in 2007 to allow medical, energy, and aerospace professionals to learn from on another by comparing notes on common systems and processes. At the “Mentors for Mentors” symposium, they shared insights they had gained with HISD teachers, so that they, in turn, could get students excited about studying science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Continue reading →

Summer Bridge program preparing Futures Academy students for success

Rising sophomores get tips from former Futures Academy students and EMERGE fellows

The journey from high school to college to a career can be challenging, but HISD’s Futures Academy is helping students develop the skills they’ll need to get there.

The Summer Bridge Program is arming rising high school sophomores with critical knowledge in the areas of time management, team building, communication, and money management. Four sessions are scheduled for June and feature classes taught by Futures Academy and EMERGE alumni.

“One way we thought this message would resonate with students is by having former HISD Futures Academy and EMERGE students returning from their first year in college lead the sessions,” said Michael Love, assistant superintendent of the Futures Academy. “This allows the students to learn directly from peers who recently walked the same hallways as them.”

Continue reading →

Eleven HISD students win scholarships from Texas Legislative Black Caucus

Graduating seniors from five HISD high schools collectively received more than $20,000 in scholarships from the Texas Legislative Black Caucus (TLBC), including Madison High School valedictorian Luis Piñeda, salutatorian Idalia Castro, and two of their classmates: James Russell Jr. and Cherish Spears.

Other HISD students who received TMBC scholarships this year are: Decory Edwards (Waltrip HS); Giovanni Johnson (Kashmere HS); Michael Suber (Leland College Prep Academy); and Dillon Kennedy, Sheary Mandapat, James Pierce II, and Brittany Spriggs (Washington HS).

TLBC scholarships range from $1,500 to $4,000 for qualified high school students from across the state. To see a complete list of recipients for 2015, please visit the TLBC website.

HISD student athletes commit to play college sports on National Signing Day

More than 90 of HISD’s top student athletes committed to taking their academic and athletic talent to the college level as part of National Signing Day on Wednesday, February 4.

The HISD ceremony at the Region IV Education Service Center, aimed to recognize the students’ formal commitment to continue their education and sports careers at colleges and universities around the country. During the event, students signed symbolic certificates of intent to continue their careers in baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling.

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Among the highlights:

  • More than 50 HISD senior boys will continue their football careers in college, including 11 from Lamar High School, seven each from Reagan and Wheatley high schools, six from Kashmere High School, five from Furr High School, and four each from Madison, Sterling, and Westside high schools.
  • Five HISD senior girls will run track and field in college.
  • Eleven senior boys and four senior girls will play college basketball.

Traditionally, National Signing Day has been reserved for senior high school football players completing their letters of intent with colleges and universities. But, for the past six years, HISD has included both female and male athletes from all sports to showcase the district’s athletic talent. Additional athletic commitments also are expected after Signing Day.

During the event, students heard from featured speaker Antonio Armstrong, a Kashmere High School graduate, former NFL player, and owner of Houston-based 1st Class Training, as well as HISD Director of Athletics Marmion Dambrino, HISD Board of Education President Rhonda Skillern-Jones, HISD Board of Education Trustee Wanda Adams, and representatives from the Houston Positive Coaches Alliance.

Click here to view a list of the 2014-2015 HISD student athlete signees.

Two alternative certification grads discuss what makes HISD’s program superior

Physics teacher Adeeb Barqawi works with his students at Kashmere High School.

Physics teacher Adeeb Barqawi works with his students at Kashmere High School.

The one thing most participants in HISD’s Alternative Certification Program have in common is that they did not originally plan to pursue a career in education. However, the desire to be a positive influence on children and the greater Houston community eventually brought them to the classroom, and to HISD.

Recently, we sat down with Cory Bates, a bilingual Pre-K teacher at Stevens Elementary School, and Adeeb Barqawi, a physics teacher at Kashmere High School, to reflect on their experiences in the district’s Alternative Certification Program, also known as the Effective Teacher Fellowship (ETF), and why they feel HISD’s program is superior to others. The deadline to apply to the next Effective Teacher Fellowship cohort is Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015.  Continue reading →

Cheer on your favorite teams at annual girls’ basketball tournament 

Spectators can catch the hoops action from Thursday, Dec. 4, through Saturday

If you’re in the mood for some exciting full-court action this weekend, check out one (or more!) of the games in HISD’s 31st annual girls’ basketball tournament.

The match-ups will take place at Chávez, North Forest, Reagan, and Westside high schools, as well as the Wilkins Pavilion located on the Forest Brook Middle School campus. Individual game tickets cost $4 each, but a $10 tournament pass will grant admission to all of them.  Continue reading →

Former ACP Teacher of the Year now has his eyes on the Fishman Prize

Physics teacher Adeeb Barqawi works with his students at Kashmere High School, April 14, 2014. (Houston ISD/Dave Einsel)

Physics teacher Adeeb Barqawi works with his students at Kashmere High School on April 14, 2014.

When Adeeb Barqawi first started teaching during the 2012–2013 school year, he had no idea how quickly success would come to him.

But in June of 2013, he was named the Alternative Certification Program Teacher of the Year for the entire State of Texas, and the following February, his approach to instruction was highlighted in a Breakthroughs feature of the district’s eNews publication. This led to accolades from the mayor and Houston City Council in April of 2014, and now, the high school physics instructor is hoping the combination of his teaching philosophy and his students’ achievements will bring him recognition on the national stage. Continue reading →