Superintendent's Spotlight

As we navigate these unprecedented times together, the Houston Independent School District has made it a priority to support our students, families, and staff to ensure they receive the resources they need – working with local health agencies and community partners every step of the way.

I am very proud to report that through efforts coordinated this month with health care partner Next Level and our partnership with Kroger, HISD was able to ensure COVID-19 vaccines were distributed for over 1,000 of our employees who qualified. We understand there is much work ahead to ensure all our employees have the chance to be vaccinated, and we are working behind the scenes to secure those opportunities. We continue to advocate for the prioritization of vaccines for those in education, and we are exploring all available avenues with our community partners and local health officials to bring more vaccines to our employees and inform our HISD community of opportunities.

Please know there are options available locally to seek out vaccinations for those who meet the requirements. Here are some helpful links to find COVID-19 vaccination providers:

• City of Houston information on COVID-19 vaccines and appointment updates: https://houstonemergency.org/covid-19-vaccines/
• Texas Department of State Health Services COVID-19 Vaccination Hub Providers: https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/immunize/vaccine-hubs.aspx
• Interactive map of available COVID-19 vaccines: https://tdem.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=3700a84845c5470cb0dc3ddace5c376b

To assist with ongoing efforts to support public health and safety, all HISD campuses are now offering COVID-19 BinaxNOW Rapid Tests. The district received the resources to test campus-based staff, and a percentage of students whose parents have requested and permitted testing, through a statewide COVID-19 Rapid Testing program in conjunction with the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

As we move forward, it has become increasingly evident – especially in the midst of COVID-19 – how vital our Wraparound Services efforts have become to our HISD students and families. Wraparound Services provides diverse services, addressing critical issues such as mental health and physical needs, food insecurity, lack of stable housing, and many other challenges that can have adverse effects on a student’s ability to learn.

I am proud to share the launch of our Needs Map and Dashboard, an interactive tool to get families the support they need. The tool is a collaborative effort between the Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC), ProUnitas, and HISD Wraparound Services department. This online resource will go a long way in identifying the high-needs areas in our district and ensuring delivery of wraparound services to those students and families who need our support the most.

Please stay healthy and safe and we continue to navigate this pandemic. Together, we can defeat COVID-19.

The holiday season fills us all with warm feelings of family togetherness, giving and receiving gifts, reflecting on the past year, and the promise of what’s to come in the new year. Most of all, the holidays are a time to connect with our community and help those in need.

Although this has been a year filled with challenges, we have also witnessed an incredible spirit of pulling together through difficult times. Our teachers and campus staff have demonstrated incredible patience and understanding through transitions to virtual learning – never losing focus on our students. Our nurses have been on the front lines to keep us healthy and safe. And the greater community and our HISD partners have lifted us up, offering numerous avenues of support.

Hunger across the Houston area is always a very real concern around the holidays, but the pandemic and its effects on our economy have elevated the need this year. I am particularly proud that we have mobilized to help put food on the tables of our HISD families, thanks to our Nutrition Services department and partners like the Houston Food Bank.

Since March, we have handed out over 32 million pounds of food! And the holidays are another opportunity to ensure that support continues to be extended to those households. Last week alone, we distributed nearly 54,000 meals through our neighborhood supersite distribution center at Barnett Stadium. And just this weekend, I had the opportunity to help hand out thousands of holiday turkeys to our families, thanks to a partnership with No Kid Hungry.

This is proof that when we work together, we can ensure our community is cared for, and those most in need can share in the spirit of the holidays. So please take the time to put others on your holiday lists this year. Donate food to your local food bank or community pantry. Offer to run an errand for an elderly neighbor who may not be able to leave home. Look into opportunities to volunteer virtually.

Have a healthy, joyous holiday season and a wonderful new year.

For more information about food distributions, go to HoustonISD.org/StudentMeals.

La temporada festiva de fin de año nos colma de sentimientos de unión familiar. Es un tiempo de intercambio de regalos, reflexiones sobre el año pasado y de promesa de lo que vendrá en el año nuevo. Sobre todo, este tiempo nos sirve para conectar con la comunidad y ayudar a los necesitados.

