Local Community Organization Finds State’s Attempted Takeover of Houston Independent School District Aggressive and Unfounded
HOUSTON, TX, UNITED STATES, March 6, 2023 / EINPresswire.com / -- The Houston Area Urban League stands alongside local community leaders in the condemnation of the state’s attempted takeover of the Houston Independent School District, asserting that the strides made in the district over the last two years should be heavily considered when evaluating the needs of Houston Area students and families. Under the direction of Superintendent Millard House II, the Houston Independent School District earned a B rating from the Texas Education Agency for the 2021-2022 school year. The ratings were based on performance on state standardized tests, graduation rates, college, career, and military readiness outcomes. HISD scored in the 88th percentile and saw significant improvement at previously struggling campuses. Additionally, Wheatley High School, a school that received a failing score in 2019, is doing much better than previous years. Worth noting that these district ratings are identical to the ratings in Austin ISD, a district that received an overall B rating, 88 out of 100 points, from the Texas Education Agency for the 2021-2022 school year. This district is not facing an attempted takeover by the state. “As we sit here today, almost half of Houston Area students are not at reading level before entering kindergarten. The literacy gaps in this city are a barrier for families before they even walk into the doors of HISD,” says John Robinson, Director of Education at Houston Area Urban League. “We ask that the governor support all Houston Area families by providing resources that promote literacy from birth, not take away their say in how their children will be educated.”
Robinson has led HAUL’s hallmark literacy program, Project Ready, in partnership with HISD for the past 15 years, seeing first-hand how literacy gaps continue to directly impact low-income, underrepresented communities in the Houston Area. Project Ready, founded in 2008, was designed to provide Black Americans and other historically underserved youth with a spectrum of support services and opportunities not always found in our schools’ classrooms. Robinson also spearheaded the Houston Area Urban League’s signature program, Parent Leadership Academy, which empowers parents to advocate for their children's education and had its first graduating class in HISD just last month. “HAUL remains focused on creating a pipeline of future Houston leaders, who will be prepared to enter our workforce, contribute to our local economy, and give back to our local communities in meaningful ways.” says Houston Area Urban League President and CEO, Judson Robinson III, “how can the community continue to support the development of local young minds when we don’t have a say in how they are educated?”
The Houston Area Urban League calls on Rep. Harold Dutton to amend the bill that allows for the state-mandated takeover of the district in this legislative session and requests that the legislature provide comprehensive case studies that reflect successful takeovers in other states that have improved test scores and administrative performance prior to any action taken against HISD. “The future of Houston’s children cannot be gambled away for the sake of political theatre and predictably failed presidential bids." says Judson W. Robinson, III. For more information about the Houston Area Urban League’s purpose and programming, please visit the website at https://www.haul.org . Emaan England

