Tag Archives: Rhonda Skillern-Jones

HISD thanks Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority for Harvey efforts

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This week, HISD joined with more than 20,000 members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated to publicly thank them for donating thousands of dollars to district students and staff in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

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Jordan HS hosts beam-signing; PAT members tour site

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Barbara Jordan High School for Careers students gathered this week in their old parking lot — now the future site of their new school — to ink their signatures on steel beams beneath the building’s learning staircase.

The students and faculty were invited to sign the beams as a way to commemorate construction progress and memorialize their signatures in the new structure, which is scheduled to be finished by the end of this year.

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New Washington HS set to open for the 2018-2019 school year

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When students enter the new Washington High School this fall, they will be greeted by a prominent image of civil rights activist and educator Booker T. Washington.

This year marks the 125th anniversary for the school, which was built in 1893 as the city’s first African-American high school.

Washington Principal Carlos Phillips said he is excited to move into the new school and looking forward to presenting the facility to the community.

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Jordan HS construction nearly one-third complete

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The new Barbara Jordan High School for Careers is beginning to take shape with the building’s footprint almost finished and exterior and interior wall framing underway.

Roof installation — a major project milestone — is nearly complete, and installation of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems is underway. In addition, the building will be fully enclosed by the end of May.

Jordan’s $42.4 million construction project is a part of HISD’s voter-approved 2012 Bond Program, which calls for the renovation or rebuilding of 40 schools, including 29 high schools. The 120,000-square-foot career center will accommodate 600 to 800 students who will spend part of the day at their home school and part of the day at Jordan participating in specialized, hands-on career training.

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Construction on new Washington HS nearing completion

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Washington High School students and staff are edging closer to moving into their new building with the construction project now 85 percent complete.

Tile flooring and doors have been installed, as have cabinetry, countertops, and fume hoods in the career and technology classrooms, science and agricultural labs, and computer-aided design spaces. Crews are installing bathroom fixtures and sinks in the science and engineering labs where painting and floor staining also are underway.

In addition, crews are nearly done painting the auditorium and administrative offices and wrapping up installation of the school’s elevator.

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Condit ES selected as finalist for Texas school architecture competition

Designs for three additional bond schools honored with ‘Stars of Distinction’

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Constructed as part of HISD’s 2012 Bond Program, Condit Elementary School has been selected as one of five finalists vying for the highest honor offered by the 2017-18 Exhibit of School Architecture Competition.

Three additional bond campuses — Atherton Elementary School, Mandarin Immersion Magnet School, and Sterling Aviation High School — received Stars of Distinction.

The annual school architecture competition showcases new and renovated Texas schools and recognizes excellence in their planning and design. It is sponsored by the Texas Association of School Administrators and the Texas Association of School Boards.

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Fifth Ward community members tour the new Mickey Leland  

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Excitement and nostalgia filled the air as community members from the historic Fifth Ward flocked to the new Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men on Friday to get their first glimpse of the new campus.

Roughly 50 school stakeholders and community dignitaries — including Gaston Leland, brother of late Congressman and school namesake Mickey Leland — crowded into the robotics lab, eager to see and learn about the facility, which is set to open to students for the first day of school on Aug. 28. Continue reading →

HISD to celebrate new building dedication and two groundbreakings in May

Three HISD schools are celebrating construction milestones this month — Fonwood Early Childhood Center will dedicate its new building, while Wharton Dual Language Academy and Barbara Jordan High School for Careers will celebrate the start of construction on their new schools.

The first event will be held at Fonwood Early Childhood Center, where school officials plan to formally dedicate the new school that opened its doors to students for this school year. The new school, which serves the district’s youngest learners, features 27 classrooms, including two special education centers and specialized visual arts and science labs, as well as three outdoor play areas and an outdoor learning center. It also features vibrant interior colors with plenty of natural light throughout. Continue reading →

Doors of Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy set to open this August

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Students of Mickey LelandCollege Preparatory Academy for Young Men are in for a great start to the year as the long awaited opening of their new school edges closer.

The $42 million project is about 80 percent complete with move-in expected to begin towards the end of July. Finishing touches are being done to both the painting and drywall, while framing in the new building has almost concluded. Site improvements, such as the development of the outdoor track area, are already underway and should be finished by September.

“The kids are really excited to come back,” said Leland Principal Dameion Crook, who smiled when asked if his staff shared that emotion. “The teachers are pumped about it.”

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Change awaits Kashmere HS as renovation work passes halfway mark

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Construction crews have completed two-thirds of the renovation work slated for Kashmere High School, and the final third is expected to be complete by the end of the summer.

Integral parts are coming together quickly. Both the auditorium entrance and drywall are finished, the roofing is in progress, the new HVAC system is being installed, and the pouring of the driveway is almost complete.

“Our students and staff continue to work and learn as construction moves forward,” Kashmere Principal Nancy Blackwell said excitedly. “The changes are amazing.”

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