Aunque este ha sido un año marcado por retos, también hemos sido testigos de un espíritu de unidad extraordinario en tiempos difíciles. Nuestros maestros y el personal de las escuelas han demostrado poseer una paciencia y capacidad de comprensión increíbles durante las transiciones al aprendizaje virtual, sin perder en ningún momento su enfoque en los estudiantes. Las enfermeras del distrito han estado siempre al frente dispuestas a proteger nuestra salud y seguridad. Y la comunidad en general y los socios de HISD nos han apoyado ofreciéndonos numerosas vías de apoyo.

El hambre en Houston siempre ha sido una preocupación real en las vacaciones, pero la pandemia y los efectos que ha tenido en la economía han aumentado esa necesidad. Me siento particularmente orgullosa de que nos hayamos movilizado para llevar comida a las mesas de las familias de HISD, gracias a Servicios de Nutrición y aliados de la comunidad como el Banco de Alimentos de Houston.

Desde marzo, hemos distribuido más de 32 millones de libras de comida. Y la temporada de vacaciones es una oportunidad más para continuar ofreciendo este apoyo a las familias. La semana pasada repartimos casi 54.000 comidas mediante nuestro programa de distribución a la comunidad en el Estadio Barnett. Y este fin de semana tuve la oportunidad de ayudar a repartir miles de pavos gracias a una alianza con No Kid Hungry.

Esto es prueba de que cuando colaboramos podemos cuidar de nuestra comunidad y lograr que los más necesitados sean partícipes del espíritu de esta temporada. Por eso les pido que este año incluyan en su lista a otras personas. Donen comestibles a su banco de alimentos local o a la despensa comunitaria. Ofrézcanse a hacerle un mandado a un vecino anciano o que se encuentre confinado en su casa. Busquen oportunidades para contribuir y ayudar virtualmente.

Les deseo una feliz y saludable temporada festiva y un maravilloso año nuevo.

Para ver más información sobre las distribuciones de comida visiten HoustonISD.org/StudentMeals.

Ya está muy cerca la celebración de Acción de Gracias y me encuentro reflexionando sobre la gratitud, especialmente considerando los retos que se presentaron este año. Y aunque enfrentamos grandes obstáculos, hemos tenido la oportunidad de ponernos a la altura de todos ellos. La gratitud nos enseña a apreciar todas las bendiciones recibidas y nos motiva a ser solidarios.

La primera mitad de este ciclo escolar ha sido un tiempo sumamente difícil, y yo me siento orgullosa de la respuesta de la comunidad de HISD. Desde el trabajo que las enfermeras hacen para proteger la seguridad y la salud de los estudiantes, hasta la labor del personal de limpieza y la dedicación de los especialistas en servicios integrados a cargo de las necesidades sociales y emocionales de los estudiantes, estaré eternamente agradecida por el esfuerzo de todos.

Y no podemos olvidar a nuestros maestros y directores de escuela que han sido héroes para los estudiantes, tanto en el aprendizaje virtual como en el presencial. Ellos han sido una roca para sus alumnos cuando estos más lo necesitaban.

Es importante reconocer todas las cosas positivas de la vida. Para mí no hay misión más grande que la educación y el bienestar social y emocional de los 196,000 estudiantes del Distrito Escolar Independiente de Houston. Considero que ese deber es mi verdadera vocación.

Hoy también deseo agradecerle a cada uno de ustedes por su colaboración para mantener la educación como prioridad aún en las circunstancias actuales. A nuestros padres deseo comunicarles que no podríamos hacer nuestro trabajo diario de educadores si no nos acompañaran apoyándonos, paso a paso, en el camino que sus hijos recorren durante su formación académica.

Gracias por el tiempo que le dedican a lograr que nuestros estudiantes siempre cuenten con los recursos y el apoyo que necesitan para seguir aprendiendo. Gracias también por apoyar nuestro trabajo de brindar una educación de calidad a todos los estudiantes de HISD. Y agradezco de manera muy especial a nuestros estudiantes por inspirarnos cada día a dar lo mejor de nosotros para ellos.

Les deseo a todos una celebración de Acción de Gracias maravillosa y segura. Estoy muy agradecida por todos ustedes en esta temporada festiva y he querido comunicárselos con este mensaje. Aprovechen este tiempo para conectar con sus seres queridos de forma segura.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I find myself reflecting on gratitude – especially in the face of the intense challenges we have encountered this year. Even amidst these obstacles, we have been given the opportunity to rise to every challenge. The act of gratitude teaches us to appreciate the blessings we have received and promotes the desire to pay it forward.

