Info, links and musings from a (non-teacher) education supporter… because education is an entitlement.
It’s official, the face and voice of the Houston Independent School District, has resigned effective the end of August 31st. Often criticized for his dealings with the media, mostly by the media itself, he’s leaving to join former HISD staffer Adriana Villarreal in her PR agency.
I’m curious to see who they choose to take his place.
FYI, I think this is Adriana Villarreal’s agency: Orquesta Communications.
Source: the Houston Chronicle’s School Zone blog.
Houston ISD to get pay raises
The Houston Chronicle reports that there’s some good news for teachers of Houston Independent School District. “After some infighting this week, the Houston school board on Thursday unanimously approved a $1.6 billion budget that includes pay raises of at least 3 percent, plus millions more for library books, computers, fine arts programs and principal training.” The good news is that this doesn’t call for a tax-rate increase.
Keep your kids sharp over the summer
Need ideas on keeping your kids sharp this summer? The Houston Chronicle1 recently ran a story focusing on tips to do just that. A snippet:
Some tips for keeping kids sharp over the summer: Visit the library: Find out what interests your child and select books on that subject. Participate in free library summer programs and make time to read every day. Take educational trips: These can be low-cost visits to parks, museums, zoos and nature centers. Plan vacations with educational themes. Practice math daily: Measure items around the house or yard. Track daily temperatures. Add and subtract at the grocery store. Learn fractions while cooking. Play outside: Limit TV and video-game time during summer, just as during the school year. Intense physical activity and exercise contribute to healthy development. Keep a schedule: Continue daily routines during the summer with structure and limits. The key is providing a balance and keeping kids engaged. Prepare for fall: Find out what your child will be learning during the next school year by talking with teachers at that grade level. Preview concepts and materials over the summer. Source: Center for Summer Learning, Johns Hopkins University
Footnotes
1 = article may expire in a few weeks.
Reports show that the new SAT hasn’t don’t anything to improve predictions of how well a student will do in college. A few stories on this topic:
Footnotes:
1 = Story found on the Houston Chronicle. Article may expire in a few weeks.
South Houston, Kruse elementary schools receive grant
– reported by the Pasadena Citizen
Kruse and South Houston elementary schools will be expanding their school library collections with the help of a $6,000 grant from The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries.[snip]
Congratulation, Kruse & South Houston.
KIPP to graduate first senior class
– reported by the Houston Business Journal
KIPP Houston High School will graduate its first senior class on May 31.
The high school, the first created in the Knowledge Is Power Program network, opened in 2004 as a public charter school. It was
started with $680,000 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation –
part of an $8 million grant to the KIPP Foundation in 2005 to start
KIPP high schools across the country.[snip]