August 23, 2007
This weekend, the principal and six-member teaching staff of the Houston Independent School District’s newest International High School will move into their new space on the campus of Sharpstown High School – just days before the small school’s first 100 students arrive on Monday.
Professional development, curriculum mapping and lesson planning have been going on for months, but the renovation of six temporary classrooms is just wrapping up this week. Student desks, chairs and file cabinets are set to arrive on Saturday.
“My teachers and I have been planning and preparing, collaborating – everything we can do without the facility,” said Principal Chang Yu, a former assistant principal at Houston ISD’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. “This has only been possible through the great support from HISD and the dedication of our staff and partners.”
Sharpstown International High School is the second small, globally focused school to open its doors through a partnership between Houston ISD, Houston A+ Challenge and the Asia Society.
Just like the Houston Academy for International Studies, which opened in August 2006, the new school at Sharpstown will open with a class of all ninth graders, adding a new group of ninth graders each subsequent year. The school will reach full capacity with a maximum of 500 ninth through 12th grade students in 2010.
Yu said the school will allow teachers to give students more personalized attention, which will encourage more rigorous and relevant classroom experiences. All of the school’s courses are pre-Advanced Placement, and students are expected to take dual credit courses through Houston Community College.
“This is a school for kids who want a challenge and are seeking high expectations, but we also want kids who are mediocre and who want a second chance,” Yu said. “All of our students, including our special education population, know that because of the size of our classes and the support we give, we will have time to render the resources and aid to kids who need the extra push.”
Houston A+ Challenge is supporting the school through leadership coaching for Yu and professional development for five full-time teachers – who offer courses in math, literacy, science, social studies and Spanish – and one part-time Chinese teacher.
“By investing in Sharpstown International High School, Houston A+ Challenge hopes to model how effectively schools can both prepare students for college and develop their international knowledge and understanding of world cultures,” said Executive Director Michele Pola. “Given today’s global society, these students will graduate with extremely marketable skills, both for post-secondary education and for their future careers.”
Sharpstown International High School is part of a nationwide network of urban secondary schools supported by the Asia Society, which contributed $68,000 to help start up the new Houston ISD school. Houston A+ Challenge will also help monitor and evaluate the use of those funds.
# # # |
