Lone Star College- Kingwood
Like many businesses and educational institutions, Lone Star College-Kingwood is finding creative ways to provide top-notch services to its customers, i.e., students, amid the ever-changing pandemic. The college’s mission is student success. To achieve this, the institution offers courses and programs in various modalities (in-person, online, and hybrid) to help students meet their educational and career goals.
LSC-Kingwood has two satellite facilities. The LSC-Atascocita Center, located on West Lake Houston Parkway, offers local access to academic services, general courses, workforce training, and leisure learning. It is also the home for iSchool High School-Atascocita, a tuition-free public charter school. The LSC-Process Technology Center has state-of-the-art simulation equipment, a hands-on training unit, labs, and classrooms for the process technology and instrumentation technology programs. It also offers general college courses.
This academic year promises to bring exciting outcomes for LSC-Kingwood, its satellite facilities, and the community. Those offerings include:
• Instrumentation Technology Program trains students to maintain, calibrate, troubleshoot, repair, and replace process instruments. Graduates can work in the chemical process industry, including refineries, power generation, and food and beverage. Info: www.lonestar.edu/InstrumentationTechnology-AAS.htm
• Continuing Education Division provides free GED and ESOL classes in person and online in English and Spanish. Additional available courses include certified medical assistant, medical billing and coding, dental assisting, bookkeeping (English and bilingual), and phlebotomy. These classes are not free; however, students could receive financial assistance. Info: www.lonestar.edu/adult-education
• TRIO SSS Grant provides academic support to ensure success for students listed as first-generation in college, income-limited, or have a disability through free programming. The target audience includes first-generation, low-income, students with disabilities, former foster care, early college, dual credit, and continuing education. Info: www.LoneStar.edu/TRIO-Kingwood
• Community-focused events provide entertainment and necessary services for the public. Those activities include fine arts events (drama, music, arts, etc.), monthly food fairs, tax aid assistance, civic engagement events, career fairs, and an affordable dental clinic. Info: www.LoneStar.edu/kingwood
Lone Star College-Kingwood is the educational institution of choice for nearly 12,000 students. The address is 20000 Kingwood Drive. For more information, register for a class, or schedule a tour, visit www.LoneStar.edu/kingwood or call
281-312-1600.
Humble ISD
Humble Independent School District, among the fastest-growing in Texas, is a destination-district for families seeking a supportive environment for their children. Humble ISD students thrive and grow by enriching their lives through academics, arts, athletics, career preparation, service-learning and school sponsored social activities. Humble ISD’s reputation for educating the whole child is one reason why more than 1,000 new students join Humble ISD each year.
Humble ISD educates more than 48,000 students from the communities of Atascocita, Eagle Springs, Fall Creek, Humble, Kingwood, Summerwood, The Groves, the West Lake Corridor and more. Humble ISD operates six high schools: Atascocita, Humble, Kingwood, Kingwood Park, Summer Creek and Guy M. Sconzo Early College. The district operates nine middle schools: Atascocita, Creekwood, Humble, Kingwood, Riverwood, Ross Sterling, Timberwood, West Lake and Woodcreek. Humble ISD operates 30 elementary schools. The district is expanding with the addition of a middle school opening in August 2022.
One reason parents choose Humble ISD is because it is an effective school district. Humble ISD is the statewide 2015 Best Large District Winner in the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards Program, and the Humble ISD School Board is the 2018 State Winner in the School Board Category. There are more than 1,200 school districts in the state.
Known for academic rigor, Humble ISD was listed on the College Board’s AP Honor Roll for 2015, an honor claimed by fewer than five percent of Texas school districts. The 3,221 graduates in the Class of 2021 earned more than $24 million in college scholarship offers.The district is home to four demonstration schools. Atascocita, Humble and Timberwood middle schools are AVID National Demonstration Schools, and Guy M. Sconzo Early College High School is an ECHS Demonstration School. Educators from across the U.S. tour these demonstration schools to learn from the best. Humble ISD offers an International Baccalaureate program and Career and Technical Education courses. The Humble ISD Education Foundation, a non-profit organization, has awarded more than $15.3 million since 2000 to support projects that enhance education. For more information, please visit www.humbleisd.net.
San Jacinto College
In August 2020, San Jacinto College brought its fifth campus, Generation Park, to northeast Houston residents.
Conveniently located off Beltway 8 at West Lake Houston Parkway and Lockwood Road, the College’s newest campus focuses on academic classes that transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Classes include eight-week and sixteen-week options in face-to-face, online, and hybrid formats.