Houston Area Urban League Condemns State’s Attempted Takeover of HISD

WILLMAR, Minn. — The makers of the   Jennie-O®  turkey brand – one of the most beloved turkey brands in the country – announced   a partnership  in October with esteemed chef, cookbook author and beloved TV personality  Carla Hall . As part of this partnership, the Jennie-O team and Hall visit schools across the nation to honor school cafeteria staff by hosting School Cafeteria Takeovers. The campaign kicked off in  Knoxville, Tenn.,  at Blue Grass Elementary School in October, then headed to Panorama High School in  Los Angeles, Calif.,  in November. This week, the team recognizes the unsung heroes of the school cafeteria staff at Houston’s Mandarin Immersion Magnet School (MIMS), which is part of the Houston Independent School District. “I have been having an incredible time with Jennie-O, together honoring cafeteria staff across the nation — first in Knoxville, then Los Angeles, and now in lovely Houston,” said Hall. “Cafeteria staff are truly the unsung heroes of our schools. They do so much for our kids – from feeding them to putting smiles on their faces. And we know how vital it is for our kids to have proper nutrition and good protein to help sustain them through their studies, sports, activities and more.”
Hall and the Jennie-O® culinary team worked together to develop a grazing table featuring Jennie-O® turkey for the school cafeteria staff to enjoy. During the event, Hall will lead a baking tutorial of her famous biscuits with school cafeteria staff. She will also learn a few phrases in Mandarin – taught by MIMS students. Additionally, Jennie-O® will bring in local businesses to offer refreshments and relaxing amenities for school cafeteria heroes, including chair massages. Finally, staff will receive heartfelt notes of gratitude from the student body. As part of the School Cafeteria Takeovers program with Hall, the makers of the Jennie-O® brand will provide $25,000 in kitchen equipment to four additional schools throughout the Spring to help fulfill wish lists for cafeterias in need of new equipment and supplies. “In the short time I have been at MIMS, I have seen how hard our cafeteria staff works each and every day to make sure our students are fed with nutritional food, so they are ready to learn,” said Principal Cindy Tiet of the Mandarin Immersion Magnet School. “They serve our students with smiles on their faces and love through their cooking! We are so thankful to Chef Carla Hall and Jennie-O® brand for the opportunity to show our gratitude and appreciation by being able to serve and pamper them!”
“It has been incredible to see how touched the cafeteria staff have been through our School Cafeteria Takeover programs,” said Renee Cool, brand manager at Jennie-O Turkey Store. “Working with Chef Carla to honor them by letting them kick up their feet, being served a delicious Jennie-O® turkey meal and feeling gratitude from the students has been so special.”
In addition to Blue Grass Elementary School in Knoxville in October 2022, Panorama High School in Los Angeles in November 2022, this week’s Mandarin Immersion Magnet School Houston visit, the Jennie-O® brand team and Hall will commence the tour in Detroit in May. Jennie-O® is the leading turkey provider to school districts in the United States. Jennie-O is the leading turkey provider in 9 of the top 10 school districts in the nation. Jennie-O serves more than 5,000 school districts in the U.S.
Jennie-O has the largest variety of K-12 turkey products in America. The Jennie-O sales team has more than 100 years of combined experience in servicing K-12. 90 percent of USDA-donated turkey is processed by Jennie-O. For more information about Jennie-O® turkey products, including recipes, nutritional information and where to buy, visit   JennieO.com  or follow the brand on social media at   Facebook.com/JennieOTurkey ,   Instagram.com/JennieO ,   TikTok.com/@jennieobrand  and   Twitter.com/JennieO . ABOUT JENNIE-O TURKEY STORE
For over 80 years, the Jennie-O® brand has been helping consumers live well by eating well. As the category leader, Jennie-O® turkey is the trusted brand for quality turkey and a source of expertise. We provide a full portfolio of delicious, nutritious turkey proteins and inspiration for everyday meals or special occasions. Known for our bright green awning evoking the nostalgia of a local farmer stand, our round logo with a touch of yellow and our distinct name from our founders’ daughter Jennifer, the Jennie-O® turkey brand has the right amount of small-town friendliness paired with leading company expertise and quality. For more information, visit   JennieO.com. ABOUT HORMEL FOODS – INSPIRED PEOPLE. INSPIRED FOOD.™
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $12 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters®, SKIPPY®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Justin’s®, WHOLLY®, Hormel® Black Label®, Columbus®, Jennie-O® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the “Global 2000 World’s Best Employers” list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine’s most admired companies, has appeared on the “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list by 3BL Media 13 times, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ — to bring some of the world’s most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit  www.hormelfoods.com  and  http://csr.hormelfoods.com/ .

Jennie-O Turkey Store and Celebrity Chef Carla Hall Honor Houston Cafeteria Staff Through National Partnership, “School Cafeteria Takeovers”

