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Posts published in “Day: February 19, 2019”

Aldine superintendent hosts Pct. 2 Commissioner Garcia

February 19, 2019
Pct. 2 Comm. Adrian Garcia confers with Aldine Superintendent LaTonya Goffney and Assist. Superintendent Selina Chopa.

Discuss joint efforts in education, school safety, workforce

ALDINE – Harris County Pct. 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia held a special meeting with school superintendents in his precinct, to explore ways that his administration could help with the goal of improving educational performance, school safety, and workforce development after graduation.

The luncheon meeting was held at the new Aldine Mead Middle School on Lauder Road last Friday.

Attending were some of the precinct superintendents, workforce representatives, TexasCentral high speed rail, Pct. 2 infrastructure, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and his SWAT team, Aldine department heads and police, and Harris County engineering department.

In his opening remarks, Commissioner Garcia said he called the meeting to discuss educational advancement and job opportunities for residents of Pct. 2. with the goal of improving the Quality of Life for them.

He noted that the district had a lower than average household income, and lower academic achievement level than other precincts in the county. He stated that he had run on an education platform, and he wanted to coordinated with others to achieve improvements.

Noting that his office and the school district had tight budgets, he said he was looking for partners to help with innovation in education.

Garcia mentioned that education should start early in the home, that Pre-K was important for everyone, that innovation could help in schools, and adult education was an important part of the solution.

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Commissioner Garcia introduces Paid Family Leave Measure

February 19, 2019

HARRIS COUNTY, TX – Commissioner Adrian Garcia is continuing his commitment to making county employees a priority and has introduced a measure that would strengthen the current policy on family leave.

The Commissioner requested a study to determine what it will take to provide county employees with paid maternity leave for a period of two weeks over and above current policies.

“This is the fair thing to do for our working families. Many of our employees are the sole providers in their family,” said Commissioner Adrian Garcia. “It’s not right to ask them to choose between abandoning a new child or lose their wages.”

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Aldine ISD is expanding college opportunities for students

February 19, 2019
This is an architectural rendering of the East Aldine Town Center. Lone Star College-East Aldine Campus and Rose Avalos P-TECH School will share the facility. Avalos P-TECH School is accepting applications from current eighth-grade students for the freshman class of 2019-2020.

Aldine ISD is multiplying opportunities for high school students to earn a college degree and be career ready at no personal cost to their families in a partnership with the Lone Star Community College System (LSCCS) and industry partners. Through these partnerships, AISD will open Avalos P-TECH School just in time for the start of the 2019-2020 school year. The school will share space with Lone Star College-East Aldine Campus, which is located on an 80,000-square-foot-site at the East Aldine Town Center (2430 Aldine Mail Rte. Houston, TX 77039).

Getting Ahead of the Game

Students who attend will be dual enrolled in high school and college courses through LSCCS starting their ninth grade year. By the end of their senior year, students will graduate with a high school diploma, an associate’s degree, and workforce certificates.

Due to the focus on college readiness and programs of study, Avalos P-TECH School will not offer UIL activities such as athletics, band, choir, etc. P-TECH School students may not take part in such activities at another Aldine ISD campus.

Students will have access to mentors, internships, workforce skill workshops, and job shadowing from across their industry of interest.

Superintendent LaTonya M. Goffney believes that the opening of Avalos PTECH is another opportunity to give Aldine ISD students a choice in how they complete K-12 education in Aldine. Students will choose one of four career pathways and take courses that provide the academic, technical and workplace skills.

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Commissioner Ellis opposes DA’s 31.7% budget increase to hire 102 prosecutors

February 19, 2019

County Should Invest Tax Dollars in Reforms that Will Make Our Communities Safer and Our Justice System More Fair, Efficient and Effective for All People

HARRIS COUNTY, TX – February 11, 2019 – Citing the need for a criminal justice system that advances equal justice and protects our communities, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis said he plans to vote against District Attorney Kim Ogg’s request for a massive 31.7 percent budget increase that, if approved, will fund an additional 102 prosecutors.

“This is a significant expansion of the District Attorney’s Office, and it signals a commitment to doubling down on our system’s over reliance on arrest, prosecution and incarceration for low-level, nonviolent offenses related to poverty, homelessness, mental health, prostitution and substance use,” Commissioner Ellis said. “Given the county’s finite resources, we should be investing in reforms like pre-arrest/pre-charge diversion programs that, unlike pre-trial diversion programs, will divert the person before they enter or re-enter the criminal justice system to services and treatments that can better address the root causes of these types of cases.”

Commissioners Court on Tuesday will consider the request— which is more than four times the increase recommended by the county’s Budget Management Department— during public hearings to approve the county’s 2019-20 budgets. (more…)