The Houston Texans and the Wade Smith Foundation have teamed up to motivate HISD students to read through the Reading with the Pros program. Reading with the Pros will bring active Texans players into a handful of HISD elementary schools twice a month to read to students with the goal of improving attendance and helping students discover a love for reading that will benefit them throughout their lives.
Fifth graders at Dogan Elementary had some surprise visitors on Friday, Sept. 6, when representatives from Occidental Petroleum (Oxy) and the Astros Foundation came to help celebrate the start of the school year and donate books and school supplies. Astros mascot Orbit delighted the students with games and dancing to music provided by a DJ.
Oxy and the Astros Foundation partnered to donate 30,000 school supply items, collected by Oxy employees, to five elementary schools and one middle school campus in Denver Harbor and greater Fifth Ward, as well as two campuses in HISD’s South Division.
Continue readingHISD’s seven Sunrise Centers have been hubs for resources and social assistance within their communities since their partnerships began in 2023. Located in existing community spaces in high-need areas of the city, the Sunrise Centers act as one-stop-shops where HISD families can access essential resources and programs.
Each Sunrise Center is equipped to provide its community with basic supplies such as dry food goods, hygiene items, and school uniforms. Sunrise Centers are staffed with dedicated student support professionals who can assist students and their families with case management, homeless and foster care support, parent workshops, and mental and physical health supports.
Continue readingHISD is committed to the health and wellness of its scholars and making healthcare more accessible by removing cost barriers for families. The District is partnering with Hazel Health, a telehealth service that instantly connects students with healthcare providers with the touch of a button.
Physical health services are available on-demand for a variety of common ailments and conducted virtually by state licensed practitioners, all at no cost. Insurance is not needed for HISD students to utilize Hazel Health.
At the end of July, high school students throughout the District came together for the first annual HISD Civic Ambassador Training. The brainchild of HISD’s Community Partnerships Department, the training offered students an opportunity to become their schools’ “Civic Ambassadors.” Over the three-day intensive program held at the University of Houston’s Downtown campus, students learned about the power of their votes, the importance of local elections, and the value of collaborating with their peers for the benefit of their community.
Continue readingOrganizations citywide are rallying to provide backpacks, school supplies, immunizations, and food to families in need for the 2024-2025 school year. The first day of school for HISD is Monday, Aug. 12.
Continue readingHISD’s Early Childhood team will be on hand to answer questions and advise parents on enrollment options in the District’s pre-K program at several upcoming enrollment events:
Continue readingHISD’s Sunrise Centers collaborated with the Astros Foundation for the District’s fourth annual Phone Bank event on June 18. The goal is to reach out to students who have either dropped out of school or not registered for the new school year and inform them of the options and resources available to help on their path to high school graduation.
Continue readingAs the HISD community continues to recover from last week’s storm, the need for investment in our aging facility infrastructure has become even more acute. To engage our community in this discussion as quickly as possible, HISD is announcing the dates for community meetings on the state of HISD facilities. In addition, we are naming the Community Advisory Committee that will drive engagement with the community.
Continue readingThe Houston Independent School District (HISD) announced that it will open Cullen Military Academy at Cullen Middle School in the 2024-2025 school year. The academy will support students aspiring to serve in the United States military after high school graduation. They will receive high-quality instruction and develop skills to become civic-minded, disciplined leaders committed to excellence and service.
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