Tag Archives: Ortiz MS

Inaugural Multicultural Day celebrates the beauty in diversity

HISD’s Multilingual Programs Department hosted its inaugural Multicultural Day celebration on Saturday, May 20, at Wisdom High School. The event was the brainchild of Law Elementary fifth-grader Kadence Smith, winner of this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Speech Competition.

In partnership with the Family and Community Engagement (FACE), Special Education, College and Career Readiness, and Gifted and Talented departments, organizers worked to create an event that highlighted the incredible diversity of the district with cultural performances, a student art exhibit, guest speakers, and hands-on activities.

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HISD middle schoolers explore different careers in aviation through United partnership

Sterling Aviation Early College High School opened its on-campus hangar to welcome students from nine HISD middle schools for the Discover United Airlines Expo and career fair.

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Hispanic Heritage and History lives on in campus namesakes throughout HISD – Week Three

Hispanic Heritage Month kicked off September 15 and runs through October 15.

District wide, Hispanic descendants are honored by having schools carry their namesake allowing their rich history to live on.

HISD has 22 schools that recognize the contributions of Hispanic civic and community leaders who range from educators and civil servants to local restaurateurs, newscasters, Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, and even Nobel Prize-winners.

We invite you to visit our blog each week throughout Hispanic Heritage Month as we will feature more schools who carry on these important legacies.

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HISD announces 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year finalists, Beginning Teacher of the Year winners

Seven educators have been named as HISD’s 2021-2022 Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year finalists, and three teachers have been named the Beginning Teachers of the Year.

The 10 finalists were selected from all 276 schools based on performance and other criteria. Two finalists will be announced as the HISD Teachers of the Year winners for 2021-2022 and will go on to represent the district in Region IV.

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HISD summer school helps students re-engage after virtual learning stint

Incoming seventh grader, Kirsten Aparicio, believes in-person learning at Ortiz Middle School has been the key to her success this summer.

After learning online since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the 12-year old finally returned to the classroom in June for summer school.

An avid reader, Kirsten said she now feels prepared for the seventh grade and ready to break out of her shell.

“When I came back, it’s like the old me again, and I’m making good grades,” she said.

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Superintendent House tours campuses to kick off first week with HISD

As he walked through the first and second grade classrooms at Mading Elementary School, Superintendent Millard House was greeted with the smell of freshly made tamales.

Students attending summer school at Mading were taking a break for lunch just as the new superintendent of HISD stopped by for a visit. It was a well-earned break after a morning full of learning for the students.

“You guys continue working hard,” House said as he exited one of the classrooms. “We are proud of you. We are glad you are back.”

That school was just one of many as House toured several schools on his second official day on the job.

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Ortiz MS celebrates heritage, diversity with mariachi program

The scene playing out on the stage at Ortiz Middle School on a humid May morning is a familiar one to many Houstonians.

Musicians decked out in embroidered pants, wide-brimmed sombreros, and colorful silk ties playing vihuelas, guitarróns, trumpets, and other instruments in a style instantly recognizable as mariachi music.

But what makes this group stand out is that the musicians are all under the age of 14.

“It makes me feel alive,” sixth-grader Joshua Campos said. “My problems, when I play, they just go away. I just think about the music.”

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Twelve additional HISD middle schools join Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program

Twelve Houston Independent School District middle schools are among the latest campuses to be selected for participation in the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program, which addresses barriers to digital inclusion.

In addition to free mobile devices and data plans, participating schools will be assigned a full-time coach to train teachers in effectively integrating technology into their lessons.

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Marlen Martinez named new principal of Ortiz Middle School

Marlen Martinez has been selected as the new principal of Ortiz Middle School. An HISD alumnus, Martinez has served students as a teacher, magnet coordinator, and an assistant principal. Most recently, she served as the principal at Lewis Elementary School, where she built a strong academic program that shepherded the school out of Improvement Required (IR) status into meeting state standard. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Texas State University and a master’s degree from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Ten HISD students to compete in Houston Public Media spelling bee April 2

Lovett ES fifth-grader Bryan Moore poses with his mother, Tonyamas Moore, who won the spelling bee at that campus back in 1986.

Lovett ES fifth-grader Bryan Moore poses with his mother, Tonyamas Moore, who won the spelling bee at that campus back in 1986.

Five boys and five girls from 10 different HISD schools will be testing the limits of their vocabulary on Saturday, April 2, when they take part in the finals of the Houston Public Media spelling bee. The top two winners of the Houston-area competition will be eligible to advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, D.C., in May.

This year’s local contest is particularly meaningful for two HISD students: fifth-grader Bryan Moore (Lovett ES) and eighth-grader Christine Bowyer (Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan).

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