The first half of this school year has been an extremely challenging time, but I am proud of how the HISD community has responded. From the work our nurses districtwide have been doing to keep our students healthy and safe, to the cleaning crews in charge of sanitizing our facilities at a moment’s notice, to our wraparound specialists working hard to support the social and emotional needs of every student – I am forever grateful.

And we can’t forget our teachers and principals for being heroes to our children in the face of virtual and face-to-face learning. You have been a rock for your students in a time when they need you more than ever.

It’s important to acknowledge the positives in our lives. There is no mission greater to me than the educational and social/emotional well-being of the 196,000 students in the Houston Independent School District. I consider that duty to be my true calling in life.

And for me, paying it forward means taking a moment to truly thank each one of you for your incredible partnership in keeping education at the forefront each step of the way. To our parents, we could not do what we do as educators each day without walking hand in hand with you to support your child on their academic journey.

Thank you for the time you have dedicated to ensuring our students have always had the resources and support they need to continue to learn. And thank you for supporting our efforts to provide quality education to all HISD students. And a special thank you to our students for inspiring us every day to do our very best for them.

I wish you all a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving. Please take this time to safely connect with your loved ones and know that I am grateful for you this holiday season.

El Distrito Escolar Independiente de Houston entrará en una nueva etapa importante del ciclo escolar 2020-2021 este lunes al comenzar la instrucción presencial. No obstante, los padres han tenido la opción de elegir para sus hijos el aprendizaje virtual.

Hace ya casi siete meses que hicimos la transición a la enseñanza exclusivamente virtual debido a la propagación de COVID-19. Desde entonces, todos hemos estado fuera de nuestro elemento. Hemos tenido que adaptarnos, hacer ajustes y responder actuando siempre en beneficio de nuestros estudiantes.

En muchos sentidos, este ha sido el periodo más difícil para nuestro distrito escolar. Pero yo me siento orgullosa de la respuesta de nuestros estudiantes, maestros, directores de escuela y administradores. Todos han respondido con fortaleza, flexibilidad e innovación. Así es como lo hace HISD.

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The Houston Independent School District will reach a new milestone on Monday for the 2020-2021 school year: Face-to-face instruction will begin! And while traditional face-to-face instruction will now be offered, parents still have the choice of either in-person or virtual learning for their child.

It has been nearly seven months since we moved to all-virtual instruction, due to the spread of COVID-19. Since then, we have all been pushed out of our comfort zones. We have been forced to adjust, adapt, and respond in the best interest of our children.

In many ways, this has been the most challenging period for our school district. But I am proud of the way our students, teachers, principals, and administrators have responded. You all have responded together with strength, flexibility, and innovation. That is the HISD way.

It was important to us as a district to consider all health and safety factors in making the decision of when to relaunch in-person instruction at our campuses. Campus and district-level safety protocols are outlined in the district’s Communicable Disease Plan, and I encourage you to thoroughly review the document.

Safety Measures

With resuming in-person operations, student and staff desks and workspaces will be six feet apart whenever possible. We have implemented health-screening protocols, are requiring the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), limiting movement on campuses, and requiring that all staff meetings be held virtually. Enhanced cleaning measures also have been implemented.

Additionally, HISD is operating under a COVID-19 Gauge that ranges from red to green, based on health conditions in the district. The district currently is operating at Level 2: Orange, which allows students to return to classrooms and employees to return full-time to district workspaces.

You can read more about the district’s COVID-19 Gauge, and how each color impacts district and school operations.

Student Meals

Nutrition Services is transitioning from daily to twice-weekly curbside pickup for student meals and launching two Neighborhood Supersites as part of a weekly community food distribution program. These opportunities will help us serve families in a more efficient, impactful way and give our families access to the food they need.

For curbside pickup, families may procure several days’ worth of meals at each visit, and Neighborhood Supersites provide standing times and locations where the community can pick up 32 pounds of groceries for their families – as well as one week’s worth of student meals.

While community food packages are available to all, student meals are limited to children between the ages of 1 and 18 who are engaged in virtual learning. The driver must either have children in the car or show proof of enrollment in any school district such as a student ID or birth certificate.