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Elementary school students celebrated their diverse communities and honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the final rounds of  Foley & Lardner LLP’s  Annual MLK Jr.
Oratory Competitions in Dallas, Houston, and Chicago on January 13. The fourth- and fifth-graders, who advanced from preliminary and semifinal rounds, delivered original speeches addressing the topic: “What would Dr. King say to us today about hope for tomorrow?”
Presented, hosted, and sponsored by Foley, the annual oratory competition is held in conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr. Day to encourage people to remember and pay tribute to the late civil rights leader’s legacy and to help cultivate the writing and speaking skills of elementary school students. Winners of each of the competitions are Zihair Douglas, a fifth-grader at Thomas L. Marsalis Elementary STEAM Academy in Dallas, Kadence Smith, a fifth-grader at James H. Law Elementary in Houston, and Harper Williams, a fifth-grader at Robert A. Black Elementary in Chicago, according to a press release . Dallas student believes everything we do as individuals makes a difference
Zihair Douglas , the first-place winner in Dallas, thinks Dr. King would be disappointed at the reversals of laws and policies protecting individual rights, but that he would be proud of the educational, political, and entrepreneurial leaders stepping up and advocating for social justice. Douglas said, “I believe in order for us to improve our nation, we need to make intelligent decisions that will positively improve the lives of people from all cultures and backgrounds … I charge each of you and myself to fulfill Dr. King’s legacy and create a better world for ourselves and our future generations.”
“Every year, our student participants are tasked with writing a speech in response to a thought-provoking prompt. This year has been no different, and I’m extraordinarily proud of our eight finalists for their hard work and enthusiasm. I’m simply awestruck by their poise, talent, and passion for sharing what Dr. King’s legacy means to them,” said  Michael Newman , managing partner of Foley’s Dallas office. “These children are our future leaders, and I’m confident they will make a profound impact on our community. Our firm is honored to play a role in providing a platform for them to express their dreams and aspirations for building a brighter tomorrow.”
Mohamad Mohamad, a fifth-grader at Elisha M. Pease Elementary, placed second in the Dallas competition, and Bria Hider, a fifth-grader at J.P. Starks Math, Science and Technology Vanguard, placed third. Houston student thinks we can do better
Houston’s first-place winner,  Kadence Smith , discussed the importance of communicating and modeling expectations daily, as Dr. King did with his desire for harmony, opportunity, peace, and equality. “Dr. King would say the lines that divide us are not nearly as strong as the ties that bind us,” Smith said. “His hope for tomorrow is for the world to lift every voice and sing in the key of unity, and live out the spirit of the Pledge, ‘one nation under God, indivisible. '” He would say, “America, you have studied me for over 50 years. We know better; now let’s do better!”
“In partnership with the Houston Independent School District, we have been able to foster the writing and public speaking skills of young Houstonians for nearly three decades through this competition,” said  Claude Treece , Foley’s chief administrative partner and longtime event chair of the Houston competition. “Each of our twelve finalists gave a compelling speech that inspired hope for tomorrow while honoring Dr. King’s legacy. We are proud to continue to be part of this incredible experience for all involved and grateful to those who help us make it happen every year.”
Journey Sensley, a fifth-grader at Young Elementary, placed second in the Houston competition, and Xavier Holmes, Jr., a fifth-grader at Windsor Village Elementary, placed third. Chicago student Harper Williams sees hope as fuel for change
The first-place winner in Chicago,  Harper Williams , adopted the persona of Dr. King himself to address divisions in the African American community, saying, “While I am proud to see that certain advancements have been made, we still have a lot of work to do. This is why we can’t sit around and allow hope to die. We have to come together, and we must rise.”
Williams called for a renewed focus on the Black community’s “culture of excellence” and concluded by saying, “Let [hope] serve as the energy necessary to move us into a stronger, more positive direction of unity and respect for one another, regardless of our skin tone. Let’s allow hope to spark action and change mindsets.”
“We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to host the Chicago competition in person this year after two years of being held virtually,” said  Frank Pasquesi , managing partner of Foley’s Chicago office. “The ten Chicago Public School finalists took the stage with poise, courage, and compassion, speaking to a vision that proudly reflects Dr. King’s messages. We are honored to celebrate both Dr. King and the students he continues to inspire, with each year proving an important reminder to live out their words of empathy and equality for a better tomorrow.”
Issa Soumare, a fourth-grader from Arthur L. Dixon Elementary, placed second in the Chicago competition, while Kylelle Campbell, a fifth-grade student from Warren Elementary, placed third. Each local competition began with either virtual or in-school qualifying rounds, followed by semifinals. At every level of the competition, students were evaluated on delivery, stage presence and decorum, content interpretation, and memorization. The final rounds were judged by panels of prominent community and local business leaders. The competition was created in Dallas in 1993. The event’s success led to the establishment of the Houston competition in 1997 and the Chicago competition in 2020. To learn more about Foley’s MLK Jr. Oratory Competition,  click here .