“We offer a variety of class times and modalities that allow students to complete their degree in a manner and pace that are comfortable to them,” Executive Director Dr. Destry Dokes said. “Students are also supported by our outstanding faculty in all classes.”
San Jacinto College provides many resources and university partnerships to simplify the transfer process for students.
Focusing on Academics, Workforce
Generation Park administrators have been working with local school districts and community stakeholders to develop a campus that offers both general academic courses and associate degrees. Dr. Dokes believes the campus’ diverse options will most attract students.
“I believe students will choose us because of our academic and STEM [science, technology, engineering, and math] course offerings, course relevance and transferability, and innovative technology to accommodate various learning styles and student service needs,” he said.
Workforce training solutions are also on the radar. Generation Park leaders are meeting with established and emerging industry partners to determine how the campus can assist with professional development.
Looking Ahead
The Generation Park Campus opened its first instructional building in fall 2020: a 55,000-square-foot classroom building at the heart of the 57-acre master-planned campus. The campus will continue to grow, bringing high-quality, affordable education options to the College’s northeast service area.
San Jacinto College offers financial aid and scholarships to help students achieve their goals within their budget. Educational planners and counselors also guide students on their path to transfer institutions. Start the enrollment process at www.sanjac.edu/steps-enroll.
For more information about Generation Park, visit www.sanjac.edu/generation-park. The campus is at 13455 Lockwood Rd., Houston, TX 77044.
Sheldon ISD
Every Child, Every Day
Sheldon ISD’s mission is to provide personalized learning opportunities to ensure all students graduate college and career ready. As a fast growing school district, SISD has experienced a 2-3% enrollment growth rate for the past 20 years. Sheldon ISD attracts new students annually and serves more than 83% low-income families and educates 10,609 students. Serving the community surrounding Sheldon Lake in Harris County, the district spans 53.3 square miles. Sheldon ISD currently has 12 schools: one high school, one credit recovery campus, two middle schools, six elementary schools and two early childhood centers. The district is expanding even further with a 9th grade center opening in August 2022.
One reason parents choose Sheldon ISD is because of the six career academies offered at C.E. King High School which are pathways to college and careers. These pathways are for students to focus on careers ranging from early college high school to culinary arts and business to criminal justice, STEM and much more. The pathways are focused on personalized learning opportunities that equip students with skills needed for a future career.
Sheldon ISD consistently pursues innovation inside of the classroom. The Class of 2021 earned more than $2.5 million in scholarships and was the first graduating class to attend a full school year in the newly built C.E. King High School (which opened in February 2020). Sheldon ISD offers an Early College High School which gives students the opportunity to graduate high school with an associate degree or college credit. The district also offers Career and Technical Education which operates with work-based learning and provides students with real-world experience as well as the opportunity to graduate with a certification in a field of choice after high school. In 2021, approximately 33% of the Early College High School seniors graduated with associates degrees and 42 seniors graduated with certifications to prepare them for their next step in college and/or a career.
The district encourages teachers to design creative lessons for their students. The Sheldon ISD Education Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Sheldon ISD educators, has awarded more than $120,000 to teachers to support projects that enhance education in unique and innovative ways.
For more information about Sheldon ISD, please visit www.sheldonisd.com.
Spring ISD
The Spring Independent School District serves over 35,000 prekindergarten through 12th-grade students in a diverse district located 20 miles north of central Houston.
Guided by its strategic plan, Every Child 2020, the district is preparing students for success in college, career and life. With literacy as the foundation for learning across all grade levels, the district offers academic programs that meet the needs of all learners. From high-quality early childhood programs to college preparation courses and career pathway exploration, there are programs and services designed to meet the needs of every Spring ISD student.
The district takes pride in always improving and evolving, including strengthening and expanding its special education and gifted and talented services as well as its award-winning performing and visual arts program to serve even more students. In addition to bilingual instruction and English as a Second Language programs, which have been well-established for many years, the district has added a dual language program at three elementary schools. An array of extracurricular opportunities, including UIL 16-6-A athletics and nationally recognized JROTC programs encourage students to explore and pursue their interests.
The district currently has 38 campuses that include 26 prekindergarten through 5th-grade elementary schools, seven 6th- through 8th-grade middle schools and five 9th- through 12th-grade high schools. That number will change soon with the construction of several new facilities – including two middle schools, three ninth-grade centers and a state-of-the-art stadium that will serve the entire district – all funded by a bond referendum approved by voters in 2016.