For more information on  pickup times and locations, visit HoustonISD.org/StudentMeals.

Transportation

To increase safety and support physical distancing measures, buses will be run at half capacity. Bus service will be limited to special education, homeless, elementary, and specialty school students. Service also may be provided for some students in middle school and those who live along high-risk routes if resources are available. Bus service will not be immediately available to high school students but may be added later pending improved health conditions.

Bus riders will be required to wear masks, sanitize their hands and scan their bus badges upon boarding, and maintain physical distancing, sitting one per seat by the window. Drivers must wear masks, face shields, and gloves and sanitize the bus after every student drop-off. Buses will be deep cleaned and disinfected at the end of each week. At least four bus windows will be open whenever possible to increase ventilation.

Parents with questions about bus routes or safety protocols should contact Transportation Services through the Let’s Talk! platform.

The health and safety of our HISD family is our key mission. That is the foundation for academic success as we navigate this unprecedented year. Thank you for all that you are doing to keep yourselves and others healthy – and to foster a positive learning environment for HISD students.

I have called this the Year of Flexibility – and we are prepared to continue to remain flexible under the changing circumstances. We will safely push forward through the challenges in serving our families – with health and safety as our top priority.

Let’s continue to #ReconnectSafely and #ReturnStrong this school year!

I want to thank the entire HISD community as we Reconnect Safely and Return Strong for the 2020-2021 school year. With the academic year already underway, we have another milestone ahead as the district begins face-to-face instruction on October 19.

Last week, parents received an email containing information about the selection process for the face-to-face instruction phase on October 19. Again, parents will have from today, Monday, September 21 through Friday, September 25 to make their selection through the HISD Connect Parent Portal.

Parents who have not yet signed up to access the HISD Connect Parent Portal should utilize the access code provided by their home campus to create their accounts online. You can sign up for the HISD Connect Parent Portal online here. While parents’ initial selection is valid for the entire school year, they may choose to change their selection after each six-week grading period.

We understand that many parents have questions regarding how face-to-face instruction will look. For more detailed information on COVID-19 safety measures in place, you can read the district’s Communicable Disease Plan (CDP) here. We have also created three helpful resources for parents to guide them through this next phase:

• A helpful video on how to register and how the selection process works
• A video that illustrates what in-person instruction will look like
• A downloadable Parent Guide to Face-to-Face Instruction

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Quiero agradecerle a toda la comunidad de HISD en este periodo de reconexión y regreso seguro y eficiente para el ciclo escolar 2020-2021. El año académico ya está en marcha y ahora se acerca otra fecha importante con el comienzo de la instrucción presencial el 19 de octubre.

La semana pasada los padres recibieron un correo electrónico con información sobre el proceso de selección para la fase de instrucción presencial que comienza el 19 de octubre. Habrá tiempo desde hoy lunes, 21 de septiembre, hasta el viernes, 25 de septiembre para hacer la selección en el Portal de padres HISD Connect.

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Se acerca el comienzo de las clases y me siento muy entusiasmada y lista para embarcarme con ustedes en un nuevo ciclo escolar de forma segura y con energía renovada. Somos conscientes de que, en calidad de distrito escolar, debemos estar preparados para adaptarnos a circunstancias cambiantes mientras continuamos haciendo lo que mejor sabemos hacer: ofrecer una educación de calidad.

Con la salud y la seguridad de nuestros estudiantes, familias y personal como prioridad mayor, HISD ha creado un plan de reapertura que requiere que todos los estudiantes empiecen el ciclo escolar 2020-2021 de forma virtual el 8 de septiembre. La instrucción virtual se extenderá seis semanas hasta el 16 de octubre, y la instrucción presencial comenzará el lunes, 19 de octubre. No obstante, esta fecha está sujeta a cambios que podrían ser necesarios dependiendo de las condiciones de COVID-19 en Houston y de las normas emitidas por las agencias de salud locales, estatales y federales.

Los padres podrán optar por excluir a sus hijos de la instrucción presencial por completo durante el semestre de otoño y el ciclo escolar. A partir del 24 de agosto, el distrito llamará por teléfono a los padres para solicitarles que seleccionen la instrucción virtual o la presencial. Dos semanas antes del primer día de instrucción presencial, volveremos a llamarlos para confirmar su selección inicial.

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