This past Thursday, January 13th, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) Board of Education elected new officers for 2022.
Outgoing board president Patricia Allen transferred the gavel to District VIII Trustee Judith Cruz, who was unanimously selected as board president.
Remaining officers elected for 2022 are: First Vice President Elizabeth Santos, Second Vice President Kathy Blueford-Daniels, Secretary Sue Deigaard, and Assistant Secretary Myrna Guidry.
The board also approved an interlocal agreement with Prairie View A&M University to provide support, in the amount of $400,000, for phase one of the Booker T. Washington High School community statue project, THE VISION.
THE VISION is an effort of students to help memorialize the rich 129-year history of the school and to bring awareness of climate change (both locally and internationally). The project includes the erection of a statue of Booker T. Washington, a community learning plaza, community walking park, and a geodome greenhouse.
This historical landmark will be the third statue of a renowned African American in Houston, joining statues of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Congressman George Thomas “Mickey” Leland.
The Board also approved a $5,000 donation from the Sports Authority Foundation to the Sterling HS Raider Band program to purchase new band equipment and a $10,000 in-kind donation to Attucks MS. The donation consists of a Nook Pod to be delivered and installed on campus. The Nook Pod is a structure that addresses sensory issues, like acoustics and lighting, for students with learning differences and neurodiversity.