Foley’s Annual MLK Jr. Oratory Competition Announces 2023 Winners

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Event to feature one-on-one application help, free admittance to zoo
HOUSTON, Jan. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A bilingual school fair at the Houston Zoo on Saturday, Jan. 21 offers families a chance to gather school information and enjoy special animal interactions, all in one morning. With representatives from more than 50 local schools in attendance, the 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. fair at the zoo's Masihara Pavilion will give parents easy access to learning about all types of K-12 education, including preparatory academies, Catholic schools, schools designed for children with dyslexia, and the largest public school system in Texas: the Houston Independent School District. To help streamline the submission of school applications, free, one-on-one school help will be available to attendees in English and Spanish. Besides a robust array of local schools, the event will feature a bounce house, balloon twisting, a photo booth, a DJ, and free cotton candy and popcorn for the whole family. A lucky raffle winner will even win tickets to feed giraffes. The first 600 people in attendance will receive free admittance into the zoo, making for a complete day of fun and learning. Attending the school fair is free, but RSVPs are required at bit.ly/3GwCKFd . This event is planned to coincide with the celebration of National School Choice Week (Jan. 22-28, 2023), which will feature tens of thousands of school choice celebrations across all 50 states. Additional flagship events in Texas include a school fair in Fort Worth and a School Discovery Day in San Antonio. "It is an honor for the Families Empowered team to provide free bilingual search services for families looking for schools," said Colleen Dippel, Families Empowered Founder & CEO. "Partnering with National School Choice Week to create in person school fairs is a great opportunity to meet families where they are and make the process of finding and applying to a school fun and easy. Together our organizations are closing the opportunity gap for thousands of families." The Houston Zoo is located at 6200 Hermann Park Dr. Families unable to attend in person are invited to use applyhouston.org to find schools and access application links. This event is organized by Families Empowered, a non-profit parent service organization which brings families information so they can choose the education that works best for them. National School Choice Week (NSCW) informs, inspires, and empowers parents to discover the K-12 education options available for their children, including traditional public, charter, magnet, online, private, and home schooling. Every January, tens of thousands of schools, organizations, and individuals plan unique events and activities to shine a positive spotlight on effective education options in their communities. The Week is a project of the nonpartisan, nonpolitical National School Choice Awareness Foundation. SOURCE National School Choice Week
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Houston School Fair at the Zoo To Bring Learning Options, Free Fun to Families

(Image: Courtesy via Blacknews.com)
Sharon Lemond, a 77-year-old woman from Houston, Texas, is being recognized for her over five decades of service as a teacher in the Houston Independent School District . Lemond started her teaching career in January 1968 during integration. She first taught at Field Elementary School, an all-Caucasian school where she became one of the first Black teachers in the crossover program. She said things were not easy at that time. “I would walk down the hallways and sometimes people wouldn’t even speak,” Sharon told  KHOU . “I would say, ‘Good morning,’ and nobody would say anything.”
Over the years, she said a lot has improved with the collaborative relationships between colleagues, students, and their families. Lemond went on to teach multiple subjects in almost every grade level at several schools, including Whittier Elementary School where she taught for more than 20 years. “Some of the students I taught in elementary school, I taught their children, and, believe it or not, I’ve taught some of their grandchildren,” Lemond said. Lemond, who is a mother of six, also earned a law degree. But she realized her passion is really teaching. She currently teaches skills for living and learning, or SLL, to special needs students at Navarro Middle School. Moreover, Lemond is one of over 900 long-term employees who were recently honored in a special ceremony celebrating their milestone anniversaries. This article first appeared on Blacknews.com .

Houston Mother of 6 Celebrates 54 Years as Public School Teacher

NASA is an independent agency of the United States Federal Government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.

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`` The NASA-HISD externship is a key element of this partnership and provides HISD educators with the opportunity to have an immersive professional development centered around NASA mission content and NASA subject matter experts , '' said Michele Hooks , NASA .

HISD educators participate in third annual NASA Teacher Externship - News Blog

Prairie View A&M University promotes academic scholarship, supports student success and encourages well-rounded professional development.

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Nickelodeon is an American basic cable and satellite television network launched on December 1, 1977, and is owned by Viacom through Viacom Media Networks.

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