Students across Harris County were greeted with joyful smiles and welcoming hugs on the first day of Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) classes on Monday, Aug. 26. From the county’s youngest learners to seniors just nine months away from their high school graduations, students attending HCDE’s Special Schools and Head Start campuses returned to their respective buildings, joining staff who welcomed each child with open arms and welcoming words.
Unlike recent years, most HCDE Head Start campuses opened their doors the same day as the Department’s four Special Schools. Dogan and Fonwood Head Start campuses began classes Aug. 12, while the majority of the centers were delayed due to impacts from Hurricane Beryl.
Regardless, the first day was full of excitement for staff and students.
“We missed our students,” Fortis Academy Principal Travita Godfrey said. “Yes, our staff has been together for two weeks, but we did – we miss our students. So, I was excited today to see them and see them looking well.”
Special Schools
As buses and school district vehicles rolled up to HCDE’s four campuses, students were met with smiles from administrators and teachers for the first day of classes.
The four unique schools – Academic and Behavior Schools (ABS) East and West, Highpoint School and Fortis Academy – serve students aged 5 to 22 with profound emotional and intellectual special needs, those challenged by addiction and reluctant learners in need of an alternative environment for success. The division partners with Harris County school districts to offer highly-structured classes and personalized instruction.
Campus staff members readied themselves with professional development and training opportunities before the first day.
“For us, it’s exciting to see so many students in the buildings,” said Dr. Charles Ned, senior director of Special Schools. “It’s exciting to see the smiles on the faces, and it’s exciting to see the classrooms and the students actively engaged. We had extensive professional development throughout the summer, and the last two weeks before the students returned to us today, so we feel that our staff is adequately prepared to embrace the students and get them off to a great start.”
Ned visited ABS West on the first day to help welcome students and support campus staff. Additionally, Superintendent James Colbert Jr. and Assistant Superintendent for Academic Support Services Jonathan Parker visited all four campuses last week to ensure schools were ready.
ABS East begins its second year at its new campus, and the gymnasium at Highpoint’s middle school is also in its second year. Both projects continue HCDE’s reach to provide opportunities to students across Harris County.
“Our staff was excited to receive their students so we can begin changing the narrative, our theme for this upcoming school year,” ABS East Principal Mercedes Love said.
Said ABS West Principal Jatata Hutton: “This morning was so uplifting just to see the students in the building. We’ve been preparing and meeting the previous two weeks, but the joy and excitement of having them in the building is infectious. It’s going to be a terrific year here.”
Head Start
More than 1,100 of Harris County’s youngest learners kicked off the first day of school with stimulating music and movement. The laughter-provoking activity, which filled Head Start campuses, was a fitting start to the academic year as the Department celebrates its 25th anniversary of the Head Start program.
Campuses support children’s growth from birth to age 5 through services centered around early learning and development, health and family well-being. Students follow the Frog Street Press curriculum, which promotes school readiness for infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children from low-income families.
“We are excited to celebrate this milestone and plan to host a reception in October during Head Start Awareness Month,” said Senior Director Venetia Peacock. “However, our program has faced challenges, so I’m also focused on returning to the basics by looking at our federal requirements and how to ace those.”
Leaders were expected to reopen Coolwood Head Start in the heart of the Northshore community for the first day. However, plans changed overnight when Hurricane Beryl made landfall in July. High winds ripped the new roof off the building, causing water damage to classroom walls, floors and new furniture. HCDE’s Facilities division and construction crews have been working nonstop to repair the damage.
“It was heartbreaking to be so close to something fully funded, then COVID hit, and the price changed and all the challenges we went through,” Peacock said. “To see the visualization of the building come together, thinking we were going to open and then be pulled out from under us, heartbreaking is the only word that describes that feeling.”
Head Start expects to welcome Coolwood students and their families to campus by mid-fall.
To support campus staff on the first day of school, Peacock visited the Humble Head Start center, which also houses an Early Head Start program that supports students’ intellectual, social and emotional growth. This year, educators plan to emphasize the importance of parental involvement on campus and, more importantly, at home. They distributed school-to-home calendars to students to provide families with activities that support the classroom curriculum.
“It’s something about the first day of school that makes everything feel brand new,” Peacock said. “All the possibilities are on the first day, and I love it because it reminds me of why I need to keep striving to improve our facilities and offerings and ensure we have top educators in our classrooms.”
To learn more about HCDE Schools, visit hcde-texas.org/special-schools. For information about our Head Start program, visit hcde-texas.org/